TBI conversion on a Ford 400 - need help getting it to run

[Dr_Grip]

My jeep uses a motorcraft distributor and the exact same pickup. When I first converted, I had ignition issues. Would barley run, backfire, wouldn't rev up. Long story short, after replacing everything in the whole system, I finally replaced the pickup coil with the most expensive one they had at napa and bingo, all the issues when away.
If your pickup is the issue, you might try replacing it with a quality one before you buy a whole distributor.

The aftermarket for V8 dizzy parts is not exactly stellar in continental Europe. Without a GM donor car, I won't get anything that's not a whole dizzy over here...

[Dr_Grip]

I finally replaced the pickup coil with the most expensive one they had at napa..

Do you still know the part number or manufacturer? Then I could try to get my hands on one...

EDIT: The most expensive pickup for my dizzy at RockAuto is this one: Standard Motor Products LX204.

EDIT2: Here's my fleet:

[Six_Shooter]

This is the video I mentioned earlier in this thread. Notice the problematic pick up on the MSD dizzy, which looks exactly like the Ford pick up you have.



More info in this thread: http://www.thirdgen.org/forums/diy-p...8d-s_aujp.html

[JeepsAndGuns]

Do you still know the part number or manufacturer? Then I could try to get my hands on one...

Its been so many years ago I honestly can not remember, but looking it up on napa's website, I believe it was their brand called Echlin, and the part number is ECH MP700.
Looking at the pictures on napa, and the pictures on rock auto of the standard motor products, I think they are the same thing. Seems most all of napa's "store brand" parts are simply reboxed parts from other manufactures.

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/more...nid=418&jpid=3
http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/Ca...700_0060469048

I can not guarantee in any way this is your problem, or that a new pickup will fix it. But it is a somewhat low cost part that might be worth trying before dropping the money on a new expensive aftermarket distributor.

[Dr_Grip]

So I got two people with indefinitely more experience than myself here presenting different versions of the same suggestion - either, as Six_Shooter suggests, Ford-style pickups generally are problematic for GM HEI modules and I should try to convert a GM distributor to my car. Or, as JeepsAndGuns suggests, cheap Ford-style pickups are the problem as swapping my Cardone one out for a better brand-name one could do the trick.

Obviously, the latter solution has the appeal of being easier and cheaper to implement. But in my experience, the amount of appeal a possible solution has should not be judged by factors like this. So, what to do?

I think first thing I'll borrow an oscilloscope and get a reading from my pickup coil tomorrow night and post it here...

EDIT: In any case, thanks to all of you for your support and suggestions!

[Dr_Grip]

So, I put a scope to the dizzy signal as promised. Here's how it looks:


What do you think, does that look fine?

I got a log from the second run. Sadly, it's on my buddy's computer, I'll upload it as soon as he sends it to me.

[Dr_Grip]

...and here's the log from the second run.

[Dr_Grip]

Any ideas? Anyone? Anything on the oscilloscope that I am missing?

[Dr_Grip]

Ordered one of 'em cheap dizzys from eBay and a brand-name 7-pin module (the 7-pin module has a GM Europe parts number and is available locally). Changing all ignition components except the ECU should at least give me a new set of errors to work with.

[Dr_Grip]

Installed the 7-pin module in the cheap dizzy. Fun fact: The "Beru Germany" labeled module is stamped "Made in USA" on the bottom.


And put the dizzy in the car


Works like a charm. I still experienced one violent backfire through the intake on a sudden kickdown, but I'll log and tune a bit and see what that does before worrying now.

[fastacton]

Pretty clean looking install! If the backfire continues and you can't tune it out, it's possible that it's a rotor phasing issue. Skip White is a pretty good seller. We sell the same brand of distributor (and other products), but I guess our volume is too low to be able to compete with their pricing on the more popular stuff like this. We've had very good luck with this brand of distributor with very few failures, so if it works at first, it should keep on working reliably for a good long while.

[Dr_Grip]

If I had known that you work for a dizzy vendor, I'd have supported your employer, but it's good to know that the dizzy is sound! I must confess I was impressed by the build quality of the thing. The only thing that looked questionable was the no-name four-pin HEI module, but I threw that out anyways.

If you look at the pic you can see white markings from me setting the phasing above the seven-pin module. So if I didn't mess that up, the phasing should be fine... Do you think it's possible that the backfire is a coil voltage issue?

[fastacton]

I appreciate the thought! We just don't even carry that part number since Skip White and others have their prices so low. Your phasing looks pretty close to the last one I did, so it might not be the issue, but if you can't tune it out, it'd be something to look at. I'm not sure that coil voltage could cause an issue, someone else might be able to address that. Hopefully you just need some tuning and you'll be good to go!

[Dr_Grip]

The conversion is very driveable by now! As mentioned, dialing back timing sorted out the backfire issue.

I did some first runs with my bin to log data and get the fuel tables sorted. Also dialed the timing back a bit compared to the table linked over 3000rpm at cruise as she felt unhappy. Will do a logged long-distance run and check how the fuel tables do sometime next week. If satisfied, I'll post the bin to
1. Get input from your guys as to how to get more performance out of the setup
and
2. Give other users with a Ford 400 a good starting point.

Thank you all for guiding me in the process!
Some pics:

We had to modify the stock air cleaner a bit to get the large cap dizzy to fit.


Two relays on the firewall: Ignition-switched +12V to the ECU and the heated o2 sensor, and ECU-switched power to the fuel pump.


There's 30A in-line fuse in the EFI power supply cable.

The EFI system's wiring harness is routed through the gearbox tunnel into the passenger compartment, where the ECU lives under the front bench. Velcro does a good job mounting it to the carpet.

[Dr_Grip]

Got a backfire on kickdown at 50-ish kph twice. Accelleration is smooth and powerful from a standstill, higher and lower speeds. It seems that there's a very small rpm/engine load bracket where she's not happy yet... I attached to log file and as always am grateful for any input...

Also I am slowly getting there with the fuel tables... still a bit rich, but at least I am almost constantly in the 120s...