Ignition Coil Suggestions
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Ignition Coil Suggestions
What do y’all recommend for an ignition coil on a “mostly” stock 1986 351W HO? I can find some aftermarket replacements at any auto parts store, but cannot seem to find a Motorcraft one anywhere. I’ve always used Motorcraft plugs, wires, cap, button, and coil on all trucks/cars I have had in the past. I can find an Accel coil at some stores, but I’m not running a built engine that would require a hotter spark.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2013
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What do y’all recommend for an ignition coil on a “mostly” stock 1986 351W HO? I can find some aftermarket replacements at any auto parts store, but cannot seem to find a Motorcraft one anywhere. I’ve always used Motorcraft plugs, wires, cap, button, and coil on all trucks/cars I have had in the past.
Does your truck take the conventional round (actually cylindrical) coil with the terminals on the end? If so, you can read about my adventures trying to find a genuine Motorcraft coil for my '84 351W. The search even stumped my favorite parts guy at my local Ford dealership. In the end, I gave up and went with a coil from NAPA:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...tyle-coil.html
Sorry I don't remember the NAPA number. The guy behind the counter offered several choices for my application. I picked the highest quality (read: most expensive) one and it has worked great.
If your truck has factory air, you can install the new coil like I did and keep the old one installed as a hot spare:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...tion-coil.html
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Yes, I do have the original cylindrical style coil. The two posts you added in your response is good info. Thanks for that. After searching for some time last night, I kinda came to the conclusion that a Motorcraft unit is just gone now. All I’m worried about is, are the new replacement ones (aftermarket) able to produce the same voltage the old stock unit would? I’m sure it needs to be somewhere in the 40-45,000 range right?
After reading your post about putting the coil behind the A/C bracket, for some reason, mine is already there. I’m not really sure what the original owner of this truck did, all I know is I have replaced all ignition parts, except the coil and of course distributor. The coil that’s on there now is some “cheap” off brand someone put on there just say they did. Would like to find a “good” quality replacement.
After reading your post about putting the coil behind the A/C bracket, for some reason, mine is already there. I’m not really sure what the original owner of this truck did, all I know is I have replaced all ignition parts, except the coil and of course distributor. The coil that’s on there now is some “cheap” off brand someone put on there just say they did. Would like to find a “good” quality replacement.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2013
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In my overinflated opinion, the big question is durability. All I can tell you about that is my NAPA coil is working fine and has held up so far. I'll let you know in 30 years if this one has held up as well as the original...
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^This, quality and durability would be nice. I’ll give NAPA a look too, and see what they got to offer.
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Update, went down to my local O’Reillys that I usually go to for other parts. They had 3-4 replacement coils for my engine. Two off brand deals and two from Accel. I ended up going with the Accel “Super Stock” which is just a universal replacement, but it did offer 42,000v and it should bolt up in the stock holder just fine. I’ll keep the old crappy one just in case the Accel takes a dump on me.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2013
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Once upon a time the local speed shop tried to sell me the wrong Accel coil. It even had the Duraspark horseshoe connector buttons however the coil spec’d out for 12 volts, not the reduced voltage the Duraspark system uses. I believe we want the 1.4 ohms resistance coil and not the 0.7 ohms coil in order to play nice with the Duraspark ignition control module. So you might double check the application and primary and secondary resistance values of the new coil versus the stock specs. I’m pretty sure this is the one I’m running on a 460 (yeah it says 12 volts and screw on terminals but the picture shows buttons, lol).
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/ECHIC21
Also, my stock coil was epoxy filled and horizontally mounted but all the new coils are oil filled... and you don’t want to mount them horizontally because they can leak. Been there, done that.
I also had intermittent ignition trouble with a bad crip connection on the negative side of the old stock horseshoe connector. If yours is cracked or looks sketchy it’s a cheap part and easy to replace.
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/ECHIC21
Also, my stock coil was epoxy filled and horizontally mounted but all the new coils are oil filled... and you don’t want to mount them horizontally because they can leak. Been there, done that.
I also had intermittent ignition trouble with a bad crip connection on the negative side of the old stock horseshoe connector. If yours is cracked or looks sketchy it’s a cheap part and easy to replace.
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Thanks for the reply and input. The Accel 8140 came up as a stock replacement since it did have 1.4ohms in resistance and 42,000v of juice. (https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b...l/8140/2473952)
I hope this coil works well, and should be an improvement over the cheapo deal that’s in there now.
I hope this coil works well, and should be an improvement over the cheapo deal that’s in there now.
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Another question: how imperitive is it that I use a “horseshoe” type connector. My truck does not have one and never has since I bought it. The previous owner just wired the new one into place with eyelet terminals and crimps.
Post Fiend
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From: St Albert, Alberta
As for decent quality coils Delphi or Airtex/Wells. All of NAPA's Echlin Parts are made by Standard (SMP) NAPA's stuff is not bad but there is better on the market. Standard's equipment seems to be of better quality than Echlin stuff I think NAPA has been pushing SMP to build their Echlin branded stuff as cheap as possible . I have gotten Echlin stuff made in China and then SMP stuff made in the US and there is a difference. The most recent ust this past weekend. It was an ABS sensor they were absolutely identical in terms of manufacture, component shape, assembly, casting lines, etc but the fit and finish and quality of materials used, rubber wire ect on the Standard part was much better.
Airtex was/is an OEM supplier to Ford (fuel pumps, now fuel pumps and electrical). And so was Wells (electrical components) They are now Airtex/Wells and are still an OEM supplier to Ford. The factory Ford coil in your truck was likely made by Wells in the first place... So might as well replace with it the same.
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Thanks all for the input/help. So far, the Accel coil is working really well. However, I still had quite of bit of pre-detonation in 1/4-1/2 throttle moments. Rechecked initial timing, still good at 10 BTDC. After reading several forum posts and a few Mustang/Ford Muscle articles, I concluded I had TOO much vacuum advance. Thus following instructions from said articles, I adjusted the spring tension set screw that is inside the nipple going into the vacuum advance diaphragm. I ended up backing the set screw out (1/8th inch Allen) 7 full turns, and man what a difference. My truck gets up and goes now, with little to no pinging. I may still back it out a quarter to half turn and see if that hurts/helps performance at all cause I am getting some very very minor pinging sometimes. The previous owner (or whoever) had adjusted the spring tension set screw all the way in! Thus I was getting full sensitivity on the vacuum advance canister. Hope to see mileage and performance continue to improve the more kinks I get worked out of this truck.
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