Holley Sniper 2300 install with PowerSurge (1 Viewer)

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brian az

SILVER Star
Joined
Oct 19, 2019
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14
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172
Location
Phoenix
Does MUD really need another Sniper thread? Probably not. But, here goes anyway.

I bought this Cruiser about 6 months ago. PO had done a half-assed desmog (the air rail was removed, EGR disconnected, but the cooler was still hanging on, air pump was still there, along with a few miles of vacuum lines going who-knows-where). It ran...fine. Hard to start when cold; not much easier to start warm. I probably could have done a proper desmog and got it running a lot better, but the Sniper threads on Mud had me intrigued so I went for it.

I'll split this up into a few parts, but feel free to ask questions. The install is completed, and I've put about 75 miles on the Cruiser since then--I love it.

Part 1: Gathering up the parts
Part 2: Finish Desmog
Part 3: Mounting PowerSurge
Part 4: Throttle cable
Part 5: Wiring
Part 6: Sniper unit install
Part 7: Fuel line plumbing
Part 8: First start
 
Part 1: Gathering up the parts.

Desmog parts:
I picked up the essentials from Jim C's TLC Performance website: idler pulley to replace the air pump, EGR block-off plate and gasket for the exhaust manifold, plugs for the air ports in the head and the BVSV's in the thermostat housing, and caps for the air cleaner. I also picked up Jim's EGR plug for the intake side...before I realized that the PO had removed EGR pipe, so I couldn't use the plug (PM me if you want to buy it). Since that plug wasn't going to work for me, I got a block-off plate from Man A Fre.

Sniper:
I bought the Sniper directly from Holley during their holiday sale. I didn't get their master kit, just the Sniper 2300 unit itself.

Sniper accessories: I bought just about every Sniper accessory that Red Line (@RLMS) sells (throttle cable & bracket kit, manifold heat shield, manifold adapter, air cleaner adapter, hard fuel lines).

Fuel pump:
I agonized over this decision for way too long. In-tank pump? Frame mounted fuel pump? Surge tank? The surge tank seemed the most interesting to me for a few reasons, not the least of which is that it’s a lot easier to do than the alternatives. Once I stopped thinking of it as a "second little fuel tank under the hood" and realized it’s more like a glorified fuel pump that happens to hold a quart or two of fuel, it just made the most sense to me. I looked at a few options and ended up going with the PowerSurge from RobbMc after reading some Mud threads about it.

Miscellaneous fuel fittings:
I used a combo of Earl’s brand aluminum AN -6 and hose barb fittings from Summit and a local hot rod shop. I also grabbed some of the Earl’s “Vapor Guard” 3/8” hose that Holley recommended.
 
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You can always go back later and do an in tank conversion for the fuel pump.
 
I was just about to buy a city racer carb and keep the smog stuff for a few more years, but this isn’t helping me make that decision...🤣
 
I was just about to buy a city racer carb and keep the smog stuff for a few more years, but this isn’t helping me make that decision...🤣
If you ever start + drve a Sniper....youll never wanna look at another carb again, I promise!!! OMG...youre in Boulder....Sniper is a no brainer. Im over in Evergreen....it not even close to be honest. My rig is actually drvable...
 
If you ever start + drve a Sniper....youll never wanna look at another carb again, I promise!!! OMG...youre in Boulder....Sniper is a no brainer. Im over in Evergreen....it not even close to be honest. My rig is actually drvable...
I’m seriously thinking of going to Wyoming so I am desmog everything and have no emissions testing whatsoever. Plus other reasons... I am in Boulder but only because I still have work. Wyoming makes me want the sniper because of mileage.
 
I’m seriously thinking of going to Wyoming so I am desmog everything and have no emissions testing whatsoever. Plus other reasons... I am in Boulder but only because I still have work. Wyoming makes me want the sniper because of mileage.
I get that. I dnt have emissions here in Clear Creek. Was a rather happy circumstance of Buying in Evergreen and not being in Jeffco!
 
I get that. I dnt have emissions here in Clear Creek. Was a rather happy circumstance of Buying in Evergreen and not being in Jeffco!
I love Evergreen. If housing wasn’t so damn expensive in this state I would go up in the hills even if I had to commute for work. The sniper makes that more of reality but not quite enough, I don’t think.
 
I love Evergreen. If housing wasn’t so damn expensive in this state I would go up in the hills even if I had to commute for work. The sniper makes that more of reality but not quite enough, I don’t think.
Its crazzzzzzzzy expensive. Im prlly the luckiest man alive...bought my cabin for 58k in 2012 its valued at 450k ish. Absurd!
 
Its crazzzzzzzzy expensive. Im prlly the luckiest man alive...bought my cabin for 58k in 2012 its valued at 450k ish. Absurd!
Wait, so you’re telling me that your cabin bought itself AND your land cruiser AND the sniper??? That’s crazy...
 
Part 2: Proper Desmog

This part was pretty easy. I kept the charcoal canister (which I had previously replaced with the GM unit that's popular on MUD) and PCV valve and removed everything else. Plugged the air injection holes (JimC), replaced the air pump with the JimC idler pulley, installed the EGR exhaust block-off from JimC (PO had a hand made one doing an ok job, but Jim’s is much better), and installed the intake EGR plate from Man A Fre (replacing another home made plate).

Last but not least: capping off the air injection hose that goes into the exhaust pipe. I removed this section of exhaust and brought it to a local Phoenix fab shop (Rob Bonney Fabrication) to cut off the tube, weld in a cap, and also weld in a bung for the O2 sensor while they were at it. The section of exhaust came out easily (had to remove the skid plate first), and I picked up new gaskets, nuts, and bolts from Partsouq, as well as this rubber mount/isolator thing that fell apart when I removed it.

Before & After:

3FC8B6E8-2919-4AA1-830A-5B39645C3970.jpeg


98C0FF8E-4BBE-4432-B236-554D17AB6F97.jpeg


7554BA7B-2219-46E7-9FB9-01EA5F746F47.jpeg
 
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I'd like to use a sniper one day, so happy to keep reading threads like this. Why'd you choose the redline stuff vs going with a kit from Mosley?

Good question. I don't really have a great answer. I was reading threads on Mud and liked Red Line's design for the intake manifold adapter. And, since I had my mind made up to get that, I just got all of it.
 
Part 3: Mounting the PowerSurge

This was the part I was worried would be a problem, because I have zero fabrication skills. It ended up being not too bad. I'll still probably have a fab shop make me a better bracket, but my Home Depot offset slotted angle iron is doing the trick for now.

You can see in the photos, I cut a piece of the angle iron and bolted it to the bracket that holds the charcoal canister. Then I mounted the bracket that came with the PoweSurge to the angle iron, and used the hose clamps that came with the PowerSurge to hold the tank to the bracket. It's surprisingly solid. It's hard to see in the photos, but the bracket from RobbMc supports the bottom of the tank too.

Prefect spot:

1CF7D78F-CD4C-4634-9D35-69D71716DC7B.jpeg


I'm still surprised this worked (disregard the PO's giant alarm speaker)

FAB481A7-74F6-4A55-8D94-10097E1DD3CE.jpeg


1DF9FC70-04BC-4E41-9E8C-CC624403BF07.jpeg


Here's a few shots of the bracket that came with the PowerSurge:

F69FEDAD-6187-4FBC-BF47-BFED21718C06.jpeg


1297F5EE-7D5A-474D-8512-4A9F6B942EB7.jpeg
 
Part 3: Mounting the PowerSurge

This was the part I was worried would be a problem, because I have zero fabrication skills. It ended up being not too bad. I'll still probably have a fab shop make me a better bracket, but my Home Depot offset slotted angle iron is doing the trick for now.

You can see in the photos, I cut a piece of the angle iron and bolted it to the bracket that holds the charcoal canister. Then I mounted the bracket that came with the PoweSurge to the angle iron, and used the hose clamps that came with the PowerSurge to hold the tank to the bracket. It's surprisingly solid. It's hard to see in the photos, but the bracket from RobbMc supports the bottom of the tank too.

Prefect spot:

View attachment 2640802

I'm still surprised this worked (disregard the PO's giant alarm speaker)

View attachment 2640803

View attachment 2640814

Here's a few shots of the bracket that came with the PowerSurge:

View attachment 2640815

View attachment 2640817
My first land cruiser had the same alarm horn... that’s funny.
 
Part 3: Mounting the PowerSurge

This was the part I was worried would be a problem, because I have zero fabrication skills. It ended up being not too bad. I'll still probably have a fab shop make me a better bracket, but my Home Depot offset slotted angle iron is doing the trick for now.

You can see in the photos, I cut a piece of the angle iron and bolted it to the bracket that holds the charcoal canister. Then I mounted the bracket that came with the PoweSurge to the angle iron, and used the hose clamps that came with the PowerSurge to hold the tank to the bracket. It's surprisingly solid. It's hard to see in the photos, but the bracket from RobbMc supports the bottom of the tank too.

Prefect spot:

View attachment 2640802

I'm still surprised this worked (disregard the PO's giant alarm speaker)

View attachment 2640803

View attachment 2640814

Here's a few shots of the bracket that came with the PowerSurge:

View attachment 2640815

View attachment 2640817
Is the PS next to the Manifold?? Im very bad at identifying parts in enlarged pics. If its close to manifold you may want to rethink that spot bc of heat...gas + heat = no bueno.
 
Kinda looks like the outside wall....
 

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