Having recently replaced my 6 AL box with a Digital 6AL, and  as per the instructions I wasn`t surprised to find my timing went from 36* down to 32* I called MSD tech. and he tried to explain it to me , that the new box using digital instead of analog it is processing  quicker.I am using a MSD ready to run distrubtor for the Y-Block.  It is kind of hard to compare performance in this hot and humid weather, but the car seams to be running about the same as last week.12.70`s 106 & 107 mph.My confusion is am I doing the same on less timing or what . I intend to bump it up some , but I just wanted to hear some thought`s or experence on this.    Thanks in advance   Harry Hutten Jr  1960 Mercury 3750 lb`s  337 cu Y-Block

No experience with it but...

If you're seeing 32 degrees, then you are getting 32 degrees.  The current is not going to travel down the spark plug wire any more slowly and take an additional 4 degrees from the time the light flashes to fire the plug.
The instructions say to reset to your engine specifications.  So bump it back up to 36 and see if you go faster.



Lawrenceville, GA

Harry.  I typically see an additional 4-5° timing advance when removing an MSD box versus what’s seen with the box hooked up.  I haven’t compared a digital box against a conventional box in a back to back test so I can’t say exactly what the timing difference is between these two boxes.  In general, I find the performance about the same with and without the ignition boxes when the total timing is set the same in both cases.  In your case, simply bump the timing back up to 36°.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

I’ll add that the ‘Dial Back’ timing lights are not recommended for use with ignitions that have ignition boxes.  I’ve seen as much as 5° of timing variance with those lights as compared to conventional timing lights.  Part of that has to do with the scaling on the ‘Dial Back’ lights and the other part has to do with the intense electrical fields that are being generated by the ignition boxes.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Harry, that is an automatic retard for NITROUS. I have all you need for a dual quad NOS Y-Block setup.

  Vic Correnti

Ted,
         Would that apply to the Pertronix as well? I use total so it's not a show stopper, but am curious.



Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

Thanks much guys . I don`t have anyone around here to run this stuff by.  Charlie thanks I did not see that in the instructions. That note was too close to the front of the instruction sheet where the all the safety warning  which I don`t read .Ted I did see there warning not to use the dial back timing lite so I called MSD tech,He said some of the better timing lites may work which mine worked on my old 6al. My timing lite is a Ferret Instrument Co. lite sold off the Cornwell tool truck. I did double check with my regular timing lite and the both showed the same mark . My dial back lite is old & is probably slower responding to the trigger bumps, but I sure like that way of timing an engine. Bump it to your setting and it should be on O* I made one 1/4 mile run & set the timing up to 36* and 15 minutes later after some cooling run the same lane same every thing the car ran .079 & 1 MPH better back to where it should of been No improvement just where it should of been . Vic I pass on the juice I got enough keeping up with it  now    Harry

                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Frank.  I’m assuming you are talking about the Pertronix module within the distributor and not an additional ignition box.  Unless you’re dealing with an ‘add on’ ignition box, there shouldn’t be any concerns about a timing change at the damper if simply dealing with a stand alone distributor.  Anytime components are changed within the distributor itself, it would be prudent to recheck the ignition timing.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

I'm finishing up an engine install and hooking up the wiring. Problem is I have two wires from the MSD box that I'm not sure of. One is connected to a ground, the other is a small red wire that seems to want to connect to the battery cable where at the alternator. Do the MSD's have a constant hot lead to the box? It's a 6BAL. Thanks in advance, Chuck

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

I don't see a 6BAL.  The instructions for all of the 6AL variants as well as the 6BTM indicate a heavy red wire which goes directly to the battery or positive side of the starter relay (not the alternator) and a smaller red wire that goes to a switched 12v source.

I'm sure it's not constantly hot.  It probably has a relay inside of the box which allows current to be drawn directly from the battery when the box is on.


Lawrenceville, GA