DEAD ON ARRIVAL, DOA Don't Ordinarily Acquiesce Options

[jkb944t]

Sorry to hear about your streak of bad luck.

My -6 conversion ran for a month last fall with the MSD 6AL unit and then it failed on me. It was running fine in the morning and then I went to run an errand and it wouldn't start. I replaced the MSD 6AL unit with a new MSD 6AL unit since it was dead and it has run fine ever since.

Fortunately I live 20 miles from Summit Racing so I didn't have to wait long to get it running again.

Jeff B

[worn]

This is easy. The 914 went into shock as they are always in front of the MB's. Never behind. Console it and promise to never humiliate a Porsche again. That Suby curse that Elyut mentioned is as real as the Unicorn.

You DARE question the existence of unicorns?

[Steve]

It’s also a double negative to tow a German car with a German car. You are tempting the gods of fate. How often do you see a Japanese courtesy vehicle?
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[DM_2000]

Hook up a AC volt meter or oscilloscope to the distributor pickup wire then crank the engine. For a reluctor type you should be seeing 0.5 ish V AC. ( I think this voltage is correct, it's been a while since I've tested this )

Once you get things going, a 73 to 81 ish GM 4 pin HEI module bolted to a heat sink would be cheap backup.

[jim_hoyland]

Good luck on this one; when I previously ran MSD, I had two mounted in the trunk with a switch that could shut one down and turn on the other.

[worn]

Good luck on this one; when I previously ran MSD, I had two mounted in the trunk with a switch that could shut one down and turn on the other.

Did you turn to running something better?

[porschetub]

Seems a few folks have had issues with them and many more haven't ,during my research to find an improved system over stock I noted comments on failures ,then I googled ebay and found a fair amount of non operational units for sale....made me think,not dissing people who use them but I made a decision to go another direction based on my research ,purely that.
I don't know what MSD have as a "return" policy,but IMO it would be difficult to get a replacement of an item like this because they don't know how the customer installed it ,theres the issue really hence many companies not offering returns on such items (electrical) ,seems the norm these days (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) .

[altitude411]

It’s also a double negative to tow a German car with a German car. You are tempting the gods of fate. How often do you see a Japanese courtesy vehicle?
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Excellent point (double positive)... you need to be cleansed immediately by a Judas Priest. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

[whitetwinturbo]

tow the MB with the 914 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

[jtf914]

I had an MSD die on me while driving one day, like some turned the key off. The newer version has a plug and play harness so swapping is quick. I ordered one in black (looks more stock) and now I carry a spare. That was also the first (and only) day I used my flat tow bar.

Was the 914 in neutral while being towed by the MZB? Have you pulled any plugs?

[jim_hoyland]

Good luck on this one; when I previously ran MSD, I had two mounted in the trunk with a switch that could shut one down and turn on the other.

Did you turn to running something better?

I went back to stock set up, but installed the Mallory Unilite distributer. Engine accelerated evenly through the RPM range, ran cooler, and stopped pinging under load - like going up a hill.

[76-914]

This is easy. The 914 went into shock as they are always in front of the MB's. Never behind. Console it and promise to never humiliate a Porsche again. That Suby curse that Elyut mentioned is as real as the Unicorn.

You DARE question the existence of unicorns?

There were Unicorn's back when the Earth was flat. Forrest, it may be time to convert that thing to a Subaru 6. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

[forrestkhaag]

Thanks for the advice guys / MSD has agreed to take the unit back and exchange it if it is the problem as it is less than a year old and I am the original (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) owner........ I need this fixed to get back to my addiction to the sound of a 6 (not Suby (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif) ) winding up to 7K.......


Sidebar: Kent: Please see reference Temeculites in the post on where the Rt66 should be held next......... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)

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[76-914]

Thanks for the advice guys / MSD has agreed to take the unit back and exchange it if it is the problem as it is less than a year old and I am the original (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) owner........ I need this fixed to get back to my addiction to the sound of a 6 (not Suby (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif) ) winding up to 7K.......


Sidebar: Kent: Please see reference Temeculites in the post on where the Rt66 should be held next......... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

I did. Please edit before any Wine consumption. I wasn’t sure what you were trying to communicate. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

[Justinp71]

That stretch of highway has more potholes, potheads, and pot bellys on it than I hope to ever encounter on foot again. The god news is that I have time to systematically sort out the issue.

A question for MSD 6AL digital box people: Is there a rogue security feature kill-wire in the harness as delivered from MSD? I seem to remember something about using or not using a wire as a kill switch to ground...... maybe the white wire (unused in the diagram)

if so, that could be grounded somehow and simply killing my spark.

I do believe if you Ground the white wire it will kill the spark, I remember reading somewhere when I wired up mine (on a 3.0) that you can actually use it as an anti-theft device. Check around and make sure you don't have a loose wire somewhere. I installed my MSD 6AL in 2009 and it's been working great!

[forrestkhaag]

update: At 4pm MST today, MSD acknowledged that they received my 6AL on Tuesday. It is now in the cue for "testing".

Contrary to my earlier conversations with Tech/MSD that they would send out a box when mine got to El Paso, I am now waiting for testing.

eeeerrrrrrrrr (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hissyfit.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hissyfit.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hissyfit.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hissyfit.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sheeplove.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sheeplove.gif)

What with Larmo's success with Clewett, I am wondering what a nice recurved 911 distributor, cap, rotor, coil, new stock wires, and a spanking new MSD AL6 Digital as a bundle would be worth to someone who............
a.) hasn't read this debacle of a thread,
b.) is not a member of 914 World, and
c.) has money to defray the relatively high cost of a hassle free Clewett system.

Hmmmm maybe Pelican 911 Parts FS, eBay, Craigs,..........

This spell of three+ weeks is the longest straight period of time w/o a functioning porsche in the stable since the seventies........... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sheeplove.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hissyfit.gif)

I need to borrow Larmo's helmet to bang my head against the Arizona pavement!

[porschetub]

They are f ing with you Forrest that's why I mentioned their return policy,they would know straight off if the unit is faulty,not 3 weeks later,shame it has taken that long.
Lawrences setup is right up there cost wise but Richard @ Clewett makes great products that work hence my choose of his plug leads.
Carbs are really a bit of a hassle but IMO matched with a correct modern ignition really are not that bad.
Get on the phone to the buggers and TUNE them up.

[forrestkhaag]

Thanks to all for the support and information along the way to a solution. As w/ PorscheTub and others, the MSD box simply croaked. Not while driving but maybe when first starting to turn over the motor on the side of the freeway some weeks back when the ML Benz toasted its engine and totaled it life.

In any case, Joe at MSD apologized for a miscomm in the RMA department. (in the return) and he rushed overnight out a new AL6 Digital version new in box with all of the associated parts, new harness, etc.

It was plug and play / but........... I fubared the reinsertion of the dizzy by one gear tooth so performance, although running, was horrible / then off to determine the correct gear alignment on the dizzy R&I and VAROOM! The little beast is back to full power at all ranges of RPM.

Now that I am up and running in Scottsdale for the winter, I will have to learn the nz and outz of weekend drives and meets / or organize one or two.

Cheers and thanks again for the support.

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[Steve]

Great news!! Missed you this weekend at the so cal events.
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[euro911]

Run Forrest, run ...

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