Howell TBI: Alternate location for connecting starter solenoid lead???

[FDSJr]

There are 2 leads on the Howell system (orange wire labelled "Direct Battery Power" and purple wire labelled "Starter Solenoid") that are in question.

One of them (orange wire) is a no brainer. Howell says to attach it to the battery side of the starter solenoid. But, since it is for "Direct Battery Power", it could be connected to any of the red wires on the Starter System wiring diagram for my 91 GW (see attached diagram).

The purple wire to the starter solenoid is my question. According to the installation instructions, it is to be attached to the starter side of the solenoid. If the folks at Jeep had designed the 89 - 91 GW starting system similar to the earlier models, the starter solenoid would be on the right fender well -- exactly where the Howell instructions say it is located -- and the connection of the purple wire would be simple.

But, the Jeep folks decided to make a change during the 89-91 model years and mount the starter solenoid on the starter, way down under the engine. They mounted a starter relay on the fender well in place of the solenoid.

I am guessing that the purpose of this wire (purple wire) is to provide a signal to the ECM that the engine is cranking. If that is the case, it might be simpler to just attach the purple wire at the green wire on the relay that is on the fender well. It provides a 12 V signal to activate the solenoid. Wouldn't that serve the same purpose?

Take a look at the pictures and the wiring diagram and let me know if I am making sense or I am way off base.

Thanks.

[babywag]

light green wire on relay or down on starter solenoid.
same wire diff. locations use either

[FDSJr]

Thanks for the reply. The location suggested by the Howell instructions (starter side of solenoid) is not very easily accessible on this model year GW, so why mess with it if there is an easier alternative? I checked the light green wire and it definitely runs directly from the relay to the solenoid. It will have 12 V on it when cranking, so it should be the easier alternative -- as long as connecting the purple wire there won't cause any problems with other systems on the GW. I am going to give it a try and see what happens.

[babywag]

Actually it's not bad, mine is connected down @ starter.
I found it quicker/easier because the wire already had the correct terminal, and was long enough to reach.
Had it not been long enough I would have used relay connection.

[FDSJr]

My lead is long enough to reach down to the starter. I may crawl under there again and check it out a little more closely. Otherwise connecting to the light green wire on the relay is plan B. Thanks.

[FDSJr]

I went with connecting to the starter solenoid. As you indicated, it really wasn't that hard to do. I didn't even have to disconnect the wire from the solenoid to the starter. The stud that it connects to is long enough to add a second nut and tighten down the ring terminal that is on the wire. Apparently it worked OK because the engine fired up fine. I just have to resolve the rough slow idle problem and I should be good to go. The idle is the subject of another thread.