You will save some money in the long run, if you just buy the whole MSD kit right now. Call around. THey have been on sale in a lot of places lately.

Also make sure when you hook up your amplifyer box you install this noise filter. It will help keep those boxes from burning out.

http://www.jegs.com/i/MSD-Ignition/1...oductId=747781

I was told by my boat guy that i can bypass the factory ignition amplifier and just set base timing to 32 degrees and run the msd box that way. is this something that will work? he said he has done two like that in the last month and had no problems with starting or detination.

reason being for that is, he checked price and availibilty on the factory ignition amp, and it said it was over 300 bucks and no longer available.

The 525SC gets 35* of timing at full advance gradually from 1000 to about 4500rpms. Full advance(35*) does not come in until about 4500rpms. I really do not think the MSD is going to solve your problem and don't see any reason to timing locked at 35*.

What does your ignition module/amplifier look like???? #1 or #2????

#1 http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show_...ru+0F877734%29

#2 http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show_...ru+0L415623%29

right now MSD is having a terrible issue with their pick-ups in the dist cracking and failing..cheap chinese junk...so if you put in a new MSD dist...like playing russian rolet !!!

griff, it looks like the first one.

would i just be better off going with a new distributor instead of all this trouble? im looking for a reliable fix, but not something that will break the bank...

Replace the pick up in the distributor first,usually a sign of it going bad is the tach will bounce around and the engine will sputter at idle.. Pull the cap and see if it's all corroded,also they get gummy..The replacement is a totally different design..

i just bought a new pickup this am. i was told it was the new design, but its the same kind i have in the boat now. saturday, i pulled the cap and both cap and rotor have wear, but nothing that would cause any problems.

Buy the whole MSD marine kit out of JEGS or summit, or maybe one of the dealers on this site has some deals on the kit.

It is a really good investment for you.