Is it easyer to buy the howel fuel injection, or mopar kit, or is it cheaper and easyer to go with a setup out of a junkyard? Also what all is involved to do this swap? I want a good setup but If possible I would like to keep this swap under $500 is it possible? This is an 87 258, its a good rebuilt engine so I dont want to completely swap in another 4.0. P.S. Im not going to swap in a V8! to much money and Im only running Dana 44's thanks. :smokin: :usa:

Other than the kits, I would thik the best thing to do is swap on a 4.0L head w/ the intake & injection stuff.

I've gone over this a million times in my head and it's just cheaper to get the Howell system. This is because, even if you get the 4.0 head with the dual fuel rails, which only came on 1995+, which is required for the conversion, you still need an aftermarket harmonic balancer that has a crank position sensor on it. The conversion dampner is $350. There's a few other pricey conversion pieces that you'd need, too. The least of which is a custom wiring harness. If I was keeping my 258 and not putting in a TPI 350, I would go Howell. Also, do some searches. I have posted WAY more in depth on this in posts a LONG time ago.

J. J.

The chepest way to do it is scavage all the injection stuff from a 4.3 from a 1/2 ton-Astrovan- or S10. make sure you get everything(throttle body,all sensors,wireing harness,fuel pump, distributor,Ecm then go to your local chevy dealer and get a copy of the wireing diagram.
There is a write up on converting the chevy distributor to work in the 258. I had a link to it but my comp crashed earlier today and I lost everything. I think the most difficult part was finding the right gear to fit on the chevy dist shaft.

Put a howell set up on my nephews this last summer. Very nice. Took about 4 or 5 hours all said and done. The only problem was that there was two wires crossed on the IAC sensor. I think he paid over a grand for it.


The IAC sensor problem was solved by calling howell and having them trouble shoot it over the phone.

I got a spare TBI of a 305 chevy for $35. I just need the computer. $100, and a harness.

Swap in a 4.0. It is the best way to go. DO NOT do the Mopar MPI. You will be sorry.

Originally posted by hy_desert_4wheeler
The chepest way to do it is scavage all the injection stuff from a 4.3 from a 1/2 ton-Astrovan- or S10. make sure you get everything(throttle body,all sensors,wireing harness,fuel pump, distributor,Ecm then go to your local chevy dealer and get a copy of the wireing diagram.
There is a write up on converting the chevy distributor to work in the 258. I had a link to it but my comp crashed earlier today and I lost everything. I think the most difficult part was finding the right gear to fit on the chevy dist shaft.

I've never heard of this before. I would be VERY interrested in seeing an article on it somwhere.

J. J.

Originally posted by patooyee


I've never heard of this before. I would be VERY interrested in seeing an article on it somwhere.

J. J.


From what I've heard, this is essentially what the Howell system is. I'll look around for an article.

Edit: The following link shows Howells explanation for the kit...
"Includes all components plus a new 4.3L Chevrolet throttle body to convert a 2BBL CJ or Wrangler Jeep to EFI. Specify type and year of Jeep when ordering kit. Emmission legal version" (http://www.howell-efi.com/complete_kits/tbi_index.html)

Originally posted by patooyee
This is because, even if you get the 4.0 head with the dual fuel rails, which only came on 1995+, which is required for the conversion, you still need an aftermarket harmonic balancer that has a crank position sensor on it.

What is the reason for requiring the dual fuel rail head? I have seen more than one of these conversions with any '91-95 head. This one is much easier because the regulator is not in the tank.

To be honest, I don't really know. I just know that I talked to Howell about it and they said that if you get a single fuel rail setup you have to conver it to dual.

J. J.