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Back after a long hiatus...have questions about fuel system

manicman1

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Murfreesboro
State
TN
Hi guys,

‘’I have not been on the forums for quite sometime..after doing a scrambler restoration...I had an engine shop back in North Carolina rebuild my 258 and it never ran right..after several so called mechanics put their hands on it and never could get things right, I got disgusted and parked it for a few years ...bad thing to do...appears I now get to redo some things from the sitting...I am back at it

i have a newly rebuilt motor back in, it but here are my current issues and I am looking for your guys experience for suggestions

my gas tank has rust plus the fuel had varnished..so I am going to replace the gas tank forward...here are my questions

any plastic tank options available now that is a good fit?
what about pre-made fuel lines for a scrambler

the Howell TBI set up I have...I want to remove it and go to something simple and works...the original carb and all the California emissions stuff is long gone...so I am looking for suggestions and options from your fine folks for that replacement

and last...the charcoal filter...all the plastic nipples are rotted and broken...what do you guys do for a replacement or do you just remove it all together ...plumbing diagrams would be greatly appreciate

thanks for having me back and I appreciate your guidance

I know everyone loves pictures..at least they use too...here is what I am working with ..at least the exterior ...I haven’t driving it over a mile or two in all the years...I am ready to drive this bad boy...
 

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Mancunian

Lifetime Member
Lifetime Member
City
Bridgeport
State
WV
Nice.
I put a Holley Sniper in my 258 - that was a pretty simple install, had to put a new ignition system on it though.
Charcoal filter? Bet someone's got one of those - looks like Fleabay is a good bet.
 

manicman1

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Murfreesboro
State
TN
Nice.
I put a Holley Sniper in my 258 - that was a pretty simple install, had to put a new ignition system on it though.
Charcoal filter? Bet someone's got one of those - looks like Fleabay is a good bet.
Bridgeport West Virginia. ...way way back when I was a young man, I dated a girl from Parsons

what did you have to change on the ignition system? I see lots of those variations on the holly sniper...does it matter which one?
 

Kim Dawson

CJ-8 Member
Member
City
Molalla
State
Or
The Howell TBI you already have simplifies a lot. . .minimum of vacuum lines required. And the charcoal canister can be the GM one with just two nipples instead of four. You have a great looking Scrambler.
 

sdsupilot

CJ-8 Member
Member
City
OKC
State
OK
I would try to get it running with the Howell setup vs starting over with a new system. The Howell system is pretty simple. I have a GM TBI on my scrambler with a 4.3 V6. I am running a factory computer and prom without tuning.

The system is pretty well self contained. You do need to have the proper fuel pressure to make it run. If it were me, I would do the fuel system work. Verify that you have proper fuel pressure at the TBI and make sure the return is clear to the tank. I would also verify that there are no open ports/vacuum leaks that could be causing issues.
 

Mancunian

Lifetime Member
Lifetime Member
City
Bridgeport
State
WV
We pass through Parsons occasionally, pretty area - probably under a foot of snow right now!

Which Sniper? https://www.holley.com/products/fue..._efi/sniper_efi_bbd_for_jeep_cj/parts/550-858

"what did you have to change on the ignition system? I see lots of those variations on the holly sniper...does it matter which one?"
Mostly Ford TFI coil and distributor

http://keith.cj8.tripod.com/tfi_upgrade.htm
See https://www.cj-8.com/threads/of-tf999s-snipers-and-258-ignitions.50317/
Not sure what was bad with my setup - but the change made a big difference, i already had the GM module vs the OEM ignition.


But as others have said the fuel pump needs to provide the required pressure, other items have to be up to snuff too.
May be worth spending a bit more time with the Howell first, what issues are you having?
 

manicman1

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Murfreesboro
State
TN
Everything is varnished now since I had gotten disgusted and parked it for a few years..plus before that I had it to three so called top mechanic shops...it’s amazing how some people open professional shops with certificates on the wall and lots of patches on their shirts indicating master this and that..and I always got the same statement after them keeping the jeep for months...statement goes like this...this Howell stuff is crap...it will never work ..rip that crap out and put a regular carb on and be done with it...so now that I am over The disgust and want to drive this thing...its Time to get it going...I owned a 81 scrambler many years ago when I was on active duty...I loved that machine...it ran like an old reliable mule...I want to love this one the same as I did my old one
 

spankrjs

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Biloxi
State
MS
The GM TBI set ups are some of the most reliable/easy to diagnose/repair systems ever used. If 3 "master mechanics" told you to rip it off, I would find a "good ole boy" to look at it/fix it.

Like the others said, drain the gas, flush the lines, verify fuel pressure. Blow out the return line. If it sat with fuel, clean and rebuild the throttle body. It is easier to rebuild a TBI throttle body versus any carb I ever rebuilt. The injectors might have to run a bit to clean out, but should be OK.

Verify spark and timing. Buy/borrow a cheap scan tool to check for codes. If the fuel pressure is right, timing and spark verified, it should run fine.

I ran GM TBI on my now sold tan Scrambler for years. Had a bad MAP sensor the first time I fired it up, easy fix. I had some "hot fuel issues", but can't really blame the TBI for that. I drove that Jeep cross country a few times, no problems with the TBI. Now, GM HEI modules, different story, for me anyway LOL.

I have installed a few Howell kits and never had any problems with them. Before getting rid of it and swapping on a carb/Holley/MPI/new engine, spend some time and figure it out/fix it. Or, find a local Jeeper to help you out.

Just my :twocents:
 

manicman1

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Murfreesboro
State
TN
The GM TBI set ups are some of the most reliable/easy to diagnose/repair systems ever used. If 3 "master mechanics" told you to rip it off, I would find a "good ole boy" to look at it/fix it.

Like the others said, drain the gas, flush the lines, verify fuel pressure. Blow out the return line. If it sat with fuel, clean and rebuild the throttle body. It is easier to rebuild a TBI throttle body versus any carb I ever rebuilt. The injectors might have to run a bit to clean out, but should be OK.

Verify spark and timing. Buy/borrow a cheap scan tool to check for codes. If the fuel pressure is right, timing and spark verified, it should run fine.

I ran GM TBI on my now sold tan Scrambler for years. Had a bad MAP sensor the first time I fired it up, easy fix. I had some "hot fuel issues", but can't really blame the TBI for that. I drove that Jeep cross country a few times, no problems with the TBI. Now, GM HEI modules, different story, for me anyway LOL.

I have installed a few Howell kits and never had any problems with them. Before getting rid of it and swapping on a carb/Holley/MPI/new engine, spend some time and figure it out/fix it. Or, find a local Jeeper to help you out.

Just my :twocents:

‘well shoot brother...what would it take to get a good ol. Boy from Mississippi to come up to Nashville area and make this thing work
 

mhinchliffe

CJ-8 Member
City
W-S
State
NC
You're going to go through just as much trouble to change everything back to a simple mechanical fuel pump and a MC 2100 as you would to clean, verify and "dial in" what you already have. I'd see if what you have will function and run properly before GOING BACKWARDS. The TBI is a great set up.....Try it - you'll like it.
 
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