Advice on MSD box location, wire routing, and wire covering?

[robroy]

Hi!

I'll need to find a place in my engine compartment to mount my MSD 6AL electronic ignition box.

For those of you running similar ignitions, what spot have you chosen to mount the ignition box? And do ya'll happen to have any photos that show how you ran the wires?

Thanks very much for the excellent help!
Robroy

[dustman_stx]

I mounted mine in the cab on the firewall behind the glove box. No heat and air unit in mine, though. Also, mine is the Digital 6. The non-digital can hum, I've heard.

[OldRedFord]

MSD units seem to be sensitive to heat. I would try to mount it somewhere in the cab if possible.

[robroy]

Hey Dustman_stx and Tim, thanks for replying!

Gosh I wouldn't have thought of mounting it inside the cab. I'll give this a whirl!

Thanks very much!
Robroy

[robroy]

Good evening!

Due to some major surprises I'm just now seriously revisiting this, after nine or ten months!

I scoped out the inside of the cab and couldn't really find any spot that seemed MSD-friendly. The MSD seems like a small enough box, yet with all the wires shooting out of it from every angle it takes up a significant amount of room!

My current thinking is that the under-hood spot where it'll have its happiest, relatively low temperature life is somewhere on the driver's side inner fender.

I'm thinking that "A" or "B" would probably work best.



Here's where it's resting now. It's convenient since it's right next to the battery and starter relay, yet it's closer to the exhaust header than it would be if installed on the driver's side. And there just seems to be more room over there.



What do y'all think--what's the best under-hood location of these I've illustrated?

Thanks so much for the excellent guidance!
Robroy

[fordman]

i have seen the duraspark boxes in locations A and C. on dentside trucks. and maybe one at location E one tiem i think.

[BobbyFord]

Robroy,
My MSD box will be mounted in the battery location on the right inner fender (battery relocated).

[ForingaMex]

I don't have MSD but my Duraspark is in location C. D wouldn't work because of the hood hinge.

[fitzwell]

If not inside, i would think location c or d would be best. E isn't going to get a lot of airflow due to the firewall being at the very rear,and what air it gets is going to be mighty warm. in location a or b, if there are no holes in the core support, air will travel over the box. FWIW, if you can get some sort of insulator mounts (think rubber bushings), about 1" round with a stud coming out of both sides. Drill the inner fender & mount the box on them. This both cushions the box, and gets airflow underneath it.

as always....

[DGrant09]

If not inside, i would think location c or d would be best. E isn't going to get a lot of airflow due to the firewall being at the very rear,and what air it gets is going to be mighty warm. in location a or b, if there are no holes in the core support, air will travel over the box. FWIW, if you can get some sort of insulator mounts (think rubber bushings), about 1" round with a stud coming out of both sides. Drill the inner fender & mount the box on them. This both cushions the box, and gets airflow underneath it.

as always....

Great to see you all again!

I mounted my Duraspark at point C and I used nylon spacers from Lowes cut down to 1/4" or so to lift the module off of the fender. Cushions it a little, cools, and the connections are free of water draining on them..

[Ranchero50]

'C'...

Ditto the rubber isolators. Ford produced them and used the on the early '90's stangs for the air box mounts (I'm sure they are on other models as well). Most of the aftermarket ones fall apart pretty quick so OEM if you can. Be sure to aim the wires to the rear so it's easier to route them to the firewall and then back to the distributor. A couple J clips to the valve cover bolts will keep everything in place.

Jamie

[BobbyFord]

MSD 6AL comes with raised rubber mounts in the installation kit. The reason that my box will be mounted in the battery's original location is because there is a large square hole in the core support directly in line with where the MSD box will sit. MSD says you can mount these things anyway but upside down.

[Dragon]

I would use E.

[Doug Comer]

Mine is mounted at C
Doug

[cdeal28078]

When I had the 351w with full MSD set up in my 71 F100 I had the box mounted at location F under the solenoid. Used the anti-vibration mounts and it was in there about 2 years before I sold the engine and MSD set up for a 460.
clint