[Real McCoy]

I have been fighting a high speed skip in my car for about 6 weeks. It was fine for 18 months and this started and is getting worse. Checked everything I can think of and anyone has suggested to no avail. It has to be ignition and everything in the car is MSD. I look at the MSD site and they have a tech forums section. I look and see no posts about a similiar problem so I post my issues, say what I've done and wait. I get a reply to run the power feeds and the crank trigger wires this way. I reply and ask about the power feed wires again and ask what the minimal voltage should be. It's been 5 days and no reply from techguy. I'm like why offer a site with tech support then not respond to the questions the customers ask? If the darn car ran fine for 18 months it seems odd the wire location or power feeds would be a problem but I moved them anyway. The coil could be breaking down or the two step switch is going bad and acting like the high side RPM chip is in it or something would be nice but they haven't even said screw you and you're stupid problem, nothing. How sorry is that? RM.

 

[danthefordman]

Have you tried pulling all of the chips out and then making a pass (carefully not to over rev). I'm not sure if those RPM chips go bad or not.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Online or phone tech is not what it used to be. Pisses you off to no end when you have an issue that you want to fix now. Not usre there is a simple solution except to hope someone on here comes up with something.

 

[Real McCoy]

I got tons of good suggestions from various places including here but so far the ones I've tried have not fixed the skip. I got a spare crank trigger from a buddy at the track last night so I'll try it when I race tomorrow. See if I can find a compatible coil next I guess. The only chips in it are a shift chip in the RPM activated switch and a stage chip so I can bracket race it without toasting the converter too bad. No high side chip at all. RM

 

[Jagtec1]

Did you change any other electrical (non-ignition related) wiring or components on the car during that 18 months? Do you run a noise filter/capacitor on the power and ground supplies for the box? Which box are you using?

I was chasing a similar problem. I did some wire re-routing (even though it ran fine before), added grounds to the heads, and added a noise filter (similar to MSD's, but MUCH less expensive at $10), and changed the coil. So far, so good.

 

[7817]

The MSD forum has gone to the dogs. Your best bet is just to call them.

 

[Real McCoy]

I haven't changed anything in the car in 4 yrs except when I put the big motor in it last spring. I had to swap from a magnetic MSD Distributor to the crank trigger but that was all. It ran fine. I do screaming burnouts. Excessive high RPMs and lots of smoke. Seems nutty to some but it gets me pumped up and race ready. So about 8/9 weeks ago I come out of the water and I hear a couple skips. Never heard that before so I make a note. I find the pickup has rubbed the wheel and it is set too close. I backed it up to .060 and all seems fine next race. Doing PM checks I find the rear float level high and I lower it. Next race the car skips a little. It has gotten worse since then and I have checked/changed lots of stuff. Can you give me more info on this filter? The skip is only at high RPMs and it doesn't hurt the repeatability of the car. It may be slowing it down but it is consistant as hell. I've won a race and several dash for cash events during this skipping period. Thanks, RM

 

[Jim Monson]

I find the pickup has rubbed the wheel and it is set too close.

Try a new pickup. Might be the coil. Might just be a stoopid wire. I hate electrical problems!

 

[Real McCoy]

I installed another pick up last night. The one I took off had a dirty looking darkness from the base to the edge in one area with some white looking residue. Very odd looking so maybe that is a sign but it ohmed out right. If I could find a Pro Power coil I'd take that with me. Got a couple friends who probably have a coil that are racing out of town but should be home to race at Shadyside with me today. If it skips I hope someone has a coil I can borrow. I hate these damn intermittent problems too. I'd be alot happier if something would just totally fail. RM

 

[bottlefed1]

Since you said you hit the pickup another thing to check would be the balancer and keyway for any problems as well as checking the MSD wheel to see if all 4 magnets are tight and have an equal amount of pull.

As far as the tech support at MSD goes the last time I called they could not even answer what the ohm reading on the pickup should be.......

Richard Gavle

PS years ago my car picked up a miss (you I did high rpm burnouts) and since I was at the track I just took a piece of 14 gauge wire and wrapped it around the crank trigger wires and grounded it at both ends and it cured the problem. And yeah it was the same sort of deal just started all of a sudden with no changes to car wiring etc, Maybe the alternator had a diode starting to go bad and introduced an AC wave and resultant magnetic flux into the crank trigger area. When dealing with electrical intermittants its the wierd stuff like this that is hell to define.

 

[Real McCoy]

I looked at the wheel pretty good and saw no obvious issues but who knows. I just loaded the car up and it does sound crisper with this trigger on it. Maybe I'm just being optimistic this morning.......LOL. RM

 

[dennysavage]

I installed another pick up last night. The one I took off had a dirty looking darkness from the base to the edge in one area with some white looking residue. Very odd looking so maybe that is a sign but it ohmed out right. If I could find a Pro Power coil I'd take that with me. Got a couple friends who probably have a coil that are racing out of town but should be home to race at Shadyside with me today. If it skips I hope someone has a coil I can borrow. I hate these damn intermittent problems too. I'd be alot happier if something would just totally fail. RM

If you end up needing a coil, I've got a brand new in the box Pro Power MSD.. You can have it for $80.00 shipped.. Jegs gets $118.00
Denny

 

[Steidle]

I had and have seen a few bad MSD pick ups with the same symptoms you describe. I was told that most of the fuel and some alcohol guys get pickups from Leahey http://www.electrimotion.com/index.htm
I got one and problem went away,they are about $140.
As far as the tech board goes, its almost useless, guys like Eric David Bru trying to answer every question posted by going on other boards and asking your question then responding with someone elses answer. When you call you need to get a senior tech (Pete for digital stuff) the first guy that answers the phone is looking at the same instructions and help files that we have, and after 5 minutes of responding with "I tried that and it didnt work" you will be directed to a senior tech that actually has a clue and will more than likely solve your problem, just getting to him sucks.

 

[7817]

I talked to Pete (tech 21) a few times too, you have to get past the first layer of MSD idiots, but thats MSDs plan as well.

 

[Real McCoy]

I just got home from the track. Got down to 7 cars and my car didn't skip a lick, ran great. So the pick up was my problem it seems. Thanks for all the help and suggestions. RM

 

[7817]

:smt038 Glad its working again!

 

[quickwrench]

I just got home from the track. Got down to 7 cars and my car didn't skip a lick, ran great. So the pick up was my problem it seems. Thanks for all the help and suggestions. RM

Hated to hear about the problems, Glad to hear you got it sorted out.