irbob and TFI

[KWK 1]

Hey irbob,
just got thru looking at your website about the TFI upgrade . I printed off the parts list for this , but I have a question. Will this work on a 77 360 or will the parts be different? I am looking forward to doing this to mine, but when it comes to electrical systems I am mechanically challenged.

[River Beast]

It will work just fine... I did his exact list on my '78' 360... no problems

[UnkleMunky]

Whoah here.....

'78 and up 360 engines will work for that method, but I've heard you have to do a little more for a '77-75 360 setup. Being AMC switched ignition systems for '78, this is significant. I think it's the Presolite from '75-77 and the Duraspark from '78 up.

I'm contemplating a TFI for the '76 Honcho with 360, but being it's pre-78, I'm hemming on some of the same issues this post started on. Namely....what "all" needs to be done for pre-78 models? I've heard you have to "upgrade" to the Duraspark system, which includes the corresponding distributor. What "all" needs to be switched over...anybody got any "step by steps" for the pre-78 V8s?

[UnkleMunky]

...bump...

Any input on the "extra" changes needed for 75-77 V8s?

Thanks...

[River Beast]

Are you saying the Dist are different for a pre 78???? That is news to me....All you have to do to the dist. is add the adapter and oversized cap and rotor. The coil is just a mod to the mounting brakcet and some connectors.... piece of cake. Am I missing something?

[UnkleMunky]

Check the following page(text) out:
http://www.trailhed.com/images/V8Upgrade.txt

and you'll find the following in there:

*1977 And Older 304 & 360 CID V-8 Engines With The Prestolite Electronic Ignition.
The Prestolite Distributor can easily be recognized by the large vacuum advance canister just below the distributor head.
AND THE DEAD GIVE AWAY IS THE VACUUM ADVANCE IS MADE OF PLASTIC.
The only choice you have is to upgrade to the Motorcraft Distributor and Duraspark or MSD Module.


I do know there were changes in '78 and have seen it in person, but haven't seen a more detailed step-by-step procedure for anything. "Upgrading" from Prestolite to Duraspark means "what"? Just distro or do you need to do more? Is there anyway to go with just the newer distro and then upgrade to the other TFI parts or do you have to do the Duraspark all around first? I was hoping for a step-by-step like Irbob's TFI thing for the Prestolite->Duraspark upgrade....would answer a lot of questions for those of us interested. I'm in the midst of ignition trouble with my '76 Honcho and have been hemming back/forth whether just to do all new with the stock type parts or go for upgrading all to TFI at the time.....knowing "what" all needs to be changed on a Prestolite system would be very helpful.

PS...the ignition coil on 75-77 units had a two small bolts attachment for the wiring....78+ coils had the "snap on" horseshoe style...another dead giveaway for the differences. From information I've gleaned, a lot of the parts, coil, relay, were the SAME whether a 6 banger or 8 banger. In fact, even my lawn tractor uses the same relay! smile.gif

Also...the "brain"(ignition module) was on the passenger side in the '75-77 units, while the '78+ units had it mounted on the drivers side near the master cylinder. Thus, even wiring would be a little different on these.

Fun, fun, fun, right! And to think "all" these FSJs were so darn similar.......just when you WANT the parts to be a one-size-fits-all, they aren't! Oh well.....hoping for more input!

Take care...

[reddog]

This is certainly not a step by step. I don't think that converting a prestolite to a motocraft is difficult. You would need the motocraft distributor and ignition module along with the TFI parts for the conversion. There are 2 connectors on the ignition module, a 2 wire and a 4 wire. The 4 wire plugs into the distributor for 3 of the 4 wires while the forth goes to the coil. The 2 wire connector from the module goes to power - 1 wire to the "run" circuit and the other to the "start" circuit - both from the ignition switch. Module ground is through the case. You need to keep the ballast/wire resistor feeding the coil. I am not familar with the prestolite ignition but suspect that you may have the wires you need at the module to hook up the motocraft module. Somebody around here has been talking about doing the same conversion as yourself but I can't remember who offhand.

Kerry

[UnkleMunky]

Thanks reddog....that does help some. I'm still not totally sure what I'm going to do with this '76. Did get it running again tonight and checked the wiring and set timing. Plug wires look pretty ugly, and not sure about cap/rotor....might just change that stuff now and see how it runs. Even if I tune it up as is(Presto system), I might still consider the Duraspark/TFI upgrade later, and if others are looking at this possbility, all the info helps! Thanks much!