Holley sniper install

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Confusedcuda

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Thinking about going to a Holley Sniper EFI on my 68 barracuda with a 340. Just a nice cruiser. I see Mopar makes a ''Ready to run'' distributor. it's 400.00 dollars cheaper than the Holley or MSD ready to run Dist. will probably go with a MSD or even the Holley sniper coil. Anybody done this and hows the results or is this even possible. What do you guys think. Thanks
 
Why not use the Sniper distributor that is designed to work with their CD box and the Sniper system?
 
Here is my $.02 Any time you can purchase matched components from the same manufacturer that are specifically designed to work with each other, DO IT! Otherwise, here is what could likely happen if you experience a problem, Holley will say there is nothing wrong with the FI unit, the problem is the distributor. And the people who build and sell the distributor will blame it on the FI unit. If everything is Holley, they will be obligated and motivated to help. $400 would be cheap security to me.
 
Don't look for a magic bullet here. I'm going through this right now. It is a very easy install. But far beyond anything close to perfect out of the box. There are electromagnetic problems that can come up. Power and grounding issue are very specific. Even running a fuel pump controller might be a requirement. Which is an additional 3 1/2 bills. I'm running the entire system. Made some fixes and will be making the second try tomorrow. Oh, also, the self learn is a big plus but you should realize that to be the best system you still need to program and smooth the system.
 
The Holley dual sync dist. (If that is what you're talking about) is setup and ready to go for timing control on the sniper. You can use a MSD dist, lock it out and buy a phaseable rotor and accomplish the same thing. It just takes more setup and can be confusing at first.

I'm not sure what ones your looking at but they shouldn't be $400 difference in price. The MSD one you'd want is this. MSD Ignition 8534: Pro-Billet Distributor Small Block Chrysler 273-360 | JEGS

The Holley is this: Holley EFI 565-208 Holley EFI Dual Sync Chrysler SB Distributor

I have a FItech and it's been flawless so far. However, the car was completely rewired with an EZ wire kit, in tank pump, new fuel lines and two 10 micron fuel filters. That all makes a big difference.
 
O.K. honest feelings on this. Yesterday I would have pulled this **** off my car and traded it for a quadra-junk run over by an oldsmobile. I spent good vacation days and time off figuring this (feelings at the time) junk out. Took way to much effort to learn how to download updates, zip config files, and data logs. One more beer last night and I'd... Well I'd have done something. But today. After sorting through lots of brain cells, reading, listening, and trying one more time. I think I kicked it's arse and have a general handle on it. My big issue was a good start up and then lost fuel pressure sometimes right away and sometimes a minute or more in. Yeah, remember that EMI/RFI I talked about. That **** laid its *** on me like a cheap suit. Got a list of recommendations from rerouting or disconnecting wires to tin foil. I didn't have to use the tin foil. But it now runs like a..... ****, I don't know what's politically correct to say anymore. But it runs sweet. Made it to learn mode finally. The point is. I was cussing and swearing yesterday never again, no way, no how, and today it's a little different. I have everything holley sniper, except the fuel pump. I had/have an aeromotive in line already in place and didn't think I need to change it out. If things go bad. I'll switch to an in tank but right now it's fine. I do wish they either used shielded wires where needed, were a little more forthright in possible problems or something. I don't like getting to that level of frustration. When you tell me something is self learning and all. I expect a level 5 at most difficulty rating. It can be a little bit more than that.
 
"Shielded wires" are not that simple. You have to understand that the factories have spent millions of dollars on R&D. --And understand that each "build" is just a little bit different from the next. You have to do some research on proper grounding, etc. It ain't easy, and there are too many variables. And there are several issues with grounding/ shielding/ RFI/ EMI. One BIG issue is "ground loops." This is where improper grounding, sometimes caused by multiple grounds, have a current flowing in the ground system, and cause a difference of voltage. With modern electronics and sensors, this does not have to be much

Another angle is electromagnetic (EMI) which we used to know in plug wiring as "crossfire." This is where a wire with enough power--like the alternator charging wire, or sometimes plug/ seconary wiring, generates enough magnetic field to induce current into a nearby wire

This is brought home by warnings over at MSD. Let's say you have an MSD ignition you have added---and I'm not even referring to EFI yet----in some situations, THE MSD HAS FALSE TRIGGERED ITSELF!!!! This is because the high power in the MSD plug wires can induce a false trigger into it's own trigger wiring.

proper grounding strategy for holley efi - Google Search
 
Just a little follow up here. I got the system up and running. But it wasn't quite right. I kept seeing a little bit dirt voltage signal. So I changed to the recommended NGK plugs and traded out my plug wires for the recommended type. Those are the only changes I made. I learned long ago. One or two changes at most at a time. If something the wrong direction happens you can backtrack to the source of the problem faster. Normally. Want to guess what happened? **** got worse. So this is where I clarify. Follow directions. Now I thought I did. Sort of. I had taken the grounds and attached them to a body grounding post that I have under the firewall (inside the cabin). Which is specifically designed for a ground point. Then I ran a 2awg from that post directly to the battery. Nope, don't do it, wouldn't be prudent. It created a dirty ground point for the ECU and gave it fits. Now why did changing the plugs and wires exacerbate the problem. I have no idea. So I removed the wires from the post and connected them directly. Which makes a direct connection straight to the battery. Which it did before also. At least in my mind it did. Now we have one less issue thank goodness. The point I guess is: don't try to out think the engineer that designed the damn thing in the first place. Do what they say and you wont have to chase your own tail so much.
 
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EFI grounding is a REAL science. The OEM's spend millions developing these systems with specific gorunding points which have been tested. Even then problems arise with such things as added 2-way radio and other systems, such as cabs, dispatched vehicles, PD cars etc EMI/ RFI
 
I have a FITECH and it specifically states to connect power and ground to the battery. I believe it's because the battery acts as an isolator.

The plugs that you put in are they resistor type plugs? If not find some that are. I have autolites, I believe and Taylor Wires. What ignition are you using?

I have MSD billet and the MSD EFI 6 box, it's not required for EFI, but I was replacing and old 6a box anyway. This came with a shielded wire for the distributor pickup.
 
I'm using everything sniper except a holley fuel pump. Hyperspark control and distributor. Running the NGK BKR6EIX #6418 which are resistor type and the MSD resistor wires, all brand new.
My point was that I semi followed the directions and I wanted to save someone else some headaches. Don't sort of run a wire directly from the battery to a ground point and then connect to that ground point. Isolate directly to the battery. Part of my issue is that this is in a wagon and I have the battery way in the back on the pass side which is like a football field away or so it seems.
 
I'm using everything sniper except a holley fuel pump. Hyperspark control and distributor. Running the NGK BKR6EIX #6418 which are resistor type and the MSD resistor wires, all brand new.
My point was that I semi followed the directions and I wanted to save someone else some headaches. Don't sort of run a wire directly from the battery to a ground point and then connect to that ground point. Isolate directly to the battery. Part of my issue is that this is in a wagon and I have the battery way in the back on the pass side which is like a football field away or so it seems.
Its recommended to run a heavy ground welding cable from battery to the engine block, block to chassis and battery to chassis. Narrowing spark plug cap produces less arching danger from plug wires. Sometimes a air cleaner acts like a antenna.
A lot of good infos are on efiprosystem website in the hangout section.


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Just a little follow up. I was still having intermittent issues with my Sniper system. Sometimes everything was fine and others the fuel pressure would keep dumping. Like the system was shutting down and or recycling to the beginning. Thank goodness for putting an inline fuel pressure gauge in. A quick diagnostic tool to pin pointed that problem fast. So I chased it for a bit with no real cure. I walked away. I had tried a pump controller to run the pump (both aeroquip), nope. There goes 350. Ordered some faraday tape to address possible EMP/RFI, nope. 10 bucks no biggy. Finally, I yarded out the pump and the controller. Ordered up a new Holley sniper pump and filters and installed. I cycled the key three times. Correct fuel pressure with no dumping or loss of pressure. It fired right off and ran flawlessly. So we finally have a complete Holley sniper EFI system installed and running correctly. I don't think there is one more single Holley part to add. YEAH!!!! What a long *** road.
 
I have the Sniper EFI. I had it running great for a couple years. Then tried adding timing control with MSD distributor and MSD magnetic rotor. Could never get it to work correctly. Also, ended up having a bunch of RFI/EMI issues after trying this.

I installed some ferrite rings and wires and grounded one sniper post to the head. No more EMI/RFI issues but I gave up on the timing control. I have a friend that went with the Sniper Hyperspark setup for timing control and it works easily. If I were to do it again I would go with Hyperspark.

At this point I am just going to use a regular distributor and handle timing manually. Maybe go with Hyperspark down the road.

I do not regret the Sniper install though. I would recommend going with all Holley equipment if you go with it though.
 
Nothing wrong running the msd distributor it’s just more involved getting it correct for timing compared with the Hyparspark as I found trying to find the correct way of doing it and getting your head around it aswell as the Holley you tube vids are a little confusing explaining it and butchering a good distributor cap to check rotor for phasing But I will say it’s night & day difference running timing control vs just the sniper controlling fuel only . I was picking up some RFI and found it was coming from the main distributor power wires, rectified that , some dialectic grease in the plug boots , ran another earth wire from the Alternator to chassis. Earths are really big on these units you need to run good clean earths .
 
Just a little follow up. I was still having intermittent issues with my Sniper system. Sometimes everything was fine and others the fuel pressure would keep dumping. Like the system was shutting down and or recycling to the beginning. Thank goodness for putting an inline fuel pressure gauge in. A quick diagnostic tool to pin pointed that problem fast. So I chased it for a bit with no real cure. I walked away. I had tried a pump controller to run the pump (both aeroquip), nope. There goes 350. Ordered some faraday tape to address possible EMP/RFI, nope. 10 bucks no biggy. Finally, I yarded out the pump and the controller. Ordered up a new Holley sniper pump and filters and installed. I cycled the key three times. Correct fuel pressure with no dumping or loss of pressure. It fired right off and ran flawlessly. So we finally have a complete Holley sniper EFI system installed and running correctly. I don't think there is one more single Holley part to add. YEAH!!!! What a long *** road.
Very good. Where did you buy the Faraday tape? I'm curious
 
Thanks. Some time ago I was assembling a Megasquirt II as well as a scratch built harness for a Holley HP computer. I bought some braid (don't remember who) off egag, and it is OK for this. I've also stripped out old coax cable (I'm a radio amateur) but that of course is a PITA and I'm about out of "used" cable
 
Yeh but Rob consider that many guys especially younger don't have the huge knowledge that you have and maybe I "thought" I had (and forgot some of). If you are starting from scratch, a new pump, fuel system, intake, carb, etc etc. and maybe a new distributor too, an Sniper/ FI tech is not that much more overhead than a new carb and associated
 
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