PErformance Ignition? MSD
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From: Nor-Cal,USA
PErformance Ignition? MSD
Ok Mike Troyer or anyone that knows the answer, does MSD make an ignition amplifier at least I think that is what they call it for a 1997 Ford F-150 w/5.4L 4x4 and do they really make an improvement in HP? Any and all info pertaining to this would be greatly appreciated.
Richard D.
https://www.f150online.com/galleries....cfm?gnum=2479
Richard D.
https://www.f150online.com/galleries....cfm?gnum=2479
Former Sponsor
Joined: Mar 1998
Posts: 13,385
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From: Virginia
Hi Richard,
The real answer is no, MSD does *not*, however, if you call MSD and ask them *they* will tell you sure they do, just order an MSD Stacker 8 unit from them for big $$$. And then don't hold your breath for delivery.....................
MSD's Stacker 8 was released for just a very short time a couple of years ago and still are not available, we've been waiting on them for years just like everyone else in the industry has been, and they aren't available, period. MSD has had big problems with them and can't get them solved so far. They've changed the wording on their web site very cleverly on this part too over the past few months, and we've talked directly with a couple of engineers there. They can't get any significant number to pass QC and work correctly out in the field, so they just aren't shipping to anyone aside from a coupla-few racers, but they won't tell*you* or anyone else calling them that.
The *only* thing currently shipping that increases the output of the coil packs on the COP systems used in all 5.4's and in the 2000 & up 4.6's in these F-150's is the Ignition Booster, which we carry in stock.
This booster was tested by MM&FF about 4-5 issues back, and in a stock 2001 Mustang GT (which is a normally-aspirated 4.6) they saw gains of about 6-9 hp at the rear wheels on various dyno pulls. So it definitely works, and we use them on our vehicles here at Performance. How much power it adds depends on how much power you're making to begin with, along with the operating conditions, etc. I've had it give me back 8 tenths in ET in my Lightning on a day with over 90% humidity when I was having bad spark blowout just trying to run .040 gap (factory gap is .042-.044) on the stock ignition. It cured the spark blowout and I dropped back down to a little bit quicker than my normal ET's, so in a situation like that, it can be worth **a bunch*. My point here is that while it adds power, how much power it will add varies, and it should not be looked at as some 20 HP gainer or it's automatically not worth having. How much any ignition mod helps varies depending on conditions & the vehicle and it's mods.
The ignition booster is in stock here at Performance and available for immediate shipment, and they are significantly less expensive than a new ignition system "brain." etc. This unit supports multi-strike thru 3200 rpm, and above that delivers one long spark throughout 20-22 degrees of crankshaft rotation.
One thing that needs to remembered about ignition mods in general, and for the COP ignition systems specifically, is that they are not going to be obvious raw power gainers like a Superchip, but they are every bit as important to being able to pull hard in all conditions. They are designed to deliver a hotter & fatter spark, and as a result of *that*, yes, you can make more power. How much more power you'll make depends on just how well your stock system is delivering and what conditions it has to operate in.
For example, try running your spark plugs at the factory spec gap in 90% humidity to redline in teh higher gears (3rd & 4th in an automatic, 4th & 5th in a 5-speed manual) and you'll quickly find out it will spit & sputter from spark blow-out in higher gears trying to run to redline. Or if you have significant mods and try to run the full factory plug gap, the same thing happens; it will pull in 1st gear, and may even pull all the way thru 2nd gear; but it will *not* pull in 3rd or higher gears to redline, it will break up before redline (meaning your WOT upshift point, actually) due to spark blowout. Installing the ignition booster allows using the proper gap and not having it blow out the spark at higher rpms & the heavier loads in higher gears. Few people actually try running to redline in automatics in 3rd or 4th gear, or in manuals in 4th or 5th gear, most people maybe run it thru 1st & 2nd gear and don't see an obviuos problem & thus think their igniton is fine. Wrong! These COP's need help.
Truckin' magazine ran an article about a year ago where they just dropped in a set of Denso Iridium spark plugs & picked up 30 HP. That was in a 2001 4.6 F-150 SuperCrew that had a Magnacharger supercharger installed, and they were having spark blowout at the stock 5.5-6 PSI boost levels. So throwing in a set of Denso's cured the spark blowout on the dyno (won't in real conditions) & so they picked up those larger power gains, another 30 HP which is *huge* for an ignition mod. Had an ignision booster been installed in that same scenario instead of the Denso plugs, and they would have seen basically the same thing, a veyr obvious gain, but that's just in *that* setting.
What you'll gain depends on your humidity level and how well the coil packs are working now. The bottom line is, the ignition booster is the only thing shipping for the COP ignition that has been shown to actually work. Give us a call to go over this in more detail, get pricing, etc.
The real answer is no, MSD does *not*, however, if you call MSD and ask them *they* will tell you sure they do, just order an MSD Stacker 8 unit from them for big $$$. And then don't hold your breath for delivery.....................
MSD's Stacker 8 was released for just a very short time a couple of years ago and still are not available, we've been waiting on them for years just like everyone else in the industry has been, and they aren't available, period. MSD has had big problems with them and can't get them solved so far. They've changed the wording on their web site very cleverly on this part too over the past few months, and we've talked directly with a couple of engineers there. They can't get any significant number to pass QC and work correctly out in the field, so they just aren't shipping to anyone aside from a coupla-few racers, but they won't tell*you* or anyone else calling them that.
The *only* thing currently shipping that increases the output of the coil packs on the COP systems used in all 5.4's and in the 2000 & up 4.6's in these F-150's is the Ignition Booster, which we carry in stock.
This booster was tested by MM&FF about 4-5 issues back, and in a stock 2001 Mustang GT (which is a normally-aspirated 4.6) they saw gains of about 6-9 hp at the rear wheels on various dyno pulls. So it definitely works, and we use them on our vehicles here at Performance. How much power it adds depends on how much power you're making to begin with, along with the operating conditions, etc. I've had it give me back 8 tenths in ET in my Lightning on a day with over 90% humidity when I was having bad spark blowout just trying to run .040 gap (factory gap is .042-.044) on the stock ignition. It cured the spark blowout and I dropped back down to a little bit quicker than my normal ET's, so in a situation like that, it can be worth **a bunch*. My point here is that while it adds power, how much power it will add varies, and it should not be looked at as some 20 HP gainer or it's automatically not worth having. How much any ignition mod helps varies depending on conditions & the vehicle and it's mods.
The ignition booster is in stock here at Performance and available for immediate shipment, and they are significantly less expensive than a new ignition system "brain." etc. This unit supports multi-strike thru 3200 rpm, and above that delivers one long spark throughout 20-22 degrees of crankshaft rotation.
One thing that needs to remembered about ignition mods in general, and for the COP ignition systems specifically, is that they are not going to be obvious raw power gainers like a Superchip, but they are every bit as important to being able to pull hard in all conditions. They are designed to deliver a hotter & fatter spark, and as a result of *that*, yes, you can make more power. How much more power you'll make depends on just how well your stock system is delivering and what conditions it has to operate in.
For example, try running your spark plugs at the factory spec gap in 90% humidity to redline in teh higher gears (3rd & 4th in an automatic, 4th & 5th in a 5-speed manual) and you'll quickly find out it will spit & sputter from spark blow-out in higher gears trying to run to redline. Or if you have significant mods and try to run the full factory plug gap, the same thing happens; it will pull in 1st gear, and may even pull all the way thru 2nd gear; but it will *not* pull in 3rd or higher gears to redline, it will break up before redline (meaning your WOT upshift point, actually) due to spark blowout. Installing the ignition booster allows using the proper gap and not having it blow out the spark at higher rpms & the heavier loads in higher gears. Few people actually try running to redline in automatics in 3rd or 4th gear, or in manuals in 4th or 5th gear, most people maybe run it thru 1st & 2nd gear and don't see an obviuos problem & thus think their igniton is fine. Wrong! These COP's need help.
Truckin' magazine ran an article about a year ago where they just dropped in a set of Denso Iridium spark plugs & picked up 30 HP. That was in a 2001 4.6 F-150 SuperCrew that had a Magnacharger supercharger installed, and they were having spark blowout at the stock 5.5-6 PSI boost levels. So throwing in a set of Denso's cured the spark blowout on the dyno (won't in real conditions) & so they picked up those larger power gains, another 30 HP which is *huge* for an ignition mod. Had an ignision booster been installed in that same scenario instead of the Denso plugs, and they would have seen basically the same thing, a veyr obvious gain, but that's just in *that* setting.
What you'll gain depends on your humidity level and how well the coil packs are working now. The bottom line is, the ignition booster is the only thing shipping for the COP ignition that has been shown to actually work. Give us a call to go over this in more detail, get pricing, etc.
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 1,734
Likes: 0
From: Nor-Cal,USA
Thanks Mike,
I would like to read up on this ignition boooster and do some more research on it so if you could give me the manufactures website and/or some articles to read about it I would be greatful. Maybe even if some of the guys on here have purchased it I would like to hear how it has worked for them. Anyone who has this installed care to comment? Also is this something that could also help increase fuel mileage at all and since I tow a boat can it help improve in that area? I am really interested in this but would like to do some more reading and learning on this particular product so that I may make an educated decision which I am sure you understand.
Thanks,
Richard D.
While your here check out my gallery:
https://www.f150online.com/galleries....cfm?gnum=2479
I would like to read up on this ignition boooster and do some more research on it so if you could give me the manufactures website and/or some articles to read about it I would be greatful. Maybe even if some of the guys on here have purchased it I would like to hear how it has worked for them. Anyone who has this installed care to comment? Also is this something that could also help increase fuel mileage at all and since I tow a boat can it help improve in that area? I am really interested in this but would like to do some more reading and learning on this particular product so that I may make an educated decision which I am sure you understand.
Thanks,
Richard D.
While your here check out my gallery:
https://www.f150online.com/galleries....cfm?gnum=2479
Last edited by Richard D; Mar 26, 2003 at 11:38 AM.
Former Sponsor
Joined: Mar 1998
Posts: 13,385
Likes: 4
From: Virginia
Hi Richard,
ignitionsolutions.com is the web site for the manufacturer, and they call it the "Plasma Booster." They also make a line of repalcment individual coil packs for those who want to spend $$$$, called "Plasma Direct." I don't recommend going that route, and they're too tall by 1/2 inch for the stock fuel rails, so other mods have to be done to the fuel rails to use the hotter individual coil packs, as well as it being a HUGE expense to replace all 8 coil packs with high-performance units, that's something only racers will do. Just use the booster for all 8 coils as it's designed.
As I mentioned already, MM&FF just did an article on it a few months ago. They did the article & test on I think it was a 2001 Mustang 4.6 (same unit for the F-150's), and this was probably 4-5 issues back by now. MM&FF also did a successful test on their product for the 5.0 motors about a year before that.
Good luck!
ignitionsolutions.com is the web site for the manufacturer, and they call it the "Plasma Booster." They also make a line of repalcment individual coil packs for those who want to spend $$$$, called "Plasma Direct." I don't recommend going that route, and they're too tall by 1/2 inch for the stock fuel rails, so other mods have to be done to the fuel rails to use the hotter individual coil packs, as well as it being a HUGE expense to replace all 8 coil packs with high-performance units, that's something only racers will do. Just use the booster for all 8 coils as it's designed.
As I mentioned already, MM&FF just did an article on it a few months ago. They did the article & test on I think it was a 2001 Mustang 4.6 (same unit for the F-150's), and this was probably 4-5 issues back by now. MM&FF also did a successful test on their product for the 5.0 motors about a year before that.
Good luck!