Warning: Tfi Control Module Monkey Business

DuderMcMerican · Jun 21, 2016

jrichker said:
The repair harness fits multiple Ford vehicles; some have more that 1 connection to the green wire....

Oh okay. Thanks!

DuderMcMerican · Jun 28, 2016

FYSA: When you google shop, the modules with motorcraft logo are slim pickens. CJ Pony parts lists em for like $180, but if you go directly to the Ford parts website, they are listed for $80:

http://www.fordparts.com/Commerce/CatalogResults.aspx?y=1990&m=Ford&mo=Mustang#Search

There's no pic to verify, but seeins how it's Ford's site, i'd be surprised if they'd send one of the bunk generic-looking units.

Also, if you have an '87-'93 AOD, someone on ebay has a NOS branded unit listed for $16:

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5335821607&icep_item=172226218078

mikestang63 · Jun 28, 2016

DuderMcMerican said:
FYSA: When you google shop, the modules with motorcraft logo are slim pickens. CJ Pony parts lists em for like $180, but if you go directly to the Ford parts website, they are listed for $80:

http://www.fordparts.com/Commerce/CatalogResults.aspx?y=1990&m=Ford&mo=Mustang#Search

There's no pic to verify, but seeins how it's Ford's site, i'd be surprised if they'd send one of the bunk generic-looking units.

Also, if you have an '87-'93 AOD, someone on ebay has a NOS branded unit listed for $16:

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5335821607&icep_item=172226218078

Thanks man. Bought that f'er from Ebay for $16.99... Always good to have a spare TFI and this one is a genuine Ford piece.

Mustang5L5 · Jun 28, 2016

I guess I'm lucky in the sense that I'm still running my original TFI. It original in the sense that I got the car in ~1997 with under 50k miles and haven't touched it ever.

Back in the late 90s early 2000s I junkyard dove a bit, and any time I came across a 5.0, I took the TFI. Prob had a dozen or so, And over the years they've trickled off onto friends cars here and there.

I kept only one spare (kicking myself now) that I keep in the glovebox along with the TFI tool and thermal grease.

Here's the original unit still kicking

I never paid any difference in part number corresponding to transmissions. Is there a difference? Every time I gave my friends one they all ran fine.

Since my AOD car is now a 5-Spd, does it matter?

Sent from my big ass iPhone 6 using Tapatalk

mikestang63 · Jun 28, 2016

From what I remember the AOD TFI supposedly has more dwell.

DuderMcMerican · Jun 28, 2016

mikestang63 said:
Thanks man. Bought that f'er from Ebay for $16.99... Always good to have a spare TFI and this one is a genuine Ford piece.

No prob! Glad to help others on the site as y'all have been so generous and patient in helping me.

DuderMcMerican · Jun 28, 2016

Mustang5L5 said:
.

I kept only one spare (kicking myself now) that I keep in the glovebox along with the TFI tool and thermal grease.

I have read about others also keeping a spare on hand in case their unit peters out, and i will do the same. But i'm curious.. If you get stranded, then how do you know that it's the tfi module that has crapped out and not something else? Like, is there a telltale sign that it's the tfi?

Mustang5L5 · Jun 29, 2016

DuderMcMerican said:
I have read about others also keeping a spare on hand in case their unit peters out, and i will do the same. But i'm curious.. If you get stranded, then how do you know that it's the tfi module that has crapped out and not something else? Like, is there a telltale sign that it's the tfi?

I wouldn't. But if I'm cranking the car and it's not starting up, I would suspect TFI.

However, I was looking at it last night and trying to determine if I could even manage a TFI swap on the side of the road or parking lot. I'd need to loose the dist, pivot it 90*, and then swap the TFI, and then put it back to where it was and hope the timing is correct for a drive back home. PITA for a fix that I'm not even sure is the cure for whatever reason it won't start. Plus I just realized I don't carry the proper wrench to loosen the dist in the car. I should put together a small toolbox and keep it in the hatch with items like this.

I have AAA. Might as well just flatbed it home and do it in my garage where I can properly diagnose it vs doing it in a parking lot, probably sweating my ass off. .

mikestang63 · Jun 29, 2016

Mustang5L5 said:
I wouldn't. But if I'm cranking the car and it's not starting up, I would suspect TFI.

However, I was looking at it last night and trying to determine if I could even manage a TFI swap on the side of the road or parking lot. I'd need to loose the dist, pivot it 90*, and then swap the TFI, and then put it back to where it was and hope the timing is correct for a drive back home. PITA for a fix that I'm not even sure is the cure for whatever reason it won't start. Plus I just realized I don't carry the proper wrench to loosen the dist in the car. I should put together a small toolbox and keep it in the hatch with items like this.

I have AAA. Might as well just flatbed it home and do it in my garage where I can properly diagnose it vs doing it in a parking lot, probably sweating my ass off. .

Mike- take a touch up paint or marker and mark the dist housing and intake to index the position of the distributor, so you can rotate it back to the same position, If it is 10*, the factory lower intake already has a mark to align with a mark already on the stock ford distributor housing.

Mustang5L5 · Jun 29, 2016

Pretty good idea. I have a Cobra lower, so not sure if the mark is there, but I can make one easily for 10 degrees.

I'll just need to pick up a dizy wrench, and then put together a small tool box to keep in the hatch with essential tools I may need out on the road.

stpete · Jun 29, 2016

Since I was having problems, I marked mine with sharpie. 3 or 4 tfi changes later, no worries. I have still shot the timing each time to double check, but it was right on. Spare/tools in the glove compartment. Will probably move to the spare tire compartment eventually.

DuderMcMerican · Jul 1, 2016

mikestang63 said:
Thanks man. Bought that f'er from Ebay for $16.99... Always good to have a spare TFI and this one is a genuine Ford piece.

Hey man. Be sure to have that one you got from ebay tested. I bought three from the guy hoping that at least one would be good (aftter the luck ive been having) and all three failed the resistance AND Autozone tests. At AZ, two failed on threshold and one failed on current and saturation.

I guess it's not altogether surprising that these are garbage seeins how they were only $17 apiece by some rando on ebay. I must say, though, that i was excited when i opened the motorcraft boxes and the parts actually had the motorcraft logo! Oh well. These are going back..

In related news, rockauto now has motorcraft branded units on their site for $131:

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=990336&cc=1133985&jnid=427&jpid=9

mikestang63 · Jul 1, 2016

DuderMcMerican said:
Hey man. Be sure to have that one you got from ebay tested. I bought three from the guy hoping that at least one would be good (aftter the luck ive been having) and all three failed the resistance AND Autozone tests. At AZ, two failed on threshold and one failed on current and saturation.

I guess it's not altogether surprising that these are garbage seeins how they were only $17 apiece by some rando on ebay. I must say, though, that i was excited when i opened the motorcraft boxes and the parts actually had the motorcraft logo! Oh well. These are going back..

In related news, rockauto now has motorcraft branded units on their site for $131:

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=990336&cc=1133985&jnid=427&jpid=9

wait- you bought three TFI's from the guy that are all bad yet posted for others to buy them? Did you return then and let the guy and Ebay know he is selling crap? I will test the one I bought and if bad am sending it right back. In fact I am emailing him now a link to this page.

DuderMcMerican · Jul 2, 2016

mikestang63 said:
wait- you bought three TFI's from the guy that are all bad yet posted for others to buy them? Did you return then and let the guy and Ebay know he is selling crap? I will test the one I bought and if bad am sending it right back. In fact I am emailing him now a link to this page.

Yes, i bought three, but it was after you ordered. I would never have posted the ebay link had i known they would test bad. The reason i didnt order ahead of time was because i thought that the AOD units wouldnt work on my 5speed.

The question on the thread re whether theres a difference between AOD and 5speed units got me to wondering about it, so i did some more research and found that jrichker once said that there is no difference--that the tranny-specific listing is based on a cataloging error (or something like that). That's when i went ahead and ordered em for the five speed. They just arrived yesterday and i teated them immediately, and right afterwards posted the results.

I have also contacted the seller to request a refund.

DuderMcMerican · Jul 6, 2016

Welp, I finally said the heck with it and ordered the $84 TFI module from Ford, himself; wife picked it up at the local dealership yesterday. Whilst opening the box, I thought, "Surely this part directly from Ford will be the 'real deal.' It will be Motorcraft branded." I thought wrong. It was another bunk generic-looking Motorcrap. "Well," I thought, "that sucks, but whatever. I'll pay $84 for the exact same thing that I got from RockAuto for $45 just so long as I FINALLY get one that tests-out." Busted out the 'ole DMM, ran resistance tests, and quickly determined that it's yet another dud. I will take it to AZ after work for more-definitive testing, but I'd bet $100 it will test bad like all of the others.

I'm at a complete loss here: 7/7 new TFI modules arrive DOA... How is that possible? I've racked my brain trying to determine if there's a likely explanation, but I have nothing. Here's what I've ruled out:

1. DMM works fine and has new batteries. Also used analog MM to confirm resistance results.
2. AZ Wells tester works fine; it is capable of passing a unit. It gave a passing grade to my original Motorcraft (branded) unit.
3. There is no disagreement between my resistance tests and AZ's Wells tester. So far, the results are 100% in agreement across 7 modules tested (6 duds plus my original).
4. It's not the brand. The 1st was a Standard T-Series, the 2nd and third were bunk unbranded Motorcrap, the 4th-6th were branded Motorcraft, and the 7th was yet another unbranded Motorcrap (much to my surprise).
5. It's not the vendor. The 1st was from LMR, the 2nd and 3rd from RockAuto, the 4th-6th from some rando on Ebay, and the 7th from Ford, himself.

Going WAY out on a limb here... Could it be possible that the new module needs to be installed and go through a sort of "break-in period" before it will give valid results when tested? I think that this really makes no sense--internal shorts/bad connections don't fix themselves through use--but that's really all I can think of. I guess what makes me think that that's even remotely possible is that it's probably quite uncommon for ppl to have brand new units tested, so maybe the "break-in-before-valid-testing" issue never really comes up?? Then again, the manufacturers claim that they test all units before they leave the factory, so that would rule out my hare-brained "break-in" theory. At any rate, I'm still assuming that it's because of something that I'm missing rather than a widespread conspiracy to sell defective TFI modules to the unsuspecting public...

Does anyone have other theories?

... I'm thinking I'll order a Wells unit from RockAuto and see how that goes. I heard they are pretty well-respected for their ignition parts..

stpete · Jul 6, 2016

If you buy the same part from the dealer or Rock auto, you just pay more at the dealer. I wouldn't expect you would get something different at the dealer.
Have you ever put one on the car? Mine works on the car just fine. I've never tested it any other way. Maybe (probably) the new parts don't test the same.
Why don't you have the dealer test it for you? Maybe they will know if the test has changed for new parts. Get something for your extra $40.

DuderMcMerican · Jul 6, 2016

stpete said:
If you buy the same part from the dealer or Rock auto, you just pay more at the dealer. I wouldn't expect you would get something different at the dealer.

Concur, but I didn't think I'd be getting the same thing from the dealer as from RockAuto. I thought I was going to get the branded one like the one that came original on the car.

stpete said:
Have you ever put one on the car?

I have not--primarily because some (most?) vendors won't accept returns if its been installed. Also, the one currently on the car tests fine.

I have been in the market for a new one so that I can have a working spare and because I plan to soon relocate the TFI module, and I'd like to use a new one when I do that. It sometimes bucks, stalls, and carries on so I'm hoping the relocation will solve that.

stpete said:
Why don't you have the dealer test it for you?

Good idea. I wasn't sure if they'd have the testing equipment at the dealership. That being the case, they'll probably insist on testing it before accepting a return anyway.

stpete said:
Maybe they will know if the test has changed for new parts. .

Now there's a thought. I had done some googling around in search of an explanation, but I'll see if I can dig up something re the test changing.

stpete · Jul 6, 2016

I found some of my old notes cleaning up my office today. I have notes that DY1074 and maybe DY425 are the good old ones and DY1284 and LX218 are the newer generic ones. But, there are several other notes that make me think there are other numbers also. If you go to the dealer or local parts chain and order a DY1074 they will x-ref it to the 1284, sometimes without the counter worker even knowing. Usually the 1074s are the $130-180 ones.
My current one is a 1284. My spare is my old one that sounds similar to yours. I replaced it along with a bunch of other stuff and the car runs much better, but I certainly can't attribute it directly to the tfi as it was one of half a dozen parts replaced.

89oem · Jul 6, 2016

Refer to post 15. People who use him all say its the answer.....

DuderMcMerican · Jul 6, 2016

7th verse same as 1st thru 6th. This time threshold and pip fail. I'll be heading to Ford tomorrow after work to see what they say. Will update.

Warning: Tfi Control Module Monkey Business

DuderMcMerican

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DuderMcMerican

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mikestang63

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

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That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

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