I've read that oil filled ignition coils must be installed in an upright position. Is this correct? The old coil that was on my 73 Maverick 302 was mounted on the intake in a horizontal position and never had an issue with it. I noticed on a video on youtube that the coil on a earlier model mustang 289 was vertical. Just wondering if I should install mine the same.
Ford commonly used horiz, vertical and vertical at various different angles(some 6cyl do point somewhat downward)... Apparently they don't consider position a factor...
Coils were mounted horizontally to keep the wires going to the terminals submerged in oil to keep em cool. This prolonged coil life...I have mounted coils in all sorts of positions. Can't say it makes a difference but...The concept is sound, soo...Whatever works best for you should be just fine.
I wouldn't consider a coil mounted horizontally on intake, under air cleaner and behind the A/C compressor exactly optimally positioned.. Yet that's how most were mounted in the '70s...
Although it is not shown in the picture, I mounted the coil horizontally under the AC bracket using the bolt circled. It is somewhat out of the way and easier to get to than when it was on the manifold.
Right on. Ideally they're away from radiant heat sources with slight to moderate airflow and further isolated from driveline/road vibrations with rubber bushings. The anti-vibration bushings can hugely reduce oil aeration which of course you probably well know allows for better oil cooling performance and voltage consistency. Biggest bummer is that coil wires can actually get too long. Almost makes me miss my "other motors" with the disty in the rear of the block right next to that convenient little place called a... firewall. Nice and tidy with a super short coil wire. I'm still trying to figure out my front accessory drive situation(will eventually run a belt drive) so I can make an aluminum coil stand to mount or hang somewhere off the motors front corners. Me thinks isolating the bracket to the motor along with the coil to the bracket is probably about the best I can do on this motor.
On a mild application you're probably just fine there. Stuff a performance coil in that spot circled and you may overheat it.
That's what I did with my 331. I fabbed a bracket from 1/4" aluminum plate that bolts onto the water pump, that extends off to the driver's side with another bolt extended off the D.S. head.(to give it more support) with the MSD blaster coil mounted to this bracket. Can't get the pics of it off this computer to show it though
Ford was the king of cluttering up an intake manifold. It was a major PITA just to access the idle mixture screws on the stock 2 barrel carbs!
