Table of Contents
How do I test my MSD magnetic pickup?
Turn the ignition to the On position. DO NOT CRANK THE ENGINE. With a small jumper wire, short the Green and Violet magnetic pickup wires together then pull the jumper off. Each time the short is removed a spark should jump If spark is present, the ignition is working properly.
Does MSD 6AL have a fuse?
The heavy red wire that brings the primary power from the battery is fused internally to the MSD 6AL but this does not protect the wire if it were to get shorted to ground. We recommend putting a fuse ahead of this wire at the point where you connect it to the battery.
Is there a fuse in a MSD 6AL?
How do I know if my MSD truck is bad?
Now connect the two multi-meter leads to the purple and orange wire that comes from the MSD distributor. The meter should read between 500 and 700 ohms. If the reading is outside of this range, then it’s likely the pickup is bad. A new pickup is available as a replacement piece (and it’s an easy piece to replace.
How do you check a magnetic pickup in a MSD distributor?
For this style distributor, the only real specification is to check the resistance of the magnetic pickup. Use an ohm meter across the two wires and confirm that the resistance is between 400 and 1,300 ohms. If the pickup is out of this specification, it may not be triggering the ignition box.
Does MSD ignition have a fuse?
02 in here. If I recall correctly, I have noticed this about MSD’s directions for all their ignition products – ‘connect directly to the battery’ with no mention of a fuse in-line. I have had MSD 6 ignitions on all my daily drivers for the last 15 years or so. Every one of them has a fuse and has worked fine.
Should MSD box be fused?
Do MSD coils go bad?
Don’t believe the Techs at MSD, the coils do go bad and be prepared to keep a spare in your trunk along with a pickup coil for the distributor, I’ve seen two of those go bad as well if the cap is not vented properly.
How do you test a magnetic distributor pickup?
On distributors with the pickup separate from the module assembly, you can check the pickup using your Ohm meter. Connect the leads from your Ohm meter to the 2 leads of the pickup. If you show a resistance of 50 to 200 Ohms, the pickup is functioning correctly.
What wire turns the MSD on and off with the ignition?
This wire turns the MSD on and off with the ignition switch. Generally, it will be connected to the wire that used to go to the coil’s positive terminal. It is very important to check for 12 volts on this wire when the key in on (in the run position) as well as during cranking.
How do you trigger the MSD on a GM distributor?
If you trigger the MSD through the 2-pin magnetic pickup harness, you’ll need a paperclip or a bare piece of wire. Disconnect the connector from the distributor and just like with the white wire, remove the coil wire from the distributor cap and position it about half-inch from ground.
Why does the MSD box turn off when cranking?
It is very important to check for 12 volts on this wire when the key in on (in the run position) as well as during cranking. Some older vehicles had a bypass that occurred during cranking and when that happens the reduction in voltage during cranking will essentially turn the MSD box off.
Why won’t my MSD ground the battery?
If you’re not using the negative terminal for ground (which is the preferred method), make sure your ground source is clean, tight and there’s a path from the engine to the chassis and to the battery. First thing to check is the status of the LED on the housing of the MSD.