Building The Foundation
“Let’s say you’re putting a Sniper 2 on a ’65 Mustang with a bone-stock ignition system,” Gazda theorizes . “In that scenario, the Sniper 2 system will do a great job of modernizing fuel delivery, and it will provide all of the improvements that you’d expect from a modern EFI system, regardless of the limitations of that factory points ignition system. A lot of people prefer to do projects like these in stages, and starting here is definitely an option. But that said, you’re definitely leaving a bit on the table in terms of optimization.”
He points to capacitive discharge units like the HyperSpark ignition box and a high output coil as a great place to start making tangible improvements in the ignition system’s capability without breaking the bank.
“At that point you have an ignition system that’s more in line with the demands of a high-performance application. The Sniper 2 EFI system can handle up to 650 horsepower, and with these upgrades, you’re raising the ceiling of the ignition system’s capability to that same level. These components will deliver a hotter and more efficient spark which will translate to improved throttle response and smoother idling. And at higher RPMs, where the engine is demanding the most out of the ignition system, you’re likely to notice that the performance is more consistent. And in some situations, you might even pick up some power that was otherwise being lost to inefficiencies.”
However, he notes that even with these important ignition system upgrades on board, there could still be a substantial bottleneck in the mix.
“Ideally you wouldn’t want to upgrade the coil and add a capacitive discharge box without also upgrading the distributor, but this combination can work with some engine platforms. The problem is that a points-style distributor inherently cannot self-adjust, which means it’s never going to be operating as efficiently as it should be.”
Electronically controlled distributors offer a distinct advantage in that regard.
“Magnetic pickup-style distributors started to become the norm back in the late ‘70s,” he explains. “This design is more accurate and reliable, and will also usually perform better at high RPMs as compared to a points-style distributor while also requiring much less maintenance. Think of it as the middle ground between points and today’s technology. You’re increasing spark performance here and improving efficiency by moving away from a purely mechanical design. Now you have a pickup that’s grabbing signal about cylinder position off of a reluctor wheel and relaying that information to an electronic module which, in most cases, will then make adjustments based on that information. But they can be susceptible to RF noise, so it’s still not as clean of a signal as we’d prefer. And beyond 6,000 rpm, things can get messy. That’s where we’d like to see a distributor with a ‘higher resolution’ type of pickup.”
This is where Hall effect triggers come into play, which allow the distributor to provide a higher resolution signal that’s more resistant to RF noise as compared to a magnetic pickup design. “Think of it as the difference between a black and white CRT television and a 4K flat screen,” says Gazda. Dual sync distributors use two Hall effect sensors to grab two separate readings off of a reluctor wheel that has two different patterns cut into it: the top half is a pattern for the crank signal, and the bottom half is another pattern that represents the cam signal. With those two Hall effect sensors, you’re getting dual signals – hence the dual sync moniker.
“These are commonly used in EFI environments, and they can be used in batch-fire or multi-port sequential setups,” he says. “And they offer incredibly high resolution at high RPMs. These characteristics make them well suited to high-horsepower, high-RPM applications. But because they’re intended for EFI setups making, say, 800 to 1,000 horsepower, they’re ultimately overkill for a Sniper 2. A dual sync distributor will certainly work with a lower horsepower combination, but since the ceiling for the Sniper 2 is 650 horses, they’re a bit of a mismatch for this particular EFI system. This is something that’s better suited to Terminator X EFI, or something along those lines. And you’re also going to miss out on capabilities that can be had with a distributor that’s designed to work directly with the Sniper 2 EFI system.”
Getting Fully Integrated
Although HyperSpark distributors don’t employ a dual sync design, these TFI-style units utilize a Hall effect pickup and are designed to communicate directly with the Sniper 2 ECU, a combination which enables the ignition system to interact with Sniper 2 in ways that other distributors can’t.
“So the Hall effect pickup is giving us that high resolution signal that we want and, if you’re running a HyperSpark ignition box alongside it with the Sniper 2 EFI system, this combination will allow the Sniper 2 ECU to control the fuel system AND the ignition system,” Gazda tells us. “And because you have this plug-and-play distributor design that delivers all of the ignition and timing data to the Sniper 2 ECU, the end user can now bring up timing data on their hand-held display or Bluetooth device through the Sniper 2 software interface. And tying these two systems together can allow the ECU to make more precise decisions about timing adjustments.”
Beyond the fact that this combination will allow the engine’s timing and fuel delivery systems to operate as efficiently as possible – thereby extracting all of the performance potential available and delivering crisp response throughout the rev range – the availability of the Sniper 2 EFI / HyperSpark Ignition System bundle means there’s an all-in-one solution for those who’re looking to revamp both systems in one fell swoop. Not only does this bundle add convenience to the EFI conversion process, it can also save you up to $180 as compared to buying all of the these components separately.
Gazda also offers a few words of advice for folks who’re considering ignition system upgrades to complement their Sniper EFI conversion.
Shop HyperSpark Sniper 2 EFI Ignition Bundles here.
“First, I would highly recommend getting some MSD Super Conductor plug wires to complement your HyperSpark setup. This will ensure that all of that energy is making it to the spark plugs. Secondly, because we’re talking to an EFI ECU with this setup, it’s very important that you phase your initial timing correctly. And HyperSpark has made that easy with clear phasing caps. Once you’ve established Cylinder 1 TDC and drop the distributor in, all you have to do is line the rotor up with that clear cap and your initial timing is set. From there you just take the clear cap off, bolt your distributor cap down, tighten the distributor, and fire up the Sniper 2 EFI setup wizard to get everything dialed in. We have a how-to video that will guide you through the process step-by-step, too. It just doesn’t get much easier than that.”