Howell Odd Fire V6 Fuel Injection Kit Install

As a general statement, this is not true. As the engine temperature changes, the temperature sensor does see various set points to allow a function to occur such as Power Enrichment or Decel Fuel Cut Off. Other functions such as the control of the Idle Air Control do change with the rise and fall of the temperature.

 

Now I know.

 

What tach filter did you buy?

 

The replacement tach filter came from Howell. It replaced the previous Howell filter.

 

Just to update this thread.......

I broke down and sent this to Howell:

Troy,
I am still trying to get all of the bugs worked out of this kit.
Engine specs are:
Odd fire Buick 225
Mild cam possibly stock
Offenhauser Intake
Fender well headers
NOS Buick odd fire HEI distributor

To date I have:
Replaced intake manifold gaskets
Replaced adapter and TBI gaskets
Replaced tach filter
Replaced O2 and Map sensors
Installed inline fuel pressure gauge to verify it is 12 psi
Verified the fuel volume is at least 45 gal per hour
Removed all grounds from cylinder head, wire wheeled surface clean, reinstalled grounds
Checked, checked, checked and checked again for vacuum leaks
Preformed IAC calibration so many times I can do it with my eyes closed
Replaced PCV valve
Messed with butterfly's and fuel pressure with no real change, returned to factory settings
Installed the new chip that you burnt for me that said 225/4.3 on it. The jeep idled pretty smooth but threw non stop rich codes. I backed the fuel pressure down to 9 psi and it still was too rich. I put the old chip back in and returned the fuel pressure to 12 psi.

My complaints:
Engine hunts for idle from 500-600 up to 900-1000 and everywhere in between
On a cold startup (40 degrees ambient temp) the engine will fire up and run for several minutes until it starts surging in RPM and dies. It usually does this once before reaching thermostat opening temp.
If I clear the computer, I will get a rich code before the engine reaches thermostat opening temperature. Once I begin my drive the engine will run just fine. Around town, freeway it runs like a dream. Transitioning to off road; the idle is too high (800-900 rpm) for comfortable putting along. In 1st or 2nd gear putting on ranch roads the computer will throw a lean code after about 1/2 hour of riding. I perpetually have both rich codes and lean codes in the computer.
This is to the point that I ignore the check engine light because it is on and off fairly regularly.
On my snap on brick scanner I can see the input RPM changing even when I am driving at highway speed.
I feel like this cannot be made to run right until the ECM receives a consistent RPM signal.
I also feel like the target RPM is set at 800 to somewhat mask the odd fire ignition spacing.

Have you ever worked with anyone to bypass the tach filter and install a crank sensor to feed the RPM input to the ECM? My harmonic balancer has an array of holes around it that would allow me to install 3 nodes attached to bolt heads. I could then mount a Cherry GS1005 https://www.hawkusa.com/sites/hawk-..._group/CHERY/Series GS1005/spec/ZF-GS1005.pdf sensor with resistor to feed 5v of RPM input to the ECM. I could then have a new chip burned with a target idle around 600 rpm and the ECM would receive a consistent square wave rpm signal.

I have been working on this fairly regularly since July and have driven about 5000 miles. I must admit that I am considering going back to my Motor Craft 2100 carb setup. That setup ran great at my home elevation of 500' and needed little adjustment up to 5000'. It would sit and idle at 600-650 rpm all day and would allow me to ride the brake when off-road without the engine wanting to increase rpm and run away.
Do you have any insight or recommendations into my problems?

Thank you,
Kyle Borden
530 *** ****

This is the response I got from Howell.......

Hi Kyle,



I do have someone who has done just what you are thinking about, some engines will need to be converted and some don't, however this should work for you and i have also included Idle adjustment procedure, but if you cant get the idle where you need it , i can lower the idle in the chip.

225 Odd Fire Cam sensor Take out tach filter when running the 2012 Vette Cam Sensor

FP Bracket Bolts in the Balancer A=5v-C14 B=Lo Rev.=B3 C=Cam Signal B5 Randy Prevatt 918-313-1787 prevattautomotive@cox.net JR@iqautoworks.com 2012 is opposite of 1999--Cam sensor wire order
The C14,B3 and B5 are the Pinout locations in the ECM.

Troy,
I have done the IAC calibration quite a few times and I cannot get the engine to run at a steady 600-650 rpm. I have ordered the 2012 corvette cam sensor and pigtail to wire it.
I will install 3 evenly spaced bolts through the holes in the balancer.
Do you want me to try it with the current chip or do you recommend a new chip right off the bat?
Thank you,
Kyle

Hi Kyle,

The chip that you have now, will work fine with the cam sensor.

End of conversation with Howell.
So I am working towards converting my setup to feed the ECM off of 3 bolts through the crank read by a 2012 corvette cam sensor.
As you can see, Howell tech support is very helpful.

 

Kyle, to aid in your crank sensor install, be sure to use a shielded twisted pair lead to reduce the potential of external interference. Also, when doing that, ground to shielding only at one end of the lead. If grounded at both ends, it will become a conductor and potentially introduce interference.

If you don't have access to the lead, I have a spool of it and could send you a length of it if needed.

 

I dont know much about efi but a crank sensor sounds like a better solution for a good clean signal for the ecm, It definitely couldn't be worse.

 

I was just going to use my normal double insulated semi truck wire, soldered to the pigtail wires?

 

You want a twisted pair lead which reduces the chance of picking up induced noise. The shielding increases the protection. As I said, I have extra if you are interested.

 

I just looked it up. I have some of that on an old cnc machine that is destined for scrap. Ill harvest some this afternoon.

 

Just to update this thread.
Here is the 2012 Corvette cam sensor. Hopefully this will be getting installed in the next couple weeks.

 

I was explaning to jw about the coolant sensor. to me it is about the most important part of that tbi system. I was supposed to try to find a better location for it. to me i don't think the heater line is a good spot for it for a bunch of reasons. it should be in the water just before the thermostat. when he reaches temp 195 thermostat cracks open and keeps it close to 195. o2 sensors take over at a certain temp. which on his i wouldnt know when they are hot, to start leaning out the fuel . thats the ecm's job. i know by looking at his pictures space to put the temp sensor is lacking. i will look again. i just thought of something. if you had a steel thermostat housing you could get a couple more of them. wrld a flat plate on the end of the original housing where the hose starts, that can accept a new stat housing . then continue with the hose. in the original housing weld a coupling on the top . make the coupling short enough to ensure the coolant sensor is in the water completely. oh well stuck my nose in again. crap one more thing. i am not sure but i think a crank sensor works only when the key is in start, then it is the hall effect switch. ??? tell me what you think.later

 

This is exactly my thought, too. And please understand, I have NOTHING but legit respect for you, Kyle. Plainly put, I'm a good mechanic, but this type of troubleshooting is not just "over my head" - i'd be like 3 feet under the surface...drowning...gurgling...while crying.

Motorcraft 2100 with metcalf mods will probably be my only mod if my 2GC gives up the ghost and I want to change things up.

 

I slid under the jeep to start getting some ideas for mounting the crank sensor. It should be pretty easy to weld a bracket to the fuel pump block off plate that will locate the sensor. You can see that the sensor will be tucked up above the oil pan. If something, somehow gets up that far...... the crank sensor is pretty low on the oh shi* list of things to get damaged.

 

hey jw i was looking a some of your old pictures. my heater hoses are connected to the right rear of the intake manifold, and the the port on the water pump. so i was wondering if you pulled the heater hose from the spot near the thermostat and sent it to the water pump and screwed the coolant sensor into the spot where the heater hose was by itself.

 

hope the crank sensor is coming along

 

@90 degree
I pulled out the old analog temp sensor on the front if the 4.3 and put the tbi sensor there. my capillary tube for an aftermarket guage is in the T to the passenger side heater and is close enough for a dial guage. I feel it reads changes slower than at the thermostat housing.

 

Well the weather warmed up here and my wife has been daily driving the jeep to work..... so the jeep leaves before the sun comes up and doesn't get home till after 5......
If I were to try to install the sensor and not complete it in one evening...... ..... lets not go there......

 

Rent a car for a couple days and send the bill to Howell! They should be paying YOU for all the R&D you're providing them.