Need help

[MXRACERZERO]

so I orderd the trick flow head kit with intake, and camshaft, plus 70mm bbk throtle body, march pullys, bbk equal length headers, and I already have a cold air and larger mass air, and a complete exhaust system. my question is should I spend the extra $600 for the msd 5.0 ignition kit?

[MXRACERZERO]

or the crane system that is just the controller and a coil for $169

[XOCobra]

With the coin you just dropped, why not do the entire kit. that way you have consistant product instead of stock with a controller and coil..you will know that all of it is new. what happens if the parts you don't change out go bad...you end up spending the difference. If you are doing that major of an overhaul, you might as well complete it out. just my .02

[burlesonsnake]

How much compression ratio are you going to end up with? The combustion pressure is the thing that requires the high output ignition. If you don't need it it won't really do much special.

[MXRACERZERO]

from my understanding it should be about 9:1, I suppose the biggest difference is the distributor.

[smooth]

I'd say wait on the ignition system for now. Just be sure it has good fresh rotor, cap ,plugs and wires. I'd spend that extra bucks on a good set of 'ARP' bolts. head gaskets,other gaskets. Put it all together, take it to a dyno, and then at that point you would know which way to go .. thats my 2-cents worth too.
I do in fact have had the Jacobs 5.0 Electronic upgrade kit on my stang for the past 4yrs or around that long, it did make a little difference, but nothing to brag about.

[Oz98Cobra]

Jerry's right - without a blower or high compression heads (like up around 11:1), you are going to gain very little from a "high performance" ignition system. It needs to be reliable for sure - so new parts are worthwhile - but there will be plenty of spark from a stock setup to get the best out of what you've got.

[MXRACERZERO]

I did get the arp bolts and all the other little goodies so I am very exited to sea what the dyno will say, any advice on were to go for that, I live in carollton.

[Oz98Cobra]

I did get the arp bolts and all the other little goodies so I am very exited to sea what the dyno will say, any advice on were to go for that, I live in carollton.

HPP Racing - just up the road from you - www.hppracing.com.

[burlesonsnake]

mxracerzero,

By the way, thanks for telling me you wanted my engine (2 or 3 times) and then forgetting to tell me otherwise. The other guy who wanted it (that I told no because of you) went somewhere else and I still need to sell it. Thanks again.

[MXRACERZERO]

Jerry I just wanted to say sorry again. I know you said is was nothing but I still feel like an ass

[burlesonsnake]

:beard:

[Mustang Mike]

How much compression ratio are you going to end up with? The combustion pressure is the thing that requires the high output ignition. If you don't need it it won't really do much special.


I hate to disagree with you but the MSD ignition is EXTREMLY helpful regardless of compression ratio etc. I used a MSD 6T on my Jeep from day one when I bought in 1985 with the original 258 cid (sick) 6cyl. and then when I swaped in the H.O. 302. It helps a lot! Although I have not heard of the MSD 5 going for $600. I saw a kit which includes the Pro Billet distributor, Blaster 2 coil, 6AL ignition box, 8.5mm wires and NGK plugs. I would use the following set up: MSD 6AL stock distributor, MSD Blaster TFI coil, Ford Motorsport wires Motorcraft ASF-52 or ASF-42 (if you need a colder heat range plug after making a few passes and reading the plugs) All this is presuming it is a 302 cid V8

[MXRACERZERO]

it is a 302. well I apriciate the help i have already passed up on thet thoug an my car is almost finished , but you were very helpfull and if there are any dtonetion issues of just poor performance i will loook into the ignition system again.

[burlesonsnake]

If the combustion pressures are not extreme the high power multi spark will NOT show $400 to $600 worth of improvement!!!! The factory ignition will throw a good spark in normal conditions. I got NO IMPROVEMENT with a MSD DIS-4 unit on my Cobra. The stock ignition (which is weak, that is why Ford went to coil-on-plug) works as good. I get the same HP readings with either hooked up. As for Jeep, they are a piece to start with but I don't see any way the MSD unit will make any improvements except at low RPM where the multi spark function may help with more complete combustion.

Stock coils will fire under normal combustion pressures. As the pressure goes up, a point is reached where the spark cannot overcome the high pressure and it will break down as it cannot jump the gap.

The advantages to a MSD unit is the capacitor charge time is short and it hits the primary side of the coil with a big charge which works better at high RPM. The multi spark function only works under 3000/3500 rpm. High pressures are built during the upper RPM range (with a blower, or with a small combustion chamber and a proper cam profile to go with it, read that full race) and if there is no high RPM misfire then the stock set up is working fine.

BTW, mxracerzero, detionation ( preignition) is caused by hot spots igniting the charge before the spark event. No ignition boost will help that problem. The only fix (if the combustion chambers are carbon free) is to retard the ignition event, or to raise the octane of the fuel, or both.