I clean the reluctor and the screens yearly. No springs or weights ..and no advance mechanisms. locked in

I had a MSD 8366 distributor that was bad brand new out of the box. The 8366 is a direct replacement for the GM HEI computer controlled ignition unit. The reason I went to this distributor was because my fresh motor has redline of 6200. Builder told me that the stock distributor is only good to about 5500 rpm then will start missing.
I have been told that the module is what usually fails on the 8366. If you replace the it with a GM module you should have a pretty good distributor.

Probably been thru 2 or 3 6m2 boxes on my 233 interceptor in the 15 or so years I've been running MSD. Box and coil are mounted on an aluminium plate on the transom. After talking to MSD after my latest failure, they told me it could be caused by a voltage drop at the switched ignition connection from the ignition switch due to high resistance (not real surprising in a 30+ year old boat.) I installed an ignition relay next to the box and haven't had a box failure since (fingers crossed- but I still carry a spare box.)

However, about a month ago, I was going to put the boat in the water, so I hooked it up to the hose to warm the engine (I'm not running a choke and the last thing I need is to have it not run and tie up the ramp- again, a 36 year old boat.) Anyway, when it started it made one HELL of a knocking sound (sounded almost like a piston hitting the head 'cept it didn't knock on every revolution.)

I started pulling plug wires, and the noise went away when I pulled #5- WTF? Checked the compression (ok) and then thought- preignition? Made a trip home to get a spare dizzy cap (used.) Put it on, and PROBLEM FIXED! Later on, I checked the first cap with an ohm meter and sure enough, there was continuity between terminals 5and 6 on the cap. Every year as part of winerization I pop the cap and shoot everything with WD40 to try to keep the rust to a minimum. Anybody else had problems like this? Am I screwing things up with the WD40?

Needless to say, I now carry a spare cap and rotor too.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

I just replaced my old MSD Marine Box today with the 6M-2L Marine box, it was 9 years - 2 months old .
Last year I installed the MSD coated reluctor wheels in both distributors they stay very clean, WD 40 will help keep moisture out.

On my 89 Scarab it had a prototype marine version,which was red but the inside potted,Had a buddy that worked at MSD, I sold the boat and its still running today, thats 23 years old,it also has Stelling headers that are 23 years old.

My 70chevelle has a 6al thats around 1993ish. My Hustler marine blue ones are 12 years old. 69 camaro race car 6a1 is 18 years old,

The Hustler is wired that if the box puked ,I just disconnect it with the factory wiring it just delets it.

Now I cant same much about their coils

about ten years a go MSD tech told me to run the round extreme offroad coils which are potted. No problems so far

W,
Like this one?

http://www.jegs.com/i/MSD+Ignition/121/8222/10002/-1

Not W; but yes, the MSD 8222.

That's the one Dean, can be mounted at any angle. Mark

Thanks mark, I'll be ordering that 1 this weekend.
Dean