I've been thinking about purchasing a msd 6A ignition for my 97 4.2L but the problem is I have no idea if it will work with my ignition system and if it does work where the hell do I mount the thing? There is no room under my hood for it. Also I have an aftermarket tach that I haven't been able to get working with my truck. For some odd reason for neglected to put a tach in the 97xl 4.2 liter 5 speeds. So if i get the msd ignition, will my tach then work if i plug it into the tach input?

My other question has to do with a grill swap. I have the stock grill that came with my 97 xl but i want to upgrade, if you want to call it that, to a 98 ford f150 4x4 grill. Is this an easy thing to do and how do i do it?

Thanks for your help.

Endurancexc

mods: airforce one cold air intake system, wet okole seat covers

 

Not sure the difference between a 97 and a 00.. But I know on my 4.2L I have to get a tach adapter from Autometer that goes between a wire on the coil in order to have a working tach signal..

MSD, hmm hadn't heard of one put in the truck, Busa might know..

As for the Grill Swap, trying to think of what a 4x4 grill looks like.. I'm assuming you want the honey comb? If so that comes on any XLT (if im not mistaken).. It's pretty simple to swap out.. Just gotta remove pins and so fourth and the front grill comes right off without a problem

 

I know that ford varied the grille insert clips from year to year, but i cant remember. Also, i know that the 97 f150 grille surrounds and bumper meet at a straight line, whereas the 98-03 surround and bumper dip down an inch or two between the headlights. In other words, the 98-03 have slightly taller grilles.

As for the tach, I was reading a post somewhere on this forum where the guy said he just connected it to the pink/white wire (in the gauge cluster) or something. I'll try to find the link for that post. Not really sure how to go about doing it, but I'm going to have to figure it out sooner or later. You could just get a cluster out of another F150, and apparently, have the PATS reset and mileage programmed for you.

Armand

 

Found the link for the post, here it is

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=273667

Hopefully the color of the wires haven't changed. But since the middle harness has 16 wires, you could just tap all the wires, 1 at a time. That would be so funny, it would work, but it'd be so funny.

 

any car with a distributor you hook the signal wire to the coil wire. if you have a
pink/white wire running out of your distributer harness, that should be the same wire behind the cluster.

a tach is really simple to install


an msd brand ignition system just replaces your existing ignition system.
unless you have an intake,exhaust,chip,bigger fuel pump i dont believe the
msd is worth the money.

 

I have an aftermarket intake and am investing in an exhaust in the very near future. But im leaning toward agreeing with you DSOLSI, I just want my tach to work and the only thing i can think of right now is the msd ignition that would help. I have tried splicing the so-called pink and white wire, my tach is digital and it rises in numbers when you rev it and the tach is attached but at idle it goes to 0 and its driving me crazy.

 

lol, so-called, like it's just masquerading as a pink and white wire but it's really not those colors? just kidding dude.

Anyhow, not to talk bad or offend, but maybe the tach quality is just not up to par. Just a thought....

 

Call MSD's Tech Line. Go to their website and call.

They make a special model for the distributorless ignition system. If you just look at the products on their website it's very confusing.

I was going to buy one once and called MSD's tech line and spoke with one of the guys that gave me the exact part number for the ignition and for the 4 tach adaptors. I'm not sure why you need so many but that's for the stock tachometer. For an aftermarket tach? That would be a good question for the Tech guy.

They are very smart overthere and can tell you in 5 minutes exactly what parts you'll need for your truck. He'll give you the part numbers because you can't buy directly from MSD's site.

As far as mounting goes, there's a dozen or more places inside your engine compartment to mount it. Anwhere along the back of the fire wall would work.

As far as the grills, you can get ones that replace your existing grill or ones that just pop in over your existing grill. Those are a piece of cake. Just get the grill you like and you'll figure it out

Tom

 

4.2 manster. thanks a lot man that link was excellent. I installed my tach yesterday and it works great. the only problem is i busted the headlight switch ( the whole mechanism) when i reinstalled it haha so now to have lights I have to plug the headlight switch in and to turn them off i have to unplug the switch from behind. Its just hanging form the wires right now. Im on my way to the junkyard tomorrow to try and find a replacement. Hopefully going that route is cheaper than a 70 dollar new replacement part.

Getting back to the tach tho. Its a digital 2 1/16 that i have set into the autometer column pod. It looks badass, almost oem but better!!

 

Endurance,

Glad to hear that it works. I'm stuck between getting a new cluster, programmed with my mileage and having the PATS reset, so that i can have a clean OEM looking tach. That'll cost me about 150 or so

Or i can get a steering colum gauge pod, which goes right in front of the odometer readout, and a 2 1/16 tach. The pod is about 25 bucks or so, and the tach is, well, i dont know. Autometer tachs are almost 100 bucks.....

Armand

 

I had a pod once.

But it manifested itself as my sister and hatched an alien.

I had to hack it to pieces with an axe. Made a terrible mess. So I wont buy one again.

 

You'll have to get a DIS-4 and 2 tach adaptors. I've got the setup on my truck and can get you some part numbers if you want. The hardest thing is finding a spot to mount everything, wiring is easy.

 

Tom,

the pod i'm talking about is nothing like that. this one holds a tachometer or other guages. I think your looking for the www.alienpodforums.com

Armand

 

I think i was thinking about that old movie "body snatchers" or something like that

 

I don't think I've seen (or heard of) that one. Reminds me of the title "body shots" with that one chick, uh.....tara reid. I haven't seen that one either, but i've heard she gets down and nekkid. While we're on the topic of movies, DO NOT, i repeat DO NOT watch 'birth' with nicole kidman. Unless you enjoy plotless, abstract movies.

And also, remember, the 97 f-150 has a different grille than the rest of the f150's, and somewhere around 1999 or so they changed the pin/slot configuration. Just search on eBay, you'll see a bunch of different options for different years.