There's still power that gets to the unit via the 12-volt switched wire
though it's puzzling why that would make the ground so hot. Betcha it's a
big fat short inside the box. When I connected my battery back up it also
arc'ed but the instructions basically said that the capacitor in the MSD
could cause a random spark upon initial power up so I didn't think anything
of it. Once I connected the battery I started the truck and everything ran
fine. I would suggest you get with MSD on Monday and get a replacement
unit. The alternator fuse still puzzles me. Maybe the short in the MSD box
caused that. I will continue to ponder the point as I hit the sack.
Ron
00 SLT QC 4X2 5.9 46RE 3.92 LSD
For modifications see my DML Profile
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-dakota-truck@buffnet.net
[mailto:owner-dakota-truck@buffnet.net]On Behalf Of Grady Ogburn
Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2000 1:35 AM
To: dakota-truck@buffnet.net
Subject: DML: RE: MSD install help (kinda long)...(Ron)
No offense taken at all, Ron -- I truly appreciate the time your spending.
Fact is, your contributions to the list made the whole task easier for me
and I'm in your debt for that (I had several of your emails spread out on
the table, held down by the factory plugs I replaced ;).
> It may be that you simply have a bad unit. I hear that's happened to a
> few people. The puzzling part is the alternator fuse.
Agreed, and I don't know exactly when it blew. I think it was either A)
when my buddy touched the negative cable after I left the ignition ON, or
sometime during the first run with the MSD hooked up (up to and including
the first sign of smoke), or B) sometime during the second run, after I had
switched back to the stock ignition using my handy-dandy RonCo
quick-disconnects. The MSD to Battery + red wire (and every other wire
coming from the MSD box) was disconnected and taped, but the MSD to
Battery - black wire was still attached and still *cooking*. How'd it do
that with no power??
> You have to put your coil wire back together the old way. If you have the
> universal harness you can run quick-disconnect jumpers (between your red
and
> orange wire) and (between your black and white wire).
I did exactly that -- thanks in large part to the fact that you'd written it
up for the list. That email was one of the ones under a plug.
Grady Ogburn
'98 Sport CC 4x4
5.2l, 5 Speed
Mesa Headers & Cat
K&N FIPK, JET PCM
Gibson/MagnaFlow "FrankenPipe" Exhaust
Leer Topper
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ronald Wong" <ron-wong@home.com>
To: <dakota-truck@buffnet.net>
Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2000 2:15 AM
Subject: DML: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: MSD install help (kinda long)...(Ron)
> I'm not saying you're dumb. I know it's been trying and sometimes when
I've
> had a trying time I do some stupid things. I'm just trying to help you
> solve the problem and if I sound condescending I apologize. I don't mean
> to. It may be that you simply have a bad unit. I hear that's happened to
a
> few people. The puzzling part is the alternator fuse. When you go back
to
> stock ignition you can't just disconnect the positive battery connection.
> You have to put your coil wire back together the old way. If you have the
> universal harness you can run quick-disconnect jumpers (between your red
and
> orange wire) and (between your black and white wire).
>
> Ron
> 00 SLT QC 4X2 5.9 46RE 3.92 LSD
> For modifications see my DML Profile
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-dakota-truck@buffnet.net
> [mailto:owner-dakota-truck@buffnet.net]On Behalf Of Grady Ogburn
> Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2000 12:54 AM
> To: dakota-truck@buffnet.net
> Subject: DML: Re: RE: Re: RE: MSD install help (kinda long)...(Ron)
>
>
> Ron-
>
> > This is what you said:
> >
> > <<snip>>
> > The big black wire (MSD to Battery positive) was hotter
> > than
> > > HELL.
> > >
> > > Disconnected the big red (MSD to Battery Negative) wire from the hot
> post
> > in
> > > the fusebox,
> > <<snip>>
>
> I also said that the truck started, idled smoothly and sounded great.
>
> > The MSD black wire should go to battery negative.
> >
> > The MSD red wire should go to battery positive.
> >
> > Just exactly like your battery cables, red to positive and black to
> > negative.
>
> All true.
>
> > Did you wire your battery backwards too?
>
> Not likely, given that the main symptom is a wire that gets very hot, very
> quickly. On a running truck. I may be dumb, but I'm not stupid. Mostly,
I
> am tired and (probably as a result) not especially good at proofreading my
> own typing. I must have wired my hands on backwards.
>
> Grady Ogburn
> '98 Sport CC 4x4
> 5.2l, 5 Speed
> Mesa Headers & Cat
> K&N FIPK, JET PCM
> Gibson/MagnaFlow "FrankenPipe" Exhaust
> Leer Topper
>
>
>
>
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