So I got my new MSD 8950 in today and connected everything right and still no VVL activation...I am bypassing the relay for now because I heard it is supposed to work but nothing is working thus far...Here is how I have the msd 8950 wired to see if anyone can see anything that I'm doing wrong:

White Wire to Blue Dist. Wire
Yellow to grounds of VVL Solenoids
Gray not used
Red to Battery
Black to Ground on Battery
And other VVL Solenoid wires going to 12v

I'm using the 8670 MSD to control which RPM it engages in and I have it set for 4600 but when that rpm comes nothing happens. I did test the rpm signal with a voltmeter with rpm gauge and everything is reading fine. Somebody please HELP....

Another update...I thought my problem might be the rpm selector I was using so I bought some msd rpm pills and I put the 4600 RPM in and still nothing...Is there any other way to see if it's the solenoids that are bad or the whole vvl is broke somehow? I am completely out of ideas...

Once again another update...I thought the solenoids were the problem but I rigged up a toggle switch to the grounds on the solenoids and took it for a drive...I switched the toggle switch on and the VVL actually activated...So i know that they work and I thought I had the msd wired correctly with or without the relay but no luck with the msd...I did clean the little filter on the vvl solenoids while I was trying to figure out the problem...Anyone know any trick to get it working with the msd...Best yet can anyone post specific pictures on how they wired the MSD or other triggers...Thanks for any help...

I wired my MSD 8969 to the tach signal from the cluster because I could not get the switch to work from the dizzy. Try that man.

I wired my MSD 8969 to the tach signal from the cluster because I could not get the switch to work from the dizzy. Try that man.


X2. Many others have had this same problem.

Which wire would this be behind the tach? I have it pulled out and everything...Thanks for the help too...

I've been looking at the FSM for a 96 200sx and it looks like it should be a green with orange stripe wire...Does this sound familiar?

I think the wire colors are different between the 95-97 and the 98-99.

http://www.sr20forum.com/technical-information-library/126843-ecu-pinout-guide.html

It looks like the tach signal is pin 3 on the ecu on both the 95-97 and the 98-99, so just check pin 3 on your ecu plug to make sure that the wire color is the same.

OK so I just got done trying this method too and still nothing...I found the wire color by looking at the ECU and saw the same color behind the gauge cluster...I soldering in my white wire from the MSD and wire the power of the msd to the cig. lighter power and grounded it on a bolt and put the yellow to the grounds of the vvl solenoids and still nothing is working...I don't think I can get two MSD 8950's that are bad in a row...Someone please HELP!!!! This is driving me crazy...The VE is much faster than the DE without the VVL actuated but it's just not the same...

Is the unit powering up at least?

There isn't any light on the MSD box to show that there is power...But I just tested the power wire with a test light and it is getting power when the car is on and the ground is showing that it is good too...

Do you have a ve by any chance and if so did you use a relay for the msd box because I tried that route and nothing happened still and I'm wondering if I should go back and try that with a new relay..I've just heard that it isn't necessary to use the relay...

Do you have a ve by any chance and if so did you use a relay for the msd box because I tried that route and nothing happened still and I'm wondering if I should go back and try that with a new relay..I've just heard that it isn't necessary to use the relay...

It isn't necessary. I don't use one, and my 8969 has been fine for two years.

I'll check how I wired mine when I get a chance tonight, I can't remember exactly off the top of my head.

thanks for all the help so far I'm doing an axle seal so it'll be down for a couple of hours for the rtv to seal so I have plenty of time...Thanks again...

I have the MSD grounding the circuit without relays, works fine. I did find this though, I originally grounded the MSD to the valve cover. The MSD worked and I got a good ground read but the solenoids wouldn't fire. After moving the ground to the block they fired like a charm. It seems that just because there's a ground doesn't mean the ground is sufficient.

I moved the ground twice and still nothing...I have the box inside the car right now and I tried grouding it to one of the bolts by the shifter and then on one of the radio brackets and then I used a self tapping screw and tried it that way and still nothing...The VVL should activate in nuetral just as well as drive right because I've been reving it up and trying to hear the solenoids click and nothing happens no matter what I do...I don't want to use a toggle switch every time I want the VVL to work but that's what it seems that that's the only thing that's worked so far...

I just tried the relay with all the correct connections...I pulled all the wires out and rewired everything with new wire and used the suggested way of wiring the relay with the MSD, but still nothing...Is there anyone that has spliced into the gauge cluster for a RPM signal that can post a picture of which wire that they spliced into with a B14 just so I know that I did pick the right one...I did match it with the color coming off pin 3 off the ecu but still no vvl activation...

Green with orange stripe is the correct wire behind the cluster on the b14.

Yeah I got a good rpm reading from that wire...I cut back a little of the insulation of the wire (white wire of msd) and tested it back toward the MSD box and I got correct rpm reading...I've tried everything and the only outcome I've come up with is that I somehow "burnt" out two MSD 8950's in a row...I guess I have bad luck or something...