Help, Old Red won't start.

[sargentrs]

Don't really know much about an MSD system but, in general, It's not enough just to get A spark, you need to have GOOD spark. With a plug or the spark tester plugged into the coil wire and grounding to the block, is a good blue spark or kinda yellowish? Also, the basic function of the whole ignition system, coil, dizzy, ignition box revolves around consistently and accurately completing the ground circuit. Have you tried an extra ground lead from the distributor housing to a bolt in the intake or block? Is there a separate ground lead from the breaker plate to the distributor housing like there is on a points or Duraspark distributor? Sounds like you've checked the hot side of the ignition system thoroughly so just throwing other options out there.

[crazyhorse]

Mr Sargent, thank you for your reply.
There is no ground wire from the MSD distributor except the 2 wires coming from the magnetic pickup module inside the distributor which plugs into the MSD plug coming from the MSD 6AL ignition box.

The spark tester shows a good spark from the coil wire to the distributor cap.

[sargentrs]

I'm clueless...

[sargentrs]

Any progress? I'd really like to know what was wrong.

[crazyhorse]

Mr Sargent, thank you for inquiring..

The correct answer to your question is NO , I did not make any progress.
I feel like I am missing some simple mistake or something.

Today I checked the voltage with my cheap Harbor Freight meter.
On the ignition wire the MSD instructions say I should have 12 volts, I have 11.85 volts.
I have spark from the coil wire to the distributor cap and no spark from the distributor cap spark plug socket to the spark plug wires.
I removed the alternator and voltage regulator and will have them checked later this week.

Please remember, I took my friends (who has pretty much the same setup as I have) complete distributor, distributor cap, rotor button, coil, coil wire , spark plug wires and put it on my truck and there is no change at all.
His truck runs good and strong with no problems and my truck will not run at all with his same set up.

This has got me puzzled .

I hope everyone will continue to give me advice/ help/information . It is appreciated very much.

[sargentrs]

Did you say you tried putting your components in his truck to see if they all worked? Just curious.

[Ranchero50]

I was wondering if the box got swapped as well.

[Jacksdad]

I was wondering if the box got swapped as well.

I was thinking the same thing. Just did a quick search for MSD 6AL systems that have spark at the coil but not the plugs, and found a disconcerting number of people posting with the exact issue you're having.

[crazyhorse]

sorry I double posted

[Ranchero50]

Remember my first post? I'm honestly surprised you didn't swap it out first...

[crazyhorse]

sorry again.

[crazyhorse]

opps

[crazyhorse]

Sadly MSD 6AL's are pretty much junk. I would take a spare points dizzy and wire it in and see if it'll fire the coil. If so, throw the other stuff in the bed and install the points setup to get yourself home. I'd venture the regulator or alternator pooped and the low voltage required more current than the 6al could handle and nuked itself while trying to start.

Thank The Lord ,

with all of your help OLD RED NOW RUNS.
First off thank each one of you for not giving up on me. I was beginning to give up on myself.

Mr Ranchero , You nailed it from the start. The last sentence in your reply above explains what must have happened.
If I had not experienced this , I would NOT believe I could have spark from the coil wire to the MSD distributor cap coil wire socket and the MSD IGNITION BOX be bad, but that was my problem , so I hope this may help some one else if they have this same problem.
Mr Sargent, you are correct in your post where you say I need to have a GOOD SPARK.
I replaced the MSD 6AL with a new MSD 6A ignition box and it runs like it is suppose to now.
Mr Ranchero, Mr Sargent, Mr Carnuck, Mr Jacksdad thank you and if I left some one out , thank you
each and every one for taking your time to help me get it fixed.

THANK YOU.

[crazyhorse]

Don't really know much about an MSD system but, in general, It's not enough just to get A spark, you need to have GOOD spark. With a plug or the spark tester plugged into the coil wire and grounding to the block, is a good blue spark or kinda yellowish? Also, the basic function of the whole ignition system, coil, dizzy, ignition box revolves around consistently and accurately completing the ground circuit. Have you tried an extra ground lead from the distributor housing to a bolt in the intake or block? Is there a separate ground lead from the breaker plate to the distributor housing like there is on a points or Duraspark distributor? Sounds like you've checked the hot side of the ignition system thoroughly so just throwing other options out there.

Mr Sargent, you are correct , It is not enough just to get a spark, you need to have a GOOD spark.

Thank you for your help.

[Ranchero50]

This is good. Might be worthwhile to add a voltmeter somewhere in the truck. I absolutely hate amp gauges because they don't tell you the health of the battery, only if the alternator is pushing amps into it.

I retrofit a little sunpro voltmeter gauge where the stock amp meter is on mine. I'm using a single yellow top to keep my Cummins alive.