Which distributors work with L20-B

[Press1]

Hi - I have a 510 race car and fought electrical gremlins all weekend at Road Atlanta.  I'm using an MSD ignition box and am wondering if MSD or anyone else makes a compatible distributor that would be suitable for racing...  I believe what's in there now is a "matchbox" distributor. I would love to take out all of the old wiring and find something I can just plug in.

 

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!!

[Doctor510]

Try the one out of a 78 620 w/MSD.  Much like the "match box" but more reliable if you re-curve it!

[wayno]

A matchbox distributor is pretty simple and self contained, it only has 2 wires going to it, nothing else is there, just two wires going from the coil to the matchbox module, are you sure you have a matchbox, you have a photo of it?

[Press1]

I'll get a photo tomorrow. The car's still in the trailer. Have there been issues with the pick up unit overheating and cutting out? I know that's pretty common with British cars.

[wayno]

I use matchbox distributors on all my L series engines, but I don't race, I just drive fast, never had an issue with the module, but I am not trying to get every single HP out of the engine like you do, I have not done a tune up in years.

I don't really know what you have, I do know that I always have the matchbox module faced away from the exhaust manifold towards the radiator so that heat isn't an issue, other than that any issues I have had with a matchbox has had to do with the "T" plug that connects to the distributor matchbox module, when the engine shifted from power(accelerating) to decelerating, the wires would shift and loose contact with the module, and when I pushed in the clutch the engine would shift back and the engine would start running again, I fixed it and have had no more issues.

[flatcat19]

Use the 78 620 distributor. MSD actually makes a plug in harness for it. No HEI module needed as your 6AL box does everything you'd need.

[Draker]

If your racing, you'll probably want to recurve it the El dizzy.

[Press1]

Good suggestions - thanks! The module is facing forward. The issue seemed to be heat or vibration related. It happened once after about 8 laps right after heavy braking and a hard turn, coming on to a straight. Lots of movement/vibration, at racing temps but not super hot.

 

The second time was sitting on the grid waiting to go out. Water temp about 190, but no airflow (as is the case with many race cars, I don't run a cooling fan). Both times the engine stopped dead. Both times, it restarted after sitting/cooling off.

[DanielC]

My years of experience with pro audio components has taught me that most problems with electrical systems is usually the interconnecting wires.  Right after heavy braking, and a hard turn, is it possible that things are moving enough to pull wires? 

[banzai510(hainz)]

I heard on 510 realm running 2 msd boxes in case one fails