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Author Topic: How To Install A Msd Box  (Read 15124 times)

Offline Ju_S12_Turbo

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How To Install A Msd Box
« on: 05:51:41 AM / 25-Jul-09 »
Ok so wiring up the MSD box is very easy.

First you need to find a place to mount it.

Yeah I know everything is dirty and the box looks like ass, but for 60$ I don't really care cause I got a rev limiter .


I picked here mainly because It didn't get in the way and you can see it in all of it awesomeness, not really. The box is near where I had mounted my coil so I didn't have to find a new spot for the coil, but where you mount it is your choice, just try and make it away from to much heat. I also recommend doing a slight wire tuck like I did. It's stupid easy and you don't have to cut any wires.

Now if you are using it on a 6 cylinder you cut the red wire like I did, but if you are using it on a 4 cylinder cut both of the wires.




Now that is done you will have to cut the stock wiring for the coil, I am pretty sure all s12's are the same but just in case this is what is was on my SE, The red wire (msd box +) to black with white stripe (Stock coil wire +) then white wire (msd box -) to the blue wire (Stock coil wire -) and you can solder them and heat shrink them, or you can crimp them if you have nothing else like me lol.



Once that is done you can now hook up your coil to the msd box, so it's the orange(+) and black(-) wires coming from the box. you can use a stock coil but I recommend just getting a blaster SS or 2 or for that matter any good after market coil.




Now you are almost done. There are 2 heavy wires coming off the msd box, Red (+) and black (-) For the red I ran it straight to the battery with a 50amp fuse in-line just case, and the ground with where the old air box use to sit. I'm sure a good block ground would be better, but where it is now it seems fine. Now you can fire it up, and if you have the 6AL or higher most of them have a built in Rev limter (Soft touch) and you will have a chip on the side of the box. They will have numbers on them saying where it will kick in at, mine came with a 6000 chip so that what I am using. the chips are cheap so you can get a bunch of different type.





Whoops almost forgot, if you want the stock tach to work with out rewiring anything you are going to have to get a tach adapter. If you have a Sun pro, auto meeter tach you can run a wire from the tach straight to the msd box. On the side of the box there is a place to a to plug a wire in, and thats where you do it.
I found these to be a perfect fit







We do NOT use the magnetic pick up line so stay far far away from that. here is the stock how to as well

« Last Edit: 05:53:35 AM / 25-Jul-09 by Ju_S12_Turbo »

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Offline silverton

Re: How To Install A Msd Box
« Reply #1 on: 03:33:32 PM / 17-Apr-12 »
So I know this is an old thread, but....  am I to understand that installing the MSD 6AL does NOT get rid of the power transistor?  It really seems that it should...Seems that you should be able to plug in the 6AL to the harness side of the power transistor to bypass it completely.  The 6AL should be doing the job of the power transistor. 
-Dennis

BoostedVG (in regards to people hating on the VG) - Me thinks they were not the mechanic they thought and blamed it all on the engine.

Colonol Gustard - youre one of the few people that represent the s12 chassis like a boss!

Offline Ju_S12_Turbo

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Re: How To Install A Msd Box
« Reply #2 on: 04:41:12 PM / 17-Apr-12 »
Honestly you probably could, but mine was fine and it didn't seem like a big deal to leave it in. Try it and let me know what happens and if you like it better with out it there.

Offline silverton

Re: How To Install A Msd Box
« Reply #3 on: 05:14:19 PM / 17-Apr-12 »
checking out the FSM, the harness side has coil + and coil -, which is how MSD tells you to wire it up. Seems what most do is what you did, but I would prefer to just get rid of that piece if I can!  I have a spare transistor to cut up, so I'm going to try it.  I'll be getting one of these in the next few days.
-Dennis

BoostedVG (in regards to people hating on the VG) - Me thinks they were not the mechanic they thought and blamed it all on the engine.

Colonol Gustard - youre one of the few people that represent the s12 chassis like a boss!

Offline Ju_S12_Turbo

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Re: How To Install A Msd Box
« Reply #4 on: 01:10:37 AM / 18-Apr-12 »
well let me know how its works out, I mean mine has been running great since I posted it 3 years ago, but I totally understand where you are coming from.

Offline silverton

Re: How To Install A Msd Box
« Reply #5 on: 04:09:42 PM / 22-Apr-12 »
Nope, won't run without the power transistor.  I was really hoping!  I really like the sound of the MSD's rev limiter though!  Much more racecar!!

Post Merge: 06:41:16 PM / 22-Apr-12
Just out of curiosity, do you have a code 21 on your ecu?  Seeing as how this is an aftermarket ignition, I will just have to deal with it. But if you don't, then I got something else to figure out... again.
« Last Edit: 06:41:16 PM / 22-Apr-12 by silverton »
-Dennis

BoostedVG (in regards to people hating on the VG) - Me thinks they were not the mechanic they thought and blamed it all on the engine.

Colonol Gustard - youre one of the few people that represent the s12 chassis like a boss!

Offline silverton

Re: How To Install A Msd Box
« Reply #6 on: 04:18:12 AM / 18-Jul-12 »
Just to update, installed the MSD 8910 Tach Adapter made my Code 21 go away.  Just adding information to the pot!
-Dennis

BoostedVG (in regards to people hating on the VG) - Me thinks they were not the mechanic they thought and blamed it all on the engine.

Colonol Gustard - youre one of the few people that represent the s12 chassis like a boss!

Offline calvins200sx

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Re: How To Install A Msd Box
« Reply #7 on: 10:36:00 PM / 05-Mar-13 »
And here is the incredible way to get you stock tachometer to work after  installing the MSD 6A CDI Unit with this Transistor upgrade. I worked a couple of hours on how to get the tach to work. The good news is you don't need to purchase and adapters. So this will require you to keep the orginal high voltage coil. Now all that is required is to wire up the transistor, MSD 6A box, and the stock high voltage coil as follows. Now these wiring instructions are for My 1987 Nissan 200SX VG30E wiring. Yours might be a little different wiring colors. So anyhow here is what is needed,

Connect the wiring as follows,
1. Black wire from Body ground to Transistor Emitter
2. Blue wire from the 2.2K ohm resistor(ECU pin 3) to Blue wire of Transistor Collector and Ignition Coil
3. Blue wire from the ECU pin # 5 to white/black wire of Transistor Base
4. Black/white wire from Ignition Switch (12 VDC) to other terminal of the Ignition Coil. 

The trick here is that the Black /white wire carries the 12 volts that is added to the output of of the ECU pin 3 ultimately.  By adding the 12 volt to the signal from ECU pin 3 helps pull up the signal voltage which is required by the Tachometer. When I installed the MSD 6A I didn't connect the Black/White wire and thus the Tach didn't work. Of course MSD said you need to purchase the Tach Adapter at around 50 bucks. So I was determined to find a way to get the Tach working without buying the Adapter. Also I almost forgot to tell you you need to Silcone the High Voltage Coil output so you not grounding the Coil out. I'm going to buy a inductor (coil) tomorrow and see if that will work instead of the High Voltage Coil so I can get rid of the High Voltage coil all toghether. Also I'll try to draw up a schematic tomorrow and post it. Hope everyone can understand this and enjoy you Tach again.