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INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
WIRING
The non-magnetic pickup acts much like a coil. The wires are wound around a small piece of iron so
that when the magnet passes the pickup a voltage signal is created. This signal is what triggers the
MSD Ignition Control. Before completing the wiring, review these tips to ensure the best performance
from your crank trigger system.
Like other pickups, the wiring is polarity sensitive. The Violet wire is Positive and the Green wire
is Negative. The resistance of the pickup should be 65 - 85 ohms. MSD offers replacement Non-
Magnetic Pickups as PN 8276 for Crank Triggers.
Twist the wires of the pickup together several times before connecting it to the MSD wiring harness.
Twisting these wires together helps reduce the chances of Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI).
Route the pickup harness along the chassis or engine block. This provides a ground plane that
protects against EMI.
Do not run the trigger wires along the coil primary wiring or spark plug wires. There are high
voltages running through these wires so they should not be close to the pickup wires.
Never use solid core spark plug wires with an MSD Ignition system or crank trigger. A helically or
spiral wound suppression wire such as MSD’s Heli-Core or 8.5mm Super Conductor Wire must
be used.
If you are running a digital ignition control or aftermarket EFI system, it is highly recommended
to use a shielded harness, PN 8862, to prevent the chance of EMI interfering with the trigger
signals.
The following diagrams show how to wire the crank trigger to MSD Ignition systems.
SETTING UP THE DISTRIBUTOR
If your distributor is equipped with a centrifugal advance assembly, it must be locked out by welding
or bolting the advance mechanism. The distributor has nothing to do with the engine ignition timing
when using a crank trigger system. Its function is to distribute the high voltage spark to the spark
plugs. To achieve maximum performance from the ignition, the rotor should be properly phased to
the distributor cap as explained in the supplied Tech Bulletin on Rotor Phasing.
TIMING THE IGNITION SYSTEM
The timing can be adjusted by sliding the pickup holder assembly up or down in the bracket slot. To
retard the timing, move the pickup holder assembly in the direction that the crank trigger wheel rotates.
To advance the timing, move the pickup holder assembly in the opposite direction of the trigger wheel
rotation (Figure 2). Check the
air-gap whenever the timing is
changed.
Note: Do not attempt to adjust
the timing while the engine is
running.
Figure 2 Adjusting the Timing.
