Suggestions for install a msd 6al ignition.

I am planning on purchasing a msd 6al ignition with the tfi coil for my 1995 mustang gt 5.0. I was looking in the engine compartment and it appears space is pretty limited. I was wondering if anyone has installed one before and has suggestions or recommendations as to where to mount the box. Should I get the mounting bracket too?

my friend mounted his on the driver side firewall, but ive seen them on the wheel well, near (if u have 1) the camber adjust deal that your shock bolts into. hope it helps.

Hey, i am planning on getting a new CD as well but i think I am going to go with the Crane Cams one since it is fully digital and about the same price. Since the MSD 6A is still analog is can fail if exposed to too much heat. MSD recommends you install it side the passnger compartment. I have seen them mounted on the floor in the passager side, in the glove box, and other crazy places. I don't know how your engine compartment is set up, but you could be fine just sticking it in there as long as you don't have like SC or any other big heat producing items. Like fordforlife said I have seen a lot of driver side firewall installs. Seems to be a popular place. I have no idea where I want to put mine yet.

oh yeah, and after you install it tell me how it goes and how hard it was, etc

Ok Rodek, I finally got the time to install that MSD 6AL. What I did was bought a piece of 20 gauge sheet metal from home depot and cut 4 1/2" wide and bolted it from the top lip of the fire wall on the driver side to the shock tower right above the brake boster. I then bolted the msd 6al to that bracket it worked out real nice. I can still get to the brake fluid resevoir cap and can still unbolt the bracket should I need to get to the brake booster. It was better than the alternative of mounting it on the passenger side shock tower or in the glove box.
Don

my friend put his on the passenger's side, right next to the coil, which is right behind and slightly to the passenger-side of the distributor. this is a stroked camaro. recently he tried to start it up and got no spark. we think that the vibrations in the engine compartment destroyed it. needless to say, my ignition will go elsewhere. probably right behind the dash, that would work well i think.

Ok Rodek, I finally got the time to install that MSD 6AL. What I did was bought a piece of 20 gauge sheet metal from home depot and cut 4 1/2" wide and bolted it from the top lip of the fire wall on the driver side to the shock tower right above the brake boster. I then bolted the msd 6al to that bracket it worked out real nice. I can still get to the brake fluid resevoir cap and can still unbolt the bracket should I need to get to the brake booster. It was better than the alternative of mounting it on the passenger side shock tower or in the glove box.
Don


Sounds like a good place to mount it, i will keep that in mind. I plan on doing my install late march/early May during my spring break, so I will let you know how that goes.

Just to give you guys another idea, mine is mounted under the intake tube. It kind of sucks to run the wires accross the engine comparment, but it gets the job done.


Matt

so tell me how it is going for you as far as do you notice any difference? does it idle better? any better gas milage, etc etc

I've noticed all around acceloration to be much much smoother. But maybe it's in my head, I dunno. About gas mileage, I have no idea...when it was dyno'd, it turned the wideband off at 9:1 so it's running to damn rich to give u a good example there. And I it idles pretty well once it comes up to temp.


Matt

I noticed more power through out the power band. Especially on the high end where you tend to loose it. The coil doesnt have time to get the full charge due to higher RPM so the MSD sort of corrects that. Make sure you get the MSD coil itself when you put on your 6AL to get the full effect.

As far as gas mileage goes I would say definately better, you should notice a difference.

I will post pics the install came out real nice.

I noticed more power through out the power band. Especially on the high end where you tend to loose it. The coil doesnt have time to get the full charge due to higher RPM so the MSD sort of corrects that. Make sure you get the MSD coil itself when you put on your 6AL to get the full effect.

As far as gas mileage goes I would say definately better, you should notice a difference.

I will post pics the install came out real nice.


Yeah I'm still using stock coil. Looks like I may have to get an MSD coil.


Matt

Pics
Click X


http://images5.fotki.com/v60/free/9cbfb/1/178399/743855/stang005-1-vi.jpg?1078089362 (http://public.fotki.com/eillob/msd_pics/)

so tell me how it is going for you as far as do you notice any difference? does it idle better? any better gas milage, etc etc

It is going pretty good right now. Like Eillob said. I noticed a slight pick up across the entire power band. But most notably around the 3500 to 6000 rpm range. Before the MSD 6AL there was a definately loss of power. But I also replaced the coil with a MSD TFI Blaster coil to. That helps significantly. As far as gas milage goes it is hard to tell because I am finding myself putting my foot down harder more often.
The next two things I am going to do is replace the stock throttle body with a BBK 65mm throddle bodie. And I just picked up a 3.73 gear and pinion from the Carolina Auto show here in Raleigh over the weekend.
Does anyone know where I can get directions on making the gearing change? Or should I use a pro? I have never done this before.

Glad to here everythings good. As far as gears go 3.73 is an exellent choice but you definately want to leave it to a pro to do the install. Find a reputable shop and let them do it. If there is a problem later down the road you can always take it back and make them fix it. Also lots of shops would rather themselves get the gears and put them in rather you bringing in your own. Either way make sure they will stand behind you if you have a problem. You shouldn't, I didn't just giving you a little precaution.

only if your a middle to advanced home mechanic. An ultra quick overview: It involves un-bolting the rear axle cover, pulling out the two rear axle splines from the differential, removing the diff&ring, removing the pinion, then swapping the ring and pinion out with the new set. It also involves getting the ring & pinion spacing "just right" with spacers, the correct backlash, gear engagement etc. There is also a special tool needed for measurements and another tool for easy pinion removal. I heard somewhere that motorcraft makes thier so you can get some kind of tool that makes it easier to get the spacing right, maybe everyone does this, i dont know. If you have a lot of patience and are like me, i Refuse to pay anyone to do anything to my cars, just because i dont want them screwing around in thier, and i love working on cars, so. Most of the tools im pretty sure u can rent or if ur lucky have a buddy you can borrow from. Search the web, because there are several pages that tell you every tool you need and have step by step pics that show u how to do it.

Does anyone know where I can get directions on making the gearing change? Or should I use a pro? I have never done this before.

this was suppose to go with above message, oops :icon16: