going to a carby 408

[aussiesteve]

I know computers are obsolete faster than ever and a 5 year old cell phone wont accept new technology. These holley snipers will be obsolete fast.. there are so many knockoffs and its all chinese junk.
I have a vehicle that needs a new engine. The original tbi wont support 350hp let alone 400hp.
I am not putting manual valve boddies or shifters on the floor.
I want to use my spare 408 and a 750 vac..its a daily driver not a hot rod

 

[aussiesteve]

Bo

Are those parts ACTUAL OEM components, or cheap-junk aftermarket replacements?

Knowing Holley, they're bottom-feeder aftermarket replacements for the OEM-quality parts--which might explain your failures.

Point being, it was wise of them to use OEM-compatible designs, but they should have used actual OEM parts. Replacements will be available for a long time...but you're likely to NEED replacement parts.

Bought a complete sniper kit from summit. Holley complete kit.
My local engine guy has 3 cars in his shop broken down sniper and another brand with fuel issues and no parts here.
Even the holley unit is cheap junk and $1500 for the kit plus freight and import tax.
I sold it
There cheap junk and it no more than a tbi basicly

 

[aussiesteve]

Personally I would do one of the following options as the 4L60E are very fragile trans when exposed to torque.

1. Find a 4L80E and swap it in
2. Swap in a Th-400 and skip the Electrucal issues
3. Swap in a stick shift NV-4500

The car was converted to right hand drive and i may look for a 4l80

 

[Sean Buick 76]

The car was converted to right hand drive and i may look for a 4l80

I think it’s a smart move!

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

The original tbi wont support 350hp let alone 400hp.

Hmmm, I have a Blue Print "383" (actually 377) which puts out ~430HP on my TBI system. How good are you at tuning? The 16197427 PCM will handle anything you can throw at it, and guess what? They're 30 years old and still work fine!

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

There cheap junk and it no more than a tbi basicly

A carburetor is nothing more than a toilet bowl with Bidet nozzles. At least the Sniper and TBI are electronically controlled toilet bowls. One can tune a TBI to be more consistent and dependable than a carb, without wrenches and a little screwdriver

 

[Erik the Awful]

Are those parts ACTUAL OEM components, or cheap-junk aftermarket replacements?
Knowing Holley, they're bottom-feeder aftermarket replacements for the OEM-quality parts--which might explain your failures.
Point being, it was wise of them to use OEM-compatible designs, but they should have used actual OEM parts. Replacements will be available for a long time...but you're likely to NEED replacement parts.

I was merely stating that contrary to the OP's comment there will be parts availability, and yes, I know they used bottom-feeder parts. "might explain your failures"? Bottom-feeder crap does explain my failures. I've stated both sides of Sniper ownership, and fairly often. It runs great once you get all the nickel and dime bits to get it to work, and then you end up replacing their cheapskate sensors.

Bought a complete sniper kit from summit. Holley complete kit.
My local engine guy has 3 cars in his shop broken down sniper and another brand with fuel issues and no parts here.
Even the holley unit is cheap junk and $1500 for the kit plus freight and import tax.
I sold it
There cheap junk and it no more than a tbi basicly

At the time I bought mine, Holley was selling refurbished basic Sniper kits for $800. Totally worth it - except that you need another couple hundred dollars of AN adapters, throttle adapters, etc. But as you said, the factory TBI can't handle 400 hp without serious mods. I'm not anti-carb, I wanted fuel injection reliability - and I've gone so far as drilling my own jets for carburetors in the past.

Not trying to dissuade you from going carb if you want to, I just wanted to clarify that Sniper parts are available. Then again, I'm in the US. Australia might be a different matter.