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Re: MSD & 2002s

> 
> Stanley,
> 
> I read with interest your success with an MSD unit in your 2002.  I was 
> thinking of putting one in my '75 2002, and was wondering how easy it was 
> to put in.  Did you have to get the accessory to drive the tachometer?
> 
> You mentioned that you got the unit up and running again.  What problems 
> did you have with it?  Was it overheating in its previous location?
> 
> Thanks for your help and advice.
> 
> Keith Gawlik                 [email protected]
> 
> 

Yes...the MSD was quite a pain to install.  If you're mechanically
inclined, it's a challenging project.  

Here's the scoop.  I had the Unit in front of the water bottle, but
the location proved to get quite warm from the manifold heat.  The
unit survived 2 years or so, until it started to act real crazy.  I
mailed to the list, and everyone assured me, these are reliable
units (I wouldn't buy anything but an MSD...for their good
reputation).  They said the heat probably did it.  After all, an MSD
unit is all electronics...and they don't like heat.  So...I sent
it in for repair ( pretty reasonable).

And that's when the unit needed a new location.  There's not many
other reasonable places.  Behind the R. front headlight seems to be
the optimal location.  Another memeber assures me it is very dry
here.  And there is a constant flow of cool air too.  All the
better.

Installation:

1. Remove the R. Front headlight.   The WHOLE unit (that's the bulb
with it's base).  I made the mistake of taking leaving the base and
taking the whole glass out.  What a big mistake!!  It's spring
loaded and took me hours to get it back together.   Just mark
the assembly, against the body, so you can put it back in the same
location.  

2.  Remove the R. Front tire... This, as well as the headlight, aid
in allowing space to drill the 4 mounting holes.  The tricky part
is drilling...that is getting your 4 holes properly spaced given the
tight space.  YOu got to be really accurate with those holes!!
unless you don't mind drilling one...then another right next to it!

3.  Both front grills should be removed to allow easy access to run
the wiring to the battery (be sure to slide an extra cover over those
power wires too!).  You don't want a short!

So it's up to you.  Basically the wiring takes time...to figure it
out and neatly run all the wires.  The driling was the roughest part
(next to the headlight problem I ran into).  I wanted exaclty
four holes, just large enough for the screws.  And I did it!
I just felt I already had too many extra holes in that area.  4 from the
earlier installation.  4 from the original CD unit, and some other
ones from other things.

And yes, I did buy the extra unit for the tach.  I also bought
the capacitor, to filter out noise (to save my radio tunes).

AFter all this, it was definitely worth it!!!  The power increase
and the overall engine smoothness was quite remarkable.


Good luck!


- -Stanley Phan
'72 2002