Rich

Please don't flog the newbie too badly, I searched the archives for some info on this, but couldn't find anything. My question is, do I have to run dual MSD 6al's or can I get by with one box on my GSL-SE? Also, will I need to run dual coils, or will one surfice?

SilverRocket

I believe you need one MSD box and 3 coils. You only run the MSD direct fire on the leading. You could run MSD on the trailing too, but I don't think you would gain too much power per dollar by doing this. I don't have this mod though, so I may be off base here.

Check out this webpage for some info, I believe it's under the "Facts" section - www.mazspeed.com

Jeff20B

iTrader: (13)

I didn't like the way mine ran with the MSD in direct fire. I don't even use it anymore.

Rich

After reading the Yaw site (thank you for posting it) I think I am going to try the 6al method. I have the box with a 7000 RPM limiter "pill" And one coil (let overs from the GT4 Datsun) So one more coil isn't going to kill me in price. He said to use cheap plugs with mods, I don't think I trust my self with this motor enough to do this, so I am going to simply use the normal NGK's. Am I going to have to use a stock heat range, hotter, or colder? What do you all recomend? If I don't like the difference, then I can always swap back to stock dist ignition. I am not questioning your knowlage on the use, but I might like it, and I have 90% of the parts in my closet anyways.

SilverRocket

Hey, I've heard just as many good things about the MSD setup as I've heard bad... I'd go for it if you have the parts already. I've heard the biggest benefit is improved starting and smooth low rpms. I definitely wouldn't expect a lot of extra power unless your stock ignition is in poor condition to start with. But it's definitely a nice piece to add to your setup.

I don't like the normal NGK's as I have experienced some detonation and broken ceramic when advancing the timing settings... I've since learned not to use the Yaw timing recommendations of 24/16. But that's my experience.

I'm now running the stock platinum trailing plugs from the second and third gens, the NGK 9EQP's. I'm using these all round.

SilverRocket

Seems way too low to me. I'm not sure you want to be hitting the limiter often, since it only cuts the leading and not the trailing ignition. Doesn't sound too great to me. Remember you can safely rev your motor up to approximately 8400. If I were you, I'd get an 8 grand pill and use it as an emergency cut for when you miss a gear or whatever.

Northern 7

iTrader: (3)

I'm using the 8,000 pill and that works best for me - I'm shifting around 7 and if you run yours the same way, you'll want the 8 as a safty net (you don't want the leads cutting out while the trailing are still firing).

I think this was the best $$'s I ever spent on my '83 - runs like a watch, much easier to start, smoother through the range, and I hit the mid's 7's (RPM) in a hurry. Some have said that was the only disadvantage to the MSD - in my opinion, if your car was tuned correctly to begin with, the MSD will only have it running better. I'd also recommend performance coils on the leading and use one of the existing on the trailing

Good Luck

Rich

I didnt' think that 7k was high enough, but it's what I had, hell I am still trying to locate my timing belt in this thing Okay, so that was a joke. I guess it would be smart to remove my dual stage rev limiter, sence I take it to be BAD if the trail fires, and not the leed.

This is what I have so far for a modded ignition system....
MSD 6al w/8,000 pill
2x MSD Blaster 2 Coils (leading)
1x stock coil for trailing
NGK 9eqp for leading/trailing
some form of 8mm plug wires for the lead plugs (NGK, MSD, Magnacore etc)

Does that sound about right?

Also, Someone mentioned a header that would bolt up to my 13b, and the Bonez street cat. Sound is not a problem, and I could give a rat's *** about "legal" (from cal where EVERYTHING must be CARB legal) I just want better then stock mani, and bolt in swap.

SilverRocket

**** the cat, go with a racing beat system. Best choice is the streetport system with long primary uncollected headers and 2 presilencers. Cheaper but still really good is the single presilencer system.

www.racingbeat.com

Rich

The cat is already on the car (from the last owner) as well as a Bosal exhaust. So I would be wanting the header alone for now (read: poor)

SilverRocket

Headers are way longer than the stock manifold, so if your cat bolts up now it won't fit with a header. You could most likely get a shop to fab you a new connecting pipe or something, you'd have to figure that out.

Pele

iTrader: (28)

Shouldn't a MindTrain header work? They're supposed to be the modular system.

SilverRocket

I don't know anything about the mindtrain headers..I thought they just made cats?

The way I see it though, is that a rotary header needs to be significantly longer than the stock manifold to make good power. Even the RB street (collected) header has shorter primaries than what you want for best power from what I've heard. That's why the SP system is better, even on a stock port motor.

So what's the point of having a header that's so short it would bolt to the stock cat pipe?

RXcetera

The Mindtrain header is modular and will fit on a stock exhaust setup. Also, the pipes are bend-up differently than the RB header, so they probably arent much shorter than the RB 2 in one header.

SilverRocket

Ahhh... makes sense! Well guess ya learn something new everyday.

I still haven't heard too many people recommending those headers. Are they any good? I say go for the RB, fab something if ya need to, and upgrade when you gotz the cash. But just MHO.

RXcetera

I'd have to agree... you can always add the RB presilencer to the RB header... after that though, everything else is modular. An even better idea, if you're planning on only getting headers for now, would be the RB roadrace header with their 2 into one adapter on the end. That way, when you have more $ you can pick up the rest of the street port setup.

The Mindtrain header seems like the unltimate solution if you want headers but also want to keep the rest of the system stock for emission purposes.

jimmyv13

Do a search for DLIDFIS. Read this stuff b4 you do your MSD ignition mod.

pineapple racing

Remember: if you have trail spark and no lead spark, the cylinder pressures spike! Read as ping! Be very careful with rev limiters. If you have one only on the lead I would not use it. If you have them on both, put a 400rpm or earlier chip in the trail. Rob

peejay

When I first had mine it, I had the 7k pill in it. (Leading only). It was so sweet, you could floor it in any of the lower gears and it would just stop accelerating at 7k. Floor it in Neutral... hangs right there at 7k. With a stock engine, there was little point in revving past 6500 anyway. (Sweet spot is 4000-6500) With a 3k pill in, it would blow right through.

With my "mods" and the 8400 pill, it's the same thing. Floor it, any gear any time, and it just hangs there at 8400. In Neutral or in 1st gear it will spit out the exhaust, like the trailings weren't even firing, so it must be overshooting 8400 running on trailing only. Absolute max with stock apex seals is 8500, so use the 8400 chip for a little overshoot room. Works just great for burnous too... I can concentrate on keeping both rears spinning instead of doing that + keeping the engine from overrevving - just let it run on the limiter.

What I never did try was putting the 8k chip in it and powershifting... never lift off the throttle, just keep it nailed. (Maybe hook a 2-step in to a clutch switch, 5500rpm limiter with clutch down? Revs drop to 5500 on upshifts... Damn, another trick to try for next year ) Worried about drivetrain life with that one though... maybe if I can get a TII trans and an '84-85 rear, and a new body to put them in, or maybe just in my (gasp!) FC...

Jeff20B

iTrader: (13)

> Do a search for DLIDFIS. Read this stuff b4 you do your MSD ignition mod. <

Good idea, but he already has the MSD, so he can at least learn a little more about it all before making the big decision.

Hi Rob!