Help w/ Howell TBI Install

**43Duc** · 11-02-2008, 10:38 PM

I'm smack in the middle of my TBI install w/ a few questions:

My CJ-8 is an 82.

1. How can I tell if I have a dura-spark motor, or a non-computer controlled carb model? My CJ came to me w/ a weber carb and a lot of screwed up wiring. My computer was under the coolant bottle. The Howell directions call for me to skip some parts depending on what type of computer system I have. I have no way to tell.

2. I have removed the air pump and hoses that go along with it including the "rail" that connects to the exhaust. The Howell instructions say nothing about removing the rail or how to cap the holes. I found a link that says to use the bolts that were holding it on; problem is, those bolts are hollow w/ holes to allow air flow and thus will have an exhaust leak. They don't go all the way in to the header to seal up. I went to the store and could find no bolts to replace them with. They are 1/2 but neither the coarse thread, or the fine thread seemed to work. Has anyone else dealt with this? My plan is to hit a custom nut/bolt shop tomorrow, or have the holes welded up on the ones I have (although that will look like crap).

I appreciate any help!
-chris

gojeepgo · 11-02-2008, 10:57 PM

What you have under your coolant bottle is the ignition box for the duraspark ignition. The computer would be mounted inside the cab behind the glovebox.

What motor are you doing this on?

**43Duc** · 11-02-2008, 11:34 PM

Inline 6; 258. I've skipped over sealing the header and have moved on to hooking up the required vacuum lines before diving into the electrical. Can't figure out for the life of me what the CTO valve looks like...

**43Duc** · 11-02-2008, 11:36 PM

Scratch that... I know what the CTO is now. I'm learning a lot.

**jfwireless** · 11-03-2008, 07:16 AM

With a little time and money you will get there, good luck

Jim

danholovic · 11-03-2008, 08:13 AM

I went through all of that hassle myself - but it was completely worth it.

I too had planned to cap off those exhaust pipes, but things worked out better than that. At the time I did the TBI install, I also rebuilt the motor and put a new exhaust on it (plus lots of other stuff). Anyway, the new catalytic converter came with an extra little pipe that would originally have gone to all that mess of plumbing that you are talking about. That extra little pipe came with a cap on it, so I was able to remove ALL of those silly little valves and pipes, and nothing ended up needing plugged - it just wasn't there anymore. I believe that is the intention of the Howell kit anyway - to get rid off all that "band-aid" emissions stuff - I got the California version - and it passed my Texas smog test in a HUGE way - all of my emissions were MANY TIMES lower than allowed.

My biggest hitch came when wiring part of the kit. There is a little green wire that goes to the starter relay from somewhere. The instructions tell you to remove a bunch of wires - and this one I thought was one of those. It seems that some of the wire is removed, but part of it isn't - hard to say. On my first attempt, I got ignition but no starter engagement. After going through a wiring diagram really closely, I found that little green wire. Once I hooked it back up, it ran like a sewing machine.

It was a chore to put it all together, but this kit is well worth it. It actually starts and stays started in cold weather.

1986cj · 11-03-2008, 09:29 AM

As for the plugs in the exhaust go to a hardware store and get brass pulgs for them. They are not corse or fine but their pipe threads, at least mine were. Hope this helps.

**43Duc** · 11-03-2008, 01:25 PM

That did it. Hardware store had what I needed. Thanks for the tip!

11-03-2008, 08:13 AM	#6
danholovic Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Location: Beckley, WV Posts: 68 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	I went through all of that hassle myself - but it was completely worth it. I too had planned to cap off those exhaust pipes, but things worked out better than that. At the time I did the TBI install, I also rebuilt the motor and put a new exhaust on it (plus lots of other stuff). Anyway, the new catalytic converter came with an extra little pipe that would originally have gone to all that mess of plumbing that you are talking about. That extra little pipe came with a cap on it, so I was able to remove ALL of those silly little valves and pipes, and nothing ended up needing plugged - it just wasn't there anymore. I believe that is the intention of the Howell kit anyway - to get rid off all that "band-aid" emissions stuff - I got the California version - and it passed my Texas smog test in a HUGE way - all of my emissions were MANY TIMES lower than allowed. My biggest hitch came when wiring part of the kit. There is a little green wire that goes to the starter relay from somewhere. The instructions tell you to remove a bunch of wires - and this one I thought was one of those. It seems that some of the wire is removed, but part of it isn't - hard to say. On my first attempt, I got ignition but no starter engagement. After going through a wiring diagram really closely, I found that little green wire. Once I hooked it back up, it ran like a sewing machine. It was a chore to put it all together, but this kit is well worth it. It actually starts and stays started in cold weather.