Distributor Brand Recommendation

[Basin Motorsports]

I was having a stuttering issue with my original '92 Ford distributor and have now ordered two different Cardone refurbished distributors through Rock Auto. The first lasted 5 minutes before it stopped working. The second won't even fire the car currently. I'm done with the frugal (i.e. cheap) approach. Beyond scouring the internet for a NOS part (which are hard to find), is there a recommendation for a TFI based distributor? Performance Distributor is about all I can find that seems to have a good reputation.

[gt pony]

I run an Accell dist. in my 86, one problem I had was the pickup coil took a dump, but I replaced it with a Ford one. The best part of replacing the stator was the dist. gear was a slip fit so you don't need to press it off and on like a Ford.

[erratic50]

I would stay Motorcraft.

Autozone Duralast is often OK, but sometimes I've found they have their problems. What I've ran into is excessive shaft play right out of the box. That leads to seals that fail very prematurely. Once you go there, the PIP sensor gets drown in oil. This also causes the electronic advance to stop working..... so it will run like CRAP inbetween not running at all.

The PIP sensors in the Duralast distributors themselves seems to work just fine.

The caps are OK.

The rotors are JUNK -- and I do mean JUNK. Throw the damn thing away and get a mortorcraft because you'll never find that stupid friggin miss otherwise.

TFI modules on the "loaded" distributors -- also complete and total JUNK.

That being said, TFI modules are a crap-shoot in general frequently. How long they last depends upon how they are made and how they are installed.

There are a few sites that detail the process for testing a TFI with an ohm meter. My son and I tested numerous modules one day including several new in box at the parts store and ones on loaded Duralast distributors. Each and every one we tested were CRAP. WAY off according to factory specs.

Ultimately we ended up robbing the module off of a core distributor we had grabbed while at U-Pull-It a while ago from an 89 Mustang 5.0. That module was the only one that tested within spec.

When we put the TFI module on the distributor we cleaned both surfaces up good and used a high end CPU thermal paste between the module and the distributor.

The next piece of this ....... If you install the distributor per factory specs, you'll end up with the module basically up against the thermostat housing when its timed at around 13 degrees before top dead center. NOT good.

What we did is move the plug wires one spot on the distributor cap then rotate the housing until the #1 wire is about lined up with here it was in relationship to the rotor before.

I just find this is a lot easier than messing around with stabbing and re-stabbing the distributor to get the oil pump driveshaft into the distributor gear with it a tooth or two "off"

The alternative is of course a TFI module relocation kit.


Over the years I've had good luck with Wells and Motorcraft modules and that is about it. Everything else was pretty-much junk right out of the box.

Here's the article on how to test modules:
https://www.therangerstation.com/tec...agnostic.shtml

PIP sensors are of often OK. As for TFI ..... Expect you'll get junk right out of a brand new box and test before installing. That's my best advise.

Also - learned something reading an old distributor manual today ........ be sure to look over your advance bar vs the one thats on the dizzy you have. Different lengths lead to difference advance strategies. Ford had once for "premium fuel", etc. Pay attention or you could put one with a more aggressive bar in it then advance it to 14 degree base timing and cause some real damage when your timing is way too aggressive.

[Basin Motorsports]

Well I have the car back together and the 2nd replacement distributor is doing well. Once I set the rough timing using TDC, it fired up and I set it at 13 degrees with my timing light. I let it idle for 15 minutes and no issues appeared. I currently have a refurbished Motorcraft distributor from Cardone (through Rock Auto) with a Napa TFI module. I have a Duralast TFI as my backup, and it's been stored in the car in case of emergency. Until I can get out a drive it a little, I won't know if it's really fixed.

[Basin Motorsports]

Well I have the car back together and the 2nd replacement distributor is doing well. Once I set the rough timing using TDC, it fired up and I set it at 13 degrees with my timing light. I let it idle for 15 minutes and no issues appeared. I currently have a refurbished Motorcraft distributor from Cardone (through Rock Auto) with a Napa TFI module. I have a Duralast TFI as my backup, and it's been stored in the car in case of emergency. Until I can get out a drive it a little, I won't know if it's really fixed.