[KurtfromLaQuinta]

...so after rearing George's list of musical trucks I thought I'd have some fun and list all of the stuff that makes up our Dakota - many makes and models of 'stuff' (I'll definitely have to have all this on a spreadsheet) -

Body:
02 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab

Engine:
78 Winnebago motor coach/Dodge 440 (external balance)
- Holley Sniper EFI, Hyperspark Ignition
- RobbMC EFI surge tank
- 'Dodge big block' CVF Racing serpentine kit (modified)
-- 87 Chevy Blazer alternator
-- Generic(?) 'peanut'-style A/C compressor
-- PSC GM Type-II power steering pump
-- 95 Jeep Cherokee idler tensioner
-- 8-rib serpentine belt (multiple HD diesel applications)
- 95 Jeep Cherokee coolant overflow reservoir

Transmission:
94 Dodge Dakota 46rh
- SMR big block-to-small block adapter
- B&M flexplate (external balance) - Hughes 15 LXTM towing converter (H.D. Tow Master), 1800-2000 stall (neutral balance)
- Winters Sidewinder shifter

Transfer Case:
'Generic' Advance Adapters Atlas 4-spd transfer case

Leaf Springs:
Front: 48" Chevy ProComp, ORD 4.5" Super Shackles
Rear: 63" Chevy ProComp, ORD 6.0" Super Shackles

Axles:
Front: 89 Ford F350 SRW Dana 60
- Dana/Spicer 5.38 gears
- Yukon Grizzly locker
- Crane diff cover
- RCV axle shafts
- Reid Knuckles
- Yukon Spindles
- Warn Premium lockout hubs
- 03 GM 2500 OE front disc brakes via Speedhouse GM conversion kit (same chassis as the rear axle)

Rear: 03 Chevy 2500 HD SRW 14 bolt, OE
- Nitro 5.38 gears
- Yukon Grizzly locker
- Crane diff cover
- OE brakes and e-brake

Brakes:
99 Dodge Ram 2500/3500 hydrobooster (and M/C adapter)
- 03 GMC 2500 HD Master Cylinder (6.0 gas or 6.6 diesel)

Steering:
80 Scout II Gearbox: PSC full rebuild and ram-assist mod
- PSC 1-3/4 x 8" ram
- PSC remote reservoir, vent, hoses

Tires/Wheels:
Toyo 40x13.5R17 Open Country M/T, Load Range C
Hutchinson 17x9 double beadlocks
- Colby stubby valve stems

Major Voodoo:
Front Solid Axle Swap (SAS) - removing all OE suspension, incorporating front leaf spring mounts
Custom leaf spring mounts for 63" springs
Rear 2/3's of frame out-boarded 3.5 inches per side to accommodate a second Dakota gas tank and 40" spare tire (under the bed)
Custom engine and transmission mounts
Cab mounts relocated to simultaneously account for widened frame and 1.5" body lift
Most OE computers deleted
Custom exhaust system
Custom dash with 9 Autometer gauges
Custom fan shroud
Lots of custom HD armor: front/rear bumpers, rock sliders, severe duty belly armor
Bed relocated 2 inches rearward to allow for fully reinforced main roll cage core

...I'll keep adding to this list as I go...

Big list.

 

[inzane]

Happy New Year everyone!

- been conversing with the Holley tech folks these last couple weeks, and it seems the Dakota's Sniper EFI system is apparently suffering from some electromagnetic/radio frequency interference (EMI/RFI) issues, so I am relocating the coil and have a roll of faraday tape coming so I can shield all of the Sniper wiring from the major potentially 'radiating' components like the ignition, coil, alternator, major high-power wires, etc. Fun!....

Sorry to say that's one of several seemingly common issues with the Sniper. You might want to carry a spare o2 sensor and a TPS, and go ahead and disassemble it and zip tie the connectors to the injectors. Gutting the regulator and installing an external regulator might save some headaches too. The Sniper has it's own group on Facebook for help with issues, and it stays pretty busy. I joined that group when I was trying to decide which EFI to get for mine. I'm sure the number of problems is a pretty small percentage of units sold, the ones above seem to be the most common.

 

[Mad Max]

one of the things about 'my' setup is I have a big powerful distributer up front on the engine and plug wires draped all over, which I think are part of my issue. I relocated the coil to the other side and will be lapping lots of faraday tape on the sniper wiring - should help some. I'll have to join that Sniper FB group...

 

[inzane]

Holley Sniper EFI Owners and Tech | Facebook

A central point of tech info and knowledge from the Holley team and Sniper EFI users.

www.facebook.com

 

[Mad Max]

ok, so I moved the coil to the opposite side of the engine bay behind the air box, 'separated' the Sniper wiring from the plug wires, and my latest data log showed 'less' static in the data, so yep there was some EMI going on. Also, seems the secondaries in my throttle body are hanging up just shy of fully closed (not awesome), which I'm near certain is the source of my idle hanging 'high' when I blip the throttle all along. I have faraday shielding tape coming and I'll be taping the Sniper wiring with it.

And on a good note, after spending some quality phone time with Larry at Holley Sniper tech, yesterday he helped my successfully tune things, including checking the secondaries and some savvy settings, to get my Sniper to act the way it should be. Later today I'll be validating yesterday's run - seeing if I can 'duplicate the solution', and if so I think I can at least claim 'success' with the EFI. More to come

 

[SuperBurban]

Out of curiosity, do they have the sensor wires as twisted pairs? That usually does great for defeating RFI. Is their main brain in a metal box? I would think it would be easier to isolate their system from RFI, then to block all possible sources of RFI.

 

[inzane]

The main brain is in the throttle body itself. I've read posts from guys saying even a metal air cleaner caused problems.

 

[Mad Max]

yah my wires aren't twisted but I was thinking of doing that. My air hat is the factory plastic unit so no worries there. I also grounded the throttle body to the intake to the head to the block's main ground point.
Yah there is a brain in the throttle body, and then there's the big ignition box, too. The data cleaned up nicely once I did my mods, and I think it'll get even better once it's all done.

 

[dodge82273]

agreed International trucks wires are "twisted"

 

[tv_larsen]

Several Sniper owners have had success adding ferrite filter magnets to the wires to filter out much of the RFI noise.

 

[Mad Max]

...got some minor disassembly done yesterday - now it's time to figure out how to make everything fit the way I want...

well...it's been 3 years since I blew the truck apart to begin the 'big' part of the build - time sure flies. Over the last month I've been re-wiring and 'shielding' my Sniper and Hyperspark wiring harnesses - just about everything is wrapped in faraday tape and recovered with protective loom, coiled up nicely and away from the plug wires, etc. Also got the battery mounted in the bed and all cables routed to it, and I'm pretty close to re-firing it all back up to see if the wonky issues stop. The smart people on the Holley Sniper forums pretty much agree the IAC issue I'm having is EMI/RFI-related, and I'm hoping that's solved. If it continues I'll build a EMI shield to go in front of the Sniper unit itself, between it and the big dizzy 9 inches away from it. I gotta believe the system 'will' run perfectly - just have to get the hardware squared away. At this point there's not much in the way of 'alternatives', so I'll just keep plugging away at it.

In case anyone is interested here's a link to the faraday tape I used - https://www.amazon.com/ANGKEEL-Cond...6cfd4a&pd_rd_wg=LSOzf&pd_rd_i=B097HC9HR7&th=1

Some pics of my shielding efforts -

Sniper wiring layered in faraday tape (jeeze I sure hope this works...) -

tucked away from the plug wires nice n neat -

layered all the way to the very ends -

 

[Mopar572]

Alternative:

Carburator.....remove from box, bolt on, adjust, drive truck.

I had to

 

[Mad Max]

Alternative:

Carburator.....remove from box, bolt on, adjust, drive truck.

I had to

...if it wasn't for the 40* angles up trails above 12,000 ft elevation I could consider a carb. I already know that an 'EFI system' can run perfectly in this truck - the one that was in it when I took it all apart did just that 🤨, so I know a solution is 'possible'...I just need to persevere through these shenanigans and get r done. I dropped a stand-alone EFI system on top of an old-school engine with an old-school ignition system, and I simply have to upgrade my wiring harness to perform in this particular environment, and from the multitude of threads I've been scanning I am definitely not alone...

 

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

It's always something.

 

[Mad Max]

fired it up yesterday, and I'm happy to report that the EFI system did indeed seem to function "nominally" . Still have lots to do, but it appears my EMI/RFI shielding and wiring upgrades helped...if not cured...my Sniper issues. Will be running it every day just to put some hours on it and confirm the status...and I can finally - FINALLY - press on with other things the truck needs before heading out to its first trial run. So yayee

 

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

fired it up yesterday, and I'm happy to report that the EFI system did indeed seem to function "nominally" . Still have lots to do, but it appears my EMI/RFI shielding and wiring upgrades helped...if not cured...my Sniper issues. Will be running it every day just to put some hours on it and confirm the status...and I can finally - FINALLY - press on with other things the truck needs before heading out to its first trial run. So yayee

That kind of progress is satisfying even though it took a while.
At least it's movement forward.

 

[Mad Max]

yup - just waiting for the thing to go SNAFU again...but it didn't - time will tell if it stays that way...

Started working on mounts for the final muffler tho - that was fun

 

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

yup - just waiting for the thing to go SNAFU again...but it didn't - time will tell if it stays that way...

Started working on mounts for the final muffler tho - that was fun

Fabbing.
Lots and lots of time.

 

[Mad Max]

...not to mention taking care of the gremlins that always pop up...tho I have to say this build has had more than it's share of gremlins, such as:
1) Bad lifter - required pulling the throttle body, intake, valve covers, rockers and pushrods to replace all 16 lifters with new, then had to reaccomplish another stressful break-in
2) Exhaust too hot - required massive amounts of re-design and time to fabricate more heat shields/apply liberal amounts of heat reflective panels...and sending nearly the whole exhaust to Jet Hot to try to mitigate the radiant heat to begin with...
3) 3x valve cover leaks - finally resolved with lots of Copper RTV
4) Transmission leaking in 3 places - re-sealed when removed the Atlas t-case, because...
5) Atlas t-case leaking. Main case and inspection cover both leaking. Re-sealed on bench with care package from Atlas
6) Wrong sealant. Improper use of aviation sealant #3 to the fuel line NPT fittings resulting in fuel leaking from every single threaded joint - required complete disassembly and re-assembly with Teflon tape
7) Bad alternator. Wasn't charging - re-wired and replaced with another reman'd unit
8 ) Incompatible fittings. Use of brass fittings in an aluminum housing causing a potential for long-term corrosion and failed joints - required a complete tear-down and reassembly with steel fittings and Teflon tape
9) RFI/EMI. Ignition system allegedly creating Radio Frequency Interference (RFI)/Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) which severely jacket with the EFI systems - apparently resolved with liberal application of faraday tape, lots more grounds between the throttle body/intake/head/block, and connecting the EFI and ignition main power/ground wires directly to the battery with no 'alternate' connections - he results of which have been a perfectly running system...so far.
10) Brake system leaks. Despite two professional rebuilds the hydrobooster leaks a tiny amount of fluid even sitting still. Just purchased another fresh unit - awaiting results.
11) Malfunctioning master cylinder. Removed to RnR hydrobooster; re-bled it on the bench and found it to be potentially defective - returned for new...
12) Rear brakes. Not getting much power to the rear brakes/possible bad proportioning valve or master cylinder. Replaced 'OE-style' proportioning valve with a stand-alone Wilwood proportioning valve on rear brake line.

...so yeah - been lots of fun re-doing all of that; some was my fault, some not - all had to be done and so far so good...and that's 'the joy of owning a race car'...

- Sam

 

[KThaxton]

You better hurry up Sam......you might be too old to drive it by the time you're done! 😁 😝😝