I have started this thread to gain extra knowledge, but to also assist those with the knowledge I have gained.
Consider this thread a tutorial with legs.....hopefully others will chime in with their problems or fixes - and share experiences.
My own issues probably started nearly three years ago but was only discovered a few weeks ago. I had been having cold start issues and rich-running condition for a while now.
Before we get too deep, my vehicle is a 1968 Dodge A100, with a BluePrint Engines 408.
I'll start off by saying there is nothing wrong with the engine, and I am not complaining here.
I did however learn by accident that I had one injector on my Sniper unit not squirting fuel into the barrel. I didn't actually know that all four barrels shoot fuel at pretty much all times......it's the rate and flow at which is the point of control. So, it turns out that if one injector is not firing or a barrel is running 'dry', then the one opposite it will try and compensate by injecting even more fuel into the engine to try and make up the difference.
Trouble is, all that does is make for a richer mixture than the engine can handle, and start causing other problems like plug fouling, O2 sensor fouling, back-firing, hard starting, rough idle etc. Anyone who experiences any two of those mentioned previously should take note and do something about the problem before driving any further.
I did the right thing (in my mind) and contacted Holley via the website and sent a message to the Technical staff. I did get a reply surprisingly enough....but it was like nearly a week later. By the time I had received the reply I had already engorged my eyeballs with so many YouTube clips, that I felt a lot taller and able to solve the problem myself. There are some really good YouTubers out there....and some not-so-good as well. I don't consider myself an expert by any means.....I do my videos for fun.
Here is a video I shot before touching anything....and I did this after I saw the first YouTube clip of how to diagnose the problem. I couldn't believe what I was seeing......
Now I was alerted to the problem, I thought I could have a crack at fixing this myself. Not as easy as it looks on the vehicle.... especially mine - close quarters inside the cabin.
First thing I did was re-install the fuel pressure gauge that I had removed soon after the original installation. Afterall, I had the correct parts, so why not? The engine is getting a constant 60psi fuel pressure even though I have a different pump location and setup.....already addressed that with another order to Summit Racing. The mods to the tank will probably happen later in the year when I get a bit more free time.
Here are some pictures of the first temporary fix to get the engine running better....
The most common problem is that the soft rubber plug which powers the injectors simply rattles off its postion....rendering the injector useless. The simplest fix that is out there is to close up the terminals and re-attach the plug, then secure the plug with a 5-cent cable tie. This stops the latching hook from coming away from the plug body.
The better solution (which is what I will do in a week or so) is to buy new moulded plugs that are much more robust, and redo the loom as far back as can be done without damaging anything else. I guess this is the part that Holley wish to remain a mystery.
I can't imagine there is anything inside the front compartment that will be too much of a mystery once I've had a go at it. The worst that can happen is that I end up buying a new Sniper.....or Sniper 2.
Here is a video after I had carried out the temporary fix last week.....
And now cold starting is easy....just like a modern normal car.
Here's a cold start just a day afterwards.....
Now that I know what the biggest problem is, and I have the parts coming....I feel a lot better about things.
Please feel free to share your thoughts or experiences here.
Consider this thread a tutorial with legs.....hopefully others will chime in with their problems or fixes - and share experiences.
My own issues probably started nearly three years ago but was only discovered a few weeks ago. I had been having cold start issues and rich-running condition for a while now.
Before we get too deep, my vehicle is a 1968 Dodge A100, with a BluePrint Engines 408.
I'll start off by saying there is nothing wrong with the engine, and I am not complaining here.
I did however learn by accident that I had one injector on my Sniper unit not squirting fuel into the barrel. I didn't actually know that all four barrels shoot fuel at pretty much all times......it's the rate and flow at which is the point of control. So, it turns out that if one injector is not firing or a barrel is running 'dry', then the one opposite it will try and compensate by injecting even more fuel into the engine to try and make up the difference.
Trouble is, all that does is make for a richer mixture than the engine can handle, and start causing other problems like plug fouling, O2 sensor fouling, back-firing, hard starting, rough idle etc. Anyone who experiences any two of those mentioned previously should take note and do something about the problem before driving any further.
I did the right thing (in my mind) and contacted Holley via the website and sent a message to the Technical staff. I did get a reply surprisingly enough....but it was like nearly a week later. By the time I had received the reply I had already engorged my eyeballs with so many YouTube clips, that I felt a lot taller and able to solve the problem myself. There are some really good YouTubers out there....and some not-so-good as well. I don't consider myself an expert by any means.....I do my videos for fun.
Here is a video I shot before touching anything....and I did this after I saw the first YouTube clip of how to diagnose the problem. I couldn't believe what I was seeing......
Now I was alerted to the problem, I thought I could have a crack at fixing this myself. Not as easy as it looks on the vehicle.... especially mine - close quarters inside the cabin.
First thing I did was re-install the fuel pressure gauge that I had removed soon after the original installation. Afterall, I had the correct parts, so why not? The engine is getting a constant 60psi fuel pressure even though I have a different pump location and setup.....already addressed that with another order to Summit Racing. The mods to the tank will probably happen later in the year when I get a bit more free time.
Here are some pictures of the first temporary fix to get the engine running better....
The most common problem is that the soft rubber plug which powers the injectors simply rattles off its postion....rendering the injector useless. The simplest fix that is out there is to close up the terminals and re-attach the plug, then secure the plug with a 5-cent cable tie. This stops the latching hook from coming away from the plug body.
The better solution (which is what I will do in a week or so) is to buy new moulded plugs that are much more robust, and redo the loom as far back as can be done without damaging anything else. I guess this is the part that Holley wish to remain a mystery.
I can't imagine there is anything inside the front compartment that will be too much of a mystery once I've had a go at it. The worst that can happen is that I end up buying a new Sniper.....or Sniper 2.
Here is a video after I had carried out the temporary fix last week.....
And now cold starting is easy....just like a modern normal car.
Here's a cold start just a day afterwards.....
Now that I know what the biggest problem is, and I have the parts coming....I feel a lot better about things.
Please feel free to share your thoughts or experiences here.
