I am torn between and MSD 6AL and coil or a Jacobs. Right now I am leaning towards Jacobs but I want some opinions! I would really hate to waiste my money on the wrong system.
Next Friday I am ordering an ignition...need opinions
- Thread starter Ginsu
- Start date
I read an article in reguards to ignition up grades and the MSD was the best one. It showed a 5.33 hp gain. The test was between the MSD,Crane and Jacobs. I know several people that have used the Jacobs and were not happy with it due to tuning issues. They removed the system and put the MSD 6AL on.
INCREASE----------HP AVE.______Torque AVE.
Crane HI-2000~~~(2.66)********(4.00)
Crane HI-6~~~~~~(2.91)********(4.91)
Jacobs Pro~~~~~~(3.09)********(4.81)
MSD 6AL~~~~~~~(5.33)********(9.08)
Keith
INCREASE----------HP AVE.______Torque AVE.
Crane HI-2000~~~(2.66)********(4.00)
Crane HI-6~~~~~~(2.91)********(4.91)
Jacobs Pro~~~~~~(3.09)********(4.81)
MSD 6AL~~~~~~~(5.33)********(9.08)
Keith
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Rob I'd lean toward the MSD also. It is a little cheaper and has a plethera of add-on features if you decide to go N2O or boost. You may want to check into the digital 6 box. I think it is a little more durable than the 6AL. Either way find a safe place to install it, away from as much weather and vibration as you can get. 
Woof, the Digital 6's are a little spendy aren't they? 6AL should be fine. Then again... you did want a blower eventually huh?
Dyno, where was that article from? That's interesting...
Dyno, where was that article from? That's interesting...
It is an article that was written in Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords February 1997. The name of the article is: Dyno testing the popular aftermarket ignition systems.
Keith
Keith
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Well THERE'S a site you don't wanna open the garage and see in the morning huh? (THIEVES!)
Cal the doctor! I believe I would have had a stroke right on the spot!
I'd be out hunting for some serious street grousse!!
Today I picked up a MSD 6AL and coil. So now I have been looking around at where I want to put it. Greg, did you modify the plastic area that is above your brake booster? I set mine in that area and only 2 screws holes touched. Anyone else have some idea's on were to put it?
Just put spacers behind the MSD box on the side towards the fender. I've seen a lot of guys do this, it will hold fine. The box is grounded thru the black wire anywas, don't worry. I've had mine there for two years, no worries...
greg
greg
Sounds good Greg that is what I thought if I mounted it there. What did you use for spacers?
I used some brass spacers I got at the local hardware store....
I made my own cold air intake and mounted it on the strut tower facing towards the radiator. The brake booster gets hot, and there's not much ventilation back there. I can send you a pic of my engine bay that shows how it's mounted if you want. I could get 3 screws in, and it's very sturdy.
Hmmm... Not intending to argue or flame you dude... But a couple things...
If you look at the picture I posted, notice how high up and away from the driver side header my MSD box is... The MSD is mounted far away from both the very hot header as well as the radiator. Also, there are small vents on the hood of 94-95 Cobras that are functional, and they do allow ventilation to the brake booster, which , by the way, is made of plastic, as is the master cylinder.
Now, the shock tower on the other hand, is quite a bit closer to the extreme heat generated by the driver-side header, as well as being that much closer to the radiator. As far as having a home-made vent system, how effective would that system be on a hot day in heavy traffic? Not very, if the car is not moving much in stop-and-go traffic. On the other hand, the hood vents allow heat to escape from underhood wheather or not the car is in motion or at rest. if anything, the shock tower area is going to be considerably warmer (or hotter) of a location then above the brake booster. I'd also not be too crazy about making holes in the metal of the car. You can replace the plastic duct over the brake booster with a junkyard piece, but holes in the shock tower (unless you've found some existing holes) are forever, and that could detract from your car's resale value in the future.
For what it's worth, I've seen MSD boxes mounted in all sorts of "interesting" places on the 1000's of cars I've seen at Great Lakes Dragaway, and I think the MSD unit is designed to take a bit of heat before they crap out. Mine's been in that spot for two (going on three) full seasons now, never a problem (knock wood) and I am not so sure I agree that the plastic brake booster gets all that hot vs. something mounted on the shock tower, ventilator or not. It's just my opinion...
One other thing- (off topic) I notice you're running in the high 13's with GT40X heads. I see you have 3.08's and all that, but that seems a bit high for having such a nice set of heads on the car... What's up with that? Your MPH (104) says that you should still be able to go way low 13's if not dip into the 12's.
When I had stock heads, I was going 13.20's, and with the X-heads and no blower my trap speeds were 110 MPH. You're losing some serious horsepower somewhere... Maybe we can help you figure out what's wrong there... And work on that 60 foot time too- 2.2 is an indication that you may want to try different launching techniques...
Hope you don't take my post wrong, I'm here to help, and as long as we're offering up critique... well....
Greg
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Speaking of 'interesting places'... I mounted mine above the driver's side fog on the back of the bumper... heat rises, it's about as cool as it can get I would think down there, yet not directly in the path of elements. Looks like a magazine install
Just thought I'd mention it.
Did you mount it yet Rob? Or is it insanely HOT & MUGGY down there like it is here?? I have minor wrenching to do and I can't even stand to be in the garage! May as well be in a damn attic! (yuck)
Just thought I'd mention it.
Did you mount it yet Rob? Or is it insanely HOT & MUGGY down there like it is here?? I have minor wrenching to do and I can't even stand to be in the garage! May as well be in a damn attic! (yuck)
I have not mounted it yet Tim. This past weekend I barrowed my brothers truck and rented a trailer and went down to south Georgia to pick up some house hold stuff I had stored. My speed shop makes/sales generic aluminum brackets that will be perfect for mounting it. Basicly it is just a tray. And taking Greg's idea but using the bracket I think it will work out perfect! In the end it will sit flat above the brake booster. But I need to cruise down there and hand fit everything first to make sure it works.
Originally posted by Nice Asp
Hmmm... Not intending to argue or flame you dude... But a couple things...
If you look at the picture I posted, notice how high up and away from the driver side header my MSD box is... The MSD is mounted far away from both the very hot header as well as the radiator. Also, there are small vents on the hood of 94-95 Cobras that are functional, and they do allow ventilation to the brake booster, which , by the way, is made of plastic, as is the master cylinder.
Now, the shock tower on the other hand, is quite a bit closer to the extreme heat generated by the driver-side header, as well as being that much closer to the radiator. As far as having a home-made vent system, how effective would that system be on a hot day in heavy traffic? Not very, if the car is not moving much in stop-and-go traffic. On the other hand, the hood vents allow heat to escape from underhood wheather or not the car is in motion or at rest. if anything, the shock tower area is going to be considerably warmer (or hotter) of a location then above the brake booster. I'd also not be too crazy about making holes in the metal of the car. You can replace the plastic duct over the brake booster with a junkyard piece, but holes in the shock tower (unless you've found some existing holes) are forever, and that could detract from your car's resale value in the future.
<----------- I know that the hoods had those small vents, but I didnt think they were functional (if you had the hood liner on) and or they were too small to make a difference. When I said cold air intake...I meant with the MAF and air tubing...not a vent system to cool the MSD. I have the R hood with the 18 inch vent above the booster, so I didn't like that as a choice. As for the holes, it wasnt my favorite thing to do either, but right now, resale is the last thing on my mind. I plan on keeping this car for a very long time. All I know is that when I try to adjust my clutch, the booster burns the hell out of my arm. True headers are hotter, but it isnt touching them like the booster. There is a bit of airflow that flows in that area from under the car and the fenderwell, so I think it'll be ok. If not...well....i'll just send it back and mount it somewhere else.
For what it's worth, I've seen MSD boxes mounted in all sorts of "interesting" places on the 1000's of cars I've seen at Great Lakes Dragaway, and I think the MSD unit is designed to take a bit of heat before they crap out. Mine's been in that spot for two (going on three) full seasons now, never a problem (knock wood) and I am not so sure I agree that the plastic brake booster gets all that hot vs. something mounted on the shock tower, ventilator or not. It's just my opinion...
<---------- Ya I've heard those MSD are versatile lil boxes of spark.
One other thing- (off topic) I notice you're running in the high 13's with GT40X heads. I see you have 3.08's and all that, but that seems a bit high for having such a nice set of heads on the car... What's up with that? Your MPH (104) says that you should still be able to go way low 13's if not dip into the 12's.
When I had stock heads, I was going 13.20's, and with the X-heads and no blower my trap speeds were 110 MPH. You're losing some serious horsepower somewhere... Maybe we can help you figure out what's wrong there... And work on that 60 foot time too- 2.2 is an indication that you may want to try different launching techniques...
Hope you don't take my post wrong, I'm here to help, and as long as we're offering up critique... well....
Greg
Look up in your quote...I made a few replies there. Couldnt figure out how to bold or enlarge my response.
I updated my sig with my best mph. I know the car has a 107+ in it since I picked up 14rwhp at the dyno since the 105.7. Oh ya...here are my dyno numbers...284 rwhp/ 323 rwtq....that's about 335 hp and 380 ft lbs. I think that's damn good for what I have,and still with the stock MAF to boot. I'll update those on my sig too. My best 60ft is a 2.14, and 2.2 isnt good, but I've seen and done alot worse on radials. Keep in mind I have the C springs, which inhibit weight transfer. I've tried turning my tokicos to full soft, but it doesnt help miuch. I know my ET isnt that good yet, but it since the cam moved up my power, it takes forever for it to get there with the 308s, but once it does, it moves, especially in 3rd.
You said you were going 13.20s....what gears did you have? tires? suspension?
Ok get this...at capitol in VA..I ran my 13.61 @ 105.7. Next run missed a shift...blah...still ran 13.9 @ 103. Oil spill....track was closed for 1 1/2 hours...air cooled off alot and the track was slick as hell. I ran a 14.00 @ 105.7..haha. I thought that was weird...how often do you see that? Everyone was 1/2 second or higher on the last run.
Ok...once again...get this. After my racing in VA, I went to the dyno the next week and picked up 14rwhp and 13 rwtq. The best run was the last, as I dropped the FP to 35 (it was 41 at first), let it cool for 10, and let it rip. BUT...at the track the next week in norwalk OH, same conditions as in VA, I didnt reset my computer. The EEC had adjusted for my lowering of the FP, and I ran a 13.6 @ 104. IT was a dog high up in 3rd where it is usually strong. It was pig rich, and coupled with the Cobra EEC 93+mph BS, it cut ALOT off my time. I had my best 8th @ 8.84 @ 81.4 and 60 ft (2.14). So I have yet to put it all together in one run. Oh I didnt take the post wrong at all...it takes alot more than that to get me riled up
My goal right now is to hit 12.99 with what I have. No gears, no DRs, no drag launch springs etc. I think it's possible.
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Man I'd just invest in the Extender from Ford. Rob and several others here have added it to theirs. This really helps eliminate most of those pesky EEC conservative settings.
I might have to do that soon. Have yall head that the supply is running low? If that happens, then the $300 will be a steal. Does anyone have any hard numbers before and after the extender?
Nice Asp...I'd like your input on my previous post if that's not too much trouble.
Thanks.
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