Have a 87 E-150 extended with a 300i6 EFI with over 330k miles on it, Everything runs great on the van but the TFI module ,the electrical box on the side of the distributer, has a loose connection, what it seems to do is after driving it around it will be fine until the engine starts to warm up get about 3 miles in until it flickers on and off, it shuts off the fuel pump when it flickers on and off cuasing the van to stouter and eventually kills off the van. Pull over to the side of the road turn the key and nothing ( New battery and terminals and the alternators perfect) pull motor cover off wiggle the wires connecting to the TFI, turn the key and it starts up wont do it for rest of the trip, did this today 3 miles in TFI flickerd wiggled wires and went another 50 miles to work without a single problem. What could this be this is the 3rd or 4th TFI in the van It does what it suppose to do it seems like a bad connection really makes no sense, someone help me out Im sure theres been others here with the same problem, and if it helps this just occured after we had some work done to the van had some new seals put in, I think in the process a wire was tugged the wrong way by accident, Tell me what u think, thanks.

 

it's pretty easy to see if a wire is loose in the connector. Pull it off the TFI module, and wiggle them in all directions. Also check for breaks in the insulation.

 

> the electrical box on the side of the distributer, has a loose connection

Though there was a TBS on bad connectors, I believe your problem is the TFI module went bad. They go bad for no reason at all sometimes, though I think heat is the biggest killer of them. Get a Wells from Autozone. No difference between the expensive brands and the cheap Wells.

 

Sorry, but that is totally false. The Wells is made by WELLS, the rest, including the dealer part, are made by STANDARD which is a much higher quality part. I've had WAAAAAY too many wells parts that were bad right out of the box.

 

We got a new alternator the guy at autozone is retarded it was bad, and guess what the TFI doesent flicker the alternator was completley dead and the van was running off of the battery alone and I guess the TFI was shorting out becuase of a lack off charge, idk but it works now and thats all that matters to me.

 

I'd pull the connector and look very closely at the connector contacts. sometimes they will spread out and not make a very tight connection.
If this is what happened, I'd just go to a junk yard, cut one out of a vehicle making the wires a long as possible, inspect it, and splice it into the existing harness. cheap fix.

 

I believe you can buy a new plug with wires attached rather than using a worn out junkyard piece. Put it on with crimp connectors and shrink fit. A little silicon RTV sealer inside of the shrink fit will insure a watertight seal.

 

sure he can buy a new one, but if he is interested in keeping the period era authentic look, then he should use a used piece.

 

Yeah are you guys talking about the coil on the TFI, I might just try replacing the coil before the TFI itself, and is it really necessary to take out the distributor to replace the TFI module? I was told if u just put it on with the distributor still in youll crack the porsilon plate on the TFI module, idk whats the best way?