where to mount msd box??

[HICKL]

I bought myself an MSD 6AL box for my birthday and it should come in friday. I was just wondering where you guys mount them. Without having it in my hand yet, the only reasable place I see is on the firewall between the hood latch and the master cylinder. I'm not really in love with that spot so looking for ideas.

 

thanks

Jeff

[dat240zg]

Don't know if this will work for you or not, but I mounted mine on the backside of the firewall inside the area covered by the wiper valence. I drilled a hole through the firewall and fitted a rubber gromet to protect the wiring. I then fed the wires through, put them inside a wiring sleeve and ran it behind the MC and Clutch resevoir and then up towards the front of the motor. Very clean look, stays dry - nice and out of sight!

 

Bryan

Dat240zg

[grumpyvette]

HEAT, MOISTURE AND VIBRATION are ALL potential problems that you don,t need to suject the MSD control box to if you can avoid them , mounting the box up under the dash in the pass side foot well is a comon location that you might think about with a rubber grommit protecting the wires passing thru the firewall as dat240zg suggested.

if you must sellect a location in the engine compartment ID strongly suggest keeping it as high up and as far away from the exhaust heat and road moisture sources as you can and placeing it where its not likely to be vibrated constantly

[crazy canuck Z8]

I relocated my battery to the rear and put my box in the battery compartment,it looks like it belongs and is easy to access.

[HICKL]

While were at it, I am trying to figure out what gap to run my plugs with the MSD box and coil. I don't know my compression ratio but I am running Sportsman II heads, 64cc, with a comp cams CS XE274H-10 bump stick in it if that helps. According to the manual for the box, I think I should be around .050 gap but I wanted to make sure I wasn't mis-reading it before I did it.

 

thanks

Jeff

[grumpyvette]

heres an old post that will answer most questions if you read thru the links

 

in 35 years of engine building and racing I have not yet seen any increase in power or relieability or any other advantage to increasing the spark plug gap to more than the .043-.045 gap, and regularly gap my corvettes at .043-.045 reguardless of ignition system used, and I use VERTEX MAGNETOS and MSD, and HOLLEY ignitions extensively , and used to use the HEI and points ignitions in the past,, I have seen a reduction in power using under .040 or over .047 in some applications

side gapping plugs can help ignitions VERY SLIGHTLY in some APPLICATIONS

 

asking for spark plug info..SO!...

 

http://performanceunlimited.com/illustrations/sparkplugs.html

 

the plugs are normally done (the electrodes cut back)with a dremel tool cutting disk

 

a few places to look for more info on plugs

 

 

http://www.acdelco.com/html/pi_plugs_ident.htm

 

 

 

http://members.uia.net/pkelley2/sparkplugreading.html

 

http://www.atlanticjetsports.com/_techtalk/00000005.htm

 

http://www.strappe.com/plugs.html

 

http://www.babcox.com/editorial/cm/cm59910.htm

 

http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/techinfo/spark_plugs/partnumberkey.pdf

 

http://www.nightrider.com/biketech/spkplghnbook.htm

 

http://www.tsrsoftware.com/sparkplug.htm

 

http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/engine/plugs.html

 

http://www.dansmc.com/sparkplugs1.htm

 

http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/techinfo/spark_plugs/overviewp2.asp

 

http://www.centuryperformance.com/spark.asp

 

http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive/sparkplugs.html

 

 

http://www.powerarc.com/sparkplug.htm

 

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/64378/

 

http://dodgeram.org/tech/gas/spark_plugs/s_plug_faq.htm

 

http://www.centuryperformance.com/spark.asp

 

http://www.powerarc.com/sparkplug.htm

 

http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive/sparkplugs.html

 

http://www.answers.com/topic/spark-plug

[Pop N Wood]

To mount my ignition box I bolted a flat piece of aluminim stock to the radiator mounting blots and mounted the box to the side of the radiator opening behind the grill. I kind of bent the aluminum so it held the box away from the sheet meta.

 

18 years later the box is ready to come off for the LS1 swap.

 

I have known other guys who mounted it in the cowl like dat249zg did. that is a pretty slick way to do it. Make use of the wasted space. a little harder to get to should you have any ingnition problems.

[2003z]

on my last 240, I put the HI-6 where the windshield washer bottle went.

[Zfreak]

The card board glove box is gone in my car, so I made two simple brakets and mounted it on its side in the glove box. Easy to get to and never too hot or wet. Good luck.

[DavyZ]

The card board glove box is gone in my car, so I made two simple brakets and mounted it on its side in the glove box. Easy to get to and never too hot or wet. Good luck.

 

 

Does you box make some noises? It may sound funny, but mine is in the same place and actually makes some noise. I have no idea if it is normal or not, but given the chance to do it over (and I will), I'll put it inside the engine compartment.

 

With all respect to Grumpy, vibration you'll have inside or outside. Moisture should not be in issue under the hood up high (watch it when cleaning the engine compartment). Heat is an issue or at least can be under the hood. Grumpy raises ideas of what you'll need to compensate for or try to minimize. Most mountings I have seen, however, are in the engine bay. I like the ideas of putting it in the cowl area...only if I wanted to hide it. Heck, I like the look of an MSD ignition!! It costs enough to display it

 

Davy

[Zfreak]

What kind of noise? I havn't heard anythinhg, but my exhaust is pretty loud.

[DavyZ]

It's either a clicking or buzzing noise' I can't remember exactly. I have not started the car in so long. Oh well, I just remember what it used to do and that I didn't like it. I'm mounting it in the engine bay after the V8 swap is complete.

 

Davy

[BobsZTwins]

I mounted my MSD box under the passenger seat in my V8Z. Easier to change rev limiter than under the hood. Also less exposure to the elements! I mounted my HI-6 box on the passenger kick panel in my 240Z, same reasons!

[Guest 421 Z]

Don't know if this will work for you or not' date=' but I mounted mine on the backside of the firewall inside the area covered by the wiper valence. I drilled a hole through the firewall and fitted a rubber gromet to protect the wiring. I then fed the wires through, put them inside a wiring sleeve and ran it behind the MC and Clutch resevoir and then up towards the front of the motor. Very clean look, stays dry - nice and out of sight!

 

Bryan

Dat240zg[/quote']

 

I did pretty much the same only I put it up under the glovebox on the firewall along with the coil.

[DavyZ]

OK, so not as to drag this thing on, but I really want to know---those of you who HAVE mounted the MSD box inside the car, you don't have any noise coming from the box??? Perhaps mine is not working properly, but it does do it's job. Hmmm.

 

Davy

[BobsZTwins]

With the MSD mounted under the passenger seat I can't hear any noise unless I put my ear right next to the unit, then I can hear it hum.

 

I had the unit mounted in far left end of the cowl vent area (the wiper motor is in the center of the area) but when it rained or I washed the car the area would get flooded. A couple times I lost ignition, tach went to 0, big backfire when it came back on! Didn't like that at all! No problems since moving to the underseat location.

[Alf]

OK' date=' so not as to drag this thing on, but I really want to know---those of you who HAVE mounted the MSD box inside the car, you don't have any noise coming from the box??? Perhaps mine is not working properly, but it does do it's job. Hmmm.

 

Davy[/quote']

 

I too hear a buzzing sound from my MSD box. I mounted my 6al under the passenger side dash in my 69 Camaro, and it produces a distinct buzzing sound. It deffenetally works though. I don't know if this is normal or not. Anyone else?

[getZ]

I mounted my box in the passenger foot well. It is a little noisy. Sounds like static on the radio in between stations. When I start the AC install I'm going to relocate it under the dash. I guess it depends how loud your exhaust is.

 

If you want noisy things to complain about, you can listen to the electric fuel pump buzzing away all the time. Mash the gas pedal and you forget about all those little noises.