Re: MSD Acquires Accel Group Companies
I don't think MSD was ever associated with Accel or Echlin.
MSD, actually "Autotronic Controls Corporation", was originally an Aerospace contract company. They were working with General Dynamics to develop a lean burn internal combustion engine (in the range of 22:1 A/F ratio). One major problem was that the mixture was too lean to ignite. During the course of development the engineers there came up with a multiple spark capacitive discharge ignition system, which continued to spark for 20 or so degrees of crank rotation. This "multiple continuous spark" was enough to ignite the lean mixture.
They decided to market it to the high performance auto industry and the rest is history.
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