Holley Sniper EFI?

[Stocker]

A search didn't turn up anything so I'm guessing no, but it's worth a shot.

Has anyone ever run a Holley Sniper EFI setup on a Box? My '85 runs pig rich and gets 11 MPG, and I'm running out of parts to throw at it. And now, with the trajectory of gas prices, it soon won't be worth even driving it considering that my Dodge will probably get 13 when the weather gets nice (my Cutlass will do 15-16, but having to run non-oxy offsets the better mileage from a cost perspective). If it's just going to sit I might as well dump it, so options are on the table.

I know someone who recently installed a Sniper system on his '72 390 and is very happy with its performance over the stock 2-bbl. Obviously there'd be some additional considerations doing the swap on a car with a stock CFI system already in place, but how significant would they be to work around? $1000+ for just the EFI system is an appreciable amount of money, but it seems like it's either that or a carb swap to keep this car economical to drive.

[Kodachrome Wolf]

Sniper EFI is an option, or you could swap to a conventional '86+ SEFI system, which has been done. Just a thought for costs.

Regardless, if you did go the Sniper route, I don't see why it would be any more complicated to get configured than say someone switching from a carburetor, except in this case you'd simply be removing the CFI unit and just unplugging the computer harness and removing it, then running all the Sniper cabling in place of it. Possibly the most "troubling" thing to do would make sure the TV rod connects appropriately to the unit and getting the unit dialed in for the engine.

[Arquemann]

I'm in very much the same situation. My '85 runs rich, gets 15MPG at the verrry best, and I've genuinely run out of parts to throw at it.

For cost (and simplicity) purposes, I'm just going with a 4bbl carb, even though an efi system would be really good for my use. The sniper has nice benefits over a carb, but I don't want to throw a 1500€ efi setup at a bone stock LoPo.
I'm digging out the whole CFI system and harness from my car, but I'm able to reuse some parts, like the fuel pump, coil and some wiring. I don't know if the factory fuel pump would be enough for a sniper.
Holding on to the stock 2bbl manifold probably doesn't do any favors, except for keeping the stock brackets and stuff.

@Brown_Muscle did a nice job of reusing the CFI throttle/trans linkage on his carb swap, and I'll be going the same route. His is an Edelbrock, but the same idea works on a holley, carb or TBI.
It was discussed a bit on my RR thread:

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?56926-My-85-MGM-quot-Maisa-quot&p=859574&viewfull=1#post859574

[Stocker]

A 4-bbl swap would probably be the best option, but then I'm swapping the intake in addition to all the rest of the work, and I'm pretty short on energy as it is. Still, to do all the work of a carb swap in the first place, going that next step to a 4-bbl would make sense.

Sniper EFI is an option, or you could swap to a conventional '86+ SEFI system, which has been done. Just a thought for costs.

But even though it's more reliable, I'm still left with a fuel system that I can't tune and can't diagnose when it goes sour - and if I understand the swap correctly, I'd basically need an entire parts car and those don't exist up here anymore.

[Giraffe]

There are a lot of hot rodders that swear by the Holley Sniper system as it's very easy to use and tune. You won't be disappointed. It's definitely to be preferred over an SEFI or carb swap.

[Arquemann]

A 4-bbl swap would probably be the best option, but then I'm swapping the intake in addition to all the rest of the work, and I'm pretty short on energy as it is. Still, to do all the work of a carb swap in the first place, going that next step to a 4-bbl would make sense.

I was originally going to swap the CFI to a 2bbl Autolite 2150, that would've been pretty much bolt on. Buuuut I got hungry for power (and better headroom later on) and that's why I'm going with the 4bbl Holley and 4bbl intake.
Totally understandable staying with the stock 2bbl intake and sniper efi, should be quite easy to setup and will 100% be better than CFI.

[Brown_Muscle]

It's funny you asked this, and that Arquemann mentioned me in this thread. 86VickyLx and I just finished installing a Sniper EFI and hyperspark on my box yesterday.

I'll need more time to form an opinion, but we got everything right wiring wise and it started right up. I will say a carb is far easier than the Sniper. You'll need to run a bigger return line to the tank, upgrade the fuel pump, and run a new fuse/relay box if you want it to control the A/C or any electric fans. The unit itself, without any auxiliary controls or Hyperspark ignition should be relatively easy to install by itself though, if you plan on reusing the stock ignition.

[JeffBoudah]

I'm always changing my mind between the terminator w/ 4r70w controls and the sniper for a quick runner with the current aod

[86VickyLX]

It's funny you asked this, and that Arquemann mentioned me in this thread. 86VickyLx and I just finished installing a Sniper EFI and hyperspark on my box yesterday.

I'll need more time to form an opinion, but we got everything right wiring wise and it started right up. I will say a carb is far easier than the Sniper. You'll need to run a bigger return line to the tank, upgrade the fuel pump, and run a new fuse/relay box if you want it to control the A/C or any electric fans. The unit itself, without any auxiliary controls or Hyperspark ignition should be relatively easy to install by itself though, if you plan on reusing the stock ignition.

Only thing I'm not crazy of is the how highly sensitive it is to magnetic interference. When the system works, it works great. But when it doesn't it's more useless than a VV carb or EEC-3 CFI. Personally, I would go with a factory EFI setup. I have run multiple setups including ones that can control an electronic transmission (4R70w). And very soon, OBD-2.

[gadget73]

The big problem with factory EFI, at least if we're talking EEC-IV, is the hardware is getting old now. I've re-capped my ECM because parts went leaky. Finding a suitable ECM is getting more difficult and not cheaper. If starting with a car that doesn't have a suitable harness, getting hold of or building one isn't trivial either. Just from it's basic construction an OEM solution is likely to be a lot more durable but putting the pieces together isn't as simple as it used to be.

don't get me wrong, I'm perfectly satisfied with my primitive EFI and mechanical transmission but I've had all those pieces for years now. Starting from nothing today it might be a harder sell to pick the specific array of stuff I'm using.

[Stocker]

That's another concern in the back of my head about multiport (and I've given a passing thought to re-capping my original ECM just to see if it changes anything).