Distributor Magnetic Pickup

[wlewis]

To correct a no start problem, I just replaced the magnetic pickup in my MSD distributor for the second time in less than a year. The car has only 2000 miles on it, and is now on it's 3rd pickup. When replacing the original pickup last year, there was a bit of rust on the magnets. I live in a humid area, very close to the coast. I now have a dehumidifyer in my garage. The one I just replaced was clean. Does anyone have any thoughts as to what is causing them to go bad?
Walter

[scott h]

have you talked to MSD? my guess is that something else is causing the problem and that the new pick-ups are somehow masking the real problem.

[wlewis]

The MSD folks tell me the purple and green wires that run from the box to the distributor, need to be run seperately, by themselves, to the distributor. Mine are bundled together with the red power wire along with a few other wires run through the firewall. I do not see this "requirement" in MSD installation instructions. Before I cut the distributor connector wires, reroute them and splice in a new connector, I want to confirm that this is the correct thing to do. Does anyone else on this forum have an MSD box located behind the dash with wires running thru firewall? If so, are your purple and greeen wires run seprately?
Also, MSD insists that the thick red power wire and ground wire should go directly to the battery, whereas mine go to starter solenoid and body crossmember behind the dash. MSD'S Installation instructions do mention this under "Prestart Check list". Alan tells me that most, if not all of the Uniques he seen are wired like mine. How about the rest of you using MSD's?
Walter

[eliminator]

Walter,

Mine are wired as MSD suggested, purple and green are not with the other wires in the harness. My red power wire does go to the solenoid and my ground to the frame section behind the dash. You have to remember the frame support in the dash area is really not physically conneted to the under car frame, only by bolts. The fiberglass is sandwiched in between, I used star washers under the bolts and washers so they would dig into the upper frame in the cockpit and the lower frame under the car. You must have a good connection between both to acheive the proper ground. Good new, no distributor problems, voltage regulator, or any other electrical problems in 6 years.....nock nock...

[wlewis]

Thanks Rick. I took a second look at my purple and green wires. They are inside of a black sleeve of insulation that runs ALONG SIDE a larger insulated/conduit harness, through the same firewall hole and through the same grommet. They are NOT BUNDLED with the red and other wires as I originally stated. I guess I should check closer next time before making such statements. Nevertheless, I was considering wrapping about 4"-5" of the section that passes through the firewall next to the larger bundle, with a foil shield and then with a plastic conduit on top of it. Do you think that will work? I'm trying to avoid snipping the wires and reattatching the distributor connector, drilling another firewall hole.
Thanks,
Walter

[eliminator]

yes, that sounds like it would work.