The truth about the MSD 6010 & 6012
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OK, so here it is we wanted to put the LS based engine in our Dirt Late Model! Sounds Bad A$$ right huge heads, tall intake, 14.1.1 compression on Meth!! I know what you are thinking 8 to 900+ HP going to crush those Small Block Guys!! Right?
Not even close we have spent tons of cash converting this car to the LS based power house! First call was to MSD to make sure 100% we had a controller, and we had a winner they said there would be no problems what so ever. So we started our build with all the trimmings, Huge LS3 heads Vick Super Sr, Huge solid cam $3,000 shaft rockers Electric water pump "spared no expense" (Yah I said it Jurassic park style famous last words) So the day came time to dry fire!!!! To check out every thing for a couple seconds prior to filling up with coolant and stuff.
WEEK 1
So we crank and crank, check all grounds check all power no spark No RPM nothing! Call MSD they tell us the usual grounds crank sensor, cam sensor. So we get all new sensors run direct from the Bat bolth power and grounds. Still no spark!!
WEEK 2 (Keep in mind I'm paying my techs to work on this car with me)
Get another MSD 6010 box Wire and plug it in, This time we had all the plugs out and the wires just laid on the headers, decided to crank and Boom spark and RPM on the lap top!!! WHOOT!!!!! put the plugs in and cranked..........Nothing! Boosted to 17v nothing, got new batt 1000cca 900ca
nothing changed the $500.00 quartermaster starter NOTHING pulled all plugs out and boom RPM and spark!!! so we put in one plug at a time and on the 3rd plug we losed RPM and spark!!!
WEEK 3 (have missed 3 races have 20 calls in to MSD they have no clue)
Start doing stupid up till 5am research and came up with stuff like callies cranks reluctor is not close enough to send signal ( were running a LUNATI crank) Tons of no spark issues like mine. So finally I come up with the truth or what I think is the truth at the time. This Box will not work with anything over 12.1.1 compression some cases may get lucky and they work. With jumpers and boosters to crank the engine fast enough.
WEEK 4
After doing everything short of pulling the car at 50mph just will not work!!!
Call MSD Tech and go over the whole build for the 1000th time and tell them about all the research I have done and he comes back with " the box wasn't designed to run race engines" AND AT THAT POINT I LOSSED IT!!!! I hung up and called the main number and flipped out! Remember I was told the box was perfect for my build $40,000.00 earlier! So I speak to a very nice lady from customer service. She forwards me to the big boss, I tell them at this point I don't care about time lost and $ I want them to let every little builder and low budget racer know that this box will not 9 out of 10 times work on a high compression race engine as you can not crank it fast enough! He said the box was designed "for the average guy to buy a junk yard engine slap a carb on it and put it in an old school ride" And I told him that they need to specify that **** prior to selling it as a perfect fit for race engines!
He then let me know they are working on a fully programmable race version and he will send me a prototype as soon as its done in the next month or so! And they will address the issues and list warnings on the 6010 & 12 box directions so people know they are not for extreme or mid High performance engines!! So now I sit with no solution but to try Speed masters controller or junk the double roller, electric water pump and go magie (distributor) on it!
Not even close we have spent tons of cash converting this car to the LS based power house! First call was to MSD to make sure 100% we had a controller, and we had a winner they said there would be no problems what so ever. So we started our build with all the trimmings, Huge LS3 heads Vick Super Sr, Huge solid cam $3,000 shaft rockers Electric water pump "spared no expense" (Yah I said it Jurassic park style famous last words) So the day came time to dry fire!!!! To check out every thing for a couple seconds prior to filling up with coolant and stuff.
WEEK 1
So we crank and crank, check all grounds check all power no spark No RPM nothing! Call MSD they tell us the usual grounds crank sensor, cam sensor. So we get all new sensors run direct from the Bat bolth power and grounds. Still no spark!!
WEEK 2 (Keep in mind I'm paying my techs to work on this car with me)
Get another MSD 6010 box Wire and plug it in, This time we had all the plugs out and the wires just laid on the headers, decided to crank and Boom spark and RPM on the lap top!!! WHOOT!!!!! put the plugs in and cranked..........Nothing! Boosted to 17v nothing, got new batt 1000cca 900ca
nothing changed the $500.00 quartermaster starter NOTHING pulled all plugs out and boom RPM and spark!!! so we put in one plug at a time and on the 3rd plug we losed RPM and spark!!!
WEEK 3 (have missed 3 races have 20 calls in to MSD they have no clue)
Start doing stupid up till 5am research and came up with stuff like callies cranks reluctor is not close enough to send signal ( were running a LUNATI crank) Tons of no spark issues like mine. So finally I come up with the truth or what I think is the truth at the time. This Box will not work with anything over 12.1.1 compression some cases may get lucky and they work. With jumpers and boosters to crank the engine fast enough.
WEEK 4
After doing everything short of pulling the car at 50mph just will not work!!!
Call MSD Tech and go over the whole build for the 1000th time and tell them about all the research I have done and he comes back with " the box wasn't designed to run race engines" AND AT THAT POINT I LOSSED IT!!!! I hung up and called the main number and flipped out! Remember I was told the box was perfect for my build $40,000.00 earlier! So I speak to a very nice lady from customer service. She forwards me to the big boss, I tell them at this point I don't care about time lost and $ I want them to let every little builder and low budget racer know that this box will not 9 out of 10 times work on a high compression race engine as you can not crank it fast enough! He said the box was designed "for the average guy to buy a junk yard engine slap a carb on it and put it in an old school ride" And I told him that they need to specify that **** prior to selling it as a perfect fit for race engines!
He then let me know they are working on a fully programmable race version and he will send me a prototype as soon as its done in the next month or so! And they will address the issues and list warnings on the 6010 & 12 box directions so people know they are not for extreme or mid High performance engines!! So now I sit with no solution but to try Speed masters controller or junk the double roller, electric water pump and go magie (distributor) on it!
#3
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There has been a few people on here complaining about the 6010 box. I'm wondering if its because of only having a 24 tooth reluctor making it harder to spark. When we built our 14.5:1 comp. motor everyone told us not to use the 24 and to definitely use the 58. Funny thing is I never asked why. The guys that told me this were very reputable engine builders. So I didn't think twice about it. Haven't really read anyone having those problems with the 6012. The few I did read, ended up being something wrong with one of the harnesses. Ours doesn't even make a full revolution and it fires right up. We run a Callies Dragonslayer Crank 58 tooth reluctor and a 6012 box.
#5
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Yeah alot of people have had this problem. I came across this the other day and it seems promising
http://daytona-sensors.com/SmartSpark.html
http://daytona-sensors.com/SmartSpark.html
That sounds like a good solution. Speedtigger said that he will be testing this controller & posting a write up. I look forward to reading it, 'cuz we need the ability to program timing based on MAP through the whole RPM range, not just the few points offered by MSD. For us (high torque, light car) this is the key component missing since switching from PCM controlled EFI to carb.
Bluepitt,
Thanks for the info.. Can understand your frustration. Maybe take a couple of blue pits down to the MSD design center & let 'em loose, lol. That should alleviate some frustration, (J/K).
#6
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The part about them making a fully programmable Race version makes me laugh.
I called Yesterday, for the umpteen time and asked the same ?'s I do every couple of months.
1) Do you have anything else in the works for a Plug and Play LS box that gives more options, like launch retard, multi gear and step retards.
Answer: No Sir
2) Is there a way to piggy back a grid on to the 6010
Answer: No Sir
I'm seriously thinking of getting Holley HP and use it for Ignition and data logging and keep my carb. That way I can do ICT etc
I called Yesterday, for the umpteen time and asked the same ?'s I do every couple of months.
1) Do you have anything else in the works for a Plug and Play LS box that gives more options, like launch retard, multi gear and step retards.
Answer: No Sir
2) Is there a way to piggy back a grid on to the 6010
Answer: No Sir
I'm seriously thinking of getting Holley HP and use it for Ignition and data logging and keep my carb. That way I can do ICT etc
#7
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I have heard rumblings about being able to wire a Grid to a 6010/6012 but never actually seen it. I think JCR wiring or something like that said he can do it.
I'd try the Daytona sensors box before I got the front mount dist.
It's about $400 +/- with the harness and everythign, might want to look at that option or call them?
If it were me before I bought a dist. I would get a Holley HP fuel injection controller and use it to control spark. I think it's about a $1200 touch to get into it with the harness. Then you will also have 8channels of data logging available if I'm not mistaken.
You can also get water pump spacers and keep your elec. pump to clear the front cover.
I'm not saying the MSD box is perfect or has a stellar track record, but there are cars going into the 4.9X range with them using nitrous, and high compression motors using them, but I have also heard about people having to replace them multiple times. Mine has never gave me any issues.
But I always unplug and remove mine when doing any welding on the car/chassis, and I have a confirmed tested direct ground for it.
Just my $0.02, hope you get it figured out.
I'd try the Daytona sensors box before I got the front mount dist.
It's about $400 +/- with the harness and everythign, might want to look at that option or call them?
If it were me before I bought a dist. I would get a Holley HP fuel injection controller and use it to control spark. I think it's about a $1200 touch to get into it with the harness. Then you will also have 8channels of data logging available if I'm not mistaken.
You can also get water pump spacers and keep your elec. pump to clear the front cover.
I'm not saying the MSD box is perfect or has a stellar track record, but there are cars going into the 4.9X range with them using nitrous, and high compression motors using them, but I have also heard about people having to replace them multiple times. Mine has never gave me any issues.
But I always unplug and remove mine when doing any welding on the car/chassis, and I have a confirmed tested direct ground for it.
Just my $0.02, hope you get it figured out.
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Saying MSD isn't the greatest is a bit of an understatement.
Have you looked at this at all?
http://mallory-ignition.com/microsit...tem/index.html
Part number 69100R or 69050R depending on which motor you've got.
Mallory might be pulling the plug on them as my distributors are on "stock till depleted" which would be a shame, because Mallory usually makes some pretty nice stuff, especially as compared to MSD.
Have you looked at this at all?
http://mallory-ignition.com/microsit...tem/index.html
Part number 69100R or 69050R depending on which motor you've got.
Mallory might be pulling the plug on them as my distributors are on "stock till depleted" which would be a shame, because Mallory usually makes some pretty nice stuff, especially as compared to MSD.
Last edited by LXguy; 04-02-2015 at 10:33 AM.
#9
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There has been a few people on here complaining about the 6010 box. I'm wondering if its because of only having a 24 tooth reluctor making it harder to spark. When we built our 14.5:1 comp. motor everyone told us not to use the 24 and to definitely use the 58. Funny thing is I never asked why. The guys that told me this were very reputable engine builders. So I didn't think twice about it. Haven't really read anyone having those problems with the 6012. The few I did read, ended up being something wrong with one of the harnesses. Ours doesn't even make a full revolution and it fires right up. We run a Callies Dragonslayer Crank 58 tooth reluctor and a 6012 box.
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Saying MSD isn't the greatest is a bit of an understatement.
Have you looked at this at all?
http://mallory-ignition.com/microsit...tem/index.html
Part number 69100R or 69050R depending on which motor you've got.
Mallory might be pulling the plug on them as my distributors are on "stock till depleted" which would be a shame, because Mallory usually makes some pretty nice stuff, especially as compared to MSD.
Have you looked at this at all?
http://mallory-ignition.com/microsit...tem/index.html
Part number 69100R or 69050R depending on which motor you've got.
Mallory might be pulling the plug on them as my distributors are on "stock till depleted" which would be a shame, because Mallory usually makes some pretty nice stuff, especially as compared to MSD.
Why the big price gap between the 24 tooth reluctor LS1/LS6 version & the 60-2 reluctor type 6.0?, 6.2L, 7.0L? Looked @ both S & R pricing. Both S & R versions of the 60-2, (58 tooth) reluctor are less expensive than corresponding 24 tooth version.
Last edited by LS1-450; 04-02-2015 at 02:43 PM. Reason: spelling correction
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But at 2X the price.....I don't know if I would have since I seen no one using it.
#16
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I think my 6010 box has intermitten issues. Sometimes the car idles and runs strong and sometimes it idles lower and will miss and sputter and backfire from time to time when just cruising or wacking the throttle we thought it was carb in the beginning but nothing we did with the carb ever changed anything, also ran more grounds and grounded the box to the block like msd suggested and put a new battery in the car but nothing fixed it yet
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Ok after checking on all the posted options, I spoke with mu friend in LA, and he swears by the Pro comp (Speedmaster79) controller. So I ordered it and BOOM fired right up, Says you can apply a tune or go with pre selected options, It will work with the 50+ tooth and the 24X reluctor..lol
first fire
Controller
http://store.speedmaster79.com/p-593...w-harness.aspx
waiting on the software to tune Ill keep ya posted!!!
first fire
Facebook Post
http://store.speedmaster79.com/p-593...w-harness.aspx
waiting on the software to tune Ill keep ya posted!!!
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Ok after checking on all the posted options, I spoke with mu friend in LA, and he swears by the Pro comp (Speedmaster79) controller. So I ordered it and BOOM fired right up, Says you can apply a tune or go with pre selected options, It will work with the 50+ tooth and the 24X reluctor..lol
first fire
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=795098447241162
Controller
http://store.speedmaster79.com/p-593...w-harness.aspx
waiting on the software to tune Ill keep ya posted!!!
first fire
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=795098447241162
Controller
http://store.speedmaster79.com/p-593...w-harness.aspx
waiting on the software to tune Ill keep ya posted!!!
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Hoping the aftermarket starter and 16volt system get it spinning fast enough if indeed that is the problem.
Last edited by jimib; 04-06-2015 at 10:28 PM.