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Cuda died yesterday, what do ya think is wrong? #63342
05/25/08 05:38 PM
05/25/08 05:38 PM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,808
Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda Offline OP
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Pacnorthcuda  Offline OP
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Kirkland, Washington
The car: 70 440 Cuda, MSD6AL ignition. Stock type mopar electronic ignition distributor. MSD e-core coil.

While running in 3rd gear (four speed) I noticed a brief but abrupt miss at about 2500-3000 rpms. Then car was fine. Stopped at a store for 5 minutes, then while cruising up a hill the car started missing and almost immediatedly engine died. Would not restart for about 1/2 hour. MSD box VERY warm to the touch (mounted on firewall above heater motor)

Was able to restart but engine would miss when reved up in neutral to 3000-4000 rpm. I let it cool some more. I then was able to baby it home.

Is my MSD box dying???? The charging system works and I always had 13+volts to the system.

No shorting wires to be found.

Before I shell out the $200 plus for a new box I would like to be reasonably sure thats the cause?

any thoughts?

Re: Cuda died yesterday, what do ya think is wrong? [Re: Pacnorthcuda] #63343
05/25/08 06:05 PM
05/25/08 06:05 PM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 8,000
Millersville, PA
HemiChallenger Offline
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HemiChallenger  Offline
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Millersville, PA
Are you sure all grounds are good? Is this a new install of the box? What i would say personally is your alternator, but if your saying its working i dont know.

Re: Cuda died yesterday, what do ya think is wrong? [Re: Pacnorthcuda] #63344
05/25/08 06:07 PM
05/25/08 06:07 PM
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 11,836
Florida
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mopar346 Offline
Let me tell ya about fat chicks!
mopar346  Offline
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Florida
First thing I would do if I suspected the box would be to rewire it without the box, if it runs fine the box is the problem. I would start to up completely cold and see how it runs if it runs fine, I would put a clear fuel filter in it and take the stuff necessary to wire around the MSD with me and hit the road. From what you described it could also be vapor locking or have a fuel supply problem. It if misses when started cold, go to basic diag, fuel, fire or compression and go from there. Good luck!


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Re: Cuda died yesterday, what do ya think is wrong? [Re: mopar346] #63345
05/25/08 06:08 PM
05/25/08 06:08 PM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 8,000
Millersville, PA
HemiChallenger Offline
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HemiChallenger  Offline
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Millersville, PA
That is a great point on the fuel filter. That will do it for sure! Go buy one for $2 and even if its not the problem you will know its not that. Get the clear one as stated...

Re: Cuda died yesterday, what do ya think is wrong? [Re: Pacnorthcuda] #63346
05/25/08 06:34 PM
05/25/08 06:34 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,352
Eagle, Idaho
Neil Online content
The Doctor is in.
Neil  Online Content
The Doctor is in.

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Eagle, Idaho
Sounds more like a coil problem rather than the msd box. My experience with the aftermarket ignition boxes is when they go bad the car won't start at all.

Wire the car without the box attached and see what happens. Try another coil while your at it.

Re: Cuda died yesterday, what do ya think is wrong? [Re: Neil] #63347
05/25/08 07:22 PM
05/25/08 07:22 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 32,883
Grand Prairie,Texas
stumpy Offline
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stumpy  Offline
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Posts: 32,883
Grand Prairie,Texas
Is the battery fully charged?

Re: Cuda died yesterday, what do ya think is wrong? [Re: stumpy] #63348
05/25/08 07:27 PM
05/25/08 07:27 PM
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,261
ILL
mark7171 Offline
pro stock
mark7171  Offline
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ILL
melt a plug wire?

msd wired correctly ?

Re: Cuda died yesterday, what do ya think is wrong? [Re: Neil] #63349
05/25/08 07:48 PM
05/25/08 07:48 PM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,808
Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda Offline OP
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I will investigate the possibly of the coil being bad. At this point I need to re-create the problem, I hate intermittent electrical problems. The car had been running fine for a long time, nothing wired incorrectly. As stated the charging system is functioning fine so I was able to rule out low voltage as being the cause.

Re: Cuda died yesterday, what do ya think is wrong? [Re: Pacnorthcuda] #63350
05/25/08 08:33 PM
05/25/08 08:33 PM

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Anonymous
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if yah got a points dizzy, put that in. i ussume no factory elect. ing.? anyways.. fastest, easiest way to tell if the msd is gonna take a dump.

Re: Cuda died yesterday, what do ya think is wrong? #63351
05/25/08 08:59 PM
05/25/08 08:59 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,826
las vegas
70AARcuda Offline
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las vegas
check the air gap on the reluctor inside the distributor...

msd will repair the unit.


Tony

70 AARCuda Vitamin C
71 Dart Swinger 360 10.318 @ 128.22(10-04-14 Bakersfield)
71 Demon 360 10.666 @122.41 (01-29-17 @ Las Vegas)
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Re: Cuda died yesterday, what do ya think is wrong? [Re: Pacnorthcuda] #63352
05/25/08 11:45 PM
05/25/08 11:45 PM
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
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RapidRobert Offline
Circle Track
RapidRobert  Offline
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Joined: Nov 2003
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Lincoln Nebraska
Quote:

Is my MSD box dying???? any thoughts?


yes that the MSD is dying a (somewhat) slow death & I would definitely send it back to check before spending $200 on another one. Last year an acqaintenence spent $500 on a new ign something or other for his female friends foreign jobbie to "help her out" & you can guess the rest


live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
Re: Cuda died yesterday, what do ya think is wrong? [Re: RapidRobert] #63353
05/26/08 03:45 AM
05/26/08 03:45 AM
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,069
Renton, WA
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GreenBlurr Offline
super gas
GreenBlurr  Offline
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Renton, WA
Yeah greg, sounds like the msd is taking a dump. Ive seen and heard of it happening just like that before. Heck the mallory box on my truck died in a similar fasion too recently. I just wired its unilite distributor straght to the ignition and it runs fine now. Ill probly never replace it.

Re: Cuda died yesterday, what do ya think is wrong? [Re: GreenBlurr] #63354
05/26/08 06:24 AM
05/26/08 06:24 AM
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,611
Pataskala, Ohio
GTX70sixpack Offline
top fuel
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top fuel

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Posts: 1,611
Pataskala, Ohio
Again, make sure your grounds are good. My Sons car would start to break down at 4500 rpm. Simply ran a new ground to the firewall.

MSD boxs do go bad. I have a bad one now. Is it mounted under the hood with all the heat? They last longer interior mounted.


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70'cuda
99 Dodge Diesel dually 4X4
Re: Cuda died yesterday, whats wrong? UPDATE [Re: GreenBlurr] #63355
05/26/08 03:56 PM
05/26/08 03:56 PM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,808
Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda Offline OP
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Kirkland, Washington
OK, I put a blow dryer on the MSD today, got it pretty toasty, but couldn't duplicate the no start condition. I did duplicate the miss, starting at 2800 RPM, very repeatable. This is all in neutral in the garage. I substituted a different coil, same miss, checked distributor air gap, its fine.
I wired up an old stock mopar ecu, miss is gone!

Its got to be the msd box.

I guess I will try to find a new box fast for the show next Sunday. Then send the old back to MSD for their $100 repair. Not the cheapest route I know (tell me about it!) but once I got that back I would have a spare.
Never been that much of an MSD fan, now I'm a little less, but willing to give it another try.

I made my own engine harness and its all custom wired for the msd box, and I drilled two holes in firewall to mount the box that I really don't want to be looking at regretting drilling them.
In hindsight I should have mounted the box under the dash. Or converted the car back to MP stuff.







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