True Fire

[Cool Hand Lurker]

I was all set to go to the MAFCI Tour in Rapid City when my 1926 Roadster started running like a clothes dryer tumbling one boot. It was only running on two cylinders. When I bought it the last owner had installed a True Fire electronic ignition system in the car and it has worked well up until now. I don't have the original parts so I will attempt to fix this system before going out and buying the original coil boxes and distributor system.

I put the True Fire on the bench and hooked up all the wires in the right places, both to the terminals on the box and to the terminals on the commutator. I first took the connector plug out of the coil and tested it separately. The coil checked out OK on all four high voltage terminals then, but when I reconnected the plug only #1 & 4 would spark. Nothing on #2 & 3. The buzzer worked with all four terminals however. All of this was with the rotor NOT INSTALLED but it still sparked on #1 & 4. Putting the rotor in its place and rotating it so the magnets passed by the sensors did nothing.

You don't need to tell me how wonderful the Henry Ford system worked for 84 years, that is not the question. Instead, are there any ideas as to what is wrong with the True Fire?

 

[ljbohlen]

Cool,

Check out the MTFCA forum site and search for Tru Fire.
There was someone on a few months back that had a similar problem.
I think one of the two coils in the unit had gone bad.
The gentleman that makes the Tru Fire units will repair.

Good luck.

Larry Bohlen '27 touring

 

[Doug Money]

Parts are available for the unit at the local parts store. The coils fit a 1997 Ford Expedition with the 4.6? engine. It is the one with out the coil on plugs. Replace the coil in your unit and you should be good to go.

 

[Cool Hand Lurker]

Thanks guys. I did a search on the MTFCA Forum and found a lot of info. It may be the coil, it may be a short in the timer. Isolating the coil and applying + & - directly to the coil terminals got output on #1,2,3 & 4 so it appears that the coil is good. I hate to go buy a new coil right away if that is not the problem. I am suspecting a timer problem because there was a constant output at #1 & 4 and none at #2 & 3 and taking the rotor out and putting it back in again made no difference so the magnets and sensors in the timer weren't switching anything or there is a short in the timer circuitry. Or it could be bad soldering or cracks in the circuit board. If it is anything else on the circuit board then I can't fix it. Hopefully it will be a cheap part that went bad.
Thanks again.

 

[ljbohlen]

I would give Mr. Bittner a call here's his website: http://www.true-fire.com/

Good luck.

 

[Cool Hand Lurker]

I emailed him about a week ago and no answer. I give up. I am going to trash the unit and put in a new original system.
Anybody want a used True Fire with a slight problem? Send me $100 and it's yours. I will pay the shipping.

 

[ljbohlen]

Customer service is the key.
People need to respond to emails and phone calls.

If putting back an orginal coil timer system have your coils set up with a hand crank coil tester. I had mine done a while back and it makes a big difference.

 

[Cool Hand Lurker]

I got an email back from True Fire yesterday asking me to send in the unit and they would fix it, so I did. It wasn't good to anybody if it doesn't work, eh? I will still sell it but will add on the costs of the repair which will still be a good deal for what will be a like-new unit.
I am going to install the original system so I can find help or parts if it goes down while on a tour.
Thanks for all the help.