Vane Cap Rotor Octane Rod
Distributor Cap TFI Distributor Base with Shaft
TFI
- PIP Replacement
By Dan Eaves, Jeff Korn & Joe
Frazier
Ever
get that feeling
that something just
isn't right with the
way your TurboCoupe
is running or idling
?
OK…stupid
question huh? A
common symptom
incurred a few
minutes after
start-up is
bucking/jumping that
last between 15 secs
to a minute, then
runs fine until next
cold start-up.
One thing that's
possibly wrong is
the TFI or PIP.
TFI or PIP?
What the heck
are those
things…well a TFI
is the Thick Film Ignition
module and the PIP
is the Profile
Ignition Pickup
sensor.
The TFI is
the module on the
side of your
distributor that the
wiring harness plugs
in to.
The PIP is
inside the
distributor and is
what tells the TFI
the Crankshaft's
position…then the
TFI tells the EEC-IV
when to fire each
plug.
The PIP is
also known as the
Stator.
These
components work
together using what
is called a Hall
Effect.
The Hall
Effect is a magnetic
flux field that
creates voltage as
the windows of the
Vane Cap passes by
the PIP. Replacement
of the sensors is
fairly straight
forward.
First, remove the distributor (be sure to set the Crank to TDC on the #1 Cylinder and the Cam at the center alignment mark). Remove the Distributor Cap and Rotor. Next remove the Vane Cap by removing the two black screws holding it to the mounting plate (the Vane Cap can only go back on one way to the mounting plate). Next, drive out the roll pin that is holding the drive gear to the distributor shaft using the appropriate size punch. Removing the gear from the shaft can be done using a gear puller, however I just held the gear and hit the shaft with a rubber dead-blow hammer until it came off.
To
remove the TFI
requires a
7/32"
socket…but leave
it to Ford…it
won't fit the hole
in the TFI module.
What I did
was grind the sides
of a cheap socket
(see picture below)
so that it was thin
enough to fit in the
hole surrounding the
screws.
After the screws are
removed, pull the
TFI module down on
the right and then
the left to detach
it from the
connector on the
PIP.
To remove the PIP
simply remove the
small screw holding
the octane rod to
the distributor
base, lift it off
the plastic tab on
the PIP and pull it
out.
Next remove
the two screws
holding the PIP to
the distributor base
and pull it straight
up and off.
The new one
installs in reverse
order.
To install the new TFI module, clean the mating surface on the distributor base
to get all of the old grease off. Then apply a very thin coat of heat sink
grease, also known as silicon thermal paste to the back of the new module. It
should come with the new TFI module. If, not it can be obtained at Radio Shack
or auto parts stores. DO NOT use "RTV", "RTV silicon", or "chassis grease"
Carefully slide the module up into the three prong connector on the bottom of
the PIP sensor. Secure the module with the two mounting screws. It would also be
a good idea to use some "dielectric grease" in the 3 prong TFI to PIP connection
and the TFI to wiring harness connection.
Apply a thin coating
of motor oil to the
shaft and insert in
into the
distributor.
Carefully
align the drive gear
on the shaft so that
the hole for the
roll pin will be
aligned.
I drove the
gear on by first
drilling a hole in a
wood block to accept
the shaft the rotor
slide on to.
With the
distributor upside
down on the block of
wood I used a piece
of pipe over the
shaft and hammered
the gear down to the
roll pin hole.
Once the gear
is aligned with the
roll pin hole,
install a new roll
pin with a punch.
Check to make sure
that the shaft spins
freely without
binding. I actually
had one of the tabs
of the Vane Cup that
slightly hit the PIP
sensor.
It was
corrected by bending
it in slightly.
Reinstall your
distributor and
reset the base
timing (Spout
out…).
The
original PIP I had
had a Ford number of
E7ZE-12A112-A2A.
The
replacement part had
a Ford number of
E8PZ-12A112-A2A. It
was $49.87 from
Ford.
The
original TFI had a
Ford number of
E6SF-12A297-A2A.
The
replacement number
was a
E43Z-12A297-A2A.
It ran a
whopping $109.58 !
All
I can say is have I
noticed and
immediate
improvement in a
stable idle and
smoothness of
acceleration.
Hopefully my
TC loves me again.
The
distributor's
components:
The PIP sensor
Vane Cap
Rotor
Octane Rod
Distributor Cap
TFI
Distributor
Base with Shaft
The original PIP
The drive gear, roll pin and the shaft (as removed before cleaning)
The new PIP sensor
installed
New Rotor and Vane
Cap installed
New TFI installed
Note: to ease
installation of the
TFI
you can grind down a
cheap socket.