Question about code 42 and MSD 6A.

[Jerriko]

This is what I currently have on the car:
-NGK plugs
-Accel 8.8 300+ race wires
-Accel cap and rotor
-Accel ignition control module
-MSD coil
(I had an Accel coil also but it was defective)
It ran fine but there seemed to be something wrong. Not anything I really worried about. I hooked it up to the scope at school and everything checked out ok. There were some minor oscillations in the secondary wave patterns but it was oked. Anyways, I install the MSD 6A. It was easy enough, only 6 wires. Now the car 'bucks' at idle. It sounds like it has a miss but its random. Watching the tach, it looks like the signal is breaking up without a pattern. 10 seconds here, 5 seconds there and so on. It's not so bad in open loop but once it warms up, its bad. At cold start, it doesn't set the code 42. Let it warm up, then shut down and restart it sets the code. Shut it down again, count to 10 and maybe it will reset the code. It appears to be an intermittent problem. I checked and recheck the bypass plug. That is fine. I checked the connectors and they appear to be good too. Aside from the wiring harness itself, I am left without a clue. I am putting in a modified 3.4L (hopefully tomorrow) so I figure that would be the best time to check out the harness with no engine in the car. Just wondering if anyone else has had problems with MSDs and code 42.
Thanks,
Jim

[Jerriko]

A couple of things I forgot to mention.
-The motor is currently a 2.8L 173 V6.
-The MSD was installed before the Accel ignition module. With the stock module, it bucked and jumped from 500 to 1000 rpm. When the rpm got low, I thought it was going to die but it didn't. If I unplugged the bypass to check timing, the car would not start. It never threw a code. With the Accel module, it throws the code 42 but you can disconnect the bypass to check the timing and it stills runs.
-Code 42 is for problems related to EST (electric spark timing).

[Jerriko]

A couple of things I forgot to mention.
-The motor is currently a 2.8L 173 V6.
-The MSD was installed before the Accel ignition module. With the stock module, it bucked and jumped from 500 to 1000 rpm. When the rpm got low, I thought it was going to die but it didn't. If I unplugged the bypass to check timing, the car would not start. It never threw a code. With the Accel module, it throws the code 42 but you can disconnect the bypass to check the timing and it stills runs.
-Code 42 is for problems related to EST (electric spark timing).

[3.4 slow to go]

holy double post [img]graemlins/dunce.gif[/img]

Scroll down the page for Code 42 yeah, yeah, it's for an 85, but figuring out what little difference there is between the two is your punishment for straying from the third gen forum [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Sounds like the timing was way off, as the Accel module will advance the timing even more, which is probobly why it would stall w/the stock module. Disconnect the ESTC and you loose the computer advance.

and yes, I also have a 6A box on the bird too ;)

[ October 03, 2003: Message edited by: 3.4 slow to go ]</p>