Coil life expectancy
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 5,860
Likes: 4
From: Metro Detroit (Redford)
Coil life expectancy
What is the life expectancy of an ignition coil? We periodically change the wires, cap, rotor, and plugs, but just let the coil sit there for the life of the truck. I am wondering, though, if the coil is up to snuff after 90,000 miles. Toyed with the idea of replacing it, but Motorcraft is $82 at the dealer, a Standard is $52 at the parts store and the local discount auto stores want $20 for a Wells (off?) brand. I only thought of it because my truck is a little hard starting, that is, it takes longer to crank than it seems it should. Runs great (has new wires, cap, rotor and 9,000 mile plugs). Rough idle, but I suspect that could be a need for throttle body cleaning. Anyway, just curious what you folks thought of all this (perhaps nonsense?).
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INLINE SIX POWER!
300 Cubic Inches of Low RPM Truck Torque! And twin-I-beams too!
"Drive a stick young man! There'll be time for automatics when you're old and unable."
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,947
Likes: 6
From: Topsfield, MA
Coil life expectancy
Fords TFI coil doesn't have the best reputation. I think it might have been on recall? I might be wrong about that though. I changed mine out for an MSD Blaster coil for 45 bucks. They are known to fail from time to time, i'm not to sure if they wear out after 90k mi or whatnot but, i have heard it's not the best quality. So i changed mine out to MSD.
Primary rig is Green Thunder:
95' F-150 XLT 4x4, 302, 5 spd, MSD 6A, Flowmaster American Thunder Exhaust, Sunroof, Clear corners w/ Diamond headlights, CD player with 2 10" subs and some 32" BFG Muds
.
Check out my Gallery for a look-see.
Then theres:
99' Mustang GT 4.6L
88' F-250 Heavyduty 4x4 351/c6
95' Mercury Cougar 4.6L V-8
80' E-350 300/6 with a
3 spd column shifter. Weighs around 7,000lbs w. 65mph top speed, who wants to race me!
Primary rig is Green Thunder:
95' F-150 XLT 4x4, 302, 5 spd, MSD 6A, Flowmaster American Thunder Exhaust, Sunroof, Clear corners w/ Diamond headlights, CD player with 2 10" subs and some 32" BFG Muds
.Check out my Gallery for a look-see.
Then theres:
99' Mustang GT 4.6L
88' F-250 Heavyduty 4x4 351/c6
95' Mercury Cougar 4.6L V-8
80' E-350 300/6 with a
3 spd column shifter. Weighs around 7,000lbs w. 65mph top speed, who wants to race me!
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 755
Likes: 1
From: Campbell, California
Coil life expectancy
A Kalifornia judge ordered Ford to replace all the TFI coils in some Ford cars. I believe it was the TFI coil that mounts inside the distributor. The coil has a problem with over heating then failing at a most inconvenient time, like at speed on the freeway. At best this recall will only affect cars in Kalifornia. The TFI coil does not have the best reputation, but my coil is still stock and I have over 120,000 on the truck now.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 5,860
Likes: 4
From: Metro Detroit (Redford)
Coil life expectancy
JEGs sells a MSD Blaster Replacement Coil for $44.99 for Ford TFI. I have no idea if that is what I have ('95 300 I6 F150), but it is cheaper than the Motorcraft part and comparable to the Standard. The MSD puts out more voltage. Says it works with stock ignition. This may work as I am not trying to make a high performance ignition on my max 4000 rpm I6, but just want it to perform to spec. Incidently, I asked the guy with the Standard and he said it is better than the Motorcraft part and that the Wells is a piece of junk.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,947
Likes: 6
From: Topsfield, MA
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 5,860
Likes: 4
From: Metro Detroit (Redford)
Coil life expectancy
>Jeez, I paid $12 for the Wells coil on my 89 302.
How many miles has the Wells lasted you?
BTW, I called one of the major performance coil makers and asked about their TFI coil. From what the tech told me (should have written it down right away, something like stock coil should be OK and theirs would not make significant change by itself) I'm not going to mess with it. The whole thing that got me to thinking about it was that the '95 F150 300 I6 (90,000 miles on it) takes 1 - 2 seconds to crank over (always has since I got it at 58,000 miles). Other than that it runs great with the new cap, rotor, and wires (all Motorcraft) and the plugs are around 10,000 miles. Timing last set/checked at 60,000 miles. Why should 1-2 seconds (probably closer to 1) bother me? Just went out and started the 1990 460 V8 motorhome which has sat for 3 weeks and it fired up instantly (recently tuned up and has 60,000 miles).
How many miles has the Wells lasted you?
BTW, I called one of the major performance coil makers and asked about their TFI coil. From what the tech told me (should have written it down right away, something like stock coil should be OK and theirs would not make significant change by itself) I'm not going to mess with it. The whole thing that got me to thinking about it was that the '95 F150 300 I6 (90,000 miles on it) takes 1 - 2 seconds to crank over (always has since I got it at 58,000 miles). Other than that it runs great with the new cap, rotor, and wires (all Motorcraft) and the plugs are around 10,000 miles. Timing last set/checked at 60,000 miles. Why should 1-2 seconds (probably closer to 1) bother me? Just went out and started the 1990 460 V8 motorhome which has sat for 3 weeks and it fired up instantly (recently tuned up and has 60,000 miles).
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,228
Likes: 5
From: Running Springs CA
Coil life expectancy
Coils are probably the single most unnecessarily replaced ignition part. In 30+ years of wrenching on cars, boats, bikes and trucks, I have never seen a coil go bad. The Ford TFI unit on the distributor and the older Duraspark boxes do go bad (and suddenly), but not the coil itself. The GM HEI units inside the distributor would also die suddenly from overheating, so it is not just a Ford problem.
Jim
Jim
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 2,719
Likes: 1
From: Lee's Summit MO
Coil life expectancy
Tallpaul: This truck had about 160k when I replaced the coil, the truck starts better, but I couldn't tell any difference in mpg or acceleration. You can have it tested, which I would recommend. Mine was in working order, but it was weak.
'93 F-150 loaded and modified!
Check my Gallery
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,947
Likes: 6
From: Topsfield, MA
Coil life expectancy
The MSD coil puts out a few more volts of power and doesn't have the heating problem the stocker does. My opinion, get the MSD it's only 45 bucks.
Primary rig is Green Thunder:
95' F-150 XLT 4x4, 302, 5 spd, MSD 6A, Flowmaster American Thunder Exhaust, Sunroof, Clear corners w/ Diamond headlights, CD player with 2 10" subs and some 32" BFG Muds .
Check out my Gallery for a look-see.
Then theres:
99' Mustang GT 4.6L
88' F-250 Heavyduty 4x4 351/c6
95' Mercury Cougar 4.6L V-8
80' E-350 300/6 with a
3 spd column shifter. Weighs around 7,000lbs w. 65mph top speed, who wants to race me!
Primary rig is Green Thunder:
95' F-150 XLT 4x4, 302, 5 spd, MSD 6A, Flowmaster American Thunder Exhaust, Sunroof, Clear corners w/ Diamond headlights, CD player with 2 10" subs and some 32" BFG Muds
.Check out my Gallery for a look-see.
Then theres:
99' Mustang GT 4.6L
88' F-250 Heavyduty 4x4 351/c6
95' Mercury Cougar 4.6L V-8
80' E-350 300/6 with a
3 spd column shifter. Weighs around 7,000lbs w. 65mph top speed, who wants to race me!
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 402
Likes: 0
Coil life expectancy
I have seen guys who replaced the stock coil with the MSD and some good wires and cap and AND open the plug gaps up see an increase in MPG.Just replacing the coil won't do it.Opening the plug gap makes a difference but you need the extra spark and hardware to make it work.
Billy
Billy
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