I have been having problems with burning out the capacitors in my GM HEI and after reading the different forums I am thinking about putting in a MSD ignition. Now the question that I have is what to buy.
I know very little about ignitions so if you can give me some details it would help.
I have a rebuilt stock 305 with a 4 barrel carb.
Looking in the Summit catalog I can see a MSD conversion kit which includes a module, cap rotor, and coil.
I have read about a 6A and a 6AL I am not sure what this is and is it more than I need.
What have you put in and what were you looking for and what results did you receive after putting it in. This info will help me understand what I am looking for.
Thanks
elamott

The difference between the 6a & the 6al is the al has a built in rev limiter. I feel the 6a is worth it cause it increases performance but most important it increases gas mileage & greatly reduces emmisions(for us that have to worry about it).

I am in the process of doing that very conversion. Jeg's lists the Kit as a "Super HEI Conversion kit". The 6A, Blaster II coil and a cap/dust cover. Basically that is what is in the kit there is a few more things but that is the jist of the kit.

You completely gut the GM HEI and install two wires to the pickup/trigger and then run those wires out. The MSD ignition module (The actual Box its self) hooks up to that.

You need to buy some things to go along with the kit...... A New Cap, preferably one like an Accel or other High End Cap and Rotor, a new set of Spiral Core Wires and a new set of plugs. Stock plugs are fine or you could get exotic with them.

I'll know this weekend if the weather hold up just how good the upgrade is but basically I am running 10.5:1 compression and the Stock GM HEI is just not enough for me. According to what I've read in their manual this thing fires the plugs up to three time when your RPM Limit is below 3000 and as it increases the spark gets hotter. Above 3000 RPM its just a long hot single spark which lasts for 20 degrees of crank rotation.

If you think about it 20 degrees of crank rotation is quite a bit and during the whole time the plugs are firing multiple times or a single long burn. That assures all the fuel that can be burnt will be burnt. If that happens the efficiency of the engine goes up and so do the corresponding figures on all related happenings. Gas Mileage will get better and performance will be better the gas pedal will feel like a different carb is attached in some cases.

They also make a plane HEI conversion kit which replaces the stock module with a better one inside the cap and a better original type HEI Coil. It costs less and you don't get the external coil or the 6A box.

Is there a kit made to convert a points type to HEI? or is it just better to switch out the whole thing?

Can't convert a points distributor to HEI, but they're are several companies (Petronix and Mallory are two) that make coversion kits-- points to electronic ignition. If your distributor is old and worn best to go with an HEI and get the additional benefits of an HEI.

MSD Makes a kit for NON-HEI dist. I can't remember the PN just off hand but I do remember seeing it when I was getting stuff for my 76.

The Mallory Unilite Conversion Kit link is here.
http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=3529&prmenbr=361

Their sell is this:

Kit provides a simple conversion from the breaker points and condenser in many 8-cylinder Delco-Remy and Ford-Motorcraft distributors.

Can anyone tell me if the on the msd 6a kit, how in depth the wiring is? is it something a non mechanic can handle.

I'm thinking about the complete kit,, with the coil, dust cover, box, etc....

I talked to a guy at the car wash the other night that is running a new ignition system and says it makes a world of difference with his dual exhaust, new intake, and carb.

Ray

Not difficult and the insructions are quite good.

wiring an MSD 6a or 6al is very easy. You have constant power wire, a ground wire, a wire off the ignition that turns the box on, + and - for the coil. That's for the most part it. It's very self expainatory, and the directions are very good. -Matt

I had installed a cheapo module in my HEI and the dist is not working correctly, I want to install the MSD I have 6A are you saying I can gut the HEI and hook up the MSD 6a to the remainting wires and do the firing of the ignition throught MSD. Any further detail if that will work is appreciated thanks Ed ke6bnl





quote="ElkyPete"]I am in the process of doing that very conversion. Jeg's lists the Kit as a "Super HEI Conversion kit". The 6A, Blaster II coil and a cap/dust cover. Basically that is what is in the kit there is a few more things but that is the jist of the kit.

You completely gut the GM HEI and install two wires to the pickup/trigger and then run those wires out. The MSD ignition module (The actual Box its self) hooks up to that.

You need to buy some things to go along with the kit...... A New Cap, preferably one like an Accel or other High End Cap and Rotor, a new set of Spiral Core Wires and a new set of plugs. Stock plugs are fine or you could get exotic with them.

I'll know this weekend if the weather hold up just how good the upgrade is but basically I am running 10.5:1 compression and the Stock GM HEI is just not enough for me. According to what I've read in their manual this thing fires the plugs up to three time when your RPM Limit is below 3000 and as it increases the spark gets hotter. Above 3000 RPM its just a long hot single spark which lasts for 20 degrees of crank rotation.

If you think about it 20 degrees of crank rotation is quite a bit and during the whole time the plugs are firing multiple times or a single long burn. That assures all the fuel that can be burnt will be burnt. If that happens the efficiency of the engine goes up and so do the corresponding figures on all related happenings. Gas Mileage will get better and performance will be better the gas pedal will feel like a different carb is attached in some cases.

They also make a plane HEI conversion kit which replaces the stock module with a better one inside the cap and a better original type HEI Coil. It costs less and you don't get the external coil or the 6A box.[/quote]

I don't know if "gut out" is an apt discription. Basically you are removing the module and using the magnetic trigger to tell the MSD6A when to fire the coil. MSD provdes very good insructions.

I don't know if "gut out" is an apt discription. Basically you are removing the module and using the magnetic trigger to tell the MSD6A when to fire the coil. MSD provdes very good insructions.

Thanks I just down loaded the instructions and printed them up. If I have any further question I will get back to you thanks Ed

I sent ElkyPete a "PM" and he was very indepth on the system, how it works, ins and outs of it... If you want I can send you a copy of it..

Let me know.

Here is a link to what I did in case your intrested.
http://www.elcaminoplace.com/76elky/76_electronics.html Its pretty simple mostly.

Here is a link to what I did in case your intrested.
http://www.elcaminoplace.com/76elky/76_electronics.html Its pretty simple mostly.


Thanks for all of the Info... it was awesome...

I sent ElkyPete a "PM" and he was very indepth on the system, how it works, ins and outs of it... If you want I can send you a copy of it..

Let me know.

please send me the information on the ignition upgrade, ke6bnl@juno.com

I see light at the end o f the tunnel got the disc brake spindles on Sat. today new ceramic brakes and new brake lines,we switched frames from the damage by previous owner pretty much a frame off restoration not itended that way when I bought the car. changed motors to a 350 changed rear end from a 2.95 to 1 to a 3.08:1 some what better and was on the new frame. too much to describe too many 13 hours days and some 8 hrs ones. there is still a miss in the motor that has to be with the dist. and that is next. water pump leaks and that would have been easier to fix with the motor out, but no biggy. Ed ke6bnl

Email sent.

Ed ke6bnl

Sounds like a whole bunch of work! 8O

I'd bet that by the time your finished its going to run really sweet and feel way better during acceleration. I'd replace all the plugs once the new ignition is in. Could have to anyway. The MSD instructs you to open up your gap on the plugs depending on some factors. It's listed in the instructions. Basically its going to be a much hotter spark. MSD also requires having Spiral Wound wires. Its got such high charge per hit that you need good insulation and low resistance. The other consideration they talk about is EM under your hood, another reason for spiral wound wires. But the Control box needs to be away from anything that creates a large EM field. I don't think you'll have a big problem with that though. The biggest EM Generators are the plug wires and next on the list would be the Alt/ starter. Just, if you have the one with the big box, mount it somewhere away from those things.

I don't know if "gut out" is an apt discription. Basically you are removing the module and using the magnetic trigger to tell the MSD6A when to fire the coil. MSD provdes very good insructions.

I e-mailed MSD and asked about this b4 I got the response above and they say the same thing as stated above and said that he would be forwarding me the electrical harnesses I need to wire up the 6A to the Hei, that is more then I would have expected. I just got in from working on my elco and tried several differant coils and the truck is now running with out the miss BUT I have arcing in the coil cover from the small red and black wires to ground. I believe all my engine problems are related to this bad dist and I will get a new one and then add the 6A. What I have is a motor I traded straight accross this 350 for an old 327 I had. I took out the good running 307 for the 350. My boy had started and run the motor while it was still in the 66 Nova and it ran great and it was to both of our surprise when it ran bad at home. we changed out the carb, new wires, new plugs but this silly dist is acting up. Thanks for all the help on the site Ed ke6bnl

I have been useing a 6a with my hei for a few years now with no problem at all. I thought it was a easy install.My 6a came with a correct cable.