How to make a TFI dizzy for a 200.

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.
 
8)

Many thanks for this.

My 89 Mustang LX already uses a TFI ignition setup so this setup with a 6 cyl module will plug right into the car.

I also PM'd you.

I also am eyeballing a box of parts i bought off Turboford for a 93 Mustang Distributorless ignition system.

There is a dummy shaft with a cam gear to drive oil pump. Im guessing that swap on the inline six gear it woll work in a inline six.

DIY Autotune sells EDIS 36 tooth pickup wheels. Just need to rig a pickup.

Megasquirt II can run TFI and EDIS but not the 89-93 Mustang DIS.

This would give you Distributorless ignition and no distributor on a inline six.
 
8)

Just talked to the guys at Turboford about the TFI module.

They said it is basically a ignition amplifier, it doesnt matter how many cylinders you have. The ECU takes care of how many cylinders you have and tells the TFI module when to fire.

So, it seems the TFI distributor has a working module you can use it.
 
8)

It seems when Ford went to ECU computers for fuel injection it went to TFI as part of the computers interface to control the ignition system.

Duraspark II used a "analog" signal and TFI uses a "digital" signal.

The TFI sends signals about the ignition to the ECU which processes the data and sends the data to the coil which sparks. The ECU also controls timing.

It was also the subject of a Class Action lawsuit involving 23 million Ford vehicles.

The advantage of TFI is that it more or less speaks the computers language where Duraspark was never designed to.

The TFI coils are also supposed to be higher output and the timing is now adjusted in the computer.

With a Megasquirt II and TFI you have full control over the ignition system to set timing and events from inside the car.
 
you can also convert it to a remote TFI pretty easy. I grabebd a remote TFI setup off a newer 3.8L t-Bird. pretty much just a small harness and the pickup in the dizzy has a pigtail on it. goes into the same housing with minimal mods (I think you need to cut/file a notch for the wires)

I have the CFI ECU (bought the whole setup for $40...ecu, cfi, and harness) so figured I would give the ECU a shot first (not even sure if it works) after that it might get MS if it needs drastic tuning (I have all three injector sizes and converted the CFI unit to a remote regulator which should allow fo rsome tuning)
 
Like you I am involved in turbo 2.3L cars and have a 88 turbo coupe TFI distributor I ahve to go pick up from friends house where 2.3L is.
 
8)

OK picked up my 1987 2.3L TFI distributor.

Found my old 3.3L distributorand compared the two.

They look nothing alike.

Seems I will need to find a 6 cylinder "window" type staped steel reluctor.

I cant imagine the base plate and 6 finger wheel fitting into the 4cyl housing.
 
Well I have been using a TFI coil since I did the DSII conversion. Basically the TFI distributor mod is more of a megasquirt and spark interface upgrade, than an ignition upgrade? So an ecu and TFI module are required For this to work?
 
Yes.

Megasquirt II can control spark and timing and can run TFI and EDIS.

My reason for using it is that I can now plug my TFI dizzy for the 3.3L and plug it directly into my 89 Mustang convertible's ignition harness which came with TFI.

I also have a Ford EEC IV to Megasquirt adapter that goes in the stock EEC IV housing. It has the stock Ford EEC IV wiring harness plug on one end to plug into the stock harness.

The other side has a data cable that runs out the EEC IV's access port to the Megasquirt.

For me I retain literally all of the stock wiring harness. Only thing I will have to add is the fuel injector harness.

I have not found any data regarding running Duraspark II with a Megasquirt system.

I guess you could run Megasquirt I which does not have ignition control and keep the Duraspark Ignition separate.
 
you can run it without a computer but you get no timing control.

Grabbed a spare dizzy I had around and might be uilding a second TFI dizzy.
 
There are some hall sensor style distributors that use a second shutter wheel and sensor to determine cam position, but normally there is a hall sensor reading the cam directly. Unless you are trying to time a sequential event, cam position is usually not necessary.
 
won't do cam position but will allow a sequential fire system to be done.


I moved some junk this weekend so I will try and get some pics up in the next couple of days on the swap....
 
Xflow how much would you charge me for a 200 tfi convesrsion, if your interested in making one for me, give Mike a call and get my phone #.
 
$10 plus shipping but you need to supply ALL of the parts.

I work 50+ hours a week so I just can't supply the parts myself (I live in a rural location so a trip to a u-pull is not across town....it is an hour drive)
 
I used a 88 2.3L turbo distributor housing, a rotating armature out of a Taurus with a 3.0L V6.

You can use the distributor gear off your inline six distributor but I went ahead and ordered a Classic Inline's hardened distributor gear.

Megasquirt II will run TFI and EDIS ignitions.
 
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