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MSD 7AL-2 Underhood Mounting? #2149289
09/07/16 12:08 AM
09/07/16 12:08 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,363
Cotati, CA
Dave Hall Offline OP
top fuel
Dave Hall  Offline OP
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Joined: Jan 2008
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Cotati, CA
Does anyone run an MSD box in the heat of the engine compartment of a street car? I was thinking of mounting mine next to the battery, towards the firewall in my Dart, Thanks in advance!

Re: MSD 7AL-2 Underhood Mounting? [Re: Dave Hall] #2149463
09/07/16 11:09 AM
09/07/16 11:09 AM
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s.w.fl
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bonefish Offline
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s.w.fl
6al under the hood for MANY thousands of miles,finally went bad after 15 or so years.

Re: MSD 7AL-2 Underhood Mounting? [Re: Dave Hall] #2149470
09/07/16 11:28 AM
09/07/16 11:28 AM
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Tulsa, Oklahoma
340Cuda Offline
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I would not recommend it. Mine has always been in the car and we still have problems from time to time with them. If you have to mount it up there I would try to get it in front of the radiator support. My $0.02

Re: MSD 7AL-2 Underhood Mounting? [Re: Dave Hall] #2149516
09/07/16 12:12 PM
09/07/16 12:12 PM
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Portage,michigan
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B3422W5 Offline
I Live Here
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Portage,michigan
Always had my MSD boxes mounted on the inner fenders underhood.


69 Dart GTS A4 Silver All steel, flat factory hood, 3360race weight
418 BPE factory replacement headed stroker, 565 lift solid cam
Best so far, 10.40 @127 1/4
1.41 best 60 foot
6.60 at 103.90 1/8

Re: MSD 7AL-2 Underhood Mounting? [Re: Dave Hall] #2149519
09/07/16 12:20 PM
09/07/16 12:20 PM
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 562
Ohio
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lockjaw-express Offline
mopar
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Ohio
Electronic components live longer when kept cool...the design parameters of the circuits, may or may not have been designed for under-hood temperatures. Best to call MSD and ask about warranty issues of installing their devices under the hood.

I would bet that they tell you to install the larger, more powerful MSD units in the car away from heat. The MSD 6 units are all "potted" in epoxy, so they may be able to handle more heat. Since I have never opened a MSD 7AL-2 or 3, I do not know if the circuits are potted or not.

Re: MSD 7AL-2 Underhood Mounting? [Re: Dave Hall] #2149522
09/07/16 12:22 PM
09/07/16 12:22 PM
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 11,684
W. Kentucky
justinp61 Offline
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My Digital 6 Plus is under the hood on the passengers fender apron.

Re: MSD 7AL-2 Underhood Mounting? [Re: Dave Hall] #2149567
09/07/16 01:10 PM
09/07/16 01:10 PM
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 9,848
MI, usa
dvw Offline
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dvw  Offline
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MI, usa
I run several for many years. Nice hidden spot is under the battery tray.
Doug

Re: MSD 7AL-2 Underhood Mounting? [Re: Dave Hall] #2149690
09/07/16 03:46 PM
09/07/16 03:46 PM
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Bend,OR USA
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Cab_Burge Offline
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Bend,OR USA
I had a MSD404C and a MSD7C unit mounted where the stock battery mounts in my old street and strip Duster, the 404C unit quit at the MATS races after running three years, the 7C was in the car when I sold it 5 yrs later shruggy I've ran the MSD race boxes for a lot of years mounted under the hood, I ruined one by soaking it with water when washing the motor off on one of my old race cars realcrazy No other problems that I'm aware of. The 404C unit had broken wire harness in it and MSD said they didn't stock or make those harnesses any more whiney
I mounted my Mopar Orange ECU box on the radiator core support on the passenger side by the horns in my 1966 Dodge Coronet so the harness to the distributor and coil aren't real long up

Last edited by Cab_Burge; 09/07/16 07:03 PM.

Mr.Cab Racing and winning with Mopars since 1964. (Old F--t, Huh)
Re: MSD 7AL-2 Underhood Mounting? [Re: dvw] #2149714
09/07/16 04:21 PM
09/07/16 04:21 PM
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,505
TN
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SCATPACK 1 Offline
pro stock
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TN
Originally Posted By dvw
I run several for many years. Nice hidden spot is under the battery tray.
Doug


I have mine in the same place as Doug's, battery tray. There is an opening/vent in the radiator shroud right at that spot that always blows cold air on the unit.
Jerry


Old Geezer Racing
Re: MSD 7AL-2 Underhood Mounting? [Re: Dave Hall] #2149814
09/07/16 06:49 PM
09/07/16 06:49 PM
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 9,100
Rogue River, OR
Jeremiah Offline
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Jeremiah  Offline
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Rogue River, OR
I had a 7AL-2 under the hood on the passenger side of the radiator support for about 10 (maybe more?) years and it was fine from Texas to Wisconsin to Oregon with many hard street miles. I'm moving to a grid or I'd use my brand new spare 7AL-2 and get my primary looked over by MSD. Do NOT use a Pro Power Coil. Get the HVC unit rated for continuous duty. Be VERY sure you do not get in the path of the current, your bones will hurt!

MSD 8251 is the coil I have been using since I cooked the oil out of the Pro power.

After all of these years of mounting everything under the hood I'm going to move the grid inside to get it away from the alternator. That was always my biggest concern with having that noisy box under the hood.

Re: MSD 7AL-2 Underhood Mounting? [Re: Dave Hall] #2149820
09/07/16 06:56 PM
09/07/16 06:56 PM
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,319
Puyallup, WA
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StealthWedge67 Offline
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Puyallup, WA
Digital 6-Plus box here. Mounted underhood to the fenderwell up front passenger side where the horn would be. Been there for 6 years and plenty of street miles now. No issues.


LemonWedge - Street heavy / Strip ready - 11.07 @ 120
Re: MSD 7AL-2 Underhood Mounting? [Re: Dave Hall] #2150178
09/08/16 05:38 AM
09/08/16 05:38 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,363
Cotati, CA
Dave Hall Offline OP
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Dave Hall  Offline OP
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,363
Cotati, CA
You guys rock! Thanks for the input, there is a space for it in front of the rad support, drivers side. No Pro Power coil, I have the 8251 HVC. This system has been alive since 1998, It's actually a 7ML-2 box for Marine duty. This box, the distributor and coil were in my V-drive boat (440 powered of course)then transferred to the race car. Box was replaced in 2012, just because I wanted the 7AL-3, the coil and dis. replaced last year from contingency winnings, just because I thought the stuff was getting pretty old. Now the old boat setup is going in the Dart! whistle

Re: MSD 7AL-2 Underhood Mounting? [Re: Dave Hall] #2150845
09/09/16 02:35 AM
09/09/16 02:35 AM
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 9,100
Rogue River, OR
Jeremiah Offline
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Jeremiah  Offline
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Rogue River, OR
I'm thinking you need to post some pics of the boat!

Re: MSD 7AL-2 Underhood Mounting? [Re: Dave Hall] #2150853
09/09/16 04:43 AM
09/09/16 04:43 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,363
Cotati, CA
Dave Hall Offline OP
top fuel
Dave Hall  Offline OP
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,363
Cotati, CA







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