I can get the Howell for $1500 or the Sniper for $2400. Does anybody have any advice either way?
Holley Sniper or Howell? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter WeThePeople
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
- Thread starter
- #2
I’m sick of dealing with the carburetor and want to just go EFI
Catching Neutral
GOLD Star
Sniper
I've owned both. Either one is a huge step up from a carb.
I really like the packaging of the Sniper. Having the ECU and everything in the throttle body makes installation simple and clean. If you have the time/interest it also provides a lot of tunability. It takes more fiddling that the Howell though, you do have to spend the time on it if you want it to run really well. It's also a lot of custom Holley parts that you can only get from them.
The Howell setup is nice because its largely off the shelf parts you can get at any auto parts store. Also found it ran better out of the box with no messing around. You give up the extra tuning that can happen on the Holley and the installation footprint isn't quite as slick.
IMO if you are just running a basic engine setup I don't personally feel the extra $$ for the Sniper is worth it. Would only go that route if you have some condition that would require the extra tunability.
I really like the packaging of the Sniper. Having the ECU and everything in the throttle body makes installation simple and clean. If you have the time/interest it also provides a lot of tunability. It takes more fiddling that the Howell though, you do have to spend the time on it if you want it to run really well. It's also a lot of custom Holley parts that you can only get from them.
The Howell setup is nice because its largely off the shelf parts you can get at any auto parts store. Also found it ran better out of the box with no messing around. You give up the extra tuning that can happen on the Holley and the installation footprint isn't quite as slick.
IMO if you are just running a basic engine setup I don't personally feel the extra $$ for the Sniper is worth it. Would only go that route if you have some condition that would require the extra tunability.
- Thread starter
- #6
What does the extra $900 get me
- Thread starter
- #7
Actually I think you are correct. The sniper is back ordered.
mrboatman
GOLD Star
Holley Sniper is a easy install and tuning is also easy
Not to high-jack here, but interested in opinions as well - as well as on that "im sick of the carb issues" myself.
With that being said @mrboatman , do you have any recommendations with the Sniper 2300 Self Tuning Kit (yes, on backorder) for any additional items needed? I know there is a Carb adapter that is needed, but not sure on fuel pump/lines - like the Holley 12-130 In-tank Fuel Module or new distributor/dizzy? Just curious.
With that being said @mrboatman , do you have any recommendations with the Sniper 2300 Self Tuning Kit (yes, on backorder) for any additional items needed? I know there is a Carb adapter that is needed, but not sure on fuel pump/lines - like the Holley 12-130 In-tank Fuel Module or new distributor/dizzy? Just curious.
mrboatman
GOLD Star
There is many different ways to go as the fuel is concerned. I just went with the inline pump & filters It works fine for me. Some go with the stock pump and a fuel can with a pump in it and some use the in tank pump setup. They all work fine it is just what works best for you. Depending on what year you have the return line can get interesting I just used the tank vent for the return it works fine. You can get adapters for the factory air cleaner or run an after market air cleaner. I run the factory distributor not connected to the sniper setup. I originally put this on a F engine and now have installed a 2F and used the same sniper setup.
Tigerstripe40
SILVER Star
I have a GM TBI setup including Downey Adapter, pedal cable adapter, and the Moates.net ECU tuner available. I can't remember if I trashed the wiring harness but if you want to cut down the wiring harness and do the work yourself, I'd be happy to sell you what I have. DM me if interested.
I am in the process of rebuilding my 40. Debating sniper on the 2F or doing a motor conversion of some sort (1FZ, 2UZ, 1HD-FT, LS...)
I am in the process of rebuilding my 40. Debating sniper on the 2F or doing a motor conversion of some sort (1FZ, 2UZ, 1HD-FT, LS...)
Last edited:
I put the sniper in a '78 (2F). Love that it is so smart and sensitive and connected!
It had a return fuel line and we used that.
The inline electric fuel pump was first mounted to the frame right under me and noisy in the most buzzy way possible. I ended up uncoupling it by suspending it in a floating make-shift cable tie saddle. Working for now, but please let me know if you have a more clever solution or other insights!
I have to give credit to the nice sensor readout on the thing. The engine sputtered to a stop not long after I installed it. I saw, out the corner of my eye, the air/fuel ratio reading was indicating out of range, the little display box around it turned yellow, and the number was climbing to the upper twenties. No fuel. Figured the filter was plugged.
Got a new $5 pre-pump fuel filter delivered to the side of the road and off I went. (Now keep spare filters and a small set of tools in the glove box.)
The sniper has been great from a performance standpoint. I did put in a hei dizzy to get the RPMs included into the little brain of it.
I hadn't gotten the truck that long before I found and followed the sniper path. So I can't say whether the issues I was originally having on below-zero days were just poor carb tuning, but I don't ever want to go back. And appreciate the power and economy boost!
It had a return fuel line and we used that.
The inline electric fuel pump was first mounted to the frame right under me and noisy in the most buzzy way possible. I ended up uncoupling it by suspending it in a floating make-shift cable tie saddle. Working for now, but please let me know if you have a more clever solution or other insights!
I have to give credit to the nice sensor readout on the thing. The engine sputtered to a stop not long after I installed it. I saw, out the corner of my eye, the air/fuel ratio reading was indicating out of range, the little display box around it turned yellow, and the number was climbing to the upper twenties. No fuel. Figured the filter was plugged.
Got a new $5 pre-pump fuel filter delivered to the side of the road and off I went. (Now keep spare filters and a small set of tools in the glove box.)
The sniper has been great from a performance standpoint. I did put in a hei dizzy to get the RPMs included into the little brain of it.
I hadn't gotten the truck that long before I found and followed the sniper path. So I can't say whether the issues I was originally having on below-zero days were just poor carb tuning, but I don't ever want to go back. And appreciate the power and economy boost!
1MOA
SILVER Star
What are you all doing that is killing your carbs? I literally took a trash carb off a 60 and gave it to a guy in our local TLCA club who rebuilt it and it 7 years all I have done is put new air and fuel filters in it or around it.
Tigerstripe40
SILVER Star
I can only speak for myself, but, on the streets and mild offroading, the carb on my 40 works great. However, I've noticed that when I et on a side hill, or going up/down something steep, the carb either floods or starves. In the las 22 years, I've done ALL of the tricks to get the carb to work better in those situations. I've decided that EFI via Sniper is the direction I want to go for my truck if I stay with a 2F.
1MOA
SILVER Star
I get that. I wheel mine as well but just don't have any issues. In my experience with guys who have had the sniper they work great until something goes wrong and when it goes wrong there was not a trail fix for it on 2 occasions and they had to get pulled out. One was just water into the fuse panel and the sniper couldn't get enough juice to run. I see both sides of it and don't begrudge anyone for trying a new avenue
I believe the OP is referencing a complete Sniper kit carried by mosley etc (more than just the unit at $1,100).
- Thread starter
- #18
That’s correct
85roktoy
SILVER Star
Do you want to be in the cool crowd or not?
- Thread starter
- #20
Uh.. YEAH
