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  1. #1
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    Default Just a reminder - ignition modules and rotors

    A few days ago my son’s daily started abruptly quitting on him. after leaving it sit it would fire right up and run then after a little while die again.

    we had replaced the distributor, cap, rotor, pip, etc with Duralast parts this winter when it had a no start issue where I believe the pip had failed.

    the car had been running like ****, down on power, stinking of over fuel, getting hot, etc, recently.

    I initially thought coil because it’s original and is the only part that had not been replaced. The one on my 1/2 million mile car is still fine but what the heck, try it.

    well — it didn’t fix it. The coil wire was corroded though so throw a new one on too. No change.

    I decided today that since the replacement module was a Duralast and not a wells or Motorcraft that I did not trust it. Swapped it out using new thermal paste of course and put the old one back in.

    I noticed that the rotor looked like **** even though it was near new. It wasn’t making proper contact as the metal was not formed correctly. Upon an examination of several new Duralast rotors, all the same.

    so in went the old motorcraft.

    Well, set the timing at 13.5 where she likes it and off we went. Temps back down, no smoke or stink, every pony accounted for it seems. Hell, we even ran the AC in 85 degree weather and it stayedcnice and cool for a change....

    just a reminder. Certain parts are touchy. Modules and rotors are known for this.

    hopefully it saves someone else some time along the way.

  2. #2
    FEP Power Member
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    Default

    That's why I stick with Motorcraft. If the first part lasted 60-100K then the next one should as well. Too bad many Motorcraft parts are going obsolete.
    Fox Body/3rd Gen MCA Gold Card Judge
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    03 Mach 1 7900 miles, 74 Mustang II, 69 Mustang, 67 Mustang, 07 GT500,
    14 Mustang CS/GT, 15 F150 FTX Tuscany, 16 F250 Crewcab, 67 Tbird 47K miles

  3. #3
    FEP Super Member gr79's Avatar
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    Default

    I agree
    They cost a lot now, but are critical components not worth saving money over.
    And outlast most others, paying for themselves.

    Cant go wrong with Motorcraft ignition parts. The real deal.
    Ford has vendor(s) for parts. They may still do the old electronic stuff in house, but not caps or rotors.
    They are done by a vendor, like Purolator does fuel filters or used to. Same with shocks. Ford dont make them.
    The vender with the Ford tooling, product blueprints, raw material sources, may continue to offer them under their name.
    Got to find out who molds the parts under contract for Ford. Sometimes they buy the old tooling later on.

    As long as its Motorcraft, Ford owns the name. A Motorcraft vendor uses Ford tooling and specs for manufacture.
    Someone like Wells could have that tooling. Or Ford buys Wells caps and tells them to make some with Ford on them.
    May just be a name stamp added to the aftermarket mold, but Ford would own that stamp.
    Ford would contract Wells to make x amount of parts. Wells would contract a box company to make Motorcraft boxes.
    Best chance to get good parts is when a company does OEM and aftermarket.
    Have seen parts with Ford p/n molded, in aftermarket boxes. Sometimes its the same part without Ford stuff on it.
    A few vendors just change the box. Same part. Cannot sell under Motorcraft name unless Ford says so.
    Unclear what all the rules are for an oem vendor, who also sell aftermarket, as to selling parts.
    What can go into a certain box may be something like who owns the design and any patents related to the part.

    Likely when Ford obsoletes a part, its fair game to reproduce it exactly or close to it. Even buy the tooling or something.
    Then its up to a company to use same exact design and materials or cheapen them up.
    Last edited by gr79; 05-06-2018 at 01:07 AM.

  4. #4

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    Anything electrical I try to stay with the original factory equipment, I've had much better luck with motorcraft components.

  5. #5
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    Default

    When a distributor fails on a daily driver the Mc parts store is the only real parts source. They work in the short term.

    New Mcparts vs old OE - there’s where key decisions have to be made.

    Some parts like the distributor itself (which the OE was failing and had stupid amounts of wobble and was leaking oil up into the pip and cap) are usually OK.

    The pip is often ok in their Mcparts form. The ignition modules are usually a joke on the Mcparts stuff.

    On rotors if they can’t be troubled to bend the connectorlike it should be, don’t use it!

    the adapter that goes dizzy to cap and has clips is junk on the Duralast also. I swapped that out before I ever installed the dizzy.
    Last edited by erratic50; 05-06-2018 at 02:36 PM.

  6. #6
    FEP Super Member gr79's Avatar
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    Default

    Went with a Cardone reman dist assy back in 2000. Been working fine.
    Kept one old Motorcraft cap and rotor for known good test spares.
    Motorcraft parts used: ign box, wires, plugs, cap, rotor, pcv valve, oil filter, starter solenoid, several other parts.
    Non: wiper blades, starter, water pump, brake parts, heater core, blower motor, switches.
    Wix air filter, Monroe shocks, Exide battery. AZ, O'really, NPD, NAPA, parts working fine.
    Most aftermarket major names and house brands are better than they used to be. Even China parts. No choice sometimes.
    Lifetime warranty on major parts is a good sign they will be ok.

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