Mike, the E-coil was used when Ford switched to TFI around '88 or so. Find a Ford with a V8 of that era and it will most likely have the E-coil.

 

Thanks Putt, I was planning on going "shopping" at lunch time today.

--Mike

 

Hey Jim:
Does a "square-ish" coil out of a 84 sound about like the unit I am after??? Looks very similar to another manufaturer early 90's coil.
--Mike

 

Hi Mike I'm not sure what it looks like. I'm really new to this and I don't know much about it. Putt sounds like he knows what he is talking about maybe he could help us. Jim

 

i have a 66 f100 sporting a healthy 390...and started out with problem after problem with ignition. i called Davis Unified Ignition ,talked to a very helpful person.they will ask you what engine,cam,carb,trans,gear-ratio etc. and they setup a drop in,one wire wonder that gives you so much extra spark you can open up your spark-plug gap.easy start,smooth,stong....and on.a true HEI that you get parts at any hi-po and most parts houses. look in the magazines for the ads for D.U.I.,call them,get one of their nice catalogs and make up your own mind...i love mine,and no trouble since i dropped it in..4?years ago...their wires are abit expensive,i tried them and i like the Moroso wires i have now better,just my opinion...good luck

 

Yes, Mike the square type coil is the E-core. As long as it isn't the old canister shaped oil filled coil, it is the E-core. Reference book shows some '84's and most '85 and newer Fords had them. Sorry about the years listed earlier. If it does not have the old Duraspark module then it has the proper coil.

I forgot to check this recently, hopefully you have found one?

 

Hey Seetwisted, that sounds like its something I need to check into. Thanks for your time and input - Jim

 

Jim P-Not too late, I figured that it had to be the unit next in the progression of the ignition systems so went ahead and grabbed the coil when I had the chance. Just out of curriosity now, becasue I have not had two seconds to inspect it, which of the two wires go where????

--Mike

 

Ha! i'm in LV too. one of the guys at the speed shop tried to explain to me that "hei" was a gm thing...i am a lot happy with the "little" bit of GM on my FORD and ford had the sense to put it where you can work on it...

 

"HEI" is a GM term and style where the "TFI" is Ford's similar item, much like the step-side or flare-side/style-side fleet-side dilema

--Mike

 

"HEI" is a GM term and style where the "TFI" is Ford's similar item, much like the step-side or flare-side/style-side fleet-side dilema

--Mike

Thanks Mike. I think I should have used the term "electronic ignition" instead of HEI because that is really what I wanted to know about. I thought they were one and the same. I really learned a lot form all of the comments every one has contributed, I just need to figure out which way to go from here.

 

Hello I have a 1965 with a 69 302.
It came out of a 80 step side.
The problem is trying to get the hei work I cannot seem to get the wiring right? Any thoughts maybe a wiring diagram?
Thanks

 

If it is a good ignition you want, and you plan to do it with some sort of conversion, the first thing you need to do is have the distributor rebuilt so that everything is up to spec. When that is done, the points are very hard to beat, as a cost / benefit. Then make sure the engine is tuned properly. No electronic conversion will fix carb problems or sloppy advance weights and a poor timing curve, etc. After the distributor is up to snuff and the engine is tuned, pick a conversion.

I'll tell you from my own experience that a Pertronix 2 with the Flamethrower 2 coil had no improvement that I could notice over the points when the distributor is in proper shape and the engine is in good tune. It only made my wallet lighter. By the way, Pertronix 2 is suppose to have key on protection, well, I left the key on and it failed.

The next is a Duraspark based ignition from Performance Distributors, distributor, wires, coil, ignition box, the whole 9. That did produce a difference at low rpm, like idle to 2000. Otherwise I didn't notice any change in the way it felt. I can't comment on fuel mileage with that system because I also changed the carburetor before I had a chance to check so I don't know how much of that change came from the ignition.

What is also true is that I did no dyno testing or back to back drag strip passes to quantify the change. But on the street, most of us are concerned with fuel economy, and feel and that is what I base my comments on.

So my line of thought is if you want to notice some difference, you need to spend $$$ on some system that uses an external box. If you simply don't want to change points, Pertronix 1 will work.

For what it's worth, I've been using the Performance Distributors system for several years now on my daily driver, even in the hot Atlanta summers, and two trips to the Y-Block Shootout in Ohio (driven, not trailered) without a single problem.

 

My dizzy was shot so I bought a true HEI from CRT Performance.

 

We are running CRT Performance HEI Dizzys on both our trucks; one is a Windsor and the other is an FE. I know they are imports, but each less than a Franklin and they have worked great.