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Old Nov 2, 2004 | 06:46 PM
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Question Help With TFI ignition

Hi ALL!!!!

Ok here goes, My truck is an '84 ford f-150 4x4 with a 351w. This summer i built a pretty healthy motor for it ie.(408 stroker, 292 comp cam, AFR heads, edelbrock performer rpm manifold, edelbrock 750 carb). The beast rips!!!! The problem i'm having lies in the ignition. It is a TFI equiped truck and did have a feedback carb(last year of carb 2bbl and first of TFI on 351's). At 5000 prms it seems to have a rev limiter and cuts out, and my question is whether it is in the distributor, or in the computer. I really like the TFI and it's simplicity and am hoping it is the distributor because MSD now makes a plug and play replacement for 351w's with distributor mounted modules. Anyone know?
 
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Old Nov 3, 2004 | 12:27 AM
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If it had a computer, it probably does not have a vacuum connection on the distributor correct? If it has no vacuum advance, it also does not have any advance weights in the dist to advance the timing. The original computer did all the timing control. And it made the timing decisions by what all the sensors told it, which are probably all gone now with the new engine.

So you need to find a dist with the vaccum advance on it. An older Ford duraspark II and it's fender mounted electronic box will work. An aftermarket dist will work and be easy to tune if you can afford it. You could even put a points distributor in it. You could leave the points, or convert it to a pertronix system which would get rid of the points themselves.
 
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Old Nov 8, 2004 | 04:06 PM
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Yea I could but the only thing is i would have to completely re-wire my whole enging because of the computer controlled TFI. I really do like this setup because of its stand alonbe ignition. Is it possible if the rev limiter is in the computer that i could have the computer re-burned?

Thanks
 
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Old Nov 8, 2004 | 11:12 PM
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If you are looking for performance, I would get away from the original system. Your computer cannot compensate for the changes you have made. And the early system you have is not supported very well by the aftermarket. The computer system was designed for a stock engine, and was tuned for a balance of emissions, economy and performance in that order. You will never get the full potiential of your engine with the stock computer system.
 
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