TBI MUI HEI FBI CSI DUI EYE-YI-YI

[SNOWMAGEDDON]

 
TBI MUI HEI FBI CSI DUI EYE-YI-YI

Thanks to all the forum members who have contributed so much information so readily, and as a result, at no fault of their own, I have read it all, mixed it up, combined pieces of this and left out pieces of that to the point of confusion --- I wish I were a blackboard and could just wipe my slate clean and start from scratch with this upgrade.......so here's my attempt to do so

I bought an 88 wagon, that is after searching for 10 years for the right deal for "a broke guy"
Found it - bought it - brought it home and slowly began to "fix" it up
All the "important" mechanical stuff is done - all engine components, transmission, wheels bearings, brakes, shocks and on and on - everything except some basic frame repair at the usual spot(s) upfront
 
I suppose - NOW because everything starts, works and drives fine - the question I am asking myself at this point ----is why (now) fix something that aint broke? From a running standpoint, aside from a choke that doesn't open on initial startup (very often) when necessary which I easily yet inconveniently remedy with a hood pop and a screwdriver in the carb chock baffle - it's all good now
 
But I have had the stuff for what I believe everyone calls either the MUI sitting in a box for like 9 moths now - all of it still uninstalled because of a 1.35 ohm resistor wire mod
 
I have read ad nauseam, that is, on dead nights, for a period of about a year...read way too much stuff....it's alll misaligned....add to that individual comments saying I agree- I don't agree, such and so forth, so guys, I have also read about the TBI and yes--- the HEI ---- probably even the FBI, CSI, DUI and every other eye-yi-yi
 
From what I remember (and that's all now become "foggy") - HEI was the big dollar option I immediately ruled out - most said the MUI is plenty of bang for the buck
 
The TBI  was (maybe) a deal where one must dig through and separate this wire from that wire in a wiring harness which allows one to elimintae a brain? (or module) that I did not see any good reason to eliminate
.
And the MUI was the choice I picked to make a substantial ignition difference by changing a few tune-up parts to Motorcraft and adding a 40,000 volt coil and snipping a yellow wire and bypassing a what? resister?
 
So I have all those parts ready to go and no one (in person) except you guys here or jeep sites on the web seem to be able to assist me... not even a place with like 200 used jeeps sitting on big mounds of dirt as a show-off and drive-by sales grabber for potential customers passing by - I even talked to their Jeep mechanic who has no idea how or what the MUI is even after showing him a copy of the MUI install upgrade before and after schematic?
 
Add to that, the fact that I also seem to remember (and can't find) someone here writing - and a few agreeing that the new coil (I think it was) should be grounded to the frame or firewall for better performance? better ground as the stock on is not grounded? Or was that the the CSI or FBI or DUI upgrade (lol)
 
I have  wiring diagrams for the MUI showing only one splice -----the yellow wire splice---- and I have an MUI diagram showing the yellow wire splice and also a purple wire splice???
I can fix just about anything I get my hands on - but for some reason when I look under the hood and then look at the schematics - I feel akin to a bomb diffuser trying to choose the right wire to cut to avoid the ticking time bomb going off- I cannot afford to fry something either.
 
BTW - I even bought a brand new stock distributor - although it's not required I really want to eliminate and guarantee that my Eagle is dependable and solid - am I remembering correctly that the distributor needs not be set differently than stock? because another haunting memory reminds me I read somewhere that a 13 or 12 degree advance or retrard was required???
I have to be making too big a deal out of this --- right?
 
Can someone please smack me in the head and help me clear this up once and for all because I'm ready to cut and splice the right wire(s) and ground the coil? and set the distributor advance? add the ford 2 piece cap assy- pertronix 40g coil, better wires, ford condenser....
 
Thanks
Jerry- Muncie, Indiana
 

[captspillane]

Change "TBI" to "TFI". TBI stands for Throttle Body Injection, which is a very common upgrade for a 258 in its own right. It is the easiest and cheapest way to fuel inject, much simpler than the Multi-Point Injection "MPI" that newer Jeeps have with negligible difference in performance.

TFI is the other common name for a bolt together distributor upgrade. Its available as a kit often installed together with carb upgrades. TFI and MIU is basically the same thing.  

http://www.4x4xplor.com/tfi.html

Basically the TFI or MIU uses Ford Motorcraft parts compatible with the Ford parts already in our Eagle, while the HEI upgrade uses totally Chevy parts. The Ford parts use the existing AMC housing and its easier to install. The Chevy parts need the bottom gear from a stock AMC 360 V8, which means you need to totally pull the entire assembly and replace it all.

This is a HEI write-up with several other great links on it.

http://keith.cj8.tripod.com/hei_upgrade.htm

[eaglefreek]

Yes, most call it the TFI upgrade. I really wish people would use MIU or Big Cap upgrade.
TFI= Thick Film Integrated. Ford's electronic ignition
MIU= Motorcraft Ignition Upgrade
Since only the cap, cap adapter and rotor are used and sometimes a coil from a TFI aplication, there is no use of the TFI module. So TFI is not a good description.

HEI= High Energy Ignition. GM's electronic ignition

It's quite simple once you dig into it. 

[SNOWMAGEDDON]

Thanks for the breakdown I was confused by all the acronyms

I agree that MIU seems to be the most pinpointed acronym for the upgrade I am planning

Please allow me to expound --

I will be using the pertronic 40,000 volt coil----does anyone remember ever reading about using heavy gauge wire to ground either the coil or the metallic base portion of the distributor ---grounding to the block or the frame or the firewall when doing this changeover?? -I seem to remember reading that (grounding something?) would avoid burning out (something?) a few times I read something of this nature I am sure of it---- anyone?

Also I do have MUI motorcraft parts that are required for the upgrade and the MUI link (thanks for sending that again) and I have all the pages of the upgrade printed out and it does specify just one wire splice - the yellow wire - a splice that elininates a resistor - it's really that simple?

Does anyone know what upgrade wiring diagram (that I also have) that shows 3 wires - at the ECM under dash being cut?  A black wire a yellw or orange wire and a purple wire--- the yellow is retied to thhe ignition module bypassing the ecm - the purple appears to be simply cut and the black stasys the way it was (tied to dist cap and ignition module) what upgrade is that for?

thanks in advance
Jerry

[carguy87]

Yes, that is to bypass the computer and make your Carter feedback carburetor, well, not feedback.  I did that upgrade as well as the MIU upgrade before I went 4.0 head and EFI and was very pleased with the results.  I used the Pertronix II 3ohm coil and had no problems with ground or coil cut-out.  I would also suggest getting rid of the unnecessary nest of vacuum lines you probably still have.

[SNOWMAGEDDON]

Thanks - I do have the nest of vacuum lines and the original bbd carb -
 I also have what's either a 2100 or 2150 ford carb sitting here
 but don't have the right intake adapter to put it on the 258 manifold -
 apparently the mr gasket adapter is a bad fit - and gronk wants more than I can afford-
are you saying that the mui will allow me to keep the bbd and eliminate the stepper as well as de-vacuum-ize the carb? that sound too good to be true?
but anyway I do have the 2100/2150 and that's next - I think I will also go to a handchoke with the ford carb to simplify my starts - I think I will like the control -
i suppose there is a mui rundown somewhere or i would not have the mui diagram and i guess I will re-visit that upgrade -
btw - very envious of the fuel injection
future help would be appreciated
thanks'in advance
Jerry Mack

[carguy87]

Yes, you can delete and re-route your vacuum lines.  When you do the bypass, the stepper motor is left in place with the steppers pulled all the way out, or a block off kit used.  The 2150 is the way to go, the mounting plate and linkage can be custom made if you have the time and supplies.