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Whats your thoughts on a start retard box?

Posted By: Jeepmon

Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/19/12 07:54 AM

At 15:1 compression and about 34 degrees of timing, my motor likes to kick back while starting.. specially when its cold..

I've been leaning toward buying an MSD start retard box, but want to explore all options and suggestion..

Thanks in advance
Posted By: dartman366

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/19/12 09:17 AM

I put one on mine because the timing is locked at 35 degrees because of the crank trigger and 13.0 to 1 compression, have never had a kick back problem.
Posted By: 70satelliteguy

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/19/12 01:52 PM

"I put one on mine because the timing is locked at 35 degrees because of the crank trigger and 13.0 to 1 compression, have never had a kick back problem."



I love mine! Solved all of my starting problems,especially in the staging lanes with the motor warm.
Mike
Posted By: Leon441

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/19/12 02:44 PM

Get one that is adjustable. This way you are not stuck with a default setting like some of the boxes. Some are 20 and some are 25. I usually do 15-20 depending on what the engine likes.
Posted By: 70dusterjohn

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/19/12 06:11 PM

Quote:

Get one that is adjustable. This way you are not stuck with a default setting like some of the boxes. Some are 20 and some are 25. I usually do 15-20 depending on what the engine likes.




Thats what we ended up using... Its great and worth every penny...
Posted By: Crizila

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/19/12 06:28 PM

I just went with light springs a a very short curve in my dist. At cranking rpm, I'm at about 18-20 degrees advance. When it fires and at about 1200-1500 rpm, it's all in.
Posted By: 70dusterjohn

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/19/12 06:31 PM

That would work but I'm running a crank trigger and lock at 34degrees.
Posted By: Al_Alguire

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/19/12 06:34 PM

Never used one never had an issue. Seperate ignition and start buttons like most switch panels use will work wonders. Get the motor spinning before you hit the ignition and there will be no problem. Just my
Posted By: haddixj

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/20/12 12:30 AM

I have been fighting mine on occasion and I have now ended up going back to light springs and no start retard, motor likes it better and the timing is all in by 2400 rpm. less then I leave the line at. My motor is on methanol also so it is hard to start when its cold.
Posted By: CHAPPER

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/20/12 02:27 AM

Quote:

Never used one never had an issue. Seperate ignition and start buttons like most switch panels use will work wonders. Get the motor spinning before you hit the ignition and there will be no problem. Just my



Also, just one thought....might check with SSR and see how he started his rig with 50-60-70* or whatever timing he was running!
Posted By: 70dusterjohn

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/20/12 03:57 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Never used one never had an issue. Seperate ignition and start buttons like most switch panels use will work wonders. Get the motor spinning before you hit the ignition and there will be no problem. Just my



Also, just one thought....might check with SSR and see how he started his rig with 50-60-70* or whatever timing he was running!



Now that is some funny sh@# there....
But for the cars that are using the stock ignition the retard is the best way to go...
Posted By: pleasantk

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/20/12 04:00 AM

Not sure what distributor you are running, but I was having similar problems with my MSD. Motor ran best locked out but kicked back on hot starts. Ended up using one light spring only. When cranking engine is retarded and when it fires, it is all in at idle. No more kick back and locked from idle on up. Best of both world. Ran it about 1000 miles on it that way this summer and raced it several times at the track as well. Best part is it didnt cost me anything and does essentially what the box does.
Posted By: Jeepmon

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/20/12 04:16 AM

Thanks everyone
Posted By: WheelsUp73

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/20/12 04:43 AM

Quote:

Not sure what distributor you are running, but I was having similar problems with my MSD. Motor ran best locked out but kicked back on hot starts. Ended up using one light spring only. When cranking engine is retarded and when it fires, it is all in at idle. No more kick back and locked from idle on up. Best of both world. Ran it about 1000 miles on it that way this summer and raced it several times at the track as well. Best part is it didnt cost me anything and does essentially what the box does.



I set up my Pontiac the same way as above. Even when I had a retard box hooked up it would kick back once in about every 15 starts or so. And then one day it kicked back and pruned some teeth off the ring gear . My friend who runs B Gas starts his car in the same manner as Al does. See ya at the races.
Posted By: Jeepmon

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/20/12 05:27 AM

Thanks Steve...

It'll be a mad dash to get the car ready for Jan 5th... Should be able to make the TnT and worse case... I'll push it down the track at the end of Jan...
Posted By: Al_Alguire

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/20/12 05:51 AM

The Camaro used to have a start retard on it and broke three ring gears with it on. Locked out at 36 degrees, uses a stock ignition switch and key. On occasion it gets grumpy when hot but has never broken anything do we deal with it.
Posted By: Jeepmon

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/20/12 05:19 PM

Quote:

The Camaro used to have a start retard on it and broke three ring gears with it on. Locked out at 36 degrees, uses a stock ignition switch and key. On occasion it gets grumpy when hot but has never broken anything do we deal with it.



So are you saying that even with a Start Retard, I'll get kickbacks with -20 degrees of timing?
Posted By: Al_Alguire

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/20/12 05:25 PM

We only had it set for 10, but yes that was the result. Since you are using a racecar it is a moot point IMO. You siply need to get the engine spinning first then switch on the ignition. I have never used a start retard on a race car set up like that. Only tried it on a steet car.

The Camaro had one, still have the box if you want it only used a few times and the Belvedere. On the Belvedere we just recurved the distributor eventually and removed the box. Said box went on Camaro for about three months. After having to pull the trans a couple of times to fix broken teeth on the ring gear we went back to the old way with no retard.
Posted By: Thumperdart

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/20/12 05:32 PM

Quote:

The Camaro used to have a start retard on it and broke three ring gears with it on. Locked out at 36 degrees, uses a stock ignition switch and key. On occasion it gets grumpy when hot but has never broken anything do we deal with it.

Same here........I usually just start it w/the key. It will kick back sometimes if I spin it then hit the ign. switch so straight key it is locked at around 33-34 degrees.
Posted By: moper

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/20/12 06:47 PM

"Seperate ignition and start buttons like most switch panels use will work wonders. Get the motor spinning before you hit the ignition and there will be no problem. "

what Al said...

BTW - Merry Christmas Don!
Posted By: Quicksilver440

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/22/12 03:33 PM

When I tried to use the start retard thats built in to my MSD digital 6 plus, I had kickback problems. I turned the retard off and the problem went away.
Posted By: gsmopar

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/23/12 12:56 AM

Quote:

Never used one never had an issue. Seperate ignition and start buttons like most switch panels use will work wonders. Get the motor spinning before you hit the ignition and there will be no problem. Just my



+1. Cheap, easy, works!
Posted By: Mopar dragster

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/23/12 01:30 AM

MSD 7AL3,it's a beautiful thing for this problem.
Posted By: 493_DART

Re: Whats your thoughts on a start retard box? - 12/23/12 03:38 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Never used one never had an issue. Seperate ignition and start buttons like most switch panels use will work wonders. Get the motor spinning before you hit the ignition and there will be no problem. Just my



+1. Cheap, easy, works!



yep---- i just mounted a toggle sw that kills the "run" circuit---works awesome--motor spins over easy
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