Help Me With TSB Info?

[Gary Lewis]

Guys - A friend of mine has an '88 Bronco that has what I think is a TFI problem. It stops at random and inconvenient times.

I told him I thought we have a TSB about that, but the only one I've finding is STALL/NO START: TSB 87-6-10 and that deals with moisture or salt getting into a hole. I thought we had one about the temperature issue if not a recall. Do any of you have the number of that one? Or am I dreaming?

[ArdWrknTrk]

I don't think Ford was ever willing to own this one.

I know they lost a class action lawsuit in California, eventually.

They did have one 95-15-11 about the potting on the PIP getting soft and causing shorts.

If it were me, I would get a relocation kit with heatsink from McCully Racing or FattFoxx and move on.

[Gary Lewis]

I don't think Ford was ever willing to own this one.

I know they lost a class action lawsuit in California, eventually.

They did have one 95-15-11 about the potting on the PIP getting soft and causing shorts.

If it were me, I would get a relocation kit with heatsink from McCully Racing or FattFoxx and move on.

Thanks, Jim. Apparently I was wrong on this one. I was sure there was a TSB on it, but cannot find it. Apparently not.

Anyway, I'll pass that suggestion on to him.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Thanks, Jim. Apparently I was wrong on this one. I was sure there was a TSB on it, but cannot find it. Apparently not.

Anyway, I'll pass that suggestion on to him.

There may be one out there.

Bill could check Alldata.

I know a bunch of people have retrofitted the remote TFI from later vehicles. But then you have to scrounge around for a heatsink and harness, modify the heatsink so the connector fits, etc..

It's my understanding that the critical temp is around 260°F.

I think I'd want to put it in front of the radiator support if I could.

The ambient air is never going to get that hot and the fan would be drawing air over the heatsink pretty much constantly.

[ArdWrknTrk]

There may be one out there.

Bill could check Alldata.

I know a bunch of people have retrofitted the remote TFI from later vehicles. But then you have to scrounge around for a heatsink and harness, modify the heatsink so the connector fits, etc..

It's my understanding that the critical temp is around 260°F.

I think I'd want to put it in front of the radiator support if I could.

The ambient air is never going to get that hot and the fan would be drawing air over the heatsink pretty much constantly.

Do you know if his module is PS or CCD?

I'm not certain when they changed.

[Gary Lewis]

Do you know if his module is PS or CCD?

I'm not certain when they changed.

I don't know, Jim. I've never seen the vehicle. Apparently they don't drive it as "it isn't dependable enough". I think what he means is that you can depend on it stalling.

We started the conversation with him telling me that he has a security system on it and the Ford dealer in some town in Arkansas where it died the first time told him the security system is the reason it dies. So, when it does pull this connector apart and put it back together and it should start.

I don't think so. I've not seen a security system that is supposed to be tied into the ignition system. (Yes, I know of at least two which are. ) So I think it is just the time it takes to do that with the hood open which lets the TFI module cool and it starts back up.

I explained that and they agreed it fits the symptoms. So he's planning on either working on it himself or having the local Ford hot-rodder do it, which is what I recommended. That guy has a very nice shop and has told me what he does, which includes EEC-IV work, so I'm confident he understands the problems with the TFI modules.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I don't know, Jim. I've never seen the vehicle. Apparently they don't drive it as "it isn't dependable enough". I think what he means is that you can depend on it stalling.

We started the conversation with him telling me that he has a security system on it and the Ford dealer in some town in Arkansas where it died the first time told him the security system is the reason it dies. So, when it does pull this connector apart and put it back together and it should start.

I don't think so. I've not seen a security system that is supposed to be tied into the ignition system. (Yes, I know of at least two which are. ) So I think it is just the time it takes to do that with the hood open which lets the TFI module cool and it starts back up.

I explained that and they agreed it fits the symptoms. So he's planning on either working on it himself or having the local Ford hot-rodder do it, which is what I recommended. That guy has a very nice shop and has told me what he does, which includes EEC-IV work, so I'm confident he understands the problems with the TFI modules.

If you have the thinwall socket to get the module off the distributor it is really no harder than plugging in the wires and putting a dab of thermal paste on the back of the module.

For that matter buy a $3 socket at the big box and chuck it in a drill.

Run it backwards against the bench grinder.

[Gary Lewis]

If you have the thinwall socket to get the module off the distributor it is really no harder than plugging in the wires and putting a dab of thermal paste on the back of the module.

For that matter buy a $3 socket at the big box and chuck it in a drill.

Run it backwards against the bench grinder.

I'll do that if he asks me to help. But I got the impression that he wants to farm it out.

He said the MPG is awful, so I asked if the Check Engine light is on. Yep. So there's a problem that probably has it in limp-home mode. We talked about how to pull codes, etc and he said he'd need to take it somewhere. So I suggested he take it to the new place east of town as that guy specializes in EEC-IV vehicles.

But I also pulled the eval up on Hagerty, and the $14.1K # got his attention, and that's as a #3. So he's now thinking he wants to get it going.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I'll do that if he asks me to help. But I got the impression that he wants to farm it out.

He said the MPG is awful, so I asked if the Check Engine light is on. Yep. So there's a problem that probably has it in limp-home mode. We talked about how to pull codes, etc and he said he'd need to take it somewhere. So I suggested he take it to the new place east of town as that guy specializes in EEC-IV vehicles.

But I also pulled the eval up on Hagerty, and the $14.1K # got his attention, and that's as a #3. So he's now thinking he wants to get it going.

$14,000 for a 34 year old Bronco?

Strange times we live in!

Pulling codes would be a good start.

It is not uncommon for these TFI modules to fail but the electrolytic caps in the ECM/PCM are WAY past their sell by date too.

[85lebaront2]

Thanks, Jim. Apparently I was wrong on this one. I was sure there was a TSB on it, but cannot find it. Apparently not.

Anyway, I'll pass that suggestion on to him.

I do not know of any TSB on relocating the TFI module, that being said, it can be done, and a good source for a heat sink and remote module is a Taurus, it is in the cowl area and has the same heat sink as the trucks, just with two studs where it goes through the firewall to underhood. It will also provide the needed plugs to build the harness.

There are 4 different TFI modules, two distributor mounted ones and two remote mounted ones. Gray ones are called push start as the starter circuit pushes the dwell during cranking, black ones are called CCD for Computer Controlled Dwell. The change point was 1995. from 1985-1994 they are push start, 1995 on are CCD.