TFI module issues

[BADVENM]

Hey guys, this year and the end of last year, I've been having issues with the car running great on track then suddenly losing all power (like someone shut the car off) for anywhere from a fraction of a second to as much as 4 seconds. This is quite frustrating to say the least. We've relocated the TFI module to the inside of the fender to get it farther away from the engine and higher heat areas. It doesnt seem to have made any difference. I should also add that during this time of having issues with the TFI module, we converted our foxbody mustang over to Mass Air Flow. No issues for the prior 13 years of racing when we had the speed density computer system. We are running the wiring that was in the car back to 1986.

Yesterday during the CMC championship race, another Rocky Mountain CMC driver in a Mustang also had his TFI module fail, causing a complete ignition failure and thus causing him to not be able to compete after running in the front. He completely rewired his car so no original wiring.

Have any of the Mustangs in Texas region have this issue? Is there somewhere where we should start investigating this issue? We've run TFI modules as far back as the 80s, run some that are "new" and they all will fail at some point. Could this be heat related?

Any help or guidance on diagnosing would be appreciated.

Dave
NASA Rocky Mountain CMC

[Gerno]

Many of the mustangs in Texas have this same issue. Not sure there is a conclusive direction on how to fix it. I know lots of parts have been swapped and extra grounds added to the Texas mustangs. I'll see of any of the Ford guys can respond... I don't have this issue with my LS

[michaelmosty]

Dave, sorry I don't have a good answer for you. I have run mine for almost 20 years with all stock wiring. I have had the TFI go bad and replaced it about 10 years ago and it is still in the factory location on the distributor.

I'm guessing the TFI it is like the LT1 optispark where all the new replacement options are cheap crap.

[AllZWay]

Dave, sorry I don't have a good answer for you. I have run mine for almost 20 years with all stock wiring. I have had the TFI go bad and replaced it about 10 years ago and it is still in the factory location on the distributor.

I'm guessing the TFI it is like the LT1 optispark where all the new replacement options are cheap crap.

Sorry... I got nothing for this to help.. but

[marshall_mosty]

I’d look into the ECU and the capacitors on the board. These have been known to leak and with even the youngest ECU now at 30 years old, it might be worth swapping ECU’s to see if you still have the same issue.

[Sook]

I had issue with the original wiring in my current car. Re wired it with painless, and was still having issues. Ended up moving the ground wire for the TFI to the top of the intake manifold and that seems to help. In tandem with that I swapped the ECU caps. Seems to run well now, and not kill TFIs. I have only had success with Motorcraft TFIs.

Josh