MSD 6a installation
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 426
Likes: 1
From: houston, texas (now Berli
MSD 6a installation
I finally got my MSD 6a and installed it a few minutes ago. The problem is that now the truck stumbles and dies at idle. I have to press the accelerator to keep it running. It's running fine without the MSD. I have reset the computer and drove it around the block, but if it did anything at all it made it worse. Anybody have any idea what might have gone wrong?
Thanks!!
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1988 F-150, 5.0L 302ci, 5spd, SuperCab. Shorty headers, K&N filter, Accell 300 8.8mm race wires, Accell supercoil, Accell rotor+cap, Bosch +4 Platinum plugs, RanchHand bumper. Soon: MSD 6a ignition and dual exhaust.
Thanks!!
----------------------------------------------------------
1988 F-150, 5.0L 302ci, 5spd, SuperCab. Shorty headers, K&N filter, Accell 300 8.8mm race wires, Accell supercoil, Accell rotor+cap, Bosch +4 Platinum plugs, RanchHand bumper. Soon: MSD 6a ignition and dual exhaust.
New User
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
MSD 6a installation
Sounds like you may have a conflict with your trucks engine computer and the MSD. If your truck is fuel injected and EEC-IV your computer has to receive a tach signal from the engine to regulate the EFI pulse width. If your instructions don't have the proper scenario wiring diagram for your truck, try MSD online tech support. I've used them before and they were very helpful.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 335
Likes: 0
From: Hutto 20 mi. above Austin USA
MSD 6a installation
Are you sure that you cut the correct wire for the 4, 6, or 8 cylinder function? I believe there are two wires, one red one black, under a small screw-on cover. I think if you've got a 6 then you cut one of them, an 8 you'd cut both, or a 4 you'd leave 'em alone. I'm not sure if that's exactly the way you do it (it's been a few months since I installed the whole system) but it's something like that.
Goodluck, I got 4-5 MPG's more than I did without it! I felt about 10 more horses.
Chris
1982 F100 Flareside
300 I-6 SROD 4speed
MSD6AL, 8.5mm S/C Wires
Blaster 2F Coil
Blue & Silver
Goodluck, I got 4-5 MPG's more than I did without it! I felt about 10 more horses.
Chris
1982 F100 Flareside
300 I-6 SROD 4speed
MSD6AL, 8.5mm S/C Wires
Blaster 2F Coil
Blue & Silver
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 426
Likes: 1
From: houston, texas (now Berli
MSD 6a installation
rsbeadle wrote:
> If your truck is fuel injected and EEC-IV your computer has
> to receive a tach signal from the engine to regulate the EFI
> pulse width.
MSD instructions said 'not used' on the picture of the tach output. But I'll look it up again. I'll also try the online MSD help, thanks for the tip. All I did was hooking the box to the battery and splicing it inbetween the coil and the wires conected to the coil - did I forget something?
steakman_usaf - I think that feature extists only with the 6AL and not with the 6A - or am I missing something?
Keep the good advice coming - I need it :-)
Thanks!
-------------------------------------------------
1988 F-150, 5.0L 302ci, 5spd, SuperCab. Shorty headers, K&N filter, Accell 300 8.8mm race wires, Accell supercoil, Accell rotor+cap, Bosch +4 Platinum plugs, RanchHand bumper. Soon: MSD 6a ignition and dual exhaust.
> If your truck is fuel injected and EEC-IV your computer has
> to receive a tach signal from the engine to regulate the EFI
> pulse width.
MSD instructions said 'not used' on the picture of the tach output. But I'll look it up again. I'll also try the online MSD help, thanks for the tip. All I did was hooking the box to the battery and splicing it inbetween the coil and the wires conected to the coil - did I forget something?
steakman_usaf - I think that feature extists only with the 6AL and not with the 6A - or am I missing something?
Keep the good advice coming - I need it :-)
Thanks!
-------------------------------------------------
1988 F-150, 5.0L 302ci, 5spd, SuperCab. Shorty headers, K&N filter, Accell 300 8.8mm race wires, Accell supercoil, Accell rotor+cap, Bosch +4 Platinum plugs, RanchHand bumper. Soon: MSD 6a ignition and dual exhaust.
Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
MSD 6a installation
I think there is a special connector you need to wire up the MSD-6A to the EEC-IV. There is something that you guys may need to know. The EEC-IV system is apparently already a dual spark system much like the MSD-6A. check out a site www.dc.net/twallace/taurus and go to the message board and ask there. A bunch of guys there have put on the MSD on their Tauruses.
Robbie
Robbie
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 482
Likes: 1
From: Connecticut
MSD 6a installation
I originally installed the 6a without the adapter harness that they sell. After adding one of thier adjustable timing controls, I did use the adapter for a neat installation. Check your wiring as per their drawing for coil polarity etc. When looking into the coil's primary connector with the high voltage terminal on top the positive terminal is on the right. Locate the positive wire in the Ford coil connector by observing which one connects to this lug. My diagram shows:
Black to coil negative.
Orange to coil positive.
White to Ford coil connector negative.
Red To Ford coil connector positive.
The 6a works perfectly in my 89 F150 5.0L. I have had problems in the past using spiral core magnetic suppression plug wires. They always seem to produce a steady low rpm miss under load.
Hope this helps
Mark
mjb1962(No Email Addresses In Posts!)
Black to coil negative.
Orange to coil positive.
White to Ford coil connector negative.
Red To Ford coil connector positive.
The 6a works perfectly in my 89 F150 5.0L. I have had problems in the past using spiral core magnetic suppression plug wires. They always seem to produce a steady low rpm miss under load.
Hope this helps
Mark
mjb1962(No Email Addresses In Posts!)
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 426
Likes: 1
From: houston, texas (now Berli
MSD 6a installation
mjb1962 wrote: Check your wiring as per their drawing for coil polarity etc.
I have tried all possible connection variants. The only configuration that gives me spark at all is the one that gives me trouble.
I've hooked the negative cable of the unit to the firewall (used the grounding cable from the engine block) and the positive cable to the starter relay (I thin that's what it is, anyway, it makes direct contact with the battery cable).
Do you see any potential problems with this setup?
--------------------------------------------------
1988 F-150, 5.0L 302ci, 5spd, SuperCab. Shorty headers, K&N filter, Accell 300 8.8mm race wires, Accell supercoil, Accell rotor+cap, Bosch +4 Platinum plugs, RanchHand bumper. Soon: MSD 6a ignition and dual exhaust.
I have tried all possible connection variants. The only configuration that gives me spark at all is the one that gives me trouble.
I've hooked the negative cable of the unit to the firewall (used the grounding cable from the engine block) and the positive cable to the starter relay (I thin that's what it is, anyway, it makes direct contact with the battery cable).
Do you see any potential problems with this setup?
--------------------------------------------------
1988 F-150, 5.0L 302ci, 5spd, SuperCab. Shorty headers, K&N filter, Accell 300 8.8mm race wires, Accell supercoil, Accell rotor+cap, Bosch +4 Platinum plugs, RanchHand bumper. Soon: MSD 6a ignition and dual exhaust.
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 482
Likes: 1
From: Connecticut
MSD 6a installation
If connected as per their drawing, then you may have a defective unit. Also, experimenting with wiring can damage the unit. Return the unit and try another one. Be very careful when hooking up the wiring, double check everything before connecting the battery and attempting to start the vehicle. Good practice is to hook up all signal wires and check them before connecting the battery.
Mark
mjb1962(No Email Addresses In Posts!)
Mark
mjb1962(No Email Addresses In Posts!)
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Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 426
Likes: 1
From: houston, texas (now Berli
MSD 6a installation
> If connected as per their drawing, then you may
> have a defective unit.
That'd be a PITA. I have emailed MSD sunday night, but still no response.
> Also, experimenting with wiring can damage
> the unit.
I first hooked it up according to instructions and got the problem right away. I then experimented with the wiring, but nothing had changed, when i put them back the way they were supposed to be. So I think it's unlikely that I have damaged something so far.
> Return the unit and try another one.
I'll wait for MSD to reply, but it seems to me that's what's going to happen :-(
>Also make sure you connect to
>the post on the starter
>relay that is connected to
>the battery positive terminal.
Yup, that's where I put it.
--------------------------------------------
1988 F-150, 5.0L 302ci, 5spd, SuperCab. Shorty headers, K&N filter, Accell 300 8.8mm race wires, Accell supercoil, Accell rotor+cap, Bosch +4 Platinum plugs, RanchHand bumper. Soon (or not so soon??): MSD 6a ignition and dual exhaust.
> have a defective unit.
That'd be a PITA. I have emailed MSD sunday night, but still no response.
> Also, experimenting with wiring can damage
> the unit.
I first hooked it up according to instructions and got the problem right away. I then experimented with the wiring, but nothing had changed, when i put them back the way they were supposed to be. So I think it's unlikely that I have damaged something so far.
> Return the unit and try another one.
I'll wait for MSD to reply, but it seems to me that's what's going to happen :-(
>Also make sure you connect to
>the post on the starter
>relay that is connected to
>the battery positive terminal.
Yup, that's where I put it.
--------------------------------------------
1988 F-150, 5.0L 302ci, 5spd, SuperCab. Shorty headers, K&N filter, Accell 300 8.8mm race wires, Accell supercoil, Accell rotor+cap, Bosch +4 Platinum plugs, RanchHand bumper. Soon (or not so soon??): MSD 6a ignition and dual exhaust.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 425
Likes: 0
MSD 6a installation
I paid the $12 for the ford harness because I figured I'd shock myself or kill something when splicing into the wiring harness, also I didn't want to sell the MSD6A when I eventually sell my truck...All I did to make mine work was plug the connectors in where the instructions with the harness said and it fired right up...I didn't feel any power difference, but than again nothing I do to my truck seems to make it any faster, I think I have every ~$100 mod made for my truck and I pull 250 horses on the dyno, GRR!
1995 F-150XL SC/SB
http://members.sounddomain.com/blind
5-Star Rated F-150 (Big Stereo)
1995 F-150XL SC/SB
http://members.sounddomain.com/blind
5-Star Rated F-150 (Big Stereo)
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 426
Likes: 1
From: houston, texas (now Berli
MSD 6a installation
Thanks for all the replies so far. MSD has still not answered (emailed them sunday night)!!
I wondered: I have a slight pinging under heavy acceleration. Could it be that the timing is slightly off and that that messes the MSD box up?
-----------------------------------------------------
1988 F-150, 5.0L 302ci, 5spd, SuperCab. Shorty headers, K&N filter, Accell 300 8.8mm race wires, Accell supercoil, Accell rotor+cap, Bosch +4 Platinum plugs, RanchHand bumper. Soon: MSD 6a ignition and dual exhaust.
I wondered: I have a slight pinging under heavy acceleration. Could it be that the timing is slightly off and that that messes the MSD box up?
-----------------------------------------------------
1988 F-150, 5.0L 302ci, 5spd, SuperCab. Shorty headers, K&N filter, Accell 300 8.8mm race wires, Accell supercoil, Accell rotor+cap, Bosch +4 Platinum plugs, RanchHand bumper. Soon: MSD 6a ignition and dual exhaust.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 1,100
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From: Durham
MSD 6a installation
What is your timing set at? I had the pinging problem with mine and it did not affect the MSD box. It did, however, drive me nuts for about six months until the distributor's magnetic pickup completely died.
'82 F150 2WD w/351W (orig 300 I6)
Slik
'82 F150 2WD w/351W (orig 300 I6)
Slik
New User
Joined: May 2022
Posts: 1
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From: Lenoir NC
Power limit
The reason you can’t seem to get any more power is because the Ford EEC is the only computer system that is 100% adaptive anything you throw on it or throw at it it’s going to adapt the system to run like it supposed to the only way to get more power is to trick it. If you wanna series power increase tear the eec out and install one out of 96. I decided to keep mine and modify it because the systems are so bulletproof. I’m pushing right at 850hp 970 lbft torque Out of my 88 302
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