Changing from Holley Projection to Holley Carb

[accountant]

Just getting back into early broncos. New bronco -- rebuilt mild 302, C4, 4.56 gears, 35 inch tires, etc.
I have a Holley Projection FI (Commander 950) and this seems very hard to tune (at least for me -- any suggestions would be most appreciated).
Thinking about putting on a Holley 4-bbl. Which one do you guys run? I haven't looked, but I think this should bolt up the existing Holley manifold.
Should I put on a mechanical fuel pump or continue to use the electric fuel pumps (with some type of restrictor)? Thanks for your help.

 

[bax]

Holly projection and holly commander 950 's are 2 different systems.
the projection stuff is junk. The 950 stuff can be frustrating to tune but with some practice and learning it's not too bad.

A holley off road carb would be a good choice. If you run the high pressure pump you will need a regulator.

 

[Madgyver]

Bolt on a QJet....

Welcome to the site...

 

[Smokeater11]

A 600cfm carb should be more than enough for you if you do decide to go to a standard carb. I went down from a 750(which was free) to a 600(which I traded the 750 for) and it was a night and day difference.

 

[accountant]

Thanks for the information.

 

[73stallion]

more specific, what kind of stuff will you be doing with your bronco? mostly on or off road?

 

[broncnaz]

Get you a standard Holley 600 cfm carb one with side hung floats you could probably get one off craigslist for less than $100. Then you can mod it as outlined in my tech article http://classicbroncos.com/tech/offroad-tricks-for-holley-4-barrel-carbs

Might be handly to swap back and forth if your trying to get your injection working right.

 

[accountant]

Looks like I have a Commander 950 (Holley L80620), as opposed to a Holley Projection. Would you try to tune this or swap out for Holley 4bbl? Thanks.

 

[clarrance]

I would stay away from anything that Holley makes. Its all junk!!!

 

[OX1]

Looks like I have a Commander 950 (Holley L80620), as opposed to a Holley Projection. Would you try to tune this or swap out for Holley 4bbl? Thanks.

I would not try and tune it without a wideband O2 sensor. Do you have one yet? Can get an AEM for a little over 200$.

 

[bax]

Looks like I have a Commander 950 (Holley L80620), as opposed to a Holley Projection. Would you try to tune this or swap out for Holley 4bbl? Thanks.

I run the commander on my bronco. I'm a dumb ass carpenter and I can make it work. Your an Accountant so thats a toss up.

 

[av bronco]

I would stay away from anything that Holley makes. Its all junk!!!

the last carb, fuel pump, fuel pressure reg. I bought(all within last 2 years) from holley ether did not work or had a very short life span=junk?:?

 

[broncnaz]

Cant speak for holleys pumps or regulators as I've never really heard anything that good about them.
But I've never had a issue with there carbs even ones I've gotten used. Most of its operator understanding or misunderstanding. If your going to run a carb you should learn how to tune and fix it. Then you wont have any issues.
Of course I guess that can also apply to EFI

 

[bmc69]

I would stay away from anything that Holley makes. Its all junk!!!

And you have installed and run how many of the Commander 950 EFI systems to have lead you to that (erroneous) conclusion?

The Commander 950 is a very capable, extremely versatile, EFI package (TBI or MPI version, either one).

With that versatility comes a lot of tuning options and what can be, for the first time user, a pretty daunting set of software options. That said, the laptop software is not half bad and the tuning procedure in the manual is laid out in step by step fashion that, while it could be better, is not bad after you've gone through it a few times.

The 'oldest' of the Commander 950 systems that I've installed is still performing beautifully on the 408 in my '69 (see sig below). Not one hickup since I installed it in '04.

OX correctly noted that the wide-band O2 upgrade is a good one..but I disagree that it is completely necessary to dial the tune in...since every one I have installed so far was done without one. The library of software tunes that comes with the system disk is huge and there are even more on line..for most any egine option you can find one that is gpoing to be 'darned close' to start with and tweak from there with the narrow-band sensor.

That said, with my latest Commander 950 going on a superharged flathead V-8 I am going with the wideband option because there are obviously not going to be any files for that oddball combo.;D

 

[OX1]

OX correctly noted that the wide-band O2 upgrade is a good one..but I disagree that it is completely necessary to dial the tune in...since every one I have installed so far was done without one. The library of software tunes that comes with the system disk is huge and there are even more on line..for most any egine option you can find one that is gpoing to be 'darned close' to start with and tweak from there with the narrow-band sensor.

That said, with my latest Commander 950 going on a superharged flathead V-8 I am going with the wideband option because there are obviously not going to be any files for that oddball combo.;D

I'd agree back when the cheapest wideband was 700$, but

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/AVM-30-4100/

I mean 2-3 grand on a motor, another $1500+ on EFI (for a 400).
200$ is real cheap insurance for a newb and mighty helpful
for someone experienced.

Can you tune well enough to know if you are 11:1 or 12:1??
(without pulling plugs ). How do you use a narrow band to tell
your A/F @ WOT? I mean, we all did the .85-.9 voltage thing on a
narrow band and hoped for the best back in the day, but it was
still playing with fire at worst or short changing yourself some
power @ best, IMO!!

 

[bmc69]

I'd agree back when the cheapest wideband was 700$, but

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/AVM-30-4100/

I mean 2-3 grand on a motor, another $1500+ on EFI (for a 400).
200$ is real cheap insurance for a newb and mighty helpful
for someone experienced.

Can you tune well enough to know if you are 11:1 or 12:1??
(without pulling plugs ). How do you use a narrow band to tell
your A/F @ WOT? I mean, we all did the .85-.9 voltage thing on a
narrow band and hoped for the best back in the day, but it was
still playing with fire at worst or short changing yourself some
power @ best, IMO!!

I don't argue yr point, Jim. I was simply saying its not an absolute must, especially for a 'near stock' engine where the library of initial tunes is plentifull. .

Heck, I didn't realize my AFR was horribly rich at WOT on the 408 until I had it dynoed...and I will be using wide-band O2 setups in all future builds..

 

[electrodynamic]

My 2 cents on Holley Projection

I posted this in another forum but I want to share in as many as possible.

I recently purchased a 73 Bronco and it is mint. I love almost everything about it except I haven't been driving it since I bought it.

Appears I have 2 problems. One looks like the neutral safety switch. Had a melt down of my 20 amp fusable link! Seems to happen only when I am playing with the shifter and driving. (automatic)

The second issue is the dam projection system. In theory it is cool but reality is that Holley is crap. why? Because they no longer support the 2 barrel set-up. I had a bad injector. Can't buy them anymore, so I ordered the replacement pod kit. It is the commander 950 not the projection EVEN though they advertise it as the correct one.
The main difference is the wire harness for the injectors. You can't get the proper one, instead they ship the 950 harness. I called Holley and they said they are not making it anymore and I would just have to splice in my old connector.
I could do this but I think they should at least be up front about what you are ordering.
In the end I found a couple marine injectors that are able to fit into my old system. Once they are dead I will be changing it out for something else.

Cheers