LT1 Based Engine Tech 1993-1997 LT1/LT4 Engine Related

What exactly does an MSD 6AL box do?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 06-14-2003, 06:19 PM
  #1  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
FastZinTennessee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Costa Mesa, CA
Posts: 2,521
What exactly does an MSD 6AL box do?

I'm confused here about what the MSD box does. I see a lot of people running them, and I was thinking if it is worth it I might need to save up some money for one. Mods are in the sig, and the car is being put back together with my homeported heads and HOTcam as we speak.

What does the MSD 6AL box do, and would it be worth it for me?

John
FastZinTennessee is offline  
Old 06-14-2003, 11:03 PM
  #2  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
FastZinTennessee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Costa Mesa, CA
Posts: 2,521
Ok, I know some of you have one of these ignition boxes. You can't tell me that you paid $200 for one of these and you don't know what it does

FastZinTennessee is offline  
Old 06-14-2003, 11:11 PM
  #3  
Banned
 
thewinner's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 1,090
sends more than one spark to each cylinder, hence the name MSD. multiple spark discharge

and has a soft touch rev limiter that cuts spark instead of fuel
thewinner is offline  
Old 06-14-2003, 11:12 PM
  #4  
Registered User
 
95TA8280's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,123
I think people get the 6AL who run N20.......otherwise they get the 6A.
95TA8280 is offline  
Old 06-14-2003, 11:13 PM
  #5  
Registered User
 
atljar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 3,068
Dude it looks cool! Common a pretty red and silver box sitting on the fender is worth the $200.


Anyways, MSD = Multiple Spark Discharge. For everytime you old plugs sparked, they spark 3 times now (i think thats the number), and at a higher discharge.

My car wouldnt rev without the box after i installed the cam. Once the box went in it revved cleanly into the upper 6k range.
atljar is offline  
Old 06-14-2003, 11:14 PM
  #6  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
FastZinTennessee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Costa Mesa, CA
Posts: 2,521
Ok, well I didn't think it would be able to do that with the opti, but cool. I won't even ask how it does that

Still undecided on whether it would be worth it for me, anyone have any thoughts?

John
FastZinTennessee is offline  
Old 06-14-2003, 11:15 PM
  #7  
Registered User
 
PatriotTA's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Toledo, OH
Posts: 1,017
MSD stands for Multiple Spark Discharge, and that's just what it does. It gives you better spark. At low RPMs, it provides 4 sparks at a time, instead of just one like the stocker. Plus, its a hotter spark. At high RPMs, its provides a super hot spark. It makes sure all your fuel is burned. It provides more combustion, therefore more power. Its not a SOTP improvement, but every little bit helps. It will improve your gas mileage as well (because its more efficient with the fuel). The 6AL differs from the 6A (the base model) in that it provides "soft touch rev control" You use these "pills" to plug in (like popping a fuse into a fuse block) to the box, that decide where your rev limiter will be. It is an easy way to set your rev limiter where you want it, and it cuts the spark, which is the best way to limit revs. I think you'd see an improvement with your car. I'd reccommend it.

Beautiful car by the way, I love that blue color!!
PatriotTA is offline  
Old 06-14-2003, 11:18 PM
  #8  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
FastZinTennessee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Costa Mesa, CA
Posts: 2,521
Thanks for the help guys. If the funds permit I might pick one up when I recover financially from the heads and cam project.

PatriotTA- Thanks for the compliments...... Here's some more pics. http://www.cardomain.com/id/fastzintn
FastZinTennessee is offline  
Old 06-14-2003, 11:23 PM
  #9  
Registered User
 
PatriotTA's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Toledo, OH
Posts: 1,017
Gorgeous pics of your car. That's one hell of a burnout, what kinda tires was that on?
PatriotTA is offline  
Old 06-14-2003, 11:32 PM
  #10  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
FastZinTennessee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Costa Mesa, CA
Posts: 2,521
Originally posted by PatriotTA
Gorgeous pics of your car. That's one hell of a burnout, what kinda tires was that on?
http://mixxdigital.com/john/pics/burnout/

There's the rest of them. Those were Grand Spirit Radials. The crappiest tires ever!! I got tired of spinning all the way through first and halfway through second, so now I'm daily driving drag radials!!

John
FastZinTennessee is offline  
Old 06-15-2003, 01:46 AM
  #11  
Registered User
 
PatriotTA's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Toledo, OH
Posts: 1,017


Holy ****! I saved a couple of the large pics. Those are very nice.
PatriotTA is offline  
Old 06-15-2003, 03:22 AM
  #12  
Registered User
 
Steve 97Z's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1998
Location: Fairview, TN
Posts: 32
Hey John....I've got a MSD Digital6+ for sale if you are interested. I'm doing the LTCC so this box has gotta go. Shoot me an e-mail if you're interested. holders@brentwood-tn.org
Steve 97Z is offline  
Old 06-15-2003, 08:34 AM
  #13  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
FastZinTennessee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Costa Mesa, CA
Posts: 2,521
Originally posted by PatriotTA


Holy ****! I saved a couple of the large pics. Those are very nice.
Thank you, thank you

Originally posted by Steve 97Z
Hey John....I've got a MSD Digital6+ for sale if you are interested. I'm doing the LTCC so this box has gotta go. Shoot me an e-mail if you're interested. holders@brentwood-tn.org
Steve, I'd love to buy that from you, but I'm afraid I won't have the cash to do it anytime soon. This heads and cam project was somewhat unexpected(blown headgasket so I figured go ahead and do it all). The problem is that for the first time I haven't had all the money up front to do a project, so I had to put some on a credit card. Well, some as in about $1100. Anyhoo, I have to make sure that's paid off before I go back to college because when that happens I cut back to two days a week working. If something changes I'll shoot you an email.

Thanks
John
FastZinTennessee is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Quickss96
Cars For Sale
6
01-29-2016 05:56 PM
zk06
Parts For Sale
6
09-09-2015 11:39 AM
sleeperZ96BT
Parts For Sale
5
09-09-2015 08:28 AM
canuck94z28
Fuel and Ignition
2
08-19-2015 05:50 PM
88IROC_Z
Computer Diagnostics and Tuning
2
07-22-2015 11:38 PM



Quick Reply: What exactly does an MSD 6AL box do?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:18 AM.