Well, while under the hood today trying to reach the back of my bulbs to put in some Silverstars I heard a slight sizzling noise. Turns out it's coming from one of the MSD 8912 spark adapters. One has already melted enough to fall loose from it's vertical mount on the firewall. The second is showing signs of bubbling at the bottom end. I found a wire unplugged from the DIS-4 to the adapter. Would this cause the failure or is there a chance the DIS-4 is failiing ? I apologize for not having any more info as I realize that may not be enough data for even a guess but it's all i have so far. The truck started and ran good other than idling rough and dying at cold start. Reminds me of an old carb with a bum choke. I have 2 new adapters on the way and figure i would try to diagnose the cause and not fry the new parts.

Edit: This system was in place when i bought the truck this past weekend and I've no experience with it. I think the actual name may be "tach adapter"

Thanks for any help folks. I really appreciate it !

 

These aftermarket ignitions are known for reliability problems, and offer no advantage over the OEM ignition.

 

I know that is the case with the newer vehicles but wasn't sure about the one from 92. I'm probably going to price a factory ignition setup and put it back to stock. Alot of unneeded crap under the hood on this truck.

 

Again with your hideous statements.

Any ignition can be upgraded with the proper parts; it just so happens that MSD is the proper parts for the older fuel injected engines.


Sounds like there is a short in the modules. Try either replacing them or going back to stock.

While you are at it, check all the wiring. Then replace the plugs, wires, distributor cap, and rotor button.

 

Neither MSD or Performance Distributors (maker of the Screamin Demon) have the equipment, or do any reliability testing on their products like Ford (and Chrysler &GM) require from their suppliers of electrical components.....

There is a reason MSD has this on their website:

https://www.msdignition.com/rma/


And for your information, a 4.0L doesn't have a distributor cap, or rotor button.....it uses a DIS (or EDIS) ignition.

 

Bob all parts go bad, even Motorcraft and ACDelco parts.

You are just so pig headed that you wont try anything else. I bet if you try something you will find it might just work better than stock; but I would say you are scared to try new items and ideals.

 

I finally found a thread on MSD's tech support forum. Sometimes it just takes the right keyword. It looks to be 99% chance that the unplugged wire was the culprit. Lack of grounding fried them. I bet the connectors get some solder or at least a good tape wrap and the rest of the wiring gets a going over while I'm at it. Most of the work on the truck seems to have been done with alot of care but the bullet connectors just don't hold all the time without help....


125 bucks down the drain due to a single wire coming unplugged. Could be worse though......

Thanks for the replies !

 

When doing wiring splices, instead of using tape, use high temp heat-shrink tubing. There are diffferent grades of heat-shrink tubing, the high temp grade will last longer with engine temps. If you are splicing several wires in a harness, or bundle, stagger the splices, so they aren't next to each other....

 

Maurice, all electrical compnents have a failure rate. But since the OEM electrical components go through the SAE reliability testing standards, the reliability is going to be much better than the aftermarket components, that don't have the SAE reliability tests!

Being familiar with these components, I know better than to throw my money away on the after market stuff, it's not a matter of being scared!

 

So tell me why car builders, engine builders, and professional race teams of all racing sports use MSD and other PERFORMANCE ignition systems on their machines? If stock really is that good, why not just go with that? There is a reason Bob and you are too hard headed to see that.

I bet I could tell you it was daylight outside right now and you would argue with me that it was dark.

 

Maurice, your thinking stinks!

A better question to ask, is why don't you see MSD ignitions, or Screamin Demon coilpacks on performance production cars (Corvette, Viper, Ford GT40, etc.)? When is the last time you saw a dragster with 100K miles on it? All of NASCAR uses carburetors, does this mean carbs are better than EFI?

 

Since when was this a carb/EFI question?

I am getting quite sick of you replying to ALL questions with "That way is dumb and you are a retard for doing it that way. My way is always and will always be the best."

Dude get over your self. You are not the automotive genius you think you are, you don't know everything like you think you do, and you are getting annoying. Go pester people on other sites, wait you already do.



BTW: I would like to thank you for reporting me every single time I call you out. Seems a bit immature, but if you feel the need, that is why the little report button is on each and every post. Report away.

 

Why are you so defensive Maurice?????

Are the points I brought up hard to swallow?

Why don't you ask MSD or Performance Distributors why they don't use the SAE reliability testing standards?

 

Defensive you have a lot of room to talk.

Please answer the question, like I have, and move on.

 

i agree with you Maurice but some people just dont get the use of after market parts i would much rather but something on my truck that is cheaper and going to be a performance upgrade. and msd is an awesome ignition i have seen it in tons of street cars i have worked on with tons of miles. you just need to have the right set up and it works awesome. i also cant stand the people that tell you that your retarded or dumb because they dont agree with you and i would like him to answer your ?s because i want to know his reasoning too.

 

Got the 2 new 8912's in today. Having a bad miss just like it does if you unplug the terminator. It ran really smooth for 30 seconds or so on a test run so i thought i was done. A few minutes later it was back to missing. I've ran out of time and will have to look at it again tomorrow. Hoping i just have a bad ground somewhere but at this point I'm tempting to do away with the tach(s) completely.

 

d'oh! someone beet me to the OHV distibutor thing. Lol! I've changed th cap and rotor on my brothers waaay to often! Glad you got the ignition problem figured out! sorry about the thread jackin goin on!

 

You are correct D. that the very early 4.0 OHV's have a distributor, but the later ones (about mid '93+) have the coil pack.

And now that I read that statement, it does sound pretty uneducated

 

why dont we help this guy instead of crying??

if the truck is the one in the signature and he has a distributor the boxes may very well be for boost retard since it seems that it may have a supercharger..? and ford chevy doge honda toyota etc. all have that same return thing that MSD has.. its called "lemon law" so shut up and quit crying and help this guy or dont say anything.

did anyone hear a wwwwhhaaaaaaaaaabulance drive by??? hmmm musta just been in this area...

JOSH

 

Shame on me for lack of info actually. The engine isn't the original. It has a coil pack instead of distributor. I have what I'm guessing are the original heads with the driver's side cracked. When i can I plan on looking for the block casting number.

I read the thread jacking but really didn't pay much attention. hehe I've been too busy trying to educate myself on the aftermarket stuff on the truck.

When the truck ran smooth after starting it was on booster cables. I've been working around and in the truck the last 2 days with the doors open and like a dummy didn't unhook the battery due to thinking i would be done "in a few minutes".

I may be calling a professional in (providing i find one near...hehe) with a volt meter to work on it before long. It's kicked me up the **** good so far.


Edit: I'm not easy to help because i rarely remember all the necessary details in the first 100 posts. :\

The computer has a Superchips module plugged into it. This is another unknown. I've no idea if they had another for "Supercharger" mode and this one from before an install or if the switch was even necessary. I'm not a mechanic by any stretch of the imagination...lol. I may have to plug up the fried 8912's to see if the new ones are faulty after a couple of other tests this eve. They were running ok, but have some nice burned off ends and acid leakage.