judgez24

took this from another forum i visit, my buddy chris wrote this, this is for installing an msd box on a 2.4 liter cavalier/sunfire


1 - Take MSD box out ot of packaging and sort all the parts. Ensure you have a bypass plug. Pick a spot for your MSD box and PLEASE ensure the harness will reach the IDI cover.
2 - Remove IDI cover
3 - Remove white coil pack cover from idi cover
4 - unplug coil packs from ignition module
5 - mark the middle white wire with a marker.. there are 2 white wires, one is trigger one, the other is trigger 2. These are EASY to mix up later on.
6 - The MSD harness is easy to mix up, so keep it simple... to simply things I'll call the side with the coils the "COIL SIDE" and the side with the ignition module plug the "IGNITION SIDE"
7 - This seems hairy but cut the 3 wires between the plug and the coil packs evenly, leaving enough room to strip the wires.
8 - strip all 6 wires about 3/4 inch if you can

9 - also a hairy thing to do - carefully drill a hole in the white casing under the black cover to run the harness through.

10 - On the IGNITION SIDE: Connect the 2 red MSD wires to the brown "ignition 12 volts" wire on the plug. Connect the white MSD wire to the middle white "trigger 1" wire. Connect the green MSD wire to the other white "trigger 2" wire
11 - ON THE COIL SIDE: Connect the 2 brown/orange MSD wires to the brown "coil (+)" wire going to the coils. Connect the brown/white MSD wire to the middle white "coil (-) trigger 1" wire. Connect the remaining brown/green MSD wire to the remaining white "coil (-) trigger 2" wire.
12 - Once all connections are soldered and wrapped, reinstall the white ignition cover onto the IDI cover and reinstall it into the car.
13 - Run the harness over to the MSD. Install the bypass plug.
14 - Start the car. If it runs you did everything correctly. If you mixed your wires up the engine will turn but not turn over. If it doesn't turn over check your wiring.
15 - Find a mounting spot for your box, and mount it.
16 - Run the power and ground wires to the battery using ring terminals - extend the wires as necessary and solder the connections.
17 - If you want to use the RPM launch option run that wire into the car, and use a button.
18 - If you want to use the ignition disable feature do the same as above.
19 - Set your switches... they SHOULD look like this:

Switch settings

N/A setup

SW1: S1-OFF, S2-OFF, S3-OFF, S4-ON, S5-OFF, S6-ON, S7-ON, S8-ON
SW2: ALL OFF
SW3: S1-ON, S2-OFF, S3-ON, S4-OFF, S5-ON, S6-OFF, S7-OFF, S8-OFF

Nitrous setups

2 degrees retard, for up to 50-hp shots

SW1: S1-OFF, S2-OFF, S3-OFF, S4-ON, S5-OFF, S6-ON, S7-ON, S8-ON
SW2: S1-OFF, S2-OFF, S3-OFF, S4-OFF, S5-OFF, S6-ON, S7-OFF, S8-OFF
SW3: S1-ON, S2-OFF, S3-ON, S4-OFF, S5-ON, S6-OFF, S7-OFF, S8-OFF

4 degrees retard, for 50-HP to 100-hp shots

SW1: S1-OFF, S2-OFF, S3-OFF, S4-ON, S5-OFF, S6-ON, S7-ON, S8-ON
SW2: S1-OFF, S2-OFF, S3-OFF, S4-OFF, S5-OFF, S6-OFF, S7-ON, S8-OFF
SW3: S1-ON, S2-OFF, S3-ON, S4-OFF, S5-ON, S6-OFF, S7-OFF, S8-OFF

20 - Mount the MSD box.

21 - Plug the MSD harness into the MSD. Always keep the bypass plug somewhere in the car in case the MSD fails - this will ensure you can use the stock coils to run the car and be able to drive it.

22 - Start the car.... you should notice an immediate improvement in idle. Go ahead and drive the car around - it should feel smoother.

That should be it. If the car won't start and the red light is blinking then there is a problem with the MSD box and not the wiring Contact MSD.

Total install time: 2 - 3 hours with proper soldering and tools.