Holley Pro-Jection

["John Stricker" <jstricke@xxxxxxxxx>]

Well, we took the Scout on a little hop last week.  We used it to pull our
show car up to Detroit, MI, for a Fiero show.  1153 miles one way.

In the search for more MPG, I decided to try fuel injection and ordered the
Holley Pro-Jection unit.  It installed very well.  I mounted my plate and TB
to the front, which puts the TB bores over the center of the primaries and
secondaries on the spread bore IHC manifold.  I called Holley about it and
they assured me that would work fine as long as I had full throttle opening
on the butterfly's.  This is the recommended way to mount it on Big Block
Chevy's to keep the thing from running lean on the front cylinders.

I mounted the computer in the glove box like everyone else, and drilled the
hole in the firewall just right of where the a/c lines pass through.  I used
the closed loop kit and mounted the sensor in the driver's side down pipe
about 4 inches below the manifold.

The fuel filter is not mounted to the frame, but on the firewall just under
the hood latch.  I wanted it easy to change and as close to the TB as
possible.  I ran rubber fuel injected rated line along the frame from the
pump and a filter before the pump.

I left the fuel pump (mechanical) in place and just today decided to remove
it.  It was making a noise that sounded like a rod knock or something that
turned out to be the pump sucking air.  The Small Block Chevy block off
plate included fit perfectly and doesn't leak.  I should have put it on
right away, but didn't think it would fit.

It took about a day to install.  We did some tuning and I had to richen the
main mixture to get a reasonable amount of tweaking on the other settings.
I'm still not happy with the cold start mode.  It seems to start good when
cool in the mornings, but when restarting when hot it's rich.  I'll have to
read and tweak on that a bit.

We went almost 2300 miles total and left the day after we put the unit on.
I averaged about 11 mpg at an average speed (and this included fuel stops)
of 63 mph.  Most of the time the Dakota Digital dash was reading 75 or more.
I'm anxious to see what it gets without the trailer.  I don't expect a big
improvement, but I hope for a couple mpg.

I changed for a couple of reasons.  Mileage for a trip like this.  It had a
terrible problem with the gas evaporating out of the carb if it sat for a
couple of days and that problem is gone.  I did notice that, with the
trailer, I have to run premium gas to keep it from pinging now on long
hills.  I believe this is due to the closed loop mode leaning the engine.  I
may try an MSD timing retard unit if the problem shows up without the
trailer on, which I don't think it will.

It took me about 8 hours to put the unit on.  I didn't think that was too
bad, and it started immediately.  I'm still tuning and testing, but the
change in the throttle response is unbelievable.  It's instant and right
there.  In fact, I had to re-learn how to drive to keep from breaking the
tires loose, and not just on gravel either.  When in MI, I was pulling the
trailer empty and had to turn left onto a busy street from a stop sign.  I
hit it pretty hard and the turn unloaded the left tire a bit.  That, and a
little drag from the empty trailer, and I smoked the left tire.  And I'm not
talking a little bit.  When it broke loose, I just kept my foot in it and it
smoked pretty hard.

Not bad for a 23 year old daily driver.  8-)

John Stricker