i have a complete msd ignition on my fe.
8595 dizzy, blaster 2 coil, 6al, and msd 8.5 wires.
engine started cutting out on me the other day, any thing above 3grand was just awful. so i started looking for the culprit, but after finishing a compression test it would no longer start.

msd troubleshooting, coil wire 1/2" from a ground and touch white wire to another ground repeatedly. coil wire should spark meaning the 6al is still good.
while doing this i dident get a spark from the coil wire but insted the positive side of the coil was arching to the coil wire boot!

what do yall think bad coil? or maby somthing bigger???

 

It sounds like you're not holding the (larger) coil wire close enough to ground.

 

i pulled the boot back and held it pretty close...
ther is a lil trail on the coil like its been arching for some time now, and a burnt fitting on the orange wire that got replaced

 

Sounds like you may have a carbon track from the coil tower to the terminal. Look for a thin, light gray/black line between the two. I don't know if it could be cleaned effectively, if there is a track you might have to replace the coil and coil wire.

 

In that case, I agree with Mike.

 

the trail g starts on the outside of the coil tower runs up and inside where the wire plugs into...
it decided to start a few minuts ago... but still acts a lil goofey.
ordered new wires, going to install my dui insted of buying another coil... im tired of looking at it in my livingroom anyway.

ps dont touch the positive side of the coil when running, unless your into that kind of thing!!!

 

sooo, what causes carbon tracking? iv done a lil searching but havent really found much.
would hate to damage my dui because i havent really fixed the initial problem!
msd system has only a couple thousand miles on it, but components did lay around the shoppe a good year before i got around toit...

new spark plug wires due this week, but i still need wheels time to time.
the carbon tracking appears to only be on the coil if that changes anything.

 

From what I understand the initial arc will leave an invisible trace of carbon. Carbon is conductive so it makes it easier to arc again. Each time it arcs it leaves a little more of a carbon trace making each successive arc easier.
As for what caused the initial arc, could be any number of things, deffective insulation and moisture are two causes that come to mind.

 

well i guess ill lube up w/ some di electric grease and some spair parts from dui and hope for the best!!!