Msd Ignition System Installation

[wheelmanLS1]

The MSD Ignition System is a powerful ignition upgrade designed to produce more power, better mileage, strong throttle response, smooth torque and a longer engine life using matching components. Eliminates bogs, misfires, plug fouling, rough idle, poor starting, surging, poor MPG, weak torque and power. Because it features the capacitive discharge 6A ignition unit, which is responsible for increasing the ignition energy instead of the coil, the Pathfinder application does not require a coil upgrade! A capacitive discharge ignition is the most powerful ignition upgrade available because by storing extra voltage the MSD 6A is able to send as many as 6 sparks to the spark plug on one cycle and each spark is at FULL VOLTAGE!

 

HP & Torque: 10 HP/ 14 ft lbs Torque

 

Installation: Installation is easy. Mount the box. Install the new 8mm spiro-pro wires (high performance spark plug wires are required).

 

50 States Smog Legal

 

Tweaked writing from TruckPerformance.com

 

You can either get the regular 6A unit, or you can opt for the Off-Road version. The Off-Road version is sealed better, but unless you drive through deep gumbo mud or submerge your engine underwater, the 6A is sufficient.

 

6A Part Number: 6200

Off-Road Part Number: 6470

 

I found my ignition system at TruckPerformance.com. This link will take you straight to the correct page.

 

Here is the ignition box:

 

These Taylor performance wires came with the package from TruckPerformance.com. It is recommended that you install a new distributer; I changed mine. Replacing your old spark plug wires is straight-forward. To get access to the coil, slide the black plastic cover forward. First, use a Q-Tip the put a thin layer of silicone grease (included) inside each boot of the new spark plug wires. Replace one wire at a time so you don’t lose your place. Here’s what the final deal should look like:

At this point, you can run the vehicle without the MSD Ignition installed. If you need to break up the installation over two sessions, this is where to do it. I recommend driving the vehicle around a minute or so after installing the performance wires to make sure everything is hooked up right. That way, you can rule out the plug wires as the culprit in a possible troubleshooting event.

 

Okay, let’s first mount the box. I found the best place to mount the box was on the passenger-side of the battery. The battery must be moved 1.5 inches toward the driver’s side. Coincidentally, there are already holes on the battery tray to move the tie-down assembly over exactly 1.5 inches. The box is now in a place so every wire can easily reach its destination. Drill holes using a 1/8" bit (use a 3/16" bit to mount the Off-Road series if applicable). I’d recommend somebody help you hold it in place, but I was able to do it by myself. Use the self-tapping screws included with the MSD. The box is only being held on by 3 screws, but that’s more than enough. Here are some pictures:

 

Time to start hooking up the box. We’ll start with the basics. These two wires go to the battery. That’s a dead give-away.

 

In my case, black was positive and blue was negative. Go figure. Cut the wires about 3-4 inches before the coil, and crimp the included female slot connections onto each open wire. That means you’ll use 4 of them.

 

When you look at the diagram, you see that the purple and green wires (see picture below) connect to the magnetic pickup in the distributer. You don’t have one. These wires won’t be used. Instead you’ll be using the red and white wires (next step).

 

You also have a red and a white wire coming from the MSD (not pictured). They are the same gauge as the black and orange ones leading to the coil. Red goes to switched 12 volts. White goes to amplifier output. You don’t need to know what that means… I didn’t. Just know that red goes to black (+), and white goes to blue(-). Orange goes to black(+) and black goes to blue(-). Got it? Let's try to make that easier to read...

 

From MSD is bold. From or to coil is italicized:

RED goes to black (the black no longer attached to the coil because you cut it)

WHITE goes to blue (the blue no longer attached to the coil because you cut it)

ORANGE goes to black (the black that IS attached to the coil)

BLACK goes to blue (the blue that IS attached to the coil)

 

Remember, these colors are just my application. Yours may be different. Here is a diagram to help you out:

 

After everything is hooked up, I highly recommend wrapping any exposed connection in electrical tape. Then use about 6 feet of split poly loom (tubing) to cover the wires. Here are some examples of my work:

Please note how nicely I wrapped the extra battery wire in tape, as well as how to hook them up to the battery terminals for any of you 'not so mechanical' people:

 

I did not need a tach adapter, but the first gens do (As far as we’ve figured out) . Since your car can run without the tachometer working, just install the system by itself and if your tachometer doesn’t work, then order the part. My local performance store wanted $40 for the tach adapter, but truckperformance.com has them for $25. Call them up, the part is not on their website. Part # 8910EIS

 

The MSD Ignition System provides an opportunity to easily install a theft deterrent kill switch. When using the WHITE wire to trigger the MSD (which you are), install a switch across the magnetic pickup VIOLET wire to ground. When the VIOLET wire is grounded, the vehicle will crank but will not start.

 

Words were taken from the MSD installation instructions

 

I installed the theft deterrent swith under my dash. First you have to run the purple wire(along with the green because they use the same harness) through the firewall into the cabin. Here is where I went through the firewall:

 

You will need some more wire to reach it to the driver's side. Here is where I mounted my switch. You guys can keep a secret, right?

 

When you get your length of wire run, hook the purple to the positive(+) terminal on the switch. Ground the negative(-) terminal to the chassis or any other place you see fit. Most switches don't matter which terminal is which, but mine did. Mine also has an LED that required a 12V source. I had a 12V harness behind my dash that was for a glove box light, but my XE-V6 never had one. So I just ran wire from that and hooked it up to the center terminal (this will only be there if you have an LED on the switch). The LED lights up if my running lights are on and the theft deterrent is engaged.

 

You can only see the switch when you are looking for it... only as if you knew where it is. It's hidden pretty well. A toggle would have been cool, but it would have poked out like a prairie dog.

 

You are not limited to mounting the switch hidden. Baffle the theives by placing a toggle kill switch right on your center console; just for kicks. They'll have no idea why the car won't start while the switch just looks up at the booster- mocking him silently.

 

That's about all there is to it. Just post here if you have any questions. Maybe you have some suggestions you would like to add.

 

The original installation thread is here. It may answer any questions you might have.

Edited July 7, 2005 by wheelmanLS1

[88pathoffroad]

Cool. I might add: you should probably install new spark plugs at the same time and gap them to between .48 and .52" for max spark effectiveness. NGK V-Power plugs or standard NGK's work fine for this.

[wheel366]

Did you notice any difference after you went with this setup? Also, stupid question, but the color of the wires don't matter right? Also, which plugs did you go with? For $300, I'll go for another 10hp.

[88pathoffroad]

No, the colors of the wires doesn't matter. Why would it? o.O

 

Um, for $300, you could add a 50 HP nitrous kit. I HIGHLY doubt you'll get 10 HP from an ignition upgrade alone. It's very doubtful. More like 3 or 4 HP. Tops.

[wheelmanLS1]

If you replace really worn out plugs, plug wires, and distributer cap, you can easily restore 10 horsepower. Just out of curiosity, would a 50 HP shot of nitrous put much stress on the engine? I know the VG30 is pretty much bulletproof but it wasn't exactly designed for nitrous.

[statikuz]

i read this thread a couple days ago and thought i would update the prices for everyone; its not $300 anymore. summit has the ignitions (sans the new wires) for $149 and the tach adapters for $26. checked with an MSD tech and he said that you could spring for a new coil as well, he recommended PN 8207, at summit for $39.

Edited January 5, 2006 by statikuz

[Red87Path]

can this be done to the 4 cyl with dual plug setup?

[88pathoffroad]

I don't think so, no.

[MY1PATH]

the Pathfinder application does not require a coil upgrade!

 

Is there any harm in running an upgraded coil? I already have one and I wanna make sure that I dont have to dig up a OE coil somwere so that I get the most benifit.

[beastpath]

Thanks so much for this how-to. It really helped as the instructions from MSD are crap.

 

I would suggest crimping the wire connectors in such a way where you can easily unplug the MSD system and reattach the original wiring.

[Scaramoche]

I am having a problem hooking up my msd 6a ignition. Im trying to wire it up, but here is the problem. I just took a look at my coil and the wires going to it. It has a wiring harness that connects to the power transistor which is part of the coil. the coil plugs directly into the power transistor(no wires between the two), and from what i gathered from the awesome right up, there should be a harness between the coil and the transistor that i can wire up to. i do not have one(just the one to power transistor) so my question is where do i connect?

 

thanks scara

 

 

Never mind once i pulled coil out i notiece there WAS a connecter, just finished and it's running awesome

Edited June 9, 2010 by Scaramoche

[moto-m]

I have a 98 and apparently I need to wire the MSD inside of the distributor cap. Anyone know how to do this or have a diagram?

[tsin]

 

 

These Taylor performance wires came with the package from TruckPerformance.com. It is recommended that you install a new distributer; I changed mine. Replacing your old spark plug wires is straight-forward. To get access to the coil, slide the black plastic cover forward. First, use a Q-Tip the put a thin layer of silicone grease (included) inside each boot of the new spark plug wires. Replace one wire at a time so you don’t lose your place. Here’s what the final deal should look like:

 

 

can you give me some part number of your wire set (or link to buy?)? i try to buy 3 wire sets in my country and every one had different (bad) lenght.. thank you very much! Tom

[DarkDragon]

back from the dead.

looking at summit so i can see the price range, i see that the liste p/n on the forum does not match.

 

so, which would work better for my 95 path xe, v6, auto?

 

6201:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MSD-6201/

 

6425:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MSD-6425/

 

or can i go with the cheap "Summit Racing" brand?

 

thanks

tony

Edited October 8, 2011 by DarkDragon