Hello,
I'm slowly starting to go through my relatively stock 440-6 setup in a '70 Super Bee. The only modification I know that it has the "silver box" Mopar electronic ignition. I am not too familiar with all of this, but am learning.

A mechanic I know told me that I should think about adding a MSD ignition box to this setup. He said that without it, getting the proper distributor timing (or curve??) to run the six-pack well would be a lot harder.

I'm not familiar with MSD systems. Can anyone shed some light on whether they would be beneficial to a 440-6 setup like mine? Any downsides to them or special tuning requirements when using one?

Also, if not using MSD, are there improvement suggestions to the distributor itself for a 440-6 with Mopar electronic ignition?

Thanks very much!

Find a new mechanic.

Contact Don at FBO Systems re: ignition tuning and upgrades for your car: http://www.4secondsflat.com

Anybody can tune an MSD distributer, they are a very nice piece. I would not use FBO, they did a distributer for me and it came wrong, when I sent it back it took them three weeks to get me another one and it has loose parts and a broken pickup.

Quote:

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I would not use FBO

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I know a few people that were using FBO and they had problems with them. I am using MSD dist. and MSD box on my 500hp 6-pack and love it.

Thanks everyone for the great ideas.

If using MSD, it sounds like you need to add the red box + the MSD distributor ? (or is the new distributor optional?).

And do these work with the Mopar electronic ignition ECU boxes or do they replace them? I currently have the silver one.

Thanks again all for the help.

You may have the older MP distributor in your car that would require you to weld up the slots to remove timing from your distributor. The newer MP distributors are supposed to be adjustable. If all you are looking to do is get the right curve just get the newer MP distributor. I believe your mechanic is correct if this is the case.

The ignition box and distributer can be used independently and either will work with other stock parts. If you want to change the curve start with the distributer, it will work with the mopar ignition. The MSD ignition box will replace the mopar ignition.

Thanks all for the tips.

If I was to use MSD ignition, is timing set the same way as with Mopar electronic ignition? Would I be better off going with an MSD distributor to match the MSD ignition?

Anyone had any bad experiences with MSD??

With a MSD dist. your able to adjust the power curve by changing the different color springs and bushings.
http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/instructions/msd-8464_instructions.pdf

The main benefit of an MSD over a properly functioning conventional electronic ignition is better idle quality. I did back to back dyno testing between a junkyard blue box and a Crane multispark ignition and there was zero power difference. If your engine has super high cylinder pressure then the higher spark currents may help you, but it didn't help me.
The total timing and ignition curve are set by adjusting the distributor. The MSD box doesn't affect that. The MSD distributor is easier to adjust the curve.

So which one would you recommend to me to pick for just the dist itself,the newer MP one or the MSD? thank you for your time.

I don't know about the new MP distributor or how it compares to the MSD. I welded up and filed the slots in my stock distributor to shorten the mechanical advance (more initial timing to make it idle better). It was a lot of work. But my setup has a low static compression ratio and a relatively long cam duration. Your setup may not need that kind of adjustment.

I curved a stock dist that is in my sons Dart and he had the MP orange box on it. He has run 11.40's with that stock dist I worked. His friend gave him an MSD 6A box so I installed it and still use the stock dist. His car ran the same and was no quiker with the MSD box and blaster coil we added to it. I do agree the MSD dist is very easy to work with and adjust and is a great piece but you dont have to use it. I got my hands on a Mallory dist I use in my 63 with the same MP orange box my son used to use and the Mallory dist is a nice piece with easy adjustments also. Ron

I know this is a basic question ... but could someone explain what "curving" the distributor does? And how this will affect timing/performance of the carb?

Thanks much.

We've run engineering research dyno tests with MSD distributor vs. regular ignition on all different engines. No power increase.

I was wondering about quality of construction with the newer MP dist vs MSD?. On the regular ones I've went in & welded slots & then went in again & no mas.