I did the same thing as you Greg. I could not figure it until I started dialing the MSD tech line. A light bulb came on in my head and I hung up the phone. I was 99.9% sure that is what it was since I had already been through it.

 

I was actually hoping to find instructions on the Pro-Data software. There is a tiny bit in the 6530 manual but nothing that would have helped with the boost issues ran into...

 

AT the top of the main box is help. It has everything you need, even wiring.

 

Thanks all for providing the info, good to see some things cleared up!

 

#ad


Ok so finally got to play with this today. Please critique or tell me where I'm wrong. The start retard was definately wrong so ignore that as I found that it wouldnt idle below 1000rpm lol. I just took it out altogether but do you guys have one and if so how is it supposed to be plotted?

Second the boost retard, this was supposed to be very conservative until I got more comfortable with it since I did burn a piston up previously..

2bar map 14.25 = 0psi.

Boost 16psi would retard 15 degrees.

36deg - 15deg = 21 degrees at 16psi??

 

I would not set the run retard so steep, so high. If rpm ever drops 1100 it will pull timing and probably kill the motor. I would set it to to 500 or so rpm. You don't need to pull timing starting at 0psig. If your motor is low compression it won't ping with 3 or 4 pounds of boost. It should respond better if you don't pull timing so soon.

 

hmmmm .............. didnt know the 6530 didnt have a start retard , but I guess you can use the run retard if your motor wont start at 36º .

 

Ok as long as I have the gist of it right I can work with it. I don't think I'm going to bother with the run retard for startup since it seems fine.

 

I may be wrong as I'm still learning too. I remember reading Every 1 point past 14.25 =2 psi of boost? Like I said I may be wrong.
So it would be pulling 15deg for 30psi of boost.

 

No, above 14.25 in this case is equal to the rate of increase. 15.25 on the scale would be 1 lbs of boost, and so on. 30.25 would equal 16 lbs of boost.

 

You should not need a start retard for 36 degrees of base timinig, I would think it would fire fine.

 

Ok thanks...So it's before 14.25.

 

Every point BELOW 14.25 is 2" of vacuum . 13.25 = 2" 12.25 = 4" 11.25 = 6"

 

My Chevy will kick back like a big dog at 32 initial after it gets hot. I used to have a cut out switch to deal with it.

quicknova, on the run curve what you need to do is "zoom in" that will give you plot points every 200 or 100 RPM. You could pull 20 deg up to 500 then only pull a few degrees at 600 then full timing at 700. That's assuming your car idles above 700. If not, adjust accordingly.

 

That is the part that confuses me some times. It is absolutely correct, but with the psi counting up as you move right and the vacuum counting down, I can get messed up. It gets easier with time.

 

So has anybody used the launch retard yet? How much does that help for traction?

Best thread ever btw

 

great info guys! so to use this i will need either the hand held programmer or a laptop, serial cable and or adapter, and a map sensor, and some patience. i think what im planning, is to use a centrifugal advance distributor and my 7al box to get the car up and running. then i could swap the 6530 in at a later date and use the crank trigger. this way i at can at least get the car running with stuff im comfortable with(not very computer literate), then once i know how the car should run, and i swap the new box in, ill be able to tell quickly how well its working and if im making changes in the right direction... or am i thinking way too much on this? this is going in a 700hp streetcar with a 5spd

 

I'm pretty sure you need the laptop to program a timing curve with boost . From what I've read in the instructions , the hand held will only be able to do a RPM curve or a Launch curve . Gear retard also if you have the 7 box .

 

One other question too, when you have the laptop up and running w/ the box theres the gauges..

volts, degrees, psia

The volts and psia were reading but the degrees wasn't, does that gauge read the current timing or only degrees of retard when it activates?

 

That gauge only shows the amount of timing pulled.