MSD problem?

[julven]

I need to know if I have been feed a line of bull or if I have a problem. I have a sbc with a 6AL and 8982 retard with a MSD dist locked. With the car idling at about a 1000 rpm it has 35 degrees rock steady then as I rev the engine it start to slowly retard the timing about 4-6 degrees with out the retard engaged then you can engage the retard and drop another 4 or what ever the retard is set at out. My concern is the slow retard that this dist and 6Al has never had before. I did add the 8982 but it seems to do its job so I have a hard time condemning it and the way it is wired I haven’t removed the 8982 but I will tonight. I called the MSD tech line and talked to two different guys and got two different answers and don’t like either one of them. First I was told I had a junk timing light well that could be as it is older than I am and I use to play Star Wars with it as a kid so I got another one and it still does it. I called again and now I am told it is normal add what ever it retards at the crank and it will be okay. So If I want 35 make it 39. I don’t feel good with that answer either because it never did this before. They said it is to do with the windings in the pickup coil. Well it is the same dist as last year and it didn’t do it then. I know all this keeps pointing to the 8982 as I added it but it will do its job. Has anyone run in to this or seen it before. Thanks. Jason

[8TREEZ]

Did you reset your timing when you added the 8982? Or did you just install it and go?

[julven]

I wired it up and set the timing to what I wanted. As the dist was out of the car and on the bench over the winter. The retard is set to take 10 degrees out on start up and add it back above 800 rpm. Then when the nitrous comes on it take 4 degrees out. Like it is set to do with an adjustable module. What are you talking about when you say resting the timing? Just normal check and adjusting?

[NOS-Nelson]

Have you considered a crank trigger?

[julven]

I want a crank trigger but will have to wait a bit.We changed dist out and the problem went away so then we put the pickup form the steady dist in the one that retarded and it is still there so we feel that it is in the shaft,housing or rotor from this testing. Thanks

[NOS-Nelson]

I want a crank trigger but will have to wait a bit.We changed dist out and the problem went away so then we put the pickup form the steady dist in the one that retarded and it is still there so we feel that it is in the shaft,housing or rotor from this testing. Thanks

OK. Glad you got it figured out.

[Scott McMullen]

I want a crank trigger but will have to wait a bit.We changed dist out and the problem went away so then we put the pickup form the steady dist in the one that retarded and it is still there so we feel that it is in the shaft,housing or rotor from this testing. Thanks
No Shit My Car is Doing the Same thing I have a Locked out distrubtor my car has MSD IT had 43* at idle and it would go to 38* when Revved . Looks like I am Going to Need a New Distributor:D

[julven]

Well it is in the dist on mine we feel. But what peice is it or is it clearance? A friend talked about vertical play and my Dad wondered if I had it bottomed out against the oil pump and causing problems?. I called the cam grinder for his expert opinion on what to be looking at and he said he felt it could be dist shaft flex or a loose shaft. Those are somethings to look at.I am going to try Msd and see what parts a sericeable. This dist has very low runs. Let me know if you come across anything on yours.

[Scott McMullen]

I'll keep you updated

[81 olds]

how was the dis locked out? bolts come loose holes oblong welds break?

[Shawn Morrell]

No Shit My Car is Doing the Same thing I have a Locked out distrubtor my car has MSD IT had 43* at idle and it would go to 38* when Revved . Looks like I am Going to Need a New Distributor:D

The unilite distributers are famous for this, not sure what you guys are using. The unilite just needs a new eye when it starts to do this.

[Scott McMullen]

The unilite distributers are famous for this, not sure what you guys are using. The unilite just needs a new eye when it starts to do this.I use the Msd Pro Billet With Slip collar

[julven]

I have a Pro Billet also.

[Scott McMullen]

update Put a New MSD distributor in Last night NON Locked out Back to Normal !! She's Fixed

[Chris Uratchko]

Well that ought to be interesting if it holds timing all the way down the track.

[julven]

I have tried two differnt new bronze gears and the only way I can get mine to stay steady from idle to 3500+rpm is with the melonized gear.I Talked with MSD and they make oversized gears to correct the problem but for the price and etc I can have a crank trigger.We just added the retared value to the total and have been running it.

[Jeff Griffin]

No Shit My Car is Doing the Same thing I have a Locked out distrubtor my car has MSD IT had 43* at idle and it would go to 38* when Revved . Looks like I am Going to Need a New Distributor:D

have your bro buy you one when he wins pinks.. have fun good luck to ryan..

[marku520]

i have had msd for years and they all retard the timing 2 to 4 degrees when brought up off idle. my track car always ran best by bringing in timing all the way around 26 to 2800 rpm and set it by total timing making sure you have the correct amount of advance unless you have the dist locked out which is how i like it if you have a fairly decent stall coverter on the track or street. unless its a daily driver! as far as talking to msd i wouldnt even bother, i never talked to so many people so ignorant to the product they sell!!!!!!!!!. its never their product its always interference or some lame crap. it dont surprise me at all you got different answers. it would have surprised me if you had gotten the same answer from 2 different people though.

[marku520]

their is no problem you are chasing you tail. every msd i have owned has lost timing when brought over idle. set it with all advance in by total timing and leave it. even with the advance locked out it will loose timing set it the same way off idle by total timing