Real dumb question about using an MSD distributor

preston · Post by **preston** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 11:25 am

I've read all the setup pages and currently have a MS-II running ignitino only from an optical points distributor, but am having bad detonation anytime I get into boost which is non-existent when running without the MS on a simple locked distributor (at 22 degrees, MS will ping even at 14 degrees commanded timing, and trigger wizard agrees with the timing light for all experiments in the driveway).

After some observation I'm concluding that maybe I have a problem with rotor phasing, and while investigating found my old optical conversion starting to fail, so I was lookint at new distributors.

When running one of the standard V8 style MSD distributors, they use a magnetic pickup with two wires. I've always been under the impression that you have to connect botgh of these wires, but the MSII only seems to have the one ignition input.

Even after reading the setup pages several times, I stillc an't decide if the MSD distributors are Hall effect magnetic or VR types. Even if it is a VR type, the instructinos only seem to talk about one input pin.

Dumb question: How do you connect a 2 wire MSD distributor to the MS-II v3.0 ??

Bernard Fife · Post by **Bernard Fife** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 11:39 am

How do you connect a 2 wire MSD distributor to the MS-II v3.0 ??

Preston,

If this is a VR sensor, one wire goes to DB37 pin #24, the other wire gets grounded (pin #7). Check the external wiring diagram here: http://www.megasquirt.info/ms2/V3assemble.htm#ew

Lance.

preston · Post by **preston** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 1:00 pm

Thanks lance it didn't even occur to me you could just ground one side of the magnetic trigger. I'm still not sure if its a VR input or Hall though.

I thought a search on "MSD distributor" would bring up a million hits but not so much.

thanks

Mike Simard · Post by **Mike Simard** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 1:57 pm

Preston, the MSD distributors are indeed VR. The wiring harness from DIY Autotune has a nice shielded ign input wire for pin 24, a mini coax, the core goes to pin 24 and the shield ties into the MS ECU ground. If you're going to buy an MSD distributor you have alot of options and won't have to lock advance mechanisms. They even have models that are nothing more than a rotor and cap that can be used with crank mounted sensors.