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Holley Terminator EFI (Install & Discussion)

152K views 593 replies 40 participants last post by  66FSTBCK 
#1 · (Edited)
After researching several different efi options I finally chose the Holley Terminator EFI system. I had help and advice on the selection from a couple VMFers.

I am going to run the Tanks Inc. efi baffled tank with the in-tank pump. I plan on running black braided lines and AN fittings, not the push on type.

I have several options for hanging and running the fuel lines. The option I like the best is using Mag Daddy magnetic fasteners. They make a 1" clip fastener with a magnet strong enough to hold 22 lbs that will support the size and definitely the weight of a feed and return line. I can use several of them to route the two lines. Magnetic fasteners, universal automotive fasteners and auto body supplies

There is a lot to talk about regarding the features of this system, but a few to point out are it is self learning and programmable with the basic handheld device but also tunable with a laptop. It can control ignition timing when using a TFI distributor from an early 5.0 Mustang. Too many features to run through.

Feel free to chime in and discuss this system! I am here to learn as much as I can before I install it. I plan on writing detailed installation instructions over the next couple months. Yes, a couple months. I have a newborn at home so my car time is a little limited right now lol!

Here are some pics I took.

[URL=http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/66FSTBCK/media/Holley%20Terminator%20EFI/391D0101-BDC9-46BA-B137-91C437338FE9_zpsrbhm5pbg.jpg.html][/URL]


[URL=http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/66FSTBCK/media/Holley%20Terminator%20EFI/68DA2CED-8AFA-401E-B627-1F02E93F7DF0_zpssx0kx5w1.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/66FSTBCK/media/Holley%20Terminator%20EFI/FCD4960E-3B34-4D44-8169-3FD74262EF60_zpspaepl5mo.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/66FSTBCK/media/Holley%20Terminator%20EFI/A9BDC4EE-99B6-417D-B3BE-621CDB4132A9_zpsraqhxqqy.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/66FSTBCK/media/Holley%20Terminator%20EFI/31742C1C-EAA9-414F-AD81-0149AD0F3DAD_zpswx9dfbtb.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/66FSTBCK/media/Holley%20Terminator%20EFI/889D3801-02D7-4A7D-B6B3-79BBBB5CD89F_zpso9muieln.jpg.html][/URL]
 
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#2 ·
another plus that no one mentioned in your other thread is that the terminator is massively upgradeable. You can change over to multiport efi as well as by getting the dominator ECU you can do all kinds of things with it. I'll definitely be keeping an eye open since I will be doing the same thing in the next day or 2 as soon as I get my sub-frame connectors and tank in.
 
#4 ·
The ECU that comes with the Terminator is identical to their HP EFI unit. It is perfectly capable of upgrading to MPFI just as it is.
 
#10 · (Edited)
I liked the idea of having the ECU in the cabin. There was no obvious place to mount the ECU in my engine bay either. I mounted mine under the center of the dash, right on the tranny hump with Velcro. It's just kind of where it naturally landed lol, I could have tucked it up behind the dash quite easily. Cutting a big hole in the firewall didn't thrill me but I got over it. If I had to guess the ECU is 6" x 7" and less than 1" thick. I've gone about 3k miles since install and I LOVE what this unit did to improve the drivability of the car. I can reach in through the window and fire the car up while I dust her off. She'll settle into a nice idle almost immediately, no small feat running an XE294H cam. It does require laptop tuning to get the very best results but it would run well regardless. The laptop tuning interface is very user friendly and will not require a dyno tuner. Soup to nuts I got about $3500 into this upgrade but that includes EVERYTHING with zero skimping and could be done for less.

 
#11 ·
Did you consider Atomic EFI from MSD ? I am leaning that way since I already have their ignition system and figured it would work better with that ? Delete this if it doesn't belong on your build thread!
 
#13 ·
I did consider it when I first saw it run last year but once I looked at the FAST and holley systems I was leaning more towards those. The msd system is just as expensive as the rest. I saw the msd in action on Power Tour in 2012. It's a nice setup. I worry about msd products now that they filed for bankruptcy....it shouldn't interfere too bad but you never know. Several of their products are on back order. Holley works with the msd box too.
 
#12 ·
Maybe I'm wrong about having to upgrade to the dominator ecu for multiport, that's just how I understood it talking to the Holley tech. I do know that the dominator ecu will run some electronic transmissions to, its all GM stuff though.
 
#15 ·
The Dominator ECU certainly has more features than the HP but both are capable of MPFI.
 
#16 ·
#20 ·
#18 ·
Excellent! Glad to see another build thread here :) Good luck with your install.

A question about the magnets: you know that they will hold 22lbs of weight, which is absolutely more than enough needed to hold up the fuel lines. Will that strength be enough to sandwich the floor in between them, thus keeping the magnets from sliding around? I'd be concerned that they would scoot around over time, especially if they got kicked somehow or something. I guess that it wouldn't be too difficult to shove them back, just a nuisance maybe.
 
#19 ·
I thought about that but I use their small zip tie magnets in the engine bay for the AAW harness and they have not moved at all. Much smaller magnets too. If they don't work then I'm not out much and I can always use the screw in clamps. Just wanted to try something different to save my car some battle wounds. The only thing that would hinder the magnets would be any undercoating or grime that is under my car. I might have to scrape a bit.
 
#21 ·
Maybe this will motivate me, I work so much so I just stare at my terminator box and tanks inc tank once in a while, I still need to order fuel line and fittings.

Another feature the Holley has that none of the others do is the throttle linkage is already set up for AOD/700r4 trannys with TV cables, as far as MSD, the MSD has annular boosters like a carb but placed in a way they can slightly restrict air flow also I don't think you can fine tune it with a laptop like the Holley.
The termintator ecu is the HP ecu just different decals and it can do port injection by plugging in the correct harness, you can even use the Terminator throttle body for MPI.
 
#22 · (Edited)
I ran 3/8 aluminum tubing from the rear up to the front. My routing was down the passenger side and on the outside of my frame rails and sub frame connectors. Quick easy inspection. I bought fuel line clips from Summit racing, but the screws for them were a joke. The head was too big to fit in between the clamps, and you had to drill and tap the hole for them. I went to Lowe's and picked up some self tapping screws.
Clamps: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hfm-hexlc2375/overview/
Fuel line: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-g2538/overview/
I used compression to AN adapters on the ends of these. Now here's the sit down and get prepared for sticker shock moment..........
Not including the above lines and clamps, but I too used the black nylon braided fuel lines. I hooked up two filters. One just outside the tank over the axle and one right before the throttle body just to catch any crap that might be in the new lines. I dropped $600 on just the filters and braided lines and all fittings and the AN tools needed. I bought one AN wrench that really wasn't needed and you will need the AN vise blocks so you can hold the fittings while pressing the line into the nut, and just to tighten things down.
If you want, I can attempt to get photos over the weekend to show you my routing/lines.
Here's another tip: Go to www.ANplumbing.com for your fuel lines and fittings. I found them the same price or cheaper than Summit, and much easier to navigate their website since the site specializes in AN fittings and hoses only.
 
#24 · (Edited)
Other than drilling a hole inside in the firewall and mounting the ecu inside, I considered these three spots. Under the firewall where it's starts to slope down or on the frame rail. Both spots would be close to the header though. Might need header wrap.


 
#26 · (Edited)
That's where I would have mounted mine but that area was already taken by my MSD box. Of the pictures you posted I believe this is the only suitable spot.

Other than drilling a hole inside in the firewall and mounting the ecu inside, I considered these three spots. Under the firewall where it's starts to slope down or on the frame rail. Both spots would be close to the header though. Might need header wrap.

 
#25 ·
Something else to consider that will help stay within your budget is instead of getting the snazzy aluminum -AN fitting is go to your local hydraulic supply house and use JIC fittings, which are basically a really high pressure -AN fitting. They will mate to an -AN fitting as they have the same 37 degree flare. the upside is they are a LOT cheaper, I have 20 bucks in JIC as opposed to about 80 for AN from summit. The downside is that they are heavier, if you're not building a drag car where every ounce of extra weight counts then its not a big deal. Some people will tell you not to mix aluminum and steel but its been my experience that the bi-metal corrosion they speak of is a non issue.
 
#28 · (Edited)
You might want to read this article before you spend your money on braided hose. I upgraded to Teflon (PTFE) when I switched to AN fittings, because I didn't want to have to keep changing my hose's every couple of years. (Thanks Ethanol) I did something similar to ScottyGT except I ran Stainless Steal tubing. Also I've been running this set up for over a year now and it did get rid of the gas smell in the garage.

Performance Fuel Hoses - Hot Rod Magazine
 
#29 · (Edited)
I used the Summit Racing PTFE braided ss hose, worked real slick. I had one fitting leak because I got too aggressive separating the braided sheath from the PTFE liner. Buy the vise clamp jaws, short money to make it much easier pressing them together.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-220985/overview/

I used Adel clamps and self tapping screws to run it forward, tie wrapping around the connectors for part of the run. I drilled holes through the transmission brace to keep the lines snug to the undercarriage.



 
#30 ·
I had a question about the relay the holley harness utilizes vs what I bought above. Danny Cabral over at the Holley EFI forum said that with the setup I am running, the relay and 14 awg wire the holley harness uses should be fine. He also said if I had to extend that wire to reach the pump then I should just replace it with a full length run of 10 awg wire.

Fuel Pump Relay
 
#31 ·
Personally I will be mounting mine inside. Something about having to spend another grand to replace an ecu that has gotten to hot from being close to headers or getting water in it made that an easy choice. If you're set on not drilling any holes then I agree with chillinnih.
 
#32 ·
+2 and in my case I already have a hole from the projection DI system I had about 8-10 years ago, also tuning on the fly with a laptop would be much easier with the computer in the car vs in the engine compartment even with the handheld unit it would be. The computer looks to be epoxy potted but heat could be a factor.
 
#33 ·
I think I will try and find a place inside. After looking at the harness again, there are too many objects to mount in the engine bay (relay, fuses, etc). It would start getting cluttered.

Back to the fuel pump and relay. I found a website that tested several of the popular pumps and the walbro 255 lph was one of them. Turns out that this pump pulled less amps than any of the others by quite a bit. It consistently pulled under 10 amps at normal efi operating pressure. As they told in the holley forum, the stock relay and wire in the efi harness should work just fine with the walbro pump that comes with the tanks inc kit.

Good reading: Fuel Pump Comparison Test : Real Street Performance Engine Parts, Pistons Rods Cams Valvetrain and More
 
#34 ·
I have the Ez-efi and made a hole for the wiring in the middle behind the engine and just under the top egde of the firewall. Placed there my export brace and the air cleaner make the wiring nearly invisible. Made the hole in a size that fits some factory rubber plugs used elsewhere on the Mustang. So if i in the future will remove the wiring again, i can just plug the hole and it will look like something made at the factory.

My ecu is placed on a bracket, horizontal right under the glovebox. That brings it out of sight and it sits very protected, but its still easily accessible if nedded.
 
#35 ·
My ecu is placed on a bracket, horizontal right under the glovebox. That brings it out of sight and it sits very protected, but its still easily accessible if nedded.
Same here, parallel to the ground, over the passenger's left foot
 
#36 ·
one thing no one has addressed is alternator amps, a stock alternator wont really cut it, when I built my 408 I made the mistake of going underdrive pulleys, I have a powermaster 130 amp alt and my battery is in the trunk, I had a problem with charging ever since, I am hoping a smaller diameter pulley change will cure it, otherwise I will be doing a 3g alternator swap, I am also contemplating moving my battery back under the hood and maybe a lightweight battery, if it will even fit with my radiator. This was part of my problem with the DI system on my old 351w.
 
#39 · (Edited)
EFI doesn't take a lot of power, but it does like "clean" power. What I mean by that is, its best to run an electronic regulator if you currently have a points style.

With that being said, EFI with dual electric fans, extra lights, etc, certainly can use the additional output as things stack up, but I haven't seen amperage being critical unless you are running a lot of additional accessories.

That 100A alternator is MORE than enough and I assume has an internal regulator, if so, rock on :)
 
#37 ·
I got my Throttle bod mounted today, not sure about your setup but my throttle body harness reaches my firewall. I kind of thinking about making up a cannon plug and putting on hole in the firewall for that and repining all the holley stuff to run through the cannon plug. not sure if that something you may be interested in (to keep the engine bay clean) but I thought I would throw that out there.
 
#38 ·
I thought about that too...not necessarily using a new connector but somehow mounting the end that would be inside like the factory plugs mounted to the firewall. You have to think about the connections that may not reach inside though. one being the wbo2 sensor.

one thing no one has addressed is alternator amps, a stock alternator wont really cut it, when I built my 408 I made the mistake of going underdrive pulleys, I have a powermaster 130 amp alt and my battery is in the trunk, I had a problem with charging ever since, I am hoping a smaller diameter pulley change will cure it, otherwise I will be doing a 3g alternator swap, I am also contemplating moving my battery back under the hood and maybe a lightweight battery, if it will even fit with my radiator. This was part of my problem with the DI system on my old 351w.
I am using a Tuff Stuff 100 amp single wire alternator. Wonder if that will be enough?
 
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