Msd to 83 dist w/ 75 wiring. Please double check my wiring :-)j

[Project1]

So I have been trying to understand setting up my ignition correctly. I think I have it figured out but it would be super appreciated if someone could check over this setup so I don't have to ruin the dinner of my local fire fighters.

 

The car is a 75 280z NA 4speed. The motor is in the swapping process to what I believe to be an 83 280zx F54 block w/ the 83 dist. I also was attempting to use the msd box I have.

 

First I was trying to hook up the 83 distributer correctly. Then install the msd.

 

 

With out using the msd, if I understand correctly, I am going to connect the E12-80 to the coil. The "C" to the negative with the tach and the "B" to the positive with the condenser and ignition start.

 

Then to restart with the MSD I would hook the heavy red and black to the battery. The orange and black to the coil. The 12v ignition start and the "B" right to the red on the mds. The "C" to the white on the msd.

 

I am left with these questions:

 

1. If I understand correctly the tach can no longer be hooked to the msd coil. The msd has a tach wire, will that work for the 280z tach?

 

2. I do not need the stock blaster resistor. Do I still need to run the condenser to the positive on the coil?

 

3. Am I missing anything that I should have mentioned?

 

 

Thanks again for all your help! It's more than greatly appreciated. I included two diagrams. One is setting up a ZX coil on a Z. The other is the standard points setup for a msd.

Edited March 24, 2015 by Project1

[Project1]

Nothin? Maybe I should put the fire dept on stand by

Edited March 27, 2015 by Project1

[NewZed]

What is "fire depth"?

 

There's already a ton out there on the ZX distributor swap.  Here's one - http://atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/distributor/index.html

 

There's also a ton on the MSD ignition, how to connect it, and problems with the tachometer.

 

Your posts are full of weird phrases like "stock blaster resistor".  Which means you're probably on a phone, using auto-correct spelling.  Which means you're not using the full capabilities of the internet, because your phone screen is too tiny.  Best to find a computer with a big screen and do some study.  Nobody really wants to be your portal to the full-size web.

[Project1]

Sorry ..fire department.

 

Yes I am on a phone, it's all I have.

 

The link you posted is where I found the pics I have attached. I found info on both but nothing on the situation I have. I think I have it correct. I just wanted someone else who knew what they were doing to look it over.

[NewZed]

The first picture looks technically right.  It doesn't show that there are two wires to connect for power at Start and On, but that should be figurable.  Also, if you leave the ballast resistor in place, it might be useful as a terminal block, instead of trying to attach a bunch of wires to the coil terminals.  Move the wire that passes through the resistor over to the terminal connected to the coil.  Just leave the condenser if it's still good, it won't hurt and it might help.  Make sure the distributor body is well-grounded, that's where the E12-80 grounds.

 

Don't forget to disconnect the stock ignition module, and insulate the wire ends so that they don't short.

 

There seem to be several solutions to the MSD and tach problem.  Hard to tell which is best.

 

Check for power to the proper places, and grounds,with the key On, before you start the engine.  If you're worried about shorting a wire, just check it for power before connecting to anything, and check that where you're attaching it isn't grounded.  There really shouldn't be any surprises unless you like gambling.

[Project1]

The first picture looks technically right.  It doesn't show that there are two wires to connect for power at Start and On, but that should be figurable.  Also, if you leave the ballast resistor in place, it might be useful as a terminal block, instead of trying to attach a bunch of wires to the coil terminals.  Move the wire that passes through the resistor over to the terminal connected to the coil.  Just leave the condenser if it's still good, it won't hurt and it might help.  Make sure the distributor body is well-grounded, that's where the E12-80 grounds.

 

Don't forget to disconnect the stock ignition module, and insulate the wire ends so that they don't short.

 

There seem to be several solutions to the MSD and tach problem.  Hard to tell which is best.

 

Check for power to the proper places, and grounds,with the key On, before you start the engine.  If you're worried about shorting a wire, just check it for power before connecting to anything, and check that where you're attaching it isn't grounded.  There really shouldn't be any surprises unless you like gambling.

Thank you for the advice.

 

I'll keep it posted how it goes, might help someone else in the same spot.

 

I blew an MSD a long time ago from doing something with hooking it to the battery. I have to read about that. I don't know why the power wire from the battery to the msd doesn't have a visible fuse that can be changed? I might add one. Would a 30amp work?

[Project1]

Ok, update !

 

Don't do anything I posted in my first post, as its all wrong and exploded.

 

The way it ended up working was I got rid of all the factor wiring to the ignition all together.

 

I also scraped the E12-80.

 

I ran the wires (red +/green-) inside the distributer to the magnetic pickup ( violet/green) on the msd. When doing this don't use the white wire, just cap it off.

 

Heavy red/black right to the battery. I really would like to fuse this, I called msd and they said it absolutely isn't necessary because it's run from a switch and a fused relay, however I would feel safe if it was.

 

Orange and black to the coil.

 

And the small red to a switch. I ran mine from the fuse box to a switch board I built in my dash, if you want to run it to the factory ignition (12v from the key) it is the black wire with the white stripe.

 

I used the factory cap to the positive on the coil. I read a bit about this and it's a really good idea, actually I think it's worth getting a good cap for the coil and at some point I will grab a good one.

 

Well, ok there you go. That's how you use a 83zx distributer, 75 ecu and wiring, and a msd.

 

I will post some pics later

 

Edit:

 

So still wasn't working but I figured it out.

 

So that was the problem I was having, the stock efi wasn't getting the pulse to fire the fuel injection.

 

It was kinda a tricky issue because the stock set up has the blue wire from the coil pulse the efi to fire the injectors at s single 12v pulse. However the 400v msd puts off multiple pulses to fire the coil and doesn't work with the stock efi. I knew the voltage was an issue so I never hooked it up thinking it only was a tach wire, I didn't realize it also went to the ecu.

 

So what I ended up doing was running a wire from the msd tach hookup to the tach and the ecu and it cranked right up without a single hesitation. So I guess I'll have to see if under load the signal stays strong enough to run the tach and the ecu, if not adding a tach adapter should boost up the signal and get it firing.

Edited June 13, 2015 by Project1