Having some trouble with MSD BTM

[WAbernethy]

I recently picked up a universal BTM (not the ignition, just the timing controller) from MSD, got it all installed and now my car runs like ****. First, I installed the BTM and found out that my tach didn't work, so I ordered that tach adapter. Got that installed and now I'm having problems with it sputtering under boost. I tried disconnecting first the BTM and then the tach adapter and found that the problem only went away after removing the tach adapter. I've spent some time with MSD on the phone and they don't seem to know what's going on. They had me check voltages at the coil both at idle and while driving under boost to see if it dropped, which it didn't. And it dosen't matter if I have the little retard knob turned all the way to 0 either. And I've also tried it with and without the diode. The only thing that MSD could tell me to change to make it go away would be re-gapping my plugs to a smaller gap. I feel like that is a band-aid fix and is not really getting at what's really the matter. They're at about .032 now and they wanted me to go to .025 or something. If it works without the BTM at that gap, then why would I need to lower the gap after installing it? Anyone got any experience with one of these setups?

[niznos]

Are there methods of testing the unit? My first thought is that there is a fault within the timing controller itself. The MSD tech should have been able to tell you how you can test it. Have you tried to reconn. it back to normal, and does it stop the problem?

[WAbernethy]

I doubt this thing has any self diagnostics or anything. He didn't seem to think that the unit itself was malfunctioning. I guess they usually just stop working all together. Car runs fine without it, I just dialed back my timing about 4 degrees. Just sucks that I can't get this piece of crap working. I'd like to have full timing off boost.

[Checkered-Member]

there are always problems with MSD and imports, I have encountered more problems then solutions, as a general rule of thumb avoid all MSD products like a plague

sell the BTM and get a greddy e-manage with ignition harness