MSD Opti vs. GM opti
I have had the MSD Pro Billet for over 6 months now and I am CONVINCED...I was going through opti's like candy....7000 rpm jaunts would kill one quick. Then I just dynoed it last weekend- made 394/385 with some bobbling up high with the GM piece. Now with the MSD and after the 12 bolt install(which shoulda cost it a few)...it made 408/397...the gm opti was costing my over 14 rwhp! and 12 lt lbs! The graph was right on top each other til about 3400 rpm- then the msd just kept climbing...much smoother curve. I am sold!
Originally Posted by Leedogg
I have had the MSD Pro Billet for over 6 months now and I am CONVINCED...I was going through opti's like candy....7000 rpm jaunts would kill one quick. Then I just dynoed it last weekend- made 394/385 with some bobbling up high with the GM piece. Now with the MSD and after the 12 bolt install(which shoulda cost it a few)...it made 408/397...the gm opti was costing my over 14 rwhp! and 12 lt lbs! The graph was right on top each other til about 3400 rpm- then the msd just kept climbing...much smoother curve. I am sold!
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Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
Yea im convinced also, i just put mine in yesterday and it made a HELL of a difference. My stock one wouldnt let me pass 4700 rpms and after the car heated up it ran like ****. I can even tell a difference in the exhaust tone and it is hella smooth now. +1 for the MSD!
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,119
Likes: 0
Running stock one on 383 with MSD 6A Box and blaster coil... revs up to 6500 with no problems. 11.70's all night on motor
Stock motor - never had problems with my old one until 82,000 miles... gotta give out some time
Stock motor - never had problems with my old one until 82,000 miles... gotta give out some time
A year ago when I did the heads and cam I put the MSD cap and rotor on a stock 70K mile base and began spinning it into the 64-6500 range with a few trips beyond that. Here we are a year an 8-9K miles later and it is still working just fine. I did not even put an ignition box on the car till this spring.
I like reading these old opti posts, sounds like there has been some good results from MSDs pro-billet setup. Personally I have had no issues with the stocker, in fact have never had one go bad, although I did blame the opti once when it was just a burnt #5 wire rubbing the primary, replaced the damn opti and it still ran bad, then I found the wire 
. Only issue I have now is spinning over 7200rpm = gm opti death after awhile, mine is shot and it's now getting an MS Probillet crab style distributor along with the SuperVic.
Let us know how you like the MSD once you install it.
. Only issue I have now is spinning over 7200rpm = gm opti death after awhile, mine is shot and it's now getting an MS Probillet crab style distributor along with the SuperVic.Let us know how you like the MSD once you install it.
Seems some stockers do fine...my factory one lasted almost 100K miles- then The 2nd lasted till I had the 383 built and started turning 66-6700 rpm's. This was at ~112,000 The longest one has lasted since was about 10K miles. Found a high RPM miss constantly since the 383 too. been through 4 or 5 since. Put the msd in at ~160K miles...now at 165 with out a hiccup and it picked up 14 hp and 12 in tq.
I think up to 6000 rpm the stocker is competant- but my experience over 6000 hase been really bad. Got to where I hardly ever drove it cuz it would start busting up at 5000 rpm- put a brand new opti- it would clear up for a few miles- then crap again. I hated the car. Now I love it again! I was pulling all the way to 6800 on the dyno...awesome. BTW The previous dyno was on a brand new GM opti wires and plugs(all less than 500 miles) when it made 394.
I think up to 6000 rpm the stocker is competant- but my experience over 6000 hase been really bad. Got to where I hardly ever drove it cuz it would start busting up at 5000 rpm- put a brand new opti- it would clear up for a few miles- then crap again. I hated the car. Now I love it again! I was pulling all the way to 6800 on the dyno...awesome. BTW The previous dyno was on a brand new GM opti wires and plugs(all less than 500 miles) when it made 394.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
Yea i installed it...i wont be going back to GM for anymore unless the MSD craps out on me..but no problems here. The only problem was having to splice the wires but its not a big deal and it vents into the intake tube which is a plus.