How to: Plug-and-play MSD 6A/6AL

[wa-chiss]

Ok, I've been getting myself closer and closer to going forced induction. Getting all the necessities for a smooth running engine. IE, new ignition. So, I got an MSD 6A box from work (20% off by the way) and have been pondering a way to make it a Plug-and-Play deal so if I decided to swap back to factory ignition I wouldn't have to deal with all the splices.

My epifany, after days of brainstorming, was to use the plug from my original, non working coil. I had changed the coil when it went out about 6 months ago and decided to keep it for what reason I have no idea and now I'm sooo glad I did. I don't have any pics of the set-up but I do have pics of how to make it Plug-and-Play.

I had no idea how I was going to get the plug outta the old coil so I just decided to "go to town" with the dremel. I knew it had to have a spot where the windings were soldered onto. So I set out to find'em......

the stock coil. yay this is going to be fun.

After using a dremel with a sanding stone, I got epoxy dust EVERYWHERE!

This shirt was black as night when I started. It was in my hair too.

After an hour, the plug finally came loose. And I was right, there are spots to solder the lead wires to.

I went to the hardware store and picked up some PVC pieces to make my plug.

I soldered the wires to the plug. Then used some shrink wrap to seal the wires.

I filled the PVC casing with epoxy, and inserted the plug into it. I had cut 2 holes in the PVC cap so the wires could pass through. And so now the plug is sealed from the weather, vibrations, and heat.

Now for the MSD hook-ups.

Connect the heavy gauge red wire to the battery positive and the heavy gauge black wire to a suitable ground.

I tested the wires on the plug (the one that pluged into the coil) to see whick one was the coil +. The B/R is the coil + and so I made the wire on the new "custom" plug that connects to the B/R wire red. and the other wire I made black. To test the coil + wire you turn your ignition on and test for continuity at ground with both wires. The one that has continuity is the + wire. The other wire is the trigger.

I spliced the small gauge red wire (from the MSD box) to the red wire on the new plug and the small gauge white wire to the black wire in the new plug. Thats what gives the MSD box the signal.

The small gauge orange wire goes to the new Blaster 2 coil + and the black wire goes to the Blaster 2 coil -.

Once thats all conected, plug the new custom plug into the plug the coil would plug into. (wow thats confusing)

Start car........ Plug-and-Play.

[ken240sx]

Not exactly the "Plug-N-Play" some will expect, but good write-up. I'd like to see pics of the install.

[wa-chiss]

what more do you want?

[ken240sx]

lol, i'm just saying...some people can barely change their own oil, so when they see plug and play they don't expect to cut, drill, spice lol. It's a great easy option for the ignition though.

[Jookmasta]

nice write up but the kicker is unless u mounted ur battery in the trunk, where did ya end up mounting the box?

[r34 gtr]

Well then you can hook it up to the terminals I HOPE you left in your engine bay.

[wa-chiss]

lol, i'm just saying...some people can barely change their own oil, so when they see plug and play they don't expect to cut, drill, spice lol. It's a great easy option for the ignition though.

I didn't have to cut any wires on the car. The box already comes wired with spade terminals so all you have to do is hook them up. You're supposed to cut and splice new terminals to your wiring harness that the original coil goes into. But what I did was fashion a plug the MSD box could plug into the factory harness.

Remove old coilPlug in new custom "plug" where the coil was pluged intoplug the wires to the new coilhook up +&- wiresplug-n-play. True P-N-P.

I didn't relocate the battery. I'm trying for a more subtle stockish look under the hood. I found a spot just in fron of the filter box where I could mount the MSD box and keep it away from some of the heat. I'm not done yet so don't pay any attention to the zip ties. Once I make my bracket for the box, I'm going to hide the wires.

This is the new coil mounted to the existing coil bracket.

The plug I made for the MSD box to plug into the factory coil harness. No wires were harmed in the making of this mod.

[wa-chiss]

I did forget to add one thing: You'll need to get a tach adapter (part # 8910) in order for the tach to work. But don't wory, you still wont have to cut any factory wires.

[offroadbob]

Yea I have the msd 6al on my truck. Super easy install, it just sucks after buying the unit for 200+ dollars you have to then buy the tach adapter ($30) dumb. oh well, very nice write up.

[wa-chiss]

Yeah, kinda dumb but not all cars need them so why should MSD include them. Plus I get a discount on all MSD stuff. So it's no big deal.

[offroadbob]

eh yea but if you think about it its not too hard to include it in the design. plus it sucks having a seperate little red box thing hanging out in your engine bay. Well here is a crappy pic of it in my truck note on the red box on the left is the tach adapter.

[wa-chiss]

true. 6AL I see. What RPM chip do you have in there? I was thinking of putting the tach adapter inside the filter box. Seems like a good spot to me. Outta sight and in a cool, dry place.

[offroadbob]

yea very true that might be a really good spot. I have the 6000 rpm right now. Anything more and my engine gets lean in a hurry (damn checker fuel pumps). as it looks right now after i get this Q45 from this guy my nice little truck will have a Vh45de. . I have been working on getting all the supplies needed to tube out the rear. so once i get my welder from my friend I am going to be rebuilding it into a sweet little off road Beast! Here is a little pic of it about a month ago damn rust, oh well thank god for primer

[wa-chiss]

(damn checker fuel pumps

Hey, I sell said checher fuel pumps. Kind of hit-or-miss with those. Nice plans. Should make one hell of an off road truck