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Originally Posted by SC Car Dude  "TFI" stands for "Thick Film Ignition" but the "Thick" refers to a clear gel layer inside of the module which helps wick away heat from a circuit board, |
Nice guess but your are incorrect (I worked in Ford's Electronic Division just down the aisle from the folks who designed that part.) The gel simply seals the circuit board and electrical components from moisture.
Thick film refers to the "circuit board" (in this case it is actually ceramic) and the way the conductors are placed on the board (via a type of "ink"). Small resistors are actually "inked" on (different ink).
Heat from the main power transistor is transferred via a heat spreader slug out the backing plate as you correctly stated.
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If you are able to it is best to relocate the TFI Module by taking it off the scorching-hot distributor and mounting it some place away from engine heat. This greatly increases the reliability, but requires a good bit of effort, materials, and competence; and guides on how to accomplish this are elsewhere on the internet so I won't describe the process here.
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You can find TFI's mounted to a big aluminum heat sink that can be remotely mounted on a fender. Unfortunately then you need an extensions harness. These sometime show up on eBay.
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If this diagram helps just one person I will have accomplished my goal.
Study it carefully and good luck! |
I will only add that some model year had an issue with the rubber grommet between the PIP sensor inside the distributor and TFI. When this failed the PIP shorted out.
Also early TFI had a bad habit of destroying the E Core coil as they went south.
