I have a 1986 F150 4x4 with the 300 Inline 6 cyl. This truck is used on the farm only and over the years I have removed/modified most of the computer controlled systems to help in ease of maintenance. The last item I would like to replace is the stock distributor with the electronic computer timing advance. I would like to swap in a regular vacuum advanced point type unit.
What do you recommend for the swap? Do I need to change out the coil also? Are there any other hidden items that need to be part of the package?
I appreciate any information you can send my way.

BigMac

 

I did the same swap on my 84 F150, 300 I-6. The wiring in the truck had been pretty much butchered by the previous owner, and the 302 I pulled out had a standard breaker point ignition system in it. I was in a hurry to get it running, so I pulled a distributor out of a 67 240 I-6 sitting out in my "junkpile". It bolted right in. I had also used the coil off of the older engine as well. Also bought plugs for the older engine because I figured the breaker point didn't run as hot of a spark, I could be wrong about that though.

I plan to pull this out eventually and go back to electronic. Before I would swap totally back to points (I only did this because I had everything there handy to do it already) I'd go back to an older distributor with electronic and vacuum advance. Breaker point ignition can't touch the reliability and performance of electronic ignition systems. There can't be anything easier to take care of if you are looking for ease of maintenance. Of course, I'm sure at one time or another every long time Ford owner suffered the inconvenience of a "dead" ignition module, but for $25 it's cheap insurance to carry an extra one behind the seat. Heck, I paid $22 for the last set of points I replaced in my Jeep CJ! Couple of my buddies have gone so far as to mount an extra module under the hood for just that emergency! Can't get any easier than that!