I fought it as long as I could, but last year I had to "upgrade" to a new MSD ignition that you tune w/ a laptop. I prefer old school technology, but the stuff I had simply wouldn't do what I needed it to.
So after less than a year, the new box crapped out. It's a 6AL-2 programmable (6530) and it developed a 4500 rpm rev limit only when it got hot. Sent it back to MSD for repair, no charge under warranty. Of course it came back w/ a checklist sheet saying nothing was wrong w/ it...yeah right.
Meanwhile, I threw my old analog 6AL back in the car and it runs perfectly.

Just makes me wonder what kind of lifespan others are getting out of these newer digital ignition boxes?
When it comes to needing an ignition w/ multiple rev limiters, timing retards, timing curves, etc., MSD is really the only option. I know there's the Holley computer/EFI system you can use w/ a carb, but that's pretty expensive and way overkill for what I want to do.
At this point I'm tempted to go back w/ the analog 6AL, a 2 step rev limiter, and a digital multi stage retard.

i had a vendor tell me, won't mention name, that he was experiencing a 25% failure rate with msd and recommended going to a daytona. probably like anything else the old stuff is better than the new.

We have had our 6AL-2 programmable for over 7 years now with no issues.

The laptop programmability is a blessing and a curse at times. Its nice to have all of the parameters that can be tweaked and adjusted but sometimes you just want to make a quick 2 step adjustment but you have to hook up the laptop and open the program etc... where if I just had a dial it would have been much quicker.

Chip,

Wish I had known man. I just gave away a perfectly working Digital-6 that would’ve taken care of you. Your back-up plan will work, but maybe you’ll need a little more later with your setup. I have the MSD Grid in my car, and my son’s car we’re building, but for my car I’m about ready to rip it all out and go with the Digital-7 Programmable 7531 box. Nothing wrong with my Grid, but I just like simple stuff. Probably toss the NLR NMS-1000 Progressive too! I’ve always had good luck with MSD, but I know what you mean.

I was watching your experience to see if that box would last.

Not surprised that it didn't.

MSD needs to get their act together. The ready to run all in one distributors are experiencing the same problem.

When we were troubleshooting the box we bought, the tech (I had already done everything he said to try) blamed it on the distributor itself. We ordered an analog 6AL off E-bay and the car fired instantly!

Spend all that money, and it doesn't last. Crap.

On a side note, I believe these fancy ignitions , are not allowed in competition. Or am I missing something?

Still using the 6T, soft touch and 2-step, purchased in 1986. I have a new, 6T backup. Minty new. I won’t comment on the usage of illegal slew rate technology. I guess I just did. 😁

They are not computers they are dumb boxes that are programmed by computers. Will only do what you tell it to, hopefully. Now a grid has some capabilities to read and interpret data to make live changes. That portion(ARC module) of that system is not allowed to be used in any bracket or index racing in NHRA. There is also a programmable digital 7 (75301, that incorporates a slew rate that has not been sold in years that is not legal as it has a slew rate incorporated. Both boxes can be tested at the track and will tell the officials if any illegal functions are being used.

FWIW we have a Grid in all of our cars. They are great and can log ignition events with out buying anything else. Having said that they can and do have gremlins like most anything else can and will. Knock on wood we have not had one fail that we did not cause

Makes
Spark
Disappear

The only thing I have left that is MSD on my car is the bracket that holds the crank sensor for my EFI. Nobody likes to hear it but you can build a cheap and powerful ignition system and datalogger out of a Megasquirt EFI. You can use it to control your whole car if you wish even if you stay with a carb, it can also do 2 stages of progressive nitrous. There is a learning curve it doesn't hold your hand Like Holley does but its awesome for the price.

Bonus...MADE IN USA

Chip, I have 3 MSD boxes in 3 of my cars inc the Charger. All of them were made in the USA - zero issues.

I believe they have been made in China for some time now and I'm seeing and hearing the failures have been mounting and becoming more and more common.

I hear Daytona Sensors are super reliable boxes but have'nt used one myself.

Chip dont fight it......LMAO

Haltech makes a "carb" only ECU. Its 900.00? and has all what you expect in an ECU except for the fuel system. It data logs also.

OR look for a holley HP that someone is upgrading to a Dominator?? something like that.

Face it brother, you have an addiction and when you dealing with power adders, sometimes you need to go with the flow....LOL IF you stay with "old" technology, you are limiting yourself and your combination. PLUS datalogging never hurts , look at it this way, an ECU gives you data logger, nitrous contoller, and ignition all in one box.... what simpler than that??

Wes, im surprised at you! !

I have 5 old MSD 6AL boxes that have been good. They're all 15 to 20 years old.
It's the new digital stuff that's a PITA for me. I work w/ computers every day and I hate them, lol. Everything's great...until it isn't.

Just emailed Daytona Sensors w/ a few questions about their system. Thanks for mentioning them...they weren't on my radar.
I'll also look into HalTech.
At this point I don't know what I'm gonna do. I have less and less time to mess w/ the car, so it's not a big deal at the moment.

One of the things I know causes some MSD failures, is starting them on a dead or near dead battery. The current spike must fry somthing in there. Although I have had my one 7AL2 for 25 years now in my street car, I have killed many 6AL's with exactly this issue...

I've hurt at least 2 of my old 6AL boxes from low battery trying to start. That may be what happened to this 6530 box, not sure. It's odd what it did though...ran fine until the box got warm, then it hit a limiter at 4500 rpm. The 6AL boxes when hurt will just die...no spark at all.

Check or switch coils as well.....Mine killed the coil first, then the box.

can a guy use the epoxy filled ford coil [it's a truck piece, but i forget the years it's used on] with the 6AL box ?

Yeah, I had a similar experience I'll share FWIW. Being old school I also had analog ignition systems before. I put a used msd7 digital 7530 box in the car from a friends car when he upgraded to the grid system. MSD help is about worthless anymore, I liken it to any other major business. The instructional videos are poorly done and unprofessional. It took me a while to actually figure out how to change things but, to Tony's point we have to advance with the technology/ages. It's been working properly now but, I still bought a used back-up box from another local racer for cheap. I guess that's just prudent anymore? It's a shame that the prices have soared and the quality has plummeted.

My old 7al-2 box is in a friends car. 20 years later, still works like new money!

Here in the UK they legalized traction control and throttle stops in bracket classes, they simply couldn't police it.

The old stuff like this seems to be MUCH better quality. Or it's just so much simpler it doesn't have all the sensitivity.


Dragula...I did try another coil, no change. As well as unplugging the tach, new crank trigger, and new trigger wire.