MSD = MULTIPLE SPARK DISCHARGE i think , but its a brand name for a Ignition transformer essentially
below is the email i received from the supplier
Hi Shaun,
We will get you fixed one way or the other. We stand behind our product 100%. First of all let me be absolutely clear on the symptoms.
1) With the engine off everything works perfectly? If not tell me what is different.
2) What kind of alternator/regulator/ignition system do you have? Standard or high performance?
3) When the engine is running what does work? Nothing no lights at all or some features like brakes etc?
We had a similar problem back about 2 years ago. Ive included this guys email. He had a custom ignition system with an MSD and other stuff. This in of itself was not the problem but apparently he had poor grounds. He added a ground shield as he describes below.
I would also like you to check the voltage at the lamp sockets if you have access to a voltmeter. A bad ground or a funny regulator/ignition system might cause similar problems.
Best regards,
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Richard,
Hi, Well I've been busy checking thing's out again. (Just can't get this out of my mind) Well here we go TEST #3475860.1/2....Got to thinking that I should shield the MSD cables some how, But how would I do this. hhhhmmmmm looking around in the garage I found some of that stainless braided hose like stuff, that stuff you cover your radiator and heater hoses with. So I took the Battery cables that come from the MSD and slid the covering over them and made me a drain wire on one end to ground. Mounted everything back in place and guess what happened when I started the car up....Nothing still have the problem there, Now this was the cable I could move around next to the main wire harness and make the problem come and go. So what the heck? I'll just continue on and do another set of wires coming out of the MSD, so I pick the pickup wires from the Distributor to the MSD. I ran them through some of that braided stuff put a drain wire on one end to ground started the car and guess what happened this time........nothing same problem still there. Now I'm thinking that this is not going to help so I should just quit and say the heck with this idea.............. NO WAY............ I'm not a quitter, this problem is not going to get the best of me. I want these to work because they are COOL. Well I got the 2 wires that go to the COIL but I know this is not going to do anything but what the heck I might as well shield them too. After I get them covered and add a drain wire to ground I then started the car. Welllllllll............. the lights seem to work better with the engine RUNNING, Try them with the lights ON.......They STILL WORK.....what the heck this is not right, it can't be the coil wires doing this....NO WAY.......did I FIX my noise problem........I think that I did......... the more I try them they seem to work GREAT. So all this time it was the 2 wires going from the MSD to the coil. This is one of those things that I will have to put in the memory bank.
I don't know if you sent out the new and improved kit yet? If you did do you want to try them or just send them back? Let me know. Also I going to want to buy another flasher module from you so I can replace my four way flash with it. May you could send me some extra flyers and I could pass them out at the car shows I go to. Been getting asked a lot of question about these. Like what kind of cars do you make these for, I tell them Mustang only right now. Would like to give you a call and talk to you about what I found, when would be a good time to call? I work till 2:30pm (central time) all most every day so I could call you any time after that. I have free long distance on my cell so there is no problem me calling you. Let me know what works for you.
Thanks again