MSD 5520 Street Fire Ignition Control Installation User Manual
Street fire cdi
S T R E E T F I R E
• W W W . S T R E E T - F I R E . C O M • ( 9 1 5 ) 8 5 7 - 5 2 0 0 • F A X ( 9 1 5 ) 8 5 7 - 3 3 4 4
Parts Included:
1 - Ignition
1 - Harness, PN 8860
WARNING:
During installation, disconnect the battery cables. When disconnecting the battery always
remove the Negative cable first and install it last.
Note: Solid Core spark plug wires cannot be used with the Street Fire Ignition.
Note: The Street Fire Ignition cannot be used with distributorless ignition systems (DIS).
GENERAL INFORMATION
BATTERY
The Street Fire Ignition Control will operate on any negative ground, 12 volt electrical system with a distributor. It
can be used with 16 volt batteries and can withstand a momentary 24 volts in case of jump starts. The Ignitions will
deliver full voltage with a supply of 9 - 18 volts and will operate with a supply voltage as low as 7 volts.
COILS
The Street Fire Ignition can be used with most stock coils and aftermarket coils designed to replace the stock coils.
If you have any questions concerning coils, contact our Customer Service Department at (915) 855-7123.
TACHOMETERS
The Street Fire Ignition features a Tach Output wire that provides a trigger signal for tachometers, a shift light or other
add-on rpm activated devices. The Tach Output produces a 12 volt square wave signal with a 24% duty cycle.
Some vehicles with factory tachometers may require a Tach Adapter to operate with the ignition. For more information
on Tachometers and MSD Tach Adapters, see the Tachometer Section on page 9.
If your GM vehicle has an inline filter it may cause the tach to drop to zero on acceleration. If this occurs, bypass
the filter.
FOREIGN VEHICLES
Due to the fuel injection systems, some foreign vehicles may require a special Tach/Fuel Injection Adapter with a
Street Fire ignition. See page 9 for wiring and Tach Adapter information.
Note: Vehicles originally equipped with a CD ignition control cannot use the Street Fire Ignition.
SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES
Spark plug wires are very important to the operation of your ignition system. A good quality, helically wound wire and
proper routing are required to get the best performance from your ignition, such as the Street Fire Wire.
Note: Solid Core spark plug wires cannot be used with the Street Fire Ignition.
Spark Plugs: Choosing the correct spark plug design and heat range is important when trying to get the best
performance possible. It is recommended to follow the engine builder or manufacturer's specification for spark plugs.
With that, you can then experiment with the plug gap to obtain the best performance. The gap of the plugs can be
opened in 0.005" increments, then tested until the best performance is obtained.
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
Sealing: Do not attempt to seal the ignition. All of the circuits of the Street Fire ignition receive a thick conformal
coating of Humi-Seal. Rubber plugs are supplied to protect the rpm dials.
Welding: If you are welding on your vehicle, to avoid the chance of damage, always disconnect both Heavy Power
cables of the ignition (You should also disconnect the tach ground wire).
1 - 18" Ground Wire
1 - 100V/1A Diode
4 - Mounting Screws
Street Fire CDI
PN 5520
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