Ignition Boxes

[enkeivette]

I always planned to get an MSD box, but I sort of forgot about that plan. Car seems to make power without it :)

With the cylinder pressure being so high that our modified motors are always on the verge of preignition, once the spark plug does go, and combustion happens, it seems to me that complete combustion would be inevitable. So, how would having a stronger spark, or multiple sparks... ooo... really do anything for the combustion.

Theorize, argue, agree, or show me any real world evidence that ignition boxes make power. And... go!

[enkeivette]

"For most 460 applications, and performance V-8s in general, any good quality ignition with sufficient spark output will provide the same results."

"In my 10yr dyno tuning experience, I've never seen an ignition box make power unless it cured a misfire or changed advance."

http://www.460ford.com/forum/showthread.php?t=129064

[enkeivette]

Motor head experts seem to say, you dont need em unless you do. Meaning, if your ignition has enough power to jump the gap as it is, there is no reason to run an ignition box. So unless youre having problems with misfiring, the extra voltage wont do anything for you.

Plus, it seems that the multiple spark discharge stops at 3K rpm, so the multi spark function is simply to improve low speed driving on high performance engines. Not make power.

http://speedtalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6616

[Shaolin Crane]

MSD= May Suddenly Die.

[94cobra69ss396]

okay, two real world examples. First the Chevelle. Back when it had the 396 I decided to install a Mallory HyFire 6A. I already had a Mallory Comp 9000 distributor and one of their chrome coils. The Chevelle was running 13.40's. I installed the box along with a Mallory Promaster coil. I picked up 2 tenths and 1 mph and ran a best of 13.23 at 104.

Next on the Cobra. When I first installed the Vortech and went to have it dyno'd it only made 380 something horsepower to the wheels. It started misfiring in the upper RPMs and Steve told me it was most likely do to the spark being blown out. The next time I went I had installed an MSD 6A and it made 420 something horspower to the rear wheels and pulled strong to 6000 RPMs.

Now, I agree that you won't gain anything if your engine doesn't need it but with the Chevelle it had inefficient open chamber heads that needed a stronger ignition and the Cobra needed a stronger ignition to keep the spark from blowing out.

[BRUTAL64]

Motor head experts seem to say, you dont need em unless you do. Meaning, if your ignition has enough power to jump the gap as it is, there is no reason to run an ignition box. So unless youre having problems with misfiring, the extra voltage wont do anything for you.

Plus, it seems that the multiple spark discharge stops at 3K rpm, so the multi spark function is simply to improve low speed driving on high performance engines. Not make power.

http://speedtalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6616

Actually...most Multi-spark boxes go single spark at about 2500 rpm. But they cut the amps to the plug ....so that allows the plugs to last longer.

MSD always fail at the worst possible times...middle of the desert.........in a store parking lot, when you are late for work...I have about 20 more versions of this...but you get the idea.

Ever wonder why MSD has a FLAT RATE cost to fix their 6a 6al 6t boxes.....yep cause they fail for EVERYONE...just a matter of when.:judge:

[enkeivette]

Ron, wow. Could you feel the car misfiring before the box was installed? Mine feels like its doing fine, but I do have an MSD HEI.

Good to know the MSD boxes suck, my distributor has been running great since 2005, knock on wood. It has a built in rev limiter too, so I havent had much motivation to get a box for that reason either.

[94cobra69ss396]

I could feel the difference in the Chevelle when I installed the box but before the box it felt fine. I just wanted to add the box to see if it would help and it did. With the Cobra I could feel it misfiring above about 5400 RPMS. It just didn't pull as strong after that. With the box it pulled strong to 6000 RPMS which is as high as I would take it.

On the Cobra I run MSD billet distributor with an MSD 6A and a factory Ford coil. On the Chevelle I have an MSD billet distributor with an MSD 6AL, an MSD manual retard module and an MSD Blaster 2 coil. I'm on my second MSD box on the Cobra but still the first one in the Chevelle. I've had issues with the one in the Cobra on rainy days or when I take it through the car wash and one time in the Chevelle when it rained. The MSD boxes do not like to get wet. With the old Mallory box that I used to have on the Chevelle that was never a problem.

[BRUTAL64]

I could feel the difference in the Chevelle when I installed the box but before the box it felt fine. I just wanted to add the box to see if it would help and it did. With the Cobra I could feel it misfiring above about 5400 RPMS. It just didn't pull as strong after that. With the box it pulled strong to 6000 RPMS which is as high as I would take it.

On the Cobra I run MSD billet distributor with an MSD 6A and a factory Ford coil. On the Chevelle I have an MSD billet distributor with an MSD 6AL, an MSD manual retard module and an MSD Blaster 2 coil. I'm on my second MSD box on the Cobra but still the first one in the Chevelle. I've had issues with the one in the Cobra on rainy days or when I take it through the car wash and one time in the Chevelle when it rained. The MSD boxes do not like to get wet. With the old Mallory box that I used to have on the Chevelle that was never a problem.

Yes...there CAN be an improvement with multi-spark boxes...I've seen it myself.
And the MSD ....when they work....can show good improvement.

There are just better boxes out there.. ACCEL is my first chose....Mallory is second...but either one is just fine.:thumbs_up:


BTW...I suspect they are the same box....inside.....:sm_laughing:

[enkeivette]

My motor pulls hard till it hits the rev limiter at 6800. Ill take it on good faith that the boxes work, but its at the very bottom of my shopping list.