Installation of MSD6 and Blaster3 coil
General (Overall layout)
MSD Box
Coil
Wiring of components

1>  General - This section illustrates the general layout of components in the engine bay.

The first picture (Engine_Bay) is of the engine bay taken from the driver's side.  Notice the MSD box mounted on the inner fender wall.  The PCM is in its stock location to the right.

The second picture (MSD_Coil) shows mounting of the Coil.  I selected the MSD Blaster 3 coil.  If you look closely, you can vaguely see the bracket and the stainless steel hardware.  The bracket is just below the orange and black wires hooked up to the coil itself.  The coil is mounted to its bracket and the bracket then bolts to the original coil location.  

Finally, in picture "over_view" you can see the general routing of the cables and the 
proximity of the components to each other with the air cleaner out of the way.

From this over view, also notice the coil bracket.  

    Back




 
2> MSD Box - This section illustrates details of mounting the MSD Box.

The first picture (MSD) shows the MSD box mounted a little clearer then the earlier pictures. Notice how the wiring comes out of the box on the right. Also, notice the aluminum bracket I fabricated to mount the right side of the box. I simply bent a piece of aluminum and drilled holes in the proper locations to mount the box to the bracket. The bracket is mounted to the fender well using stainless hardware. I have a special tool to install “nutserts” which are rivets with threaded inserts. They use these on bicycles and such to insert threads into the frames to install water bottle cages. I could have used sheet metal screws to accomplish the same. 

The next picture (MSD_brkt) is a close up of the mounting bracket to mount the 
MSD box. I did this because the location I mounted the box is not flat. 

Back



 

 3> Coil - Mounting of coil and its bracket.

Picture “Coil_det3” was taken from the front of the engine. This gives a good view of the modification to the two coil brackets I purchased. I cut off one of the two ears and used only one of the ears to mount the coil in the stock location. The two small crews hold the coil to the modified bracket. The two larger nuts you see on the right side of the picture hold the new bracket to the original coil mount. 

Back



 

4>  Wiring

 The following pdf file and two pictures show hook up of the MSD unit and the Power (large red wire), and Ground (large black wire) wiring.  Before doing any of the wiring, be extremely careful.  Completely disconnect the battery!!. Normally only the negative lead is adequate but in this case it is safer to disconnect both positive and negative (negative first).
 


The first file (wiring.pdf) is from MSD. It should have come with the MSD unit you got. 
This is the specific page that pertains to our D’s. 

In the picture you will notice they use the stock coil. This does not  matter.  Of importance is that you get all the wires in the right place.The following steps should help.

Here is a step by step check list that may help with the installation:

1.  Completely disconnect battery.
2.  Remove Air cleaner to get it out of the way.
3. Mount all the pieces in their locations  (Refer to: MSD Box, Coil). 
4. Route wiring from MSD box over to coil bracket like I did.The service loop (Refer to: over_view) is  important to allow engine to rock without breaking the wires.I installed a bracket to hold the wiring on  the inner fender well and zip tied the bundle to the original coil bracket. 
 5. By this time the old coil should be out of the way. Cut the original coil wires (Green/Orange and  Black/Gray or Gray)  about five inches back  from its connector. Put the connector on the original  coil and set aside for storage. This way, if you want to put things back to their original state and take  the MSD unit for another installation, you can put the original connector and coil back in place. 
6. Connect the Orange wire from the MSD box to the + (positive) side of the new coil (Refer to: Coil_det3). 
 7. Connect the Small Black wire from the MSD box to the " –"  (negative) side of the new coil  (Refer to: Coil_det3). 
 8. Connect the small red wire to the Green/Orange wire you just cut from the original coil.  Solder and  heat shrink the two wires together. 
 9. Connect the small white wire to the Black/Gray or Gray wire you just cut from the original coil.  Solder and heat shrink the two wires together.  Tuck the excess wires from step 8 and 9 down along the intake manifold and the valve cover.

10. Connect the Large Black Wire to ground.  I used a large crimp lug and bolted it to the nuttted ground at the front of the engine.  

The MSD_gnd picture shows where I connected the big black wire of the MSD controller.
This is a nut that is already being used as a ground and is located right behind the coil.Should be easy to find. 
11.  Connect the Large Red Wire to the Alternato's Power lead. 
 In the MSD_power picture, you will see the large red wire bolted to the back of the alternator.  This is the same large wire that feeds the battery.Be careful.  Make sure the battery is disconnected.
12.  The magnetic pickup is not used in this application.  It should be tied back.  Double check all your connections.
13.  Hook up the battery (positive side first) and try it out.  Good luck, if you need any help, feel free to call or contact me.

Back