ok since my comments have been lost over time on the web I figured I would do a write up (might wanna print this out)
OK Parts needed
1. 2.3 OHC TFI distributor.
2. 200 distributor gear.
3. 6cyl distributor cap.
4. reluctor wheel.
Tools used.
1. Drill motor and bit.
2. Hammer and Punch
3. Means to remove and install drive gear (I used a v-block and hammer method)
4. sockets, wrenches, screwdrivers.
DISTRIBUTOR Any EFI 2.3L has a distributor that will work. I even had a pair of 86 carbed 2.3L's that had them. TFI came out in 83. I think in 84 the carbed cars were still DS so 85/86 is when they first came out on a cabred motor. All the 83-89 turbo cars have one that will work. a 2.3HSC one might work but I have no clue on the shaft size of it.
RELUCTOR WHEEL Fancy name for what it is. under the cap of the TFI there is a stamped steel "cap" with windows in it for the dissy pickup. serves the same purpose as the "star" in a duraspark. it is held on with two little sheet metal screws. They can be a pain to get loose some times. Look for a donor with a cap still on it or has been kept dry. There are two types of these. The first I know of for sure was used on the CFI cars. These cars had even spaced windows on the wheel. This will work on batch fire setups (like the CFI) This one is a bolt on for the 2.3L wheel since it is also batch fire. The second is used on the newer 3.8,3.0 motors and maybe the 2.8? 2.9? motors. This one has uneven spacing of the windows. Easily seen by the one narrow "tooth" This one can be made to work but takes soem fabbing. one will notice the top of the wheel has some slots. These slots mate with tabs on top of the dissy shaft. Bath fire and sequencal fire tabs are different. One could just file/grind/drill/weld/epoxy it to work.
DRIVE GEAR Do I need to explain this? both shafts are the same size so no worrys.
Alright so you hit the junkyard and grabbed some parts....
step 1
Clean it all up. just anything that needs it to make it easy.
Step 2 Remove the old gear.
First you will need to remove the roll pin from teh gear. This can be done with a hammer and punch. Next the best way is to press it off. sometime a local shop can do this for a couple bucks or even free. This is the safest to ensure you don't damage the shaft.
Step 3 Install the 200 gear.
Just the reverse of removal ALA Chilton style....hehehe
when you press on the new gear make sure to clock the pin hole 90 degrees. You just press it on until you have the proper amount of clearance (.020"?) so it won't bind in use. don't try to line up the holes as it is a total pain (they also won't) it is recommended to rotate 90 degrees so you will drill the new hole to intersect the old one. once pressed together drill a new hole for the roll pin (my new gear came with one)
Step 4. The top side.
this part is easy. remove the two screws for the reluctor wheel. if you are doing a batch fire simply bolt on the new wheel. if going the tough way then do what you need to get the wheel sitting flush on the end of the shaft like the old one was. next simply install a 6cyl cap. ALL 6cyl TFI caps are the same some ahythign will work if it was EFI and has a cap. The rotors between a 4cyl and 6cyl are the same (some are even molded sayign so)
once it is all together just drop it in and time the motor as normal. you will need to handle the coil and TFI wiring to get it running. IF you are not running EFI the tfi will wire up with about as much effort as a duraspark or maybe even less. if you are hooking up the start retard wire make sure it DOES NOT SEE POWER IN RUNNING!!! I had a friend that had a car wired this was and it will give a retard at all times (not a flat 10 degrees but an INSANE curve.....like 40 degrees at 2000rpm) it will run but not drive anywheres.
I know there is some missing here (like my pics and the wiring info) I just moved to a new house and some of my parts are in storage still to help illustrate this. A little digging and you can find the TFI wiring info.
So if you are running batch fire this is pretty much a bolt together deal (just drill the one pin hole) either route does not require custom machining or parts. everything is 100% Ford bits.
turboford.org has a classifieds section that cna turn up dissy's as will most junkyards.
OK Parts needed
1. 2.3 OHC TFI distributor.
2. 200 distributor gear.
3. 6cyl distributor cap.
4. reluctor wheel.
Tools used.
1. Drill motor and bit.
2. Hammer and Punch
3. Means to remove and install drive gear (I used a v-block and hammer method)
4. sockets, wrenches, screwdrivers.
DISTRIBUTOR Any EFI 2.3L has a distributor that will work. I even had a pair of 86 carbed 2.3L's that had them. TFI came out in 83. I think in 84 the carbed cars were still DS so 85/86 is when they first came out on a cabred motor. All the 83-89 turbo cars have one that will work. a 2.3HSC one might work but I have no clue on the shaft size of it.
RELUCTOR WHEEL Fancy name for what it is. under the cap of the TFI there is a stamped steel "cap" with windows in it for the dissy pickup. serves the same purpose as the "star" in a duraspark. it is held on with two little sheet metal screws. They can be a pain to get loose some times. Look for a donor with a cap still on it or has been kept dry. There are two types of these. The first I know of for sure was used on the CFI cars. These cars had even spaced windows on the wheel. This will work on batch fire setups (like the CFI) This one is a bolt on for the 2.3L wheel since it is also batch fire. The second is used on the newer 3.8,3.0 motors and maybe the 2.8? 2.9? motors. This one has uneven spacing of the windows. Easily seen by the one narrow "tooth" This one can be made to work but takes soem fabbing. one will notice the top of the wheel has some slots. These slots mate with tabs on top of the dissy shaft. Bath fire and sequencal fire tabs are different. One could just file/grind/drill/weld/epoxy it to work.
DRIVE GEAR Do I need to explain this? both shafts are the same size so no worrys.
Alright so you hit the junkyard and grabbed some parts....
step 1
Clean it all up. just anything that needs it to make it easy.
Step 2 Remove the old gear.
First you will need to remove the roll pin from teh gear. This can be done with a hammer and punch. Next the best way is to press it off. sometime a local shop can do this for a couple bucks or even free. This is the safest to ensure you don't damage the shaft.
Step 3 Install the 200 gear.
Just the reverse of removal ALA Chilton style....hehehe
when you press on the new gear make sure to clock the pin hole 90 degrees. You just press it on until you have the proper amount of clearance (.020"?) so it won't bind in use. don't try to line up the holes as it is a total pain (they also won't) it is recommended to rotate 90 degrees so you will drill the new hole to intersect the old one. once pressed together drill a new hole for the roll pin (my new gear came with one)
Step 4. The top side.
this part is easy. remove the two screws for the reluctor wheel. if you are doing a batch fire simply bolt on the new wheel. if going the tough way then do what you need to get the wheel sitting flush on the end of the shaft like the old one was. next simply install a 6cyl cap. ALL 6cyl TFI caps are the same some ahythign will work if it was EFI and has a cap. The rotors between a 4cyl and 6cyl are the same (some are even molded sayign so)
once it is all together just drop it in and time the motor as normal. you will need to handle the coil and TFI wiring to get it running. IF you are not running EFI the tfi will wire up with about as much effort as a duraspark or maybe even less. if you are hooking up the start retard wire make sure it DOES NOT SEE POWER IN RUNNING!!! I had a friend that had a car wired this was and it will give a retard at all times (not a flat 10 degrees but an INSANE curve.....like 40 degrees at 2000rpm) it will run but not drive anywheres.
I know there is some missing here (like my pics and the wiring info) I just moved to a new house and some of my parts are in storage still to help illustrate this. A little digging and you can find the TFI wiring info.
So if you are running batch fire this is pretty much a bolt together deal (just drill the one pin hole) either route does not require custom machining or parts. everything is 100% Ford bits.
turboford.org has a classifieds section that cna turn up dissy's as will most junkyards.