Word of the Individual Cylinder Management (ICM) system already has many engine builders salivating. Nitrous engines that are either running on the ragged edge or engines that are limited in size and induction will benefit from being able to alter cylinder timing. To take advantage of the ICM, a synchronization pickup must be incorporated. This is required so the ignition knows when number one is firing so it can begin your custom timing set up in the correct order. Generally, you would need to machine a bracket and place a magnet in the cam gear with a Universal Pickup Kit but MSD engineers came up with a way to do this with an inductive pickup which will spare you a lot of time fabricating parts.

This new pickup works just like your timing light pickup. You route and secure the number one spark plug wire through a small inductive pickup then run a fiber optic line (supplied with the pickup kit) to the input on the ignition. MSD chose this fiber optic cable in order to keep the sync signal completely separate from the trigger pickup and from sync signals needed for sequential electronic fuel injection setups that require a large amount of advance.

Another unique feature, is that even if the sync signal is lost while the engine is running, the ignition will continue with the correct firing order. This is accomplished by the ignition as it "learns" the firing order after several revolutions of the engine!

With all of these features, you would think this ignition would have a hundred wires hanging every where, but the installation is pretty clean and straight forward. There are the typical MSD wires including two to the battery, two to the coil, an On/Off wire and the trigger pickup wires. In addition to that, there are two wires for the Three Rev
Controls and three more to activate the step retards which you can also program with your laptop to activate at certain rpm or with gear changes if you desire.

This wiring diagram shows how easy it is to install the new Programmable MSD. Your laptop or the hand held Programmer/Monitor quickly connect to a common 9-pin harness adapter on the side of the unit.

This Ignition has been approved for use in NHRA competition and has already helped set mph records and win a couple different championships!

With all of its different programming features and MSD's constant R&D who knows where this will lead ignition technology in the near future.

One thing for sure is that it opens a new window of tuning and adjusting to achieve every bit of an engine's power - which is what every racer wants.

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