Tach wave

[vercingetorix]

Does anyone know if the early z tachs were triggerd by a square wave or not?

Regards,

H Houghton

[JZM]

Early Z tach are current triggered / sign wave. like an alternator.

Square wave is digatal.

JZM..

[vercingetorix]

So if I install an MSD 6A I would need a tach adapter?

Best,

H Houghton

[JZM]

So if I install an MSD 6A I would need a tach adapter?

Best,

H Houghton

YES.

JZM..

[vercingetorix]

Thanks!

H Houghton

[JZM]

Thanks!

H Houghton

Anytime.

JZM..

[peng155]

I'm thinking about installing the MSD 6AL unit into my 71, I have the Pertronix ignition unit installed already, and I'm replacing the stock coil with the MSD Blaster 2 coil.

As best as I can figure the wiring of the unit with the tach adaptor installed it should be wired like this...

Parts...

MSD 6AL unit

MSD Tach adptor - PN 8920

MSD Blaster 2 coil - PN 8202

6AL Unit.

12v Power connection...

Heavy Red - Pos. Battery

Heavy Blk - Neg. Battery

Coil connections

Orange - Pos. Coil

Blk. - Neg. Coil

Trigger

White - Blk. wire from Pertronix

Red - Blk/Wht 12v switch source

Tach Output - To Wht MSD Tach adaptor.

Does this sound right???

[JZM]

Not to sure,I can't seem to remember the pertronix unit only having one wire.

the units I have here all have two wire hook ups blk and a red or a purple and a green.all hook ups look good except the pertronix.

pertronix w/ black wire-to the msd white wire and the red wire -to the small red on the msd.

Not sure about the tach adapter I do not have a spec sheet/wiring diagram.

JZM..

[240ZMan]

I'm thinking about installing the MSD 6AL unit into my 71, I have the Pertronix ignition unit installed already, and I'm replacing the stock coil with the MSD Blaster 2 coil.

I run pertronix with their flamethrower coil (1.5 ohms) with no issues. I had considered going with the MSD, but this route was much simpler. Once I had the pertronix installed, I just replaced the stock coil with the new one, and put a jumper across the resistor.

IIRC, there wasn't much difference in the specs of the flamethrower and the msd blaster... just something to consider.

[peng155]

Not to sure,I can't seem to remember the pertronix unit only having one wire.

the units I have here all have two wire hook ups blk and a red or a purple and a green.all hook ups look good except the pertronix.

pertronix w/ black wire-to the msd white wire and the red wire -to the small red on the msd.

Not sure about the tach adapter I do not have a spec sheet/wiring diagram.

JZM..

Yeah you're right JZM.. there are actually 2 wires coming from the pertronix unit.. a red wire, and a black one.. The red wire went to one side of the ballast resistor, and the black wire went to the negative side of the coil... But with the MSD unit installed it looked like only the black wire connection was changed.

[peng155]

I run pertronix with their flamethrower coil (1.5 ohms) with no issues. I had considered going with the MSD, but this route was much simpler. Once I had the pertronix installed, I just replaced the stock coil with the new one, and put a jumper across the resistor.

IIRC, there wasn't much difference in the specs of the flamethrower and the msd blaster... just something to consider.

Thanks for the info ZMan... I was wondering about the ballast resistor, did I still need it or could I remove it, or jumper it.. From the reading I've done the ballast resistor is needed if I was still running points... But since I'm not it looks like I can jumper it, or remove it....

[240ZMan]

Thanks for the info ZMan... I was wondering about the ballast resistor, did I still need it or could I remove it, or jumper it.. From the reading I've done the ballast resistor is needed if I was still running points... But since I'm not it looks like I can jumper it, or remove it....

I think the pertronix has a minimum resistance it can handle, although I don't remember what that value is. Given its small size and that it's inside the dizzy without air circulation, I'm sure it can't handle as much current (in other words, as low of a coil resistance) as the external units like the MSD.

I'd verify the resistance of the MSD coil and check with pertonix to be sure it can handle it. I suspect the pertronix might be damaged otherwise.