MSD dist/SUN machine

rod · 11-20-2010, 08:50 PM

i just picked up a nice MSD electronic dist [yes, after 30 years i am moving into the 21 century and away from a point dist.!] this dist. came with no springs/weights on the mech. advance. i would like to put this dist. on my Sun machine and get the curve i want.
my question is; how do you hook the dist up, wire wise, to trigger the arrow.
1. the dist has a + & - wire as does the machine. will this trigger the arrow with a 6 Volt machine battery. if not...........
2. i can hook my MSD 6 to the dist. with the two wire MSD cable [to connect the dist to the box]. jumper a 12Volt battery to the MSD 6, then use the wire [either orange or black, i don't remember which] which goes to the - terminal at the [ not used for this test] coil.

do you think this will work? i don't want to chance hurting either of the MSD parts or my machine.

thoughts
thanks rod in AZ

A bus stops at a bus station, a train stops at a train station.
my desk is a work station!

Tom Goldman · 11-21-2010, 01:53 AM

Your Sun Dist machine uses a switched input to trigger the strobe coil, the same way a coil on the car is triggered .
the output from the MSD is not suitable to trigger an older Sun machine ,you will need to build a converter to convert the clipped AC output from the magnetic trigger to a switched ground output.
I'm pretty sure there was a site on the internet with plans to construct one.
It really is a very basic circuit , or you can go to MSD site and access the instructions for the distributer. They have instructions for changing the curve. .

doug schriener · 11-21-2010, 12:56 PM

Rod-Get yourself a set of weights from MSD and a curve kit,the instructions like Tom said and do it-it's not difficult, the MSD's are very simple to work with. Good luck

STK1217 · 11-21-2010, 09:06 PM

Rod do you have a model 506?

11-20-2010, 08:50 PM	#1
rod Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Kingman, NW AZ. in the middle of the longest stretch of Route 66 Posts: 313 Likes: 0 Liked 20 Times in 15 Posts	MSD dist/SUN machine i just picked up a nice MSD electronic dist [yes, after 30 years i am moving into the 21 century and away from a point dist.!] this dist. came with no springs/weights on the mech. advance. i would like to put this dist. on my Sun machine and get the curve i want. my question is; how do you hook the dist up, wire wise, to trigger the arrow. 1. the dist has a + & - wire as does the machine. will this trigger the arrow with a 6 Volt machine battery. if not........... 2. i can hook my MSD 6 to the dist. with the two wire MSD cable [to connect the dist to the box]. jumper a 12Volt battery to the MSD 6, then use the wire [either orange or black, i don't remember which] which goes to the - terminal at the [ not used for this test] coil. do you think this will work? i don't want to chance hurting either of the MSD parts or my machine. thoughts thanks rod in AZ A bus stops at a bus station, a train stops at a train station. my desk is a work station!

11-21-2010, 01:53 AM	#2
Tom Goldman VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Allentown,PA Posts: 2,473 Likes: 882 Liked 858 Times in 234 Posts	Re: MSD dist/SUN machine Your Sun Dist machine uses a switched input to trigger the strobe coil, the same way a coil on the car is triggered . the output from the MSD is not suitable to trigger an older Sun machine ,you will need to build a converter to convert the clipped AC output from the magnetic trigger to a switched ground output. I'm pretty sure there was a site on the internet with plans to construct one. It really is a very basic circuit , or you can go to MSD site and access the instructions for the distributer. They have instructions for changing the curve. . __________________ Tom Goldman 1500 SG , 1506 STK

11-21-2010, 12:56 PM	#3
doug schriener Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: pennock,mn Posts: 83 Likes: 21 Liked 7 Times in 6 Posts	Re: MSD dist/SUN machine Rod-Get yourself a set of weights from MSD and a curve kit,the instructions like Tom said and do it-it's not difficult, the MSD's are very simple to work with. Good luck

11-21-2010, 09:06 PM	#4
STK1217 Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 136 Likes: 44 Liked 10 Times in 7 Posts	Re: MSD dist/SUN machine Rod do you have a model 506?