Mallory vs MSD distributors., Why is Mallory preferred here? Options

[Series9]

I'm helping a friend set up an aftermarket CD ignition on his rail buggy.

Why should I not use the MSD distributor?

I'm going to use a 6A MSD ignition.

[Jake Raby]

MSD is horrible for our engines.
The reliability of the units is one concern and the other is the fact that you MUST use a CDI box.

The biggest concern I have with them are their magnetic pick ups Vs. optical on the Mallory as well as their inability to be adjusted to an optimum advance curve for our engines. Most advance curves for the MSD keep advancing clear past 5K RPM!

I have an ignition shootout scheduled for the first week in October and we'll be doing a live dyno cast of it on the radio show for most of a solid day. More info to follow.

EVERY car I own runs a Mallory, the only MSD I have sits idle in the ignition bin in the dyno room - the results can be seen in 3 minutes flat and one dyno pull.

[DVG914]

[quote][quote name='Jake Raby' date='Aug 21 2006, 07:24 PM' post='757098']
MSD is horrible for our engines.
The reliability of the units is one concern and the other is the fact that you MUST use a CDI box.

The biggest concern I have with them are their magnetic pick ups Vs. optical on the Mallory as well as their inability to be adjusted to an optimum advance curve for our engines. Most advance curves for the MSD keep advancing clear past 5K RPM![/quote]

I've been lurking till now. But Not Any More

I have a 75 2.0 DJet which is Stock Except for the Crane Hi/6, 3000 optical sensor & their 50K coil.

My question is this as Bad, Better or Worse then the MSD set up.

I will be Installing Webber Carbs Soon & picked a new 009 for that ...But I have since learned that is not the way to go.
No big deal it was cheap enough.

I would love to have one of Jakes Mallorys' but Money could be an Issue for now.

Also would the Mallory & the stock FI set up work Better then ...
Carbs W/stock cam & 009 W/ crane added????

So Jake what can I do / use in the mean Time ???
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif)

[size=4]Little Back Round[/size]
I've Lead my Class in NNJR PCA for 5 years in S1 AutoX
(Mostly due to lack of opposition)
I have done nothing to the motor since I bought it in 1999 & it runs OK but I will be looking to do a Stock rebuild this winter, till then I thought the Carbs (which I already own ) might give me a little more low End to get me around the course.
I realize there are many variables here But I have these carbs & B4 this season ends I'd like to see how the car feels with them.

[Joe Ricard]

Webber builds Barbeques
Weber Builds Carbs
Web builds cams

Ok enough harrassing the new guy. The stock distributor I believe is required to run D-jet because of the trigger points. I imagine there is a work around for different dizzy's and Fuel injection set ups.

I confess and admit to being a Carb junkie. My car runs great with total Mallory Dizzy, Pro E Coil, Hyfire VI box with rev limiter.

Jake interesting point about the MSD and advance curve being so SCaWEWY.
Bet head temps are a bitch huh?

[Mueller]

Joe,

It's also my understanding that the MSD distributor cap has larger OD so a little bit of (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif) on the engine tin is needed, the MSD uses thier spark plug wires instead of more "universal" setup....


Jake,

I would think the VR sensor of the MSD would be more robust than the optics of the Mallory, (I've fried one set Mallory optics due to a bonehead move (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) the replacements are not cheap...too expensive for about $5 in electronics )


DVG914,

You cannot use a Mallory or an MSD or an other non-factory distributor with the D-Jet unless you replace the trigger points with an alternative method (which I have done using IR/LEDs inside my Mallory distributor, you can do a search for pictures and the schematic.

Keeping the stock cam and adding dual carbs and the Mallory (or MSD) is a waste of money and gains you nothing over what you currently have. It'll work, but why spend the money for no net gain in performance???

[DVG914]

DVG914,

You cannot use a Mallory or an MSD or an other non-factory distributor with the D-Jet unless you replace the trigger points with an alternative method (which I have done using IR/LEDs inside my Mallory distributor, you can do a search for pictures and the schematic.

Keeping the stock cam and adding dual carbs and the Mallory (or MSD) is a waste of money and gains you nothing over what you currently have. It'll work, but why spend the money for no net gain in performance???
[/quote]


Thanks
Yes I forgot for a moment that I would need Trigger points.
So When I switch to carbs what is a Good Cam grind to use for the Ubiquitse Street / AutoX application??

Oh yea any thoughts on the Crane system I have in her now ???

[Joe Ricard]

Cam ??? Go big or stay at home.
my cam is .500 lift 300 duration. doesn't come on till 3400 ish RPM

I plan on using a 86b +5 163 split duration on my next motor.
As soon as I figure out what to do for rods.

[Jake Raby]

Cam ??? Go big or stay at home.

And add compatible heads or make less power..
an 86B+5 /163 would have the added suration on the intake of the cam- far from optimum. If you invert it you have too much exhaust overlap for the intake profile with the +5 suffix...

Keeping the stock cam and adding dual carbs and the Mallory (or MSD) is a waste of money and gains you nothing over what you currently have. It'll work, but why spend the money for no net gain in performance

As for the mallory, a 100% bone stock engine WILL see benefits below 3,500 RPM with the dizzy and it WILL see more accurate spark delivery right up to redline. The entire engine WILL benefit from the mallory over anything stock- if it's set up correctly...

[JmuRiz]

I wish they made a Mallory unit for my old Mercedes 280C (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

I currently run the Crane Optical points replacement...but that's just because I was tired of running points. Once I rebuild my motor it'll be with a Mallory unit (after seeing many a post on them here).

[Brett W]

Joe is that the cam you got from me? I don't think that is what it is? I think it is a straight 86b/86b+5. Check the end of the cam and see what it says. Yeah you will need heads and springs to make that cam work right. Plus you will need some compression otherwise it will bleed off.

[Joe Ricard]

Joe is that the cam you got from me? I don't think that is what it is? I think it is a straight 86b/86b+5. Check the end of the cam and see what it says. Yeah you will need heads and springs to make that cam work right. Plus you will need some compression otherwise it will bleed off.

Yes Brett this is the cam I got from you. could have sworn it has 163 stamped on it. But then again I should stop and look before I spout off crap here.

Compression won't be a problem with the new pistons I got.

STILL need rods Just won't be happy till I get some H beam rods 24mm little end VW journal big end ARP bolts.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chowtime.gif) and still kicking myself for not buying the heads from you when I had the chance. Snooze you lose.