Performance Boats Forum banner

MSD Ignition question for a 460. I know... AGAIN?

[Question] 
6K views 11 replies 9 participants last post by  aj06bolt12r 
#1 ·
I'm sure this question has been asked many times! I looked back in forum history after history and couldn't find an answer.

I recently bought my first Jet boat with the intensions of building a new engine for piece of mind. I found and bought a 1978 Tahiti with the 460 packajet. Berkeley 12JC pump, all new interior, gauges, cables, a decsent paint job. I paid only $1500 including the trailer and new engine parts. The guy I bought it from said The issue with the engine was it had blown while breaking in the cam. He thought maybe the valves were adjusted wrong.?. I didn't care cause I was going to build another engine anyway. When I disassembled the blown engine to salvage the pistons I found more metal in the pan than ZZ Top has on there beards. The cam was completely flat and one of the main cap bolts wasn't torqued. I remember him saying he's built quite a few engines and didn't know what happend. I found so many other things wrong with this "so called fresh" engine it made me sick. The original engine was rebuilt with K.B. pistons .030, Edelbrock performer RPM manifold, a single 750 Holly, a decsent flat tappit extreme marine comp cam, a Miloden 10qt pan, stock heads with a valve job and double springs, roller rockers....

So I am in the process of machining a virgin 460 and had both engines at my machinists shop. Two days later my machinist got so sick he had to stay in the hospital for 6 weeks and it didn't look good. So in a panic I bought another "so called fresh" engine that was out of a lincoln. It too supposedly had KB pistons with all the extras. I figured I would have something to start with and try and make one good engine and sell the other parts to recupe some cash. The newest engine came with the MSD 8350 pro billet ready to run distributor, an MSD 6AL control box, an MSD Blaster coil, an MSD 130 amp one wire billet altenator and a set of March power pullies. As well as another Miloden pan.

Which leads me to ask my question (sorry for the long story).... I am seeing mixed opinions all over different sites saying that the ignition will or will not work in a boat. I know the vacuum advance is no good for jets but it has a lockout. The control box really isn't needed. This distributor looks way better and safer than the original point dist. that was in the boat and what did they used to use before the "marine dist came out? Isn't there parts I could throw on or send the dist back to MSD for an upgrade?

Should I sell everything and start fresh with the marine MSD ignition or will this system work and be leagal? I'm in California by the way.
Thank you!
Tony
 

Attachments

See less See more
3
#2 ·
that ignition system will work fine in an open engine compartment. I ran a 6AL and Pro Billet distributor for years with no issues.

Try to sandwich some rubber material between the box and its mount to isolate it from vibration and it will last a lot longer.
 
#11 ·
Your MSD distributor is a magnetic trigger unit and will need to trigger some type of an ignition control box, so yes, use the MSD distributor and control box. They should give you good service and a better spark.
This is incorrect. The 8350 MSD is a marine ready to run disty. It has a module in it and will work without the multi-spark box. It can also use the box if you would like. Use the lockout kit on the vacuum advance.
 
#8 ·
Hey... Thanks a lot guy's!
I was going to fab up an electrical enclosure for the terminal block and whatever else electrical that will fit but still breathe. Why is it I see the terminal blocks being mounted right on the bell housing and not ran out of the way and secured someplace dry or dryer?
 
#9 ·
This is how I mounted my 6AL.(mid assembly, hence the wires hanging everywhere)
Engine Auto part Fuel line Vehicle Car


Took a small sheet of aluminum, cut it to shape, and drilled 6 holes.
4 for the box and 2 mounting holes.
Bolted it right to the head.
It stays dry there.
Works perfectly.
I use that, the blaster coil, and a pertronix ignitor replacing the points in an old Accel dist.
Also have a 5500rpm limiter on the 6AL.
Vacuum adv is useless on a boat.
Maybe you can have the MSD dist re-curved for a boat?
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top