There was a time when the size of your car’s rear tire could severely inhibit dragstrip performances. The only “power management” available was your own foot and optimal traction was had by stuffing the largest tire you could under the car. If you were planning on building a radical engine for your muscle car you had to plan on running some radically sized tires too, if you ever wanted your car to hook up and perform. There wasn’t a magic spell that could ensure your car would stick. There is still no such spell, but thanks to today’s advanced electronics, like MSD’s Power Grid Ignition System, drag racers can produce enormous horsepower and torque and not have to worry about blowing their puny tires off when they launch. Electronically controlled power management is what we’re talking about here, and although it’s nothing new (MSD’s Digital 7 boxes have been allowing racers to manipulate timing for over a decade), the way they do it is improving and, judging by this versatile system, both the hardware and software are getting more effective, yet simplified.
The Power Grid Ignition is MSD’s latest digital system, and it features technology that makes installation, as well as tuneability much simpler than the previous Digital 7 boxes, such as the 7531 box, which has been a staple part number in small-tire heads-up drag racing for the last several years. The Power Grid setup consists of a controller box (PN 7730), ignition box (PN 7720), a CAN-bus hub (PN 7740), and various modules that allow the user to control different areas of their engine. Timing ramps, rev limits, traction control, all can be almost infinitely adjusted with the Power Grid, and the user interface (the computer screen display) is so simple compared to the old program. That alone is enough reason for drag racers to make the switch over to the new system.
Here’s a shot of the main...
Here’s a shot of the main screen from the MSD View program. Each tab in the upper left represents a different parameter of your engine/car. Individual cylinder, rev limiter, engine rpm, all can be selected and modified by the tuner.
It’s designed using CAN-bus, an automotive and aerospace technology that allows devices to communicate with each other within a vehicle without a host computer. MSD has designed modules that feature specific functions, such as launch and rpm control, which easily tie into the Power Grid using a hub, making installation a breeze. Since it can be used with both MSD and RacePak’s (a popular data logger company) existing products, it’s a great setup for the serious racer. The Power Grid allows you to combine various systems together in order to relieve the complications that go with running multiple interfaces. In other words, the Power Grid puts all the log screens in one area. The Grid is a great upgrade for those racers who already have a 7531 and RacePak data logger because it allows the user to view both unit’s data on a common screen. Before, users would have to view each separately, inconveniently.
MSD made it easy for racers...
MSD made it easy for racers who currently run a RacePak system and the older Digital 7 box to adapt the Power Grid into their cars. Msdignition.com actually lists a bunch of different instructions to incorporate the Power Grid into popular setups racers may already have.
It’s engineered with a powerful 32-bit micro-controller and the Power Grid is monitored using all-new software called MSD View, which is very comprehensive and an easy program to navigate. Being USB compatible means it can be updated via download from
msdignition.com and the Windows-based software is designed with tabs to help racers easily select different programming windows and parameters. Also, the data acquisition files of the ignition are captured on a micro SD card for ease of storage and review. One nifty thing about the setup is the CAN-bus technology reduces the amount of wiring, so for those racers looking to shed every ounce, the Power Grid system is light in weight, relatively.
If you are a casual gearhead who rarely races his car, the Power Grid has a lot of features you may not ever use. There are adjustability features that cater to the top-tier drag racer, but what you’ll care about is the super hot spark the Power Grid ignition box produces. According to MSD, the 7720 ignition box produces an even hotter spark than the Digital 7 boxes (200-220 mJ compared to 190 mJ). This means a more complete burn and ultimately, more horsepower, and we can all use that.
The Power Grid Controller...
The Power Grid Controller is what makes this system function and it can actually be used with any MSD Ignition box or even the hard-core Pro Mag that the upper echelons of drag racers run. While it is compatible with all MSD boxes, the controller itself has been specially designed to mount to the Power Grid-7 box.
All the data is stored on...
All the data is stored on an SD card, which can be transferred easily to your laptop. Racers have even been known to email their data to a tuner across the country during a race to get an expert’s opinion. Some tuners can even make changes remotely from their own laptops.
West Coast drag racer Terry...
West Coast drag racer Terry Barkley also uses the MSD Power Grid on his Chevy, but instead of using the boost retard like Eddie Rios does, Barkley has his Grid set up to control the four stages of nitrous oxide that gets sprayed into his race car every weekend.
Looking at MSD’s diagram,...
Looking at MSD’s diagram, the Power Grid has very simple hookups. Also note that there are modules in place on this drawing that don’t have names, so we can expect to see more trick upgrades for this system in the future. We speculate a shift light-related item, possibly Power Grid gauges, who knows?
The Launch Remote module is...
The Launch Remote module is another trick piece of the Power Grid system; this feature allows the tuner to make launch retard changes to the system without a laptop. We’ve seen these modules on cars that run heavy amounts of nitrous.
The Launch Retard screen is...
The Launch Retard screen is where those with high-powered, small-tire cars control the horsepower when they take off. When you’re running a lot of boost or nitrous, this becomes very important if you want the car to leave properly.