MSD shift light help

Discussion in 'PSI Superchargers Tech Questions' started by fcsteve69, Jul 23, 2018.

  1. fcsteve69

    fcsteve69 Nostalgia FC

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    just installed a MSD 20 on my car, also a 8963 shift light. Shift light powers up, but does not work. Anyone run one of these and have any guidance? Can't get through to MSD tech.
    Thanks
    Steve
     
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  2. Will Hanna

    Will Hanna We put the 'inside' in Top Alcohol
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    what are you using to convert the tach signal?
     
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  3. fcsteve69

    fcsteve69 Nostalgia FC

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    Will I’m using the supplied GMR pick up.
     
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  4. Will Hanna

    Will Hanna We put the 'inside' in Top Alcohol
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    GMR pick up?

    You're going to have to have some sort of tach converter to convert the signal for that shift light. If you are trying to use the signal off of the orange wire, it will not work as a mag runs off a different wave than standard electronic ignition.
     
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  5. GregM784

    GregM784 Member

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    MSD claims the GMR will work, but in reality, i have NEVER seen it work with any dependability. I went to a MSD signal converter, and then my shift light. Works perfect, every time. Now if i could actually pay attention to the light..........
     
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  6. Will Hanna

    Will Hanna We put the 'inside' in Top Alcohol
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    Ok, I googled it and figured out the GMR deal. I know there was an issue back in the six shooter days of not having a strong enough tach signal to run the shift light, and that may be the case.

    If you can run a grid, I would go that route.

    Keep in mind if you are going to keep a 'smart' shift light like the 8963, you're going to have to run the gray tach output wire to the shift light, not the shift light wire to it. I ran into someone who was trying to run a 8963 with a grid using the shift light wire. The yellow shift light wire is used to activate a 'dumb' shift light by switching to ground at the preprogrammed rpm in the grid.
     
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