Should I go TFI or Duraspark?

[Anlushac11]

My 3.3L shortblock is done and head is out getting ported. I am almost ready to drop the engine into the car which brings me to my next question.

As I see it I have two choices.

The car is already wired for a TFI ignition. The engine is a 200 inline six with log head and T3 turbo blowing through a 350cfm Holley 2bbl carb.

1) I have a 2.3L OHC TFI distributor converted to six cylinder reluctor wheel. I jsut need to remove 2.3L distributor gear and mount a inline six distributor gear in correct location on the shaft. I could then use a 300 Inline six EEC IV ECU and use something like Quarterhorse to control ignition. The 200 and 300 both are inline sixes and have same firing order.

2) I have found a number of people who removed TFI and installed a Duaraspark II. The Duaraspark II setup would have been original for the 200 inline six and from what I have read is pretty easy to wire up.

Can anyone contribute pros and cons here?

Seems like Duraspark II would be easy to setup but I am not educated on how it would work with a turbo. It is also my understanding that adjusting timing on the Duraspark has to be done in the Distributor by adjusting total advance and weights and has to be recurved.

Does TFI have any ability to retard timing with boost?

It is my understanding that with Quarterhorse and EEC IV TFI I can set all the parameters with my laptop.

Not sure which way to go here. I would still need to purchase the EEC IV computer and Quarterhorse or if I go Duraspark II I will still need spark box and Duraspark distributor.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks,

Mark

 

[JackFish]

I don't have much to offer you, but I was wondering about the distributor.
I looked at one from a 4 cylinder and it appeared that the shaft was shorter.
Have you noticed a difference? Would it be an issue?

 

[bubba22349]

If it’s in your budget the TFI ignition would be the way to go so you can tune with your laptop and quickly change the tune. If not you can make the DSII work very well is simple system and with an MSD control you can still dial in a timing retard as needed with the boost

 

[Anlushac11]

The distributor shaft on the 2.3L does not reach as far down into the 200 block but the oil pump driveshaft reaches with no problem.

 

[CobraSix]

Why not get ride of the shaft driven dizzy all together. The ford EDIS systems are great. Just buy a Mega Jolt system, get an EDIS system from a 90s 6 cylinder Ford (like an explorer), put a block plate on the dizzy hole with a shaft bearing.

Thats the route I'm going to go with my ignition anyways. I've heard too many complaints about the TFI system from the 5.0 guys to make me want to go that route.

 

[Anlushac11]

I would love to run EDIS but its more money than I can afford to spend at this time.

I already have a 2.3L OHC distributor that just needs the 200 drive gear mounted and the gear retaining pin hole drilled. Car is wired for EEC IV/TFI so its just a matter of spending $35 for ECU from Pick-n-pull and a EEC IV tuner like Quaterhorse.

The only problem is I do not know enough about EEC IV ECU's to know if it supports retarding timing with boost.

I know with Duraspark II system I can get a MSD box that pulls timing with boost but I would need to buy MSD box. I might have a Duraspark II distributor from my 80 Mustang inline six...

 

[CobraSix]

True.

I'm running with the digital 6 plus right now from MSD. It has a boost retard function built it, since that was the direction I was going when I bought the unit. However, my plans now call for MPFI and boost, so I'm likely to go with the MegaSquirt and EDIS set up. I was just hoping to get you on the hook for EDIS so I could learn from your mistakes!

 

[Anlushac11]

I have a DIS dummy shaft that goes in the distributor to drive oilpump from a 91 2.3L OHC. I was betting I could install the 200 distributor gear on it. Would just need the 35-1 wheel from diyautotune.com and a bracket to mount the hall sensor on and wire it up.

EDIT:

Looks like I can use this: http://www.jegs.com/i/MSD-Ignition/121/ ... tId=747792

to plug my TFI distributor into this: http://www.jegs.com/i/MSD-Ignition/121/ ... tId=747792

It is a TFI to MSD 6 harness that allows me to run a TFI distributor with a MSD box. The MSD box in question allows me adjustable control from in car over how much timing to pull per lb of boost up to 15deg total.

EDIT EDIT: I found my Duraspark II distributor