Maybe some day restore a '79 - now named "Freedom"

[joedrum]

Sounds promising

 

[pidjones]

~40 miles RT this evening to the Time Warp Tea Room (Knoxville Tuesday evening gathering spot for vintage bikes and bikers). TFIs were not even warm to the touch when I got home. I like it, plus if ever it needs to go back to normal points, just two connectors swapped and the condensers plugged in is all it takes. Timing did not change. Just need to remember to keep the points cam felt lubed.

I used new Chinabay TFI modules and plugs, but the modules and plugs should be available at junkyards very cheap. I think they are common on late 80s early 90s Econolines.

 

[joedrum]

Hmmm ok it’s time to really post a complete detail of all this ...this seems huge to me ...just like the c5 set up ....especially in the dollar set up and dual ignition of the fly option ....very impressed ..like a sticky page made and put on the forum ....wonder if point plate and points are still available to buy ..hmmmmm certainly was some yrs ago

 

[pidjones]

Points are available, but not the good originals. Doesn't seem to matter as much with this setup. I'll try to put together a parts list and wiring list soon. Looked at a '75-'77 diagram and it is do-able but not as easy. For '78-'79, one port handles it all on the junction box (except the condensers, which are easy to unplug).

I'd like to get more miles on the setup this year, but the weather seems to be turning more towards riding the '06 with fairing and power for heated gear.

 

[joedrum]

Yes I bet so ...but again very good work in my opinion....

 

[pidjones]

Ok, I wrote it up in a word processor and hope it will paste her alright. If not, I'll attach a pdf of it.

Ford TFI modules for '78 – '79 GL1000 ignition.
The 6 pin connectors have no index numbers, so I have arbitrarily assigned some (check the pictures).

TFI “A” driven by left points and drives left coil for cylinders 1 and 2:
pins 1&4 to Gnd
pin 2 to female 6 pin 1 (controls left coil saturation)
pins 3&6 to male 6 pin 4 (12 volt power to TFI)
pin 5 to male 6 pin 1 (left point to trigger TFI A)

TFI “B” driven by left points and drives left coil for cylinders 3 and 4:
pins 1&4 to Gnd
pin 2 to female 6 pin 3 (controls right coil saturation)
pins 3&6 to male 6 pin 6 (12 volt power to TFI)
pin 5 to male 6 pin 3 (right point to trigger TFI B)

male 6 pin 2 to male 6 pin 5 (bypasses ballast resistor)
male 6 pin 4 to female 6 pin 4 male 6 pin 6 to female 6 pin 6 (continues 12 volt power to coils)

TFI connector – I bought the wrong one (for a Mustang) and had to cut a key slot on the other side to permit it to plug in correctly.

Male 6 pin connector plugs into junction box

Female 6 pin connector plugs into plug going to coils

All hooked up:

TFI modules are LX226 compatible units from Chinabay and the connectors were Mustang (I made a mistake there and had to cut a slot on the opposite side of the inner part to permit them to the non-Mustang TFIs). Honestly, I recommend getting these from a salvage yard. Look up the LX226 and you will find a ton of Ford vehicles – Econolines, trucks, Taurus – and you can get heat sink modules and connectors together.

The 6 pin connectors are from https://vintageconnections.com.

I'm sure this can be done on a '75-'77, but not quite as easily ('78-'79 has everything there on one plug) and I don't have one to test it on (yet).

If you want to read more about cars this mod is used on (and where I got the idea) see https://www.gofastforless.com/

Don't forget to disconnect the condensers!

 

[pidjones]

Here is the pdf of it.
View attachment TFI setup.pdf

 

[pidjones]

Amazon links for TFI module and connector:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CX7N9K9/?c ... _lig_dp_it

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C5CCM2/?c ... tapainc-20

Better prices than I got this summer. Still need 6 pin connectors from Vintage Connectors and heat sinks (scrap bin), so.... less than $75 for the experiment.

 

[saganaga]

Neither link works for me.

 

[pidjones]

Neither link works for me.

Sorry. Try again. Amazon may have moving targets. I which case, search for
New Ignition Module for Ford Bronco 1988 1997 - DY533 LX226 E7DF-12A297-A1A

And
Dorman 85130 Module Socket

 

[pidjones]

Update on this. I've disconnected the TFI system (at least for now). Was really easy to swap the plugs for the coils on the connector bock and plug back in the condensers. She was getting rough at <3000 RPM, backfiring oddly even at idle. With straight points was running great. I think my root problem was that I fried the TFI modules with a failing voltage regulator that was letting volts get up over 17. Last night I installed a new Reg/Rect unit (previously had the original separate units). Today I rode a little over 50 miles and the voltage never went over 14.8 volts (I have a digital voltmeter in place of the old thermal one). She ran better than she has since I bought her. I'll look for some original Ford push-start remote mount TFI modules at the junk yards soon. The wiring and heat sinks are still there so that I could swap back very easily.

 

[pidjones]

Still running good on the points. May change out the TFIs over the winter for either new ones or originals from the junk yard. Voltage still holding in @14.7 - 14.8 with the new el-cheapo regulator. Mileage is real good. I've been riding the '79 weekly to the Time Warp Tea Room for bike nights and occasional de-compression rides through Norris Dam State Park. I also use it for running errands as long as I don't have to carry something that won't strap to the luggage rack.

The latest project bike is a '76 RD400. It will need full strip-down, repaint, etc. Engine is already stripped and crank sent off to be rebuilt. I had one brand new back in the day. Really missed it. Should reduce the East Tennessee mosquito population next Spring.

'79 about due for new tires. Still good tread, but age is starting to show. Also, I have found that it drifts a lot when the front is set at 28 psi like the decal shows, but solid as a rock when set at 38 psi like my 1800. Is it because of newer design tires?