Distributor for Fitech TBI

[det0326 179]

I am installing the FiTech TBI  and going to use the timing control feature.  I know that I will have to use a two wire distributor.  I have read on different forums and this one included that the aftermarket distributors are not that great so I am trying to source a original ford distributor.  I have a 1991 351w from a bronco that was a EFI and I have read that the distributor shaft on the efi are a little longer below the gear than the carburetor engines don't know if that is true are not.  I could use an older 351w distributor with aftermarket magnetic pickup if the shafts are the same length, does anyone know if the lengths are different or not? If they are different  then is there maybe first generation efi distributors that could be converted to magnetic pickup. 

 

Thanks Dave

[Rsmach1 71]

As far as I know shafts are the same. I'd just go with a Duraspark from the mid to late 70s. They can be had rebuilt for around $50.

[ray1970 88]

Im running a MSD ready to run dis. modified into a two wire set up for my EFI...

Works just fine....The idea of adj your timing from inside the car is very nice.. And works very nice..

 

Not shore what problems people are having with there dis.and the EFI but most of what I read(but not all) is the owners lack of understanding with what they are doing..Many dont understand timing or how a dis.works and that is fine...But it can be problematic for them and anybody reading there internet posts.. 

I rarely see its an issue with the dis.itself...

 

But I could be wrong...

[det0326 179]

As far as I know shafts are the same. I'd just go with a Duraspark from the mid to late 70s. They can be had rebuilt for around $50.

It seems that there are two different shaft lengths. Shorter for carburetors and long for efi and the difference is about 1/2". Now my problem is when I assembled the engine which is in the car now I find this difference in shafts. I used the efi hex shaft back in the build and if my calculations are correct the dizzy shaft will only be coupling about .265 on to the hex shaft this is because the hex shaft for the carburetor dizzy is longer. I could pull the shaft out and replace with the longer one but the little retainer washer will go to the oil pan .   So it looks like pan will have to be removed

 

Dave

 

edit  

 

All this I have got off the internet so it could or could not be true I don't know. .265 maybe good I don't know. Does anybody know for sure that they are 2 different length hex shafts for 351w?

 

Thanks

[Rsmach1 71]

ARP lists 1 oil pump drive shaft for 1969-1991 351w's. https://m.summitracing.com/parts/arp-154-7901

 

Click the application link.

 

What brand did you buy?

[Rsmach1 71]

Well I stand corrected, apparently the EEC-IV EFI 351w engines do in fact use a different length drive. So now you just need to determine what drive was used. Unfortunately this means having to remove the pan/pump, if you don't know for sure the brand and part # of the drive used.

[det0326 179]

Rsmach1  the drive i used was the original one that was in the 1991 efi engine.  I measured from the top of the shaft to the thrust surface where the gear runs and the top of the distributor drive is .480 below the thrust surface.  None of this really matters if I could find a distributor with magnetic pickup and from the bottom of the gear to the bottom of the distributor shaft is 1-1/2". This may not even exist in the ford distributors or the aftermarket world either I don't know. 

 

Dave

[det0326 179]

Im running a MSD ready to run dis. modified into a two wire set up for my EFI...

Works just fine....The idea of adj your timing from inside the car is very nice.. And works very nice..

 

Not shore what problems people are having with there dis.and the EFI but most of what I read(but not all) is the owners lack of understanding with what they are doing..Many dont understand timing or how a dis.works and that is fine...But it can be problematic for them and anybody reading there internet posts.. 

I rarely see its an issue with the dis.itself...

 

But I could be wrong...

Ray do you remember what the part number was on the dizzy you purchased? I think form some of your posts I have read that you have a 351c and the dizzy it self would be different for my Windsor but if i could find one with the same internals as you it might work. What has to be done to modify it to work with the FiTech? I found a MSD that has the longer shaft but don't know if it will work with the FiTech.

 

Thanks Dave 

[det0326 179]

This is the one I found at Summit.  Very pricey tho.

 

 

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/msd-8451

[Rsmach1 71]

A kwick call to Fitch will answer that, and yes, MSD's dizzy are indeed pricey. I'll be sticking with Ford parts myself.

[det0326 179]

A kwick call to Fitch will answer that, and yes, MSD's dizzy are indeed pricey. I'll be sticking with Ford parts myself.

Yes I tried calling a couple of times last Friday with no answer phone just kelp ringing no recording or anything. They maybe closed on friday don't know I will try again on Monday.  Also emailed and haven't heard from that either this is the reason for the thread trying to find an answer. I guess sometimes we have to have more patients. 

 

Thanks Dave

[ray1970 88]

If you go with EFI and want use the timing control a R.T.R. Dis.is not going to work..

Thats why I cut the the r.t.r. part out of mine but i did set it up so if need be i could plug it back in on the road.

[Rsmach1 71]

I guess sometimes we have to have more patients.

 

Thanks Dave

Don't feel alone, the closer you get to finishing a long time project, the harder it gets to be patient. Monday is almost here :)

[det0326 179]

ha ha just realized my previous spelling  it's patience not patients . (I think) but Iv'e been wrong before. 

[ray1970 88]

The closer you get to finishing a long time project, the harder it gets to be patient.

 

YOU mean your suppose to finish these things????

 

This my call for a plan change!!!!

 

The only time your done with it is if your DEAD or you SOLD it...

[Rsmach1 71]

ha ha just realized my previous spelling it's patience not patients . (I think) but Iv'e been wrong before.

No worries, if spelling counted here I would have been booted my first few posts lol.

[ray1970 88]

My way out..

[det0326 179]

Yep Ray that would be the time we all are done with our Mustangs for sure

[Rsmach1 71]

I left instructions on draining the fluids so they can bury me in it, I'm taking it with me lol.

[det0326 179]

well it seems that the only dizzy i can find with longer shaft below the gear that will work with the shorter shaft that's already in the engine is the ready to run msd 8451. I will have to do to it as Ray did to his and bypass the amplifier and just use the magnetic pickup. Sure is expense tho just to be using part of the dizzy, two good benefits tho I guess is the quality   of the msd is suppose to be good and I want have to pull the pan.  

 

Dave

[ray1970 88]

If you do get to the point of going with the MSD let me know and I will look back into how I did it.

Not real hard its just two wires..Kinda

 

In the grave yard photo that really is the plot I will be buried in that the car is RESTING on..

[det0326 179]

Thanks Ray i appreciate that I will defiantly let you know.

 

Yep buying a burial plot is something everyone needs to  do but doesn't want to do. Everyone will need one sooner or later.

 

Dave

[det0326 179]

Well as the research goes on I have found these two distributors but not sure if they have pickups in the dizzy or not. They both have the longer shaft that I need but as I said I don't know if they have a built in magnetic pickup. Is there anyone that knows these dizzys and can confirm? I know they have an external control module but don't know if the external module is triggered  by a crank sensor or from the dizzy.

 

 

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/381582698612?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291662863006?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

As always thanks for any help

 

Dave

[det0326 179]

After more investigation on the MSD distributor the 8451 which is listed as having a magnetic pickup actually has a hall effect which I am told by FiTech will not work with timing control. So that one is out, they do have one with the magnetic pickup but it does not have the longer shaft at the bottom.  

I have searched for different length oil pump drives (the hex rod I am talking about) and can't seem to fine but one size so maybe I am over thinking this and I just need to get an early 351w distributor with original pickup which I understand is a magnetic one and drop in it. Can anyone confirm if there is a short and long drive hex shaft for the two different length distributors?

 

Dave

[Mach1 Driver 560]

Dave, you probably already got this answer from FiTech, who told me to use a Probillet MSD with magnetic pickup, or for half the price a TSP. They also said that if you aren't using boost or nitrous there was no need for the EFI to do the timing control. Of course those are generic answers and don't address a specific engine. You'll fire your's up long before I do so I'm interested in your findings.