MSD Ignition system for Ferrari. | FerrariChat

MSD Ignition system for Ferrari.

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by jscar71, Jun 28, 2005.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. jscar71

    jscar71 Formula Junior

    Jul 14, 2004
    354
    Montreal Qc, Canada
    Full Name:
    JScar
    I have an 84 mondial, anyone ever add an ingnition system on there Ferrari.

    MSD or any other?

    If you have added one, what do you suggest and what is the difference if any?
     
  2. parkerfe

    parkerfe F1 World Champ

    Sep 4, 2001
    12,887
    Cumming, Georgia
    Full Name:
    Franklin E. Parker
    I installed an MSD 6AL ignition with an SS Blaster high vibration coil in my BB512i. I chose the high vibration coil because it is black like the stock Marelli coil and after I put a Marelli sticker on it it looks stock. My Boxer runs better than ever...I highly recommend this modification.
     
  3. mk e

    mk e F1 World Champ

    Oct 31, 2003
    12,899
    The twilight zone
    Full Name:
    The Butcher
    I use an MSD DIS4 on my car...but it also has a haltech ECU
     
  4. Dave

    Dave F1 Rookie

    Apr 15, 2001
    2,722
    Little Rock
    Full Name:
    David Jones
    I installed an MSD 6A on my 77 308.
     
  5. tomberlin

    tomberlin Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 9, 2005
    843
    Bethesda
    Full Name:
    tom berlin
    Dave,
    Are you still running points? How does it work? How many distributors?
     
  6. bpu699

    bpu699 F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Dec 9, 2003
    16,205
    wisconsin/chicago
    Full Name:
    bo
    Franklin, any insight on how difficult it was to do? Did you just buy 2 modules? Was it a simple swap???
     
  7. Dave

    Dave F1 Rookie

    Apr 15, 2001
    2,722
    Little Rock
    Full Name:
    David Jones
    Points are gone, I am running a single dizzy Norwood conversion.
     
  8. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
    Consultant Owner

    May 5, 2001
    7,017
    Groton, MA
    Full Name:
    Verell Boaen
    Search the bodies of posts in the old fchat archives, Several MSD conversions posted there.
     
  9. jeffdavison

    jeffdavison F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Jul 29, 2002
    2,544
    Suwanee Georgia
    Full Name:
    Jeffrey Davison
    I'm running an MSD DIS4 with Denso Coil-on-plugs in my F355.

    me so happy :)

    JD
     
  10. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 4, 2001
    35,278
    Birmingham, AL
    Full Name:
    Tommy
    for a V8 QV motor, what MDS model # and parts do you need?
     
  11. jscar71

    jscar71 Formula Junior

    Jul 14, 2004
    354
    Montreal Qc, Canada
    Full Name:
    JScar
    RESULTS???
     
  12. shifty308

    shifty308 Karting

    Aug 7, 2004
    75
    coulterville ca
    Full Name:
    steven schiffler
    i have the millermon with msd and i really like it, it idles better (stronger spark) and is eaiser to adjust, plus cheaper replacement parts and adjustable rev. limiter. can't be beat!
     
  13. snj5

    snj5 F1 World Champ

    Feb 22, 2003
    10,213
    San Antonio
    Full Name:
    Russ Turner
    88 Mondial 3.2 - converted to a single Mallory Unilite distributor and a MSD 6 AL box, with an MSD coil.
    Conversion covered in old threads.
     
  14. Dave

    Dave F1 Rookie

    Apr 15, 2001
    2,722
    Little Rock
    Full Name:
    David Jones
    "Results"

    No more expensive distributor caps, rotors, plug wires.
    Car stays in tune longer, no points wear or drift.
    Better burn, higher voltage coil, wider plug gap.
    The engine acts like a single 8-cylinder in unison, instead of two 4-cylinders fighting each other.
     
  15. markcF355

    markcF355 F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 6, 2004
    3,493
    Schmeckelstan
    Full Name:
    Mark
    Sorry for the highjack, but does anybody know what the numbers mean on the Denso cops?

    Also, Jeff, thanks for the cad file you sent. I am changing over to cops/MSD at the end of summer.
     
  16. jscar71

    jscar71 Formula Junior

    Jul 14, 2004
    354
    Montreal Qc, Canada
    Full Name:
    JScar
    So i own a 84 mondial cabriolet euro version. Does anyone know the part number / numbers I need for my car. MSD is my preference.
     
  17. Jhusey

    Jhusey Rookie

    Jul 19, 2013
    1
    Is it posible to get the cad file to make that conversion??



    thanks !!
     
  18. DinoRossa

    DinoRossa Karting

    Nov 4, 2012
    65
    New Zealand
    Full Name:
    Chris Mulvena
    I have a 308DinoGT4. I replaced the points/cam with MSD pickup and billet reluctor (1 in each dizzy - just cut off every second fin on the reluctors), then used signal to feed HEI style module as per the later GT4's/308's. Hid the modules under the coils so looks stock and fires right up every time. Used MSD hi vibration coils. Sorry should have taken photos but....

    I have used the HEI modules on several engines and they work great, only 4 wires to hook up and you can buy bits anywhere.

    Regards
    Chris
     
    Peter likes this.
  19. chrismorse

    chrismorse Formula 3

    Feb 16, 2004
    2,150
    way north california
    Full Name:
    chris morse
    #19 chrismorse, Jul 23, 2013
    Last edited: Jul 23, 2013
    When I got my 77, it had two msd 6 units, all else stock. It ran like **** because the rubbing block(s), point(s) were in bad shape.

    I went with the Norwood ignition conversion:
    Chrysler mag pick up, recurved advance.
    modified ford rotor, (easy to do),
    Od of the cap mounting area on one distributor slightly turned down to accept a $16 Chevy 8 cylinder cap, (basically, a 265 cap, which does not have the point setting window).

    Whamo, 20 k miles reliability,
    One distributor to time, (looks like a euro single distributor set up)
    A $100 bill lets you replace pick up, cap rotor at any napa out in east jesus Wyoming.

    To this I added a msd 6al, blaster coil and msd wires.

    Very reliable, idles nice, no plug fouling, (.050 gap).

    But, if I had it to do again, I would look at some of the newer computer controlled coil on plug set ups, with a manifold vacuum input for added advance at cruise, because, I still get 16 mpg and I am sure that I am leaving some HP on the table compared to a computer setable system.

    I am sure that the old two distributor, (eachwith two sets of expensive points) and the need to pull the distributors every time to reset the points on a distributor machine, the added complexity of syncing two distributors and the horrific cost of the caps was a major reasonthat the cars got the reputation for being tricky and expensive to maintain. Sure, the carbs take a bit of time to sync, but once that is done and you have the ignition updated, these cars are not that bad to maintain.

    HTH,
    chris
     
    Peter likes this.
  20. 335s

    335s Formula Junior

    Jan 17, 2007
    870
    SF Bay Area
    Full Name:
    T. Monma
    I can certainly understand a retrofit to an early vehicle where carbs are used, and the Marelli distributors are mechanical advanced, the points actuallly pass the juice-as oppossed to them acting as a "swithching trigger" device, colis which have a limited saturation capacity for a collapsing field, all in syatems which MIGHT(USA spec cars) have an additional set of points DESIGNED INTO THE SYSTEM which retard all slow speed activity by 4 or 6 degrees up to 10-12 degrees. All in carb cars which require 11-13% increase in fuel volume of flow(USUALLY a min 1 step up in idle jets, and in BAD cases down 1 in mains too...) to approximate the eqivalent enrgy potential (BTU) of" back then real gasoline"...

    What I fail to understand is why you need to increase the firing line Kv at idle when most Bosch cis ignition boxes are "blasting" at idle in the 25-30Kv range, and in late multi valve with LH ranges in the 50 Kv area(the wider gapped plugs require this as a function of the distance increase and the MUCH leaner idle mixtures controlled through the Lambda system's faster integrator circuit-think of how slow this circuit acts in a 308/328QV!)????
    this still has electronic referencing and timing "maps"(6-8 per module, all active and accessable, dependent upon which circuit's pin is grounded, in my memory) Mondial 8 bulletin actually shows how to do this i seem to recall...This means that no ignion "parts" are being used for any more than a swithching circuit to "trigger" the spark

    does the MSD function as a super saturator for the coil?

    How much of an increase is the aftermarket suite of parts providing, and what is its designed functionality? In a 355 I find it unbelievable that it offers a measureable improvement-so long as cylinder chamber sealing is at the 2-4% leak down range, a choppy idle here, with usual deteriorating intake guides MIGHT be masked by this add on, but in a tight motor, I these things idle purrrfectly...after this, they use PLASMA fired plugs-so forget trying to tell me that add ons will improve this sytem, because it can't-IMO...

    For this to work in more than a seat of the pants, subjective manner of feeling better affair....are there any real testing results? I mean a driving trace of the FTP-75...the LA -55 driving trace....run on a CVS with cold bag driving trace....how is it going "up the big hill?'...the steady 30, the staedy 20...hoit restart....cold bag?
    Quantifiable numbers?
    I'd LOVE tpo see a trace with gas bag numbers....
     
  21. Dannytestarossa

    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 13, 2017
    34
    key west Florida
    Full Name:
    Daniel A Coll
    undefined

    can I use this MSD system on my 1991 Testarossa?
     
  22. Steve Magnusson

    Steve Magnusson Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jan 11, 2001
    25,035
    30°30'40" N 97°35'41" W (Texas)
    Full Name:
    Steve Magnusson
    Why do you need to? Replacing the rather unreliable DinoPlex system on a Boxer that still has a mechanical distributor advance with an MSD system makes sense, but the MicroPlex system on a TR is very reliable and relatively easy to fix when something does go wrong. What "problems" are you having with the stock MicroPlex system?
     
  23. JCR

    JCR F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 14, 2005
    9,991
    H-Town, Tejas
    MSD boxes have had reliability problems for years. Plus and a street car CD ignition is inferior to inductive ignition.
     
  24. ago car nut

    ago car nut F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 29, 2008
    5,246
    Madison Ohio
    Full Name:
    David A.
    Was told the newest MSD boxes made in China have a 10% failure rate. Not as good as the original MSD box. The hot rod world doesn't care much for them anymore.
     

Share This Page