Howell TBI / EFI Installation How-To for CARB E.O. #D-452-2

[Theodore]

Hey, Rob - wondering if you have any pix of how your fuel line & return is routed? Mine routes similar to what you show to where the frame bends up over the axle; once there, I have rubber line following the frame to the front of the block, up the front & over the intake to the throttle body. Am wondering if you came up the firewall & straight over? Or, if there

[MysticRob]

Hey, Rob - wondering if you have any pix of how your fuel line & return is routed? Mine routes similar to what you show to where the frame bends up over the axle; once there, I have rubber line following the frame to the front of the block, up the front & over the intake to the throttle body. Am wondering if you came up the firewall & straight over? Or, if there

Hard to see I think, but my #4 thread post shows both feed and return lines. Since mine is an 88, both the feed and return lines are on the driver side frame rail, so I simply cut the feed hardline near the frame void in front of the fuel tank cover to install the filter and pump, and cut the return line just before where the e-brake cable pops out of the frame. That's the pic where I'm flaring that return line, as it's a slightly smaller diameter and the return hose wouldn't naturally stay on.

https://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showpost.php?p=1728295&postcount=4

[Theodore]

Hard to see I think, but my #4 thread post shows both feed and return lines. Since mine is an 88, both the feed and return lines are on the driver side frame rail, so I simply cut the feed hardline near the frame void in front of the fuel tank cover to install the filter and pump, and cut the return line just before where the e-brake cable pops out of the frame. That's the pic where I'm flaring that return line, as it's a slightly smaller diameter and the return hose wouldn't naturally stay on.
https://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/show...95&postcount=4

Apologies, I must have not been clear; where does it go from there? Ie., does it route up the firewall on the drivers side, or toward where the mechanical fuel pump was & up the front of the block & back over the intake to the throttle body? I don

Edited: bit by the apostrophe bug…

[Theodore]

Hard to see I think, but my #4 thread post shows both feed and return lines. Since mine is an 88, both the feed and return lines are on the driver side frame rail, so I simply cut the feed hardline near the frame void in front of the fuel tank cover to install the filter and pump, and cut the return line just before where the e-brake cable pops out of the frame. That's the pic where I'm flaring that return line, as it's a slightly smaller diameter and the return hose wouldn't naturally stay on.
https://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/show...95&postcount=4

Apologies, I must have not been clear; where does it go from there? Ie., does it route up the firewall on the drivers side, or toward where the mechanical fuel pump was & up the front of the block & back over the intake to the throttle body? I dont have a pic of mine right now; will try to post what I have tmw to compare.

[MysticRob]

Apologies, I must have not been clear; where does it go from there? Ie., does it route up the firewall on the drivers side, or toward where the mechanical fuel pump was & up the front of the block & back over the intake to the throttle body? I dont have a pic of mine right now; will try to post what I have tmw to compare.

Just straight up the back of the engine near the firewall (since both TB nipples are on the rear) to keep it away from the exhaust.

[rang-a-stang]

Just straight up the back of the engine near the firewall (since both TB nipples are on the rear) to keep it away from the exhaust.

Same as mine. I routed mine up near the brake booster, then soft line just behind the valve cover, meeting up with the TBI near the EGR valve.

[Theodore]

Same as mine. I routed mine up near the brake booster, then soft line just behind the valve cover, meeting up with the TBI near the EGR valve.

K; thanks. MysticRob, looking back at old pix, is the fuel line running in parallel with the brake booster line in this pic?

Head-on pic:
PXL_20210518_233159515 by Robert Stone, on Flickr

[babywag]

Yep, along firewall as well. I strongly recommend to folks metal lines off TBI, then soft lines.
Especially folks running an EGR valve.
Dorman sells TBI line repair kits with correct fittings for TBI.
Bend easily and gives me a little piece of mind.
OEMs used metal sections for a reason.

[MysticRob]

K; thanks. MysticRob, looking back at old pix, is the fuel line running in parallel with the brake booster line in this pic?

Negative, literally right up the back of the transmission bell housing, up through the tunnel, straight into the TBI nipples on the rear of the throttle body.

[bristolf2b]

Howell FI

Hi Rob

I want to thank you for this tread. I just started the installation of a Howell system on my 89 wagoneer and it has cleared up a lot of questions i had. how were you able to remove the evaporator from the houseing. there doesn't seem to be enough slack in the lines to get it out.

thanks again. Lane

[MysticRob]

Hi Rob

I want to thank you for this tread. I just started the installation of a Howell system on my 89 wagoneer and it has cleared up a lot of questions i had. how were you able to remove the evaporator from the houseing. there doesn't seem to be enough slack in the lines to get it out.

thanks again. Lane

Two people would be easier, but one can still do by starting out with the entire assembly kinda stuck up in that void near where I placed the TBI brain box, then lowering the housing, being careful to keep the evaporator still up in that void. It's tricky, but with some effort you can lower the housing down into the footwell to give it enough clearance to pull out, then gently dropping the evaporator down from the void.

Also, be aware there should be at least 2 screws that are on the back of the housing that secure the evaporator inside the housing. Make sure all that is removed, obviously.

[bristolf2b]

Rod
How did you get the the the transmission linkage to fit on the lower arm of the throttle linkage.
thanks Lane

[MysticRob]

Rod
How did you get the the the transmission linkage to fit on the lower arm of the throttle linkage.
thanks Lane

I drilled out the stock plastic round doodad a bit to just fit over the TBI nipple, then slobbed it up with gasket maker to keep it in place, then adjusted it to OEM specs. Kicks down nicely now at about half throttle:
PXL_20220220_033003221 by Robert Stone, on Flickr

You can see I still don't have the cruise control linkage hooked up but then again I don't even have the module under the dash at this point either.

[babywag]

I would not trust that setup for the TV rod. If rod pops off you can damage the transmission. Not to mention it'll shift very poorly.

Very easy to simply grind off TBI stud and just use a bolt.

[MysticRob]

It's a straight back and forth movement and I can't pull it off by hand, so I'm not too worried about it. Not sure how it not being hooked up would damage the transmission.