[QUOTE=vintage chromoly;4247769]Reviving this thread.
Time to buy an ignition system.
Anyone have experience with the msd "ready to run" distributors? No box and retail at around 400 bones.
I'm seriously considering the mallory marine electronic distributor but it would need an "add on" rev limiter.
Anyone running the mallory marine unit?

We ran the Accel / Mallory dual sync for years without any problems. I beleive most of their distributors have copper where MSD uses steel that corrodes. Never had a problem with the MSD Digital 6 mounted behind the rear seat. My brother runs the Crane box never an issue there either. The Rev limiter helps alot if you brake a drive shaft and the RPMs go crazy high...

i have been running those msd dists for 3 years now in my cat so far so good !!!

2X Mallory Unilites!!! I ran MSD for awhile on the my boats, but never could seem to get them sorted out. Moved everything to Mallory Unilites and it's been "set and forget" ever since.
I also had the MSD Offroad 6 on my rockcrawler, and the boxes kept giving up. At one time, I had two (2) MSD boxes on it (switched) lost both within months. MSD said they knew about the problem, were good at replacing the boxes, but I gave up on them. Stuck a DUI in the rockcrawler----holy crow----that cleared the low end fuel load, throttle response was awesome---I got nothing to say but good things on DUI. Never ran in a boat (yet) but I am well pleased.

JMHO--MDS seems like there always some "issue" --something not quite right in some aspect of their operation. Like the corrosion in a Marine distributor? really? I would stick to Mallory or DUI.

Yes, I have been running a Mallory marine magnetic pickup. Not unilite since 1998 with no issues on a 509" 500 hp engine.

I bought a Mallory magnetic electronic distributor and a Daytona sensors cd- 1 marine ignition.
The only thing I'm asking of the distributor is to trigger the "box" and distribute the spark. The timing curve and rev limiter will be done by the cd-1 ignition module.

Did the sad box come with the ignition curve information for each setting? When Crane made a similar box the curve info for all common Mercruiser high performance engines was on the website, now I cannot find it. I am trying to compare the ignition curve of a HP 500 carb to the HP 500 bulldog (540cu in).
Sounds like you will have a good setup

The Daytona box comes with all the merc curves and you can do a custom curve with a laptop.

I recently had a MSD 6M fail preventing me from getting to Lake Havasu Desert Storm this year. I bought a Daytona Sensors CD-1 along with the coil and a 2 bar MAP sensor. My engine is a Donovan aluminum block 540 with a 14-71 blower at ~8lbs boost, 2x 1050 carbs, and a not too aggressive hydraulic roller cam. Before I had issues when dropping into gear engine wanted to die, but with idle stabilization I add 14 degrees when rpm drop below 750 and all is good, doesn't die. With the MAP sensor, I was able to create a 3D timing map and load it into the cd-1 so now when in boost the box pulls timing as required. After knowing how the engine ran before with the MSD billet distributor and 6M box compared to now with the cd-1 DS box, I'm sold. Borowski race engines in Illinois is where I got mine, ask for Ken and an OSO member price break, you won't be disappointed.

The fact that you are asking this question.......... Do MSD's really have a reputation for failing boxes??? LOL! You have already answered your own question!! Why would you by an MSD for a boat?? It's not like you can just pull over to the side of the road WHEN it dies!!! What if it dies when your caught in some really snotty weather in rough seas??

Don't forget their junk coils. Had to new msd coils in one season. First one was a long tow. Second one didn't get towed but had someone bring my trailor to a different ramp and pick me up. I will never buy anything MSD again.