Haltech, MSD, 13B-REW

[Paul Ko]

I have a set of baffling problems which I would like to ask this list.  
But let me start by describing my setup and some assumptions.

I have a rx7 rotary engine, 13B-REW, setup with a Haltech E6A management 
system.  I am using the stock factory rx7 magnetic trigger pickups on the 
E-shaft.  Two MSD "signal stabilizers" are used, one for the home 
magnetic pickup and one for the synchro.  These "signal stabilizers" 
changes the output of the magnetic pickup to a square-wave, which is the 
only input the E6A can use.
All three coils at fired by MSD spark boxes, one for each coil.  The MSD 
spark boxes are fired thru the white wire directly from the Haltech 
ignition output.  

Settings on Haltech:
Both input triggers: rising
Ignition output: rising
Output constant duty:   30%
trigger pickup 67 degrees BTC
multitooth    24
tooth offset    5

Problem:
I cannot get the timing light to fire at the timing mark on the pulley 
wheel.  I means the ignition is off, way off.  The mark is ~45 degrees 
before where it should be.  Strange thing with the rotary engine is that 
it still runs even if the timing is way off.  The car runs but 
inconsistently with misfires.

Assumptions:
1.  I am assuming the inductive pickup on the timing gun is correct.  
I've read somewhere that the inductive pickups on timing guns has 
problems reading a coil fired by a MSD spark box.  
2.  The MSD spark boxes fire from a rising edge thru the white wire.  I 
assumed this because the testing procedure for testing spark on the box 
is to ground the white wire and release it and the coil fires 
instantaneously on the release.
3.  The MSD 8509 signal stabilizer is getting and outputing the correct 
signals.  The instructions which came with this MSD 8509 is a joke.  I am 
assuming the 8509 inputs a rising magnetic trigger wave, ie, a sine wave 
with a fall, rise, fall signal where the trigger point is at the rise.  
The problem may be that the mazda signal is a falling wave, ie, rise, 
fall, rise signal where the trigger point is at the fall.  I've tried 
reversing these leads to the 8509 and still the timing gun is still ~40 
degrees off the mark.  So which one is right, because the engine runs 
either way the leads are hooked up.
I assumed the 8509 outputs a rising square-wave because thats what the 
unit is originally designed for, to fire a MSD spark box directly.
4.  I am assuming the setting on the Haltech timing numbers is right.  
Those numbers are supposed to be off another running 13B-REW.  However, I 
don't want to change these numbers until I know the correct setup of the 
8509 and MSD spark box triggers.

Thanks, your help is greatly appreciated.

Paul Ko
pko at mindspring.com
http://www.mindspring.com/~pko
 
Formula SAE UCDavis Team Captain 
http://mae.engr.ucdavis.edu/~fsae