Hi, have an odd prob....
Bought MSD distributor, coil and cables, direct replacement for my `91 F150, 302, hooked everything up and had a bucking, misfiring and misbehaving Truck...
Found out that the distributor`s wires for the pick up were too long, been cut by the runner for the hall giver and this creating a short....GRRREAT
Sent distributor to MSD in El Paso, they put in a new pick up and sent it back, so far, so good or bad.
In the meantime I ran the old, stock distributor with the MSD cap and MSD coil and wires, everything OK so far.
Installed this fixed MSD unit last weekend and had problems with a missing cyl., checked park plug wires with my timing light and found a non-working cable on cyl. #4, no signal through wire, so it can`t be the spark plug.
Installed new cable with spark plug put on ground - looked good, so it must be the cable.
Installed spark plug wire correctly on spark plug--same prob as before....
Did testrun all spark plug cables w/ my timing light--always and only randomly firing on #4!!!

Put back in old stock distributor w/ MSD cap and same wires as before--everything fine---AAAARGHH!!!
Anybody having an idea of what this could be??
I mean, to me this is an electronic unit giving a steady signal interrupted by the runner , why the hell is only #4 having probs and none else???
Guess I`m going insane thinking about this..
Since I will not come to El Paso in the near future:

H E L P

 

Go ahead and run the stock dizzie with the MSD cap, etc. In the mean time take your MSD dizzie to a local shop that does distributor testing. Any problems should show up during the distributor test. IF a problem manifests itself, get a printout of this test and return it along with the MSD dizzie to MSD. Just for kicks, include a copy of the bill for the test. They may or may not replace any defective parts and or refund a portion or all of your money, naturally at their discretion.

 

HI DIY,

thanks for your reply, it`s not easy to find a shop having a test stand for dizzies, if I`m lucky I`ll get hands on one today, curious what will happen....
When I called them the first time letting them know the wire was cut `cause it`s been too long, the expected answer has been : Can`t imagine that, we never had that before....SURE, and mother earth is a disc...
In case I`ll send it there a second time they`ll get an invoice for shipping two times from Germany to the USA PLUS my time and fuel to and from the customs office
Stay tuned...

 

Is there particular reason why you went with an MSD distributor?

 

If you don't have any problems with the stock distributor base just keep that and use the upgraded cap, rotor, and wires. Are you using the stock coil? I would recommend working out the issues with MSD and doing what i just said. There aren't any "dizzie"s here, just distributors

 

No, no particular reason to buy MSD, just thought it would be a good idea to get a new unit after 22 years and 140k mls since the stock distributor seemed a little worn out when removed ( shaft play )....
MSD is often seen here when going for an upgrade no matter what make or engine...
Any suggestions of what to prefer?
No, I did buy an MSD coil, too to renew the whole combo.
Been to a shop yesterday who said they have a distributor test stand but this was for old models only, vac driven and showing the spark power overall, not any single cyl.

 

I bought a Richporter distributor and it has been bullet proof. I went with a new distributor for the mileage and age reason as well. I actually bought a Richporter distributor twice because my old engine had a flat tappet camshaft and my new engine has a roller camshaft. Both worked without issue.