Chrome box has a better history? BS. It's so funny reading all this "X" box vs "Y" box and then someone chimes in that MSDs are pieces of crap, etc etc etc.

IF you go back 10-12 years the box that was giving the problems was the chrome box. I remember plenty of posts about chrome boxes that barely made it around the block before failing. At that point the orange box was supposedly "better" than the chrome because it didn't fail nearly as often. The chrome box also supposedly pulled timing at high rpm. "Crap", they called it.

Now the chrome box has miraculously made a comeback as the better box, and it's the orange box that barely makes it around the block before failing, and pulls timing.

The ballast resistor question is also specious. I bet there are more guys trying to run a CD box WITH the ballast resistor, than those running an orange or chrome box WITHOUT the ballast resistor. More paper excuses.

I ran an orange box for years, bought it in 1984. In around 1997 or so I thought something was wrong with my orange box. I bought a $40 used MSD6 on Ebay and installed it, being careful to wire it according to the MSD instructions that are everywhere on the Net. I used the Jacobs coil I had used since 1984, also wired the way MSD said to do. It's still running. My only problem has been oxidation in the pickup coil wiring plug.

About 1998 or so the ignition in my '93 Suburban went south so I replaced the distributor with an Accel Billetech and the ignition with an Accel 300+ that I bought brand new for around $110. It has lasted around 130,000 miles bolted to the firewall in an engine compartment that runs so hot you cannot hold your hand against the hood after a hundred miles.

If one has to have a box that uses the Chrysler Electronic Ignition wiring, I'd skip the MP boxes, also any foreign made replacement ignition box, and go straight to either the RevNnator or else FBO's box. I like the looks of the FBO box because he is using a Daytona Sensors circuit board and they're a pretty good company.

Regarding the pulling timing issue, yes years ago it was discovered that cars would ET better if some timing was pulled at high rpm, don't ask me why. But reading the Webpage of the dude who rebuilds and upgrades analog MSD boxes, I seem to recall that he replaces slow transistors with faster ones. I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that the transistor used as a switch in the MP boxes is one of the slower ones.

To summarize: I am happy with my aftermarket multispark CD ignitions and will leave my Chrysler factory stuff on the shelf. Maybe someday some restorer will want to pay big bucks for it.

R.