Weird transmision

[Four Eyed Stangs]

I am on vacation and board.
While waiting for my son to get out of school today I did a little busy work.

I changed the oil
reconnected the valve cover vent tube
cleaned all the contacts in the cap and rotor( Ford ignitions are rough on them)

When I cleaned the rotor I noticed it was loose.
It was so loose that it took only a couple turns or the screwdriver to remove it.

Once I fired it up to test it I noticed the idle was VERY high.
I turned the idle back down to normal.

Then I took off to pick up my son.
Low end TQ seems much better.

Magically the transmision now shifts almost normally!
Even at WOT it now shifts into 2nd nicely on it's own.
Before this it would stay in 1st at WOT and part throttle shifts were violent.

The best I can figure is that the TV position now matches power output for better line pressure.

I hope it lasts!

[gadget73]

Interesting, surprising the rotor was able to shift enough to affect timing. Was it just worn out where it sits on the distributor shaft or something?

[Four Eyed Stangs]

It was so loose that it could wobble and move back and forth.
I imagine once it started spinning that it was stable, but I'm sure it wasn't consistant.

I think the power difference is mostly due to the cleaning.
The contacts were pretty nasty.

[Four Eyed Stangs]

60 miles later and still good.

I may take it to the track tomorrow!

[worldkeepsakes]

I am on vacation and board.
While waiting for my son to get out of school today I did a little busy work.

I changed the oil
reconnected the valve cover vent tube
cleaned all the contacts in the cap and rotor( Ford ignitions are rough on them)

When I cleaned the rotor I noticed it was loose.
It was so loose that it took only a couple turns or the screwdriver to remove it.

Once I fired it up to test it I noticed the idle was VERY high.
I turned the idle back down to normal.

Then I took off to pick up my son.
Low end TQ seems much better.

Magically the transmision now shifts almost normally!
Even at WOT it now shifts into 2nd nicely on it's own.
Before this it would stay in 1st at WOT and part throttle shifts were violent.

The best I can figure is that the TV position now matches power output for better line pressure.

I hope it lasts!
What was loose that you tightened with a screwdriver? The cap?
Doesn't the rotor just sit on the dist. shaft in your car?

[Four Eyed Stangs]

Nope. The rotor screws on with two screws.

Screwy, I know.

[87 town]

Nope. The rotor screws on with two screws.

Screwy, I know.

On my 5.0 it just sits right in there with a slot directing the proper position. can't go wrong and no tools needed. i guess what tells you if the condition is good or not are (3) factors
1) should have spring tension on the top metal peice 2) carbon build up on the top 3) edge should be fairly smooth and clean ( I have used some fine sand paper for the carbon and edge in the past to save em)

[joedogg]

On my 5.0 it just sits right in there with a slot directing the proper position. can't go wrong and no tools needed. i guess what tells you if the condition is good or not are (3) factors
1) should have spring tension on the top metal peice 2) carbon build up on the top 3) edge should be fairly smooth and clean ( I have used some fine sand paper for the carbon and edge in the past to save em)
I agree, mine just sits right in. No screwdown. I wonder why its like that, is it an aftermarket distributor?

[Four Eyed Stangs]

I have no idea what the history of this short block is.

This is the same one that has the strange, mildly dished pistons.

Every other 5.0 I have has the snap on type rotor.

I don't remember having trouble buying a replacement.

[worldkeepsakes]

I have no idea what the history of this short block is.

This is the same one that has the strange, mildly dished pistons.

Every other 5.0 I have has the snap on type rotor.

I don't remember having trouble buying a replacement.
I gotta ask.
What do you ask for when you order a replacement rotor for this engine?

[Four Eyed Stangs]

I just ask for one for an '88.

When I say that's not it, they come back with the right one.

[Four Eyed Stangs]

http://www.dansracingsupply.com/Images/tMSD8423.jpg

It looks like that only boring gray and no brass.

[worldkeepsakes]

http://www.dansracingsupply.com/Images/tMSD8423.jpg

It looks like that only boring gray and no brass.
Cool, must be an Accel distributor, I've never seen them as stock in a 5.0.
Good deal! :cool:

[Four Eyed Stangs]

No!

It's Ford.

That's just the closest I could find on Google images.

Mine can't be the only one out there.

You guys are making me feel like a freak :p

[worldkeepsakes]

No!

It's Ford.

That's just the closest I could find on Google images.

Mine can't be the only one out there.

You guys are making me feel like a freak :p
Na, Dude.
Not a freak, it is an Accel, that Ford did use! I just wasn't aware that they did!
Thanks to you and google I learned something tonight.
If what I read was right, they did use Accel. It wasn't very common though. Mallory was big at that time for HO stuff, but I guess Acell had a piece too!

[joedogg]

http://www.dansracingsupply.com/Images/tMSD8423.jpg

It looks like that only boring gray and no brass.
http://www.partsamerica.com/product_images//img/msd/8407.jpg
This is the one on my engine.

It just pops right in.

[pro-five-oh]

No!

It's Ford.

That's just the closest I could find on Google images.

Mine can't be the only one out there.

You guys are making me feel like a freak :p

WTF? I've never seen that rotor before on a stock EFI 5.0.

[Four Eyed Stangs]

Now you have.

But wait; as an added bonus for viewing the actual picture of the actual rotor, you will recieve at no additional charge these two part numbers.

E4TE-12A332-BA
E4TE-12127-BA

[OVERKILL]

Interesting, those part numbers are 1984..................

[Four Eyed Stangs]

Maybe the engine was replaced early in this TC's life.

That could explain the pistons.

[OVERKILL]

I'm sure its possible :)

You have a MUTANT!
hehhehe! :)

[cason1]

I'm sure its possible :)

You have a MUTANT!
hehhehe! :)


Guess it is OK to feel like a freak now.;)

[joedogg]

Guess it is OK to feel like a freak now.;)
Nah man, you're just modded! Full on custom town car baby!

[gadget73]

What pistons does yours have, ones that look like this:


http://lunar.gadget73.com/images/DSCF1141.JPG

If so, thats the normal lopo piston for your car. That block is an 89 shortblock from a Crown Vic wagon.

That is an oddball distributor for sure. It would have to be 86+ since you have a roller cam, unless someone took an older one and swapped the drive gear, but it would still need to be 84+ to have a TFI module. That looks almost like a GM rotor or something.

[Ivan D.]

Thain, that's the type of rotors MSD uses for their billet distributors, I got one of them in pairs with the cap I got from summit bit it wouldn't bolt in the stock Ford distributor. The stock rotors in our cars suck real bad though, I'm gonna get one like FES soon.

[Four Eyed Stangs]

That's what the pistons look like.
I would think the gear would of shredded away by now if it wasn't the right one.

[87 town]

http://www.partsamerica.com/product_images//img/msd/8407.jpg
This is the one on my engine.

It just pops right in.

exact one i use in my 5.0

[gadget73]

That's what the pistons look like.
I would think the gear would of shredded away by now if it wasn't the right one.

Yeah, either the gear or camshaft would have destroyed themselves by now, so you must be using the correct one. As for the motor, its exactly what should be in there, an 86+ lopo roller motor.


Ivan: yeah the stock Ford rotor setup isn't all that hot but its pretty typical. Tons and tons of vehicles have the phenolic rotor with just a little locating groove. The first one that came to mind with a screw down rotor is some GM vehicles from the 80s, the ones with the HEI coil right in the cap.

http://www.sallee-chevrolet.com/Proform/images/66942bkc.jpg

[Four Eyed Stangs]

Well, I get to try and find my weird rotor today.

Wish me luck!

[OVERKILL]

Just a note that the MSD rotor for the newer Ford distributors (mine looks like the one from my Mustang, and NOT like either of the two pictured in this thread) seems to fit snugger in the distributor than the stock motorcraft pieces. There is ZERO movement, it's actually SNUG when putting it on there.

Mine looks like this (this is the Accel one):

http://www.carshopinc.com/images/ACL/130224.jpg

[SilverFox]

I have places PAPER in the slot with the rotor many times to firm up the slop.