help..msd 8693 shift light install

[HyperGT]

ok stock electronics, 87 5l, cant get the shift light to get a tach signal. Has power, can set it up (ie shift points etc) but is not getting any signal. Anyone help!

[ZR]

Did it come with GMR pick up?

[HyperGT]

yes, i hooked it up to the green wire going to the coil.

[ZR]

Looks to me the only possible choice is to trigger via injector wire. See on a couple of sites, suggested for '96 up.
Worth a try to see if it'll trigger from there.

[ZR]

Is that the power or trigger wire?
According to instructions (no comment as to what I think of the author), it appears to read off pos, now thats freakin strange.

[HyperGT]

i am confused too Rick. Imhave red ro a 12v switched, ground to ground and the gmr to the green and yellow wire at the coil. I could try the injector tomorrow.

[HyperGT]

i have been searching but coming up empty on the net, most have msd box.

[ZR]

Are you hooked to the coil power wire or trigger wire?

[HyperGT]

honestly i tried both of,them - red wire and the green/white. Everything else works but no signal.

[ZR]

From what I see on the web, green is suppose to be ground / trigger side, other one is power.
Try running off injector wire. Odd part, shows it hooking to pos on injector as well.
Frustrating that they can't even include decent instructions, lots of conventional style coil vehicles still out there.

[HyperGT]

i agree Rick, normally i can figure it out but this is crazy. Which injector wire red power?

[ZR]

According to their instructions for a diesel, yes.
Does that thing actually pierce the wire or is inductive?

[ZR]

Biggest problem with vague instructions like that, chase your butt for hours hoping it's a hook up problem vs issue with the unit itself.
Fingers crossed for you.

[HyperGT]

thanks, inductive - or supposed to be!

[HyperGT]

Well no luck. Did not work on red wire or green wire on coil (then stripped them a bit to ensure contact, still no). Tried injector, nope, rechecked wiring and installed 22hm resistor on green, nope and nope.
Well unless someone else has an idea i am spent. Will have to wait until I put an msd box in.

[tulowd]

wonder if you need a tach adaptor?

http://www.autometer.com/resources/index/faq_view/id/41

[ZR]

I'd call MSD for their take on things. According to application chart, is suppose to be compatible with your car.

[HyperGT]

So, usually in business or life when you are trying to figure something out logic and what appears to be wrong usually is , then deduct from there to solve the problem.
To start then with what I know and tested:

Tested the power to the coil. 12v+ . - all good.
Tested from the GMR to the shift light, no signal (less than 1v) on all lines. MSD states the green line should have about 5v.
Tested the GMR , without power but with a tester, zero runs from one end to the other.
Tested my 12v source that powered the shift light, all good - and that makes sense as the light starts up, cycles through the programs etc.

From my view then the GMR is fubar. I am ordering another one and will see if that works! Will update on progress.

[HyperGT]

wonder if you need a tach adaptor?

http://www.autometer.com/resources/index/faq_view/id/41

Nope according to MSD the digital shift light and GMR are all i need!

[Armen]

I don't really know what I'm talking about so please be patient... Do you really need the GMR for an 87 5.0L? Can you cut it out of the loop?

[HyperGT]

Its a good question Chris, I also wonder if i could not just hook up the green wire to the green wire on the coil and not use the GMR. There is not much published about this that i can find. On Corral and the MSD site and honestly most folks use an MSD box with the Tach/shiftlight port.
I may just wait and buy a box as a new GMR is over $90 to my door, a good 1/3 of a 6al box, especially considering this one is already kaput and is new.

[ZR]

If it's indeed kaput, might want to consider a Raptor. In my experience, have been 100% reliable.

http://www.mikefordmustang.com/writeups/raptor/Raptor1.jpg

[HyperGT]

Only the GMR is kaput Rick (I hope) , i JUST bought the shift light, but have heard good things about the raptor.

[ZR]

Bites when something is DOA, hopefully you get fixed up.

[HyperGT]

thanks chief. Although recent posts put it all in perspective.

[ZR]

Haven't we all been guilty of feeling a lil too sorry for ourselves only to be shocked back to reality.

[B-blown]

I hooked up my MSD 8693 and I bought my shiftlight used and it didn`t have the GMR ... I bought a new one and hooked it up using the neg trigger wire on the coil and it worked absolutely perfect ...the only issue I have is that one of the little rubber buttons for programming is missing so its a bit of a pain to reprogram it every spring when I put battery back in

[HyperGT]

hey thanks!! so you mean the green wire on the coil to the green on the shift light, then red to 12v power source and black to separate ground??

[ZR]

Green would be neg trigger your looking for.

[HyperGT]

OK will give it a try today if after i spend some more time with the kiddies.

[HyperGT]

b-blown thank you sir, now works like it should!

[ZR]

Fantastic news, kudos to you.
As for MSD and their nonsense instructions, bite me!!! LOL

[B-blown]

b-blown thank you sir, now works like it should!

your welcome glad I could be of some help