MSefi.com read only forum (Jan.15,2018)

I am trying to sort out why I am not getting any spark. Here is the setup

MS-II
V3.57 Board
Toyota Distributor 4 pole VR no missing teeth(90's 5EFE)
Jumpers: JP1=1to2, J1=3to4
Pin 36 wired to MSD 6A

I am getting a good RPM signal as viewed by TunerStudios but I am not trigger the MSD box.

Without the VB921 installed to I have any output on Pin36? When I ordered the MS I was planning on using a Toyota Ignitor, which takes a low level timing signal. The instructions for using MS with an MSD box say I need to populate the High-current circuit.

Where I am getting confused is in the instructions where it says that the VB921 is hard wired to Pin 36 on the V3.57 board but on the V3.0 board you can jumper JS10 to IGN to bring out a 5 volt signal on Pin 36. I am 100% sure there is no VB921 on my board. So I am guessing I don't have any output on Pin 36.

One the V3 board, the ignition driver IGBT (VB921) output is labelled IGTB out, which you jumper to 'ign' - connected to pin36 - if using the driver. On the 3.57, the output of the IGBT is wired directly to pin 36. If you're not using the IGBT, you can pick up pin 36 at where the IGBT fits the PCB. Use a DVM set to continuity to find out which one of the three holes it is, and wire that to JS10

I have the V3.57 board.

I'm not exactly sure how much power I will be switching to drive the MSD box. But, I have some VB921's from a previous project. Would I be safer to just install the VB921? If I install the VB921 do I need to do anything else?

The manual says:-

With a V3 main board:

V3 output:
install the high current ignition driver circuit (step#65) and connect the white wire to pin #36 of the DB37 connector.

I read this too and think all I need to do is install the VB921 but under step #65 in the V3 instructions it also says the following.

"If you wish to install the high current ignition driver circuit:

a. Install and solder R43 {13FR010-ND, 0.010 Ohm/3 Watts, brown-black-red}. This is located near the DB37 connector, close to the heat sink.
b. DO NOT install R57 {47KEBK-ND,47K Ohms, 1/8W}. It creates problems with the signal to the VB921 (or BIP373), so leave it out. DO NOT install a jumper, simply leave that spot 'unpopulated'.
c. Install and solder Q16 {497-2716-5-ND}. This is a specialized VB921 (or BIP373) dedicated coil driver chip. This mounts to the heat sink near the DB37 connector. An insulator is not necessary for the VB921, but is essential for the BIP373. The distributor you bought your kit from will indicate which you have, or follow this link: BIP373 for more info. Use heat transfer compound between the component and the heat sink.
d. For MS-II™, install jumpers:
IGBTIN (near the heat sink side of the DB37 on the bottom of the board) to JS10 (under the 40-pin CPU socket on the bottom of the PCB)
IGBTOUT to IGN - near the Heat sink end of the DB37 on the bottom of the PCB (this brings the ignition control signal out on DB37 pin #36)"


There is no R43 or IGNTIN on the V3.57. Do I assume these are already part of the V3.57 board? IGNTOUT is hard wired to Pin 36 and this is clear in the instructions for the V3.57 board.

I don't want to get this wrong.

The coil driver circuit is designed to drive the very difficult load which is a coil. Since in your case it's only acting as a buffer, should be no problems.
The V3.57 board does seem to have some minor mods over the V3 to basically the same circuits.