Escort or not
Escort or not
There are 2 different ford ignition systems that use that type of distributor with the ignition module on the side. The nice part about the ford ignition module is that it has 2 separate transistors, 1 for the "run" position and the other for the "start" position.
Most guys wire up both to the hot leads, in my case I hooked up each hot to a separate switch so I can check each transistors operation.
Each the early dists used a magnetic pole piece similiar of all general motors hei distributors from 1975 to present. Then ford went to a "tfi"or thin film ignition that was a bit more sophisitcated and used a ecm to control coil firing.
You can identify this by looking under the ignition rotor and seeing the 4 points on the ring and reluctor. This is most likely the one you have.
Get a new pickup for drill.....
They like to have a coil with at least 1 ohm resistance.
Any lower, aka "hi po coils" and you will be pulling serious amps thru the coil & the module....
my jacobs coil with .2 ohms pulled 12 amps per discharge..... whew ! ( 4 to 7 amps is desirable"
I have a photo of my snap on scope with a waveform I keep meaning to post but the bottom line is that the ignition module even with both start and run powers on you dont want to see more than 7 amps. To low an amp reading you will have sputtering at high engine loads, if you are running any type of ballast resistor with the coil now that is most likely your problem.
If you dont have access to an oscilliscope with a current amp probe do not try and do it any other way.
You have to stick with the stock coil to be safe.
high rpm the duty cycle or " on time" is such that the coil will get overheated, the windings will act like an oven element and zapooo your dead.
If you use a low ohm perf coil you might have to use a ballast resistor of certain spec to get the current low enough so that you dont cook everything. again if you dont have a way to measure the current for the duty cycle then your wee weeing in the wind. Otherwise use their "ignition" box to trigger "their" coil whatever your brand.
Personally only jacobs ignition stuff is worth a damn for our needs the rest is junk. Jacobs marine box cdi set up is the only way to go in my op. but its pricy at almost 400 bucks.....
Ok, some advice you can use.
1. ONLY use oem ford motorcraft ignition cap and rotor. Dont ask me how many defective "premium" sets from napa and standard I have thrown back defective. Driven me frikkin nuts........
2. Use white heat sink compound behind the module to dissapate the heat. NOT plug boot silicone release compound !!! Radio shack has it.
3. Grab the top of the dist shaft and push it back and forth, if the top bearing has too much play the pickup/trigger will hash all over the place and false triggger the module or not at all at certain rpm's. and you could have problems.
Points distributors are very very sensitive to upper bearing play obivously because the point gap and dwell is effected by the runout or play in the shaft, hei or electronic trigger is more forgivving but not 100 % fool proof with too much play. I cant tell you how many guys chase dwell and point gap and timing only to discover the upper bearing / bushing is wasted. Most ford escort junkers are already wasted and nobody checks it......aahhhhaa.
4. Make a separate ground wire, go straight to the distributor body somewhere. The module ground uses the distributor body as a ground A clean copper wire to engine ground can help all sorts of problems. Just because your dist is tight does not mean you have a good electrical connection under LOAD.
If your distributor is loose when you are setting timing and you are relying on the dist bolt to ground for your module trigger then you wont have a clean trigger now will you? Thats why you use a separate dedicated ground wire.
5. Only use motorcraft ford parts on this unit. module etc.
There are 2 types of coils yours looks like an "E" laminate coil, that has lower resistance than the "can" type coil. E is 1 ohm and less, can is 1ohm and more. I have seen both types of coils on ford escorts depending on build dates and engine calibration packages so my advise to you is to get a mallory coil with 1+ ohm resistance. Mallory is good stuff most of the time they run about 80 bucks in the summit or jegs catalog they list one for "electronic" ignitoion get that one.... or get the universal Jacobs e laminate coil and take your chances with the stock ignition module, mine runs about 7 amps with both start and run power'd
Put motorcraft cap, rotor and module heat sink compound. check bearing, set timing. If your engine is running really hot, (over 225) remote mount the module on a heatsink, do a marine wire with heat shrink and stress reliefs to the module and make everything nice. Sounds like work your right but its a lot better than ending up in the trees or worse.
Stock subaru ecm's efi set ups with shared ignition or dis coil packs are low resistance and are engineered to take the heat and duty cycle / abuse.
last word, accell yellow coils USED to be good but I had a rash of made in china ones that all went defective. Thanks accell, same price, terrible quality control !!!
You can shake it and hear the fluid and iron rattle in the housing.........
All my kid customers got stuck...... Most of the hi po trash is just a fancy box with a sticker, most of it is junk.
I own a snap on coulselor 2 and big sun ignition scope with all the attachments and I can tell you I have done a lot of research on ignition systems. Stick with what I said and you will be ok.
I can be reached at 252-249-1223 Eastern time if you have any other questions.
Hope this helps.
last edit here, your pic shows the poor plug going to the module, go to napa and get some new terminals they no longer make the plug, crimp and solder the "metripack" terminals to the appropiate wires, use some "ultra copper" silicone to hold the wires in the module just goosh it in the cavity with everything hooked up. that plug is most likely green with goo.....
Jonathan
ASE Master Tech.