Fox TFI module - 93 5.0 with AOD

C

Crigano

Member
Mar 27, 2022
96
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18
Westchester NY
#1
Hi folks. My 93 lx 5.0 needs a new TFI module. I’m searching around I only see motor craft making one for ‘manual’ transmissions. I have an automatic.

Does this matter? I’ve read the performance ones really don’t do much and my car is mostly stock exhaust for high flow cats, cat back exhaust and air filter.

Thanks for the help!
 

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#3
There's only one motorcraft part number.

DY1284


I wonder if the myth revolves around the "push-start" moniker, which has nothing to do with being able to push-start a vehicle.
 
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#5
These days, nothing they consolidated the parts years ago when they went to newer electronics inside them, Motor craft is the same inside as SMP lx218 non t series, the cheap t series has single leads vs being doubled up on the motor craft and normal line. They are cheaper at a parts store and lifetime warranty if they carry standard motor products, buy that as a spare if you need to have the same part but with the motorcraft part number etched on the cover. Years ago... Late 90's early 2k ish, they had the lx218 as manual and lx223 as auto and motorcraft had 2 part numbers for the way they controlled the spark dwell signal to the coil, both where grey modules, but even 10-15yr old dead stock I bought of them are the same inside..



What I suggest when you kill a tfi these days is replace the pip, tfi and coil. Most cars that start eating them repeatedly are not heat failures, there circuit overload from either wiring issues with chafed wires, a dying coil overloading the circuit or a pip that is failing. I just keep stock distributors, rebuild with a new pip, tfi and new coil roll spings, and a couple coils on hand. all my cars have been getting blue streak FD478 made Poland coils, smp lx222 ignition pick ups with lx218 tfi's. The motorcaft stuff is obsolete for pickups for these cars and most coils they sell for them these days suck.
 
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#7
Same part last I saw... Smp supplies the majority of the parts stores house brands, they bought up all most all of the competing companies over the years. Like I said the majority of failures are not the tfi's fault, think of them as a fuse, a coil with a bad winding, a pip not signaling correctly all will burn them out in short time...


Smp is the only tfi that uses that style cover, now is Napa reboxing the lx218 or the cheaper with less quality leads 218t have to pull the cover to see..

Electrical - What's inside a TFI module? (Gut pictures inside)

This is just for the curious like me that have wondered what's inside a TFI module and to see if there are any differences between manufactures. I have 6 TFI modules sitting on my workbench. Why do I have so many? I was chasing a distributor issue that turned out to be that my stock...
stangnet.com stangnet.com
 
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#8
rednotch said:
Same part last I saw... Smp supplies the majority of the parts stores house brands, they bought up all most all of the competing companies over the years. Like I said the majority of failures are not the tfi's fault, think of them as a fuse, a coil with a bad winding, a pip not signaling correctly all will burn them out in short time...


Smp is the only tfi that uses that style cover, now is Napa reboxing the lx218 or the cheaper with less quality leads 218t have to pull the cover to see..

Electrical - What's inside a TFI module? (Gut pictures inside)

This is just for the curious like me that have wondered what's inside a TFI module and to see if there are any differences between manufactures. I have 6 TFI modules sitting on my workbench. Why do I have so many? I was chasing a distributor issue that turned out to be that my stock...
stangnet.com stangnet.com
Click to expand...
So, which one do you recommend? Or are you saying it really doesn’t matter and that they’re all the same?
 
#9
rednotch said:
Same part last I saw... Smp supplies the majority of the parts stores house brands, they bought up all most all of the competing companies over the years. Like I said the majority of failures are not the tfi's fault, think of them as a fuse, a coil with a bad winding, a pip not signaling correctly all will burn them out in short time...


Smp is the only tfi that uses that style cover, now is Napa reboxing the lx218 or the cheaper with less quality leads 218t have to pull the cover to see..

Electrical - What's inside a TFI module? (Gut pictures inside)

This is just for the curious like me that have wondered what's inside a TFI module and to see if there are any differences between manufactures. I have 6 TFI modules sitting on my workbench. Why do I have so many? I was chasing a distributor issue that turned out to be that my stock...
stangnet.com stangnet.com
Click to expand...
Interesting read btw
 
#11
Crigano said:
So, which one do you recommend? Or are you saying it really doesn’t matter and that they’re all the same?
Click to expand...
I've been using the standard parts, the non t series. Lx218 for tfi, lx222 for pip, fd478 for coil which is still blue streak made in poland. If you have an oreillys buy it all threw them and thier lifetime warranty. I only have AutoZone and advance, they change house brand suppliers any time they can find it cheaper.
 
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#12
rednotch said:
I've been using the standard parts, the non t series. Lx218 for tfi, lx222 for pip, fd478 for coil which is still blue streak made in poland. If you have an oreillys buy it all threw them and thier lifetime warranty. I only have AutoZone and advance, they change house brand suppliers any time they can find it cheaper.
Click to expand...
Thank you! Will look into buying through oreily
 
#13
Crigano said:
Thank you! Will look into buying through oreily
Click to expand...
You'll notice I said I had bad luck with them in The past in the old post, that was on cars I bought that had Issues eating tfi's, most where wiring issues or cheap coils on them, issues that would kill most tfi's available these days. I started replacing all three parts and fixing the wiring. after I started stock piling old inventory. I haven't had any issues since. But I still like to have a spare distributor rebuilt ready to go since I had so many of those problem cars over the years and threads still pop up often about issues with them.
 
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#14
rednotch said:
You'll notice I said I had bad luck with them in The past in the old post, that was on cars I bought that had Issues eating tfi's, most where wiring issues or cheap coils on them, issues that would kill most tfi's available these days. I started replacing all three parts and fixing the wiring. after I started stock piling old inventory. I haven't had any issues since. But I still like to have a spare distributor rebuilt ready to go since I had so many of those problem cars over the years and threads still pop up often about issues with them.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I had a stock coil, changed to and msd and the problem started. Put the stock one back in and it was ok, no misfires. Had the msd coil replaced , installed it again and my misfire issue started happening again. Put the stock coil back in and now it’s still happening. I’ve also replaced the cap rotor wires and plugs (gaped to 0.055) and still no luck. This is the next step in my troubleshooting. Looks like national parts direct has motorcraft tfi’s .
 
#15
msd coil probaly cooked the tfi and left it with a bad trace connection, avoid china e coil's. There windings are trash. why I just use smp vs motor craft, better warranty pretty much identical parts since they have the current contract for ford... Everyone can get the newest motor craft tfi, but you if you can buy local under smp with a better warranty and walk in replacements vs mail order, its the better option.. Heres the current motorcrafts coil... Notice made in poland, thats because its from smp where they make the blue streak line. only different motorcaft has a tin coated terminal vs brass, lesser warranty and higher price. Only du30c pick ups are obsolete from ford so smp lx222 for those. These cars are getting old, gotta find electronics you can still trust.
71c7qUVRVHL.jpg
 
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#16
rednotch said:
msd coil probaly cooked the tfi and left it with a bad trace connection, avoid china e coil's. There windings are trash. why I just use smp vs motor craft, better warranty pretty much identical parts since they have the current contract for ford... Everyone can get the newest motor craft tfi, but you if you can buy local under smp with a better warranty and walk in replacements vs mail order, its the better option.. Heres the current motorcrafts coil... Notice made in poland, thats because its from smp where they make the blue streak line. only different motorcaft has a tin coated terminal vs brass, lesser warranty and higher price. Only du30c pick ups are obsolete from ford so smp lx222 for those. These cars are getting old, gotta find electronics you can still trust.
71c7qUVRVHL.jpg
Click to expand...
Agreed . I’m sending back the msd coil and buying a motorcraft. Appreciate the replies and the information you’ve shared. Thank you!
 
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