[WillBBF]

Have had trouble starting the 460 and the pickup coil in my distributor seems to be bad (ohm reading is way out of spec - no connection). The odd part is that the thing will start sometimes. The distributor is an MSD 8350 pro billet (bought around 2003). Seems like it should be easy to change the pickup, but the wires have me stumped. Do you just splice them or do you have to pull the distributor, etc. Do the gears on these things come right off after you drive out the pin or do you have use a puller to get them off to get the thing apart? Never done one of these. Thanks for any help.

 

[Mark Miller]

Sounds like the problems i was having,it would start one week not the next.I would change to the extra coil i have then it would start.Then last week it wouldn't start with either coil tried another MSD box still nothing,tested the pick up coil showed bad.I went to Auto Zone and put in a new pickup coil started right up after that.I'm hoping to try again Sunday and see how it starts.I'm using a Duraspark distributor not a MSD,i did check the pickup coil first of May tested fine but not last week.

Later Mark.

 

[fordpower]

I just replaced my pick-up coil on my MSD last week. I take it you have a new pick-up coil from MSD???? Yes, the instructions are a little lacking on the info when it comes to the wiring but not a problem at all. Follow the instructions for replacing your coil, then when you get to the wiring part you'll have to pick out the small grommet where the wires go thru your dist., then since your old pick-up coil is being replaced cut the wires near the connector and discard. Then all you have to do is install your coil, per instructions, reuse your grommet and insert the pins on the new coil in the new connector, be sure to put the right wire in the right hole, they are labeled 1 & 2 (very small on connector) and your instructions will tell you which wire to put each place. Be sure to get your magnet right and the clearance between the new pick-up coil and inner gear right. The instructions will cover it all there. I took mine out of my engine but I suppose you could perform the surgery with the distributor still installed. As far as for the lower gear, it is a press fit. You will have to remove pin, then press the gear off and press it back on, BUT you should not have to do this when replacing the pick-up coil. My old pick-up coil had some very slight build-up around the connection not seen until I got it out causing some erractic timing flucuations and seems to be a problem if you engine sits outside alot, not ran for extended periods of time, ran in wet conditions (mud truck), high humidity areas or just plain age.

 

[WillBBF]

Re: Bad pickup

Thanks all. Took out the distributor (MSD 8350) and tapped out the top roll pin so I could move it on the shaft, then had a look under the bottom plate of the dissy. It has electronics under there and the pickup wires are soldered in. So I cut the pickup wires. Tested the old pickup on the cut wires and it tested good. Crap. The diagram I got from MSD showed the wires just running straight through, but now I realize that couldn't be true. I was testing the wires that went to the electronics before, so I have no idea what was going on there. So now I wonder if it was the coil all along. I have another coil but haven't had time to try it yet. I was getting a spare distributor anyway, so I'll have a replacement if the coil switch doesn't work.

 

[WillBBF]

Re: MSD pickup

So it was the coil after all apparently. New coil in, starts like a madman. Live and learn.