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Where did you mount your aftermarket ignition control box?

Frankb

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I'm installing sniper system in 68 Charger. Using sniper control box and coil. Where did you mount your control box and coil? There are not many places to mount these in this car. Just curious on what other people have done. Pics appreciated. Thanks
 
Ignition control box inside the car, mounted as high up in the passenger footwell as practical. Three cars done this way.
Coil mounted on passenger inner fender, or firewall, depending on front or rear distributor.
 
That's on the list of possibilities but I wanted to keep the emissions canister which is under the battery
The canister under the battery tray on a 68 Charger is for the headlight doors, not emissions.
 
I didn't know that. Learn something new every day. So that absolutely rules out removing it for control box install.
 
Originally out in engine bay where windshield fluid reservoir tank used to be. But since I retired entire car, it’s now up under the dash on passenger side firewall. It was kind of centrally located for wires. Worked out well.

I will say the firewall is well insulated too..
 
In my cars, I have mounted ECU on front of passenger side frame rail, below the horns. Then I run the wiring harness along with the horn harness up to engine. This is practically invisible. This is Mopar Performance electronic ignition.
 
ugly orange thing under dash.......on my '63.....
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Are you trying to stay stock looking or do you care? If you don't care, there's lots of places to put it......but on top of the roof isn't an option. :D
 
Are you trying to stay stock looking or do you care? If you don't care, there's lots of places to put it......but on top of the roof isn't an option. :D
Mine is mounted on the passenger side of the firewall. I have mounted one on the passenger inner fender, in the past. Most of these replies sound like they’re trying to visually hide it. I would actually prefer an orange box because it would go better with my street Hemi orange engine. My current ECU is blue.

I see this is about mounting a box for a “sniper” system. I guess that’s an EFI thing.. I thought this was talking about regular ECUs.
 
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At this point I don't care about car looking stock. Not really a lot of places to mount this. The car has a 26 inch rad so that rules out the rad support. Really no place under the dash unless it is mounted upside down and the directions say not to do that. I pulled the glove box liner out to see if there was room in there but no joy I wanted it close to the battery. Only two places there: under battery or on fender side rail. Can't go under the battery because of vacuum canister and the fender side rail is a little to narrow. I would have to fab some sort of bracket to make it work. The two best options I see are inside the car, passenger side. Just like 33 IMP said or make the bracket to install on fender rail. I guess under one of the seats would work but I really don't want it there
 
At this point I don't care about car looking stock. Not really a lot of places to mount this. The car has a 26 inch rad so that rules out the rad support. Really no place under the dash unless it is mounted upside down and the directions say not to do that. I pulled the glove box liner out to see if there was room in there but no joy I wanted it close to the battery. Only two places there: under battery or on fender side rail. Can't go under the battery because of vacuum canister and the fender side rail is a little to narrow. I would have to fab some sort of bracket to make it work. The two best options I see are inside the car, passenger side. Just like 33 IMP said or make the bracket to install on fender rail. I guess under one of the seats would work but I really don't want it there

On 4 diff hotrods , I have mounted it on the pass. fender , as close to the dist. as possible , also a hair cooler there than on further back , or on the firewall. On a big block it would take an extremely long coil wire if mounted in the car --------------jmo
 
Sniper user here. I put the ignition box under the battery as well but I made a mounting bracket for it. Obviously can't see it behind there but it faces forward so the connector is facing front. You can see the wires poking out a little.
IMG_1188.jpg


I put my coil on the passenger side inner fenderwell.
IMG_0337.JPG


The handheld lives in my console.
IMG_1192.JPG


To be clear, the harness that comes with the Sniper leaves a lot to be desired because it was most likely designed around a small block Camaro. NOTHING was good or easy about it, the wires were not long enough, the fuses and relay were all bunched together to just hang there on the firewall... my fuel pump relay is now under the dash.

If the people who designed the harness had a big block B body in their shop and tried to install one they would have been appalled at how close to impossible it is to make it work without resorting to doing outright stupid things.

I literally removed every wire from the connectors and started over from scratch so I could put stuff where I wanted it.
 
Yeah that's for sure. I'm feeling that pain now. I ended up mounting the ECU inside the car. I wanted to get under the battery but I don't want to give up the vacuum canister for the headlights and I really don't like drilling holes in the engine bay Same issue with the wires here. I'm going to depin and install the correct length wires. I don't like splices. Currently doing the research to order correct parts. What type of wire did you use for yours? 20 gauge TXL?? I know the power wires are 12. Have to make them new too.
 
Sniper user here. I put the ignition box under the battery as well but I made a mounting bracket for it. Obviously can't see it behind there but it faces forward so the connector is facing front. You can see the wires poking out a little.
View attachment 1084577

I put my coil on the passenger side inner fenderwell.
View attachment 1084578

The handheld lives in my console.
View attachment 1084579

To be clear, the harness that comes with the Sniper leaves a lot to be desired because it was most likely designed around a small block Camaro. NOTHING was good or easy about it, the wires were not long enough, the fuses and relay were all bunched together to just hang there on the firewall... my fuel pump relay is now under the dash.

If the people who designed the harness had a big block B body in their shop and tried to install one they would have been appalled at how close to impossible it is to make it work without resorting to doing outright stupid things.

I literally removed every wire from the connectors and started over from scratch so I could put stuff where I wanted it.
Your positioning seems to be the most sensible - given that the HT lead needs to be as close to the distributor as possible. :thumbsup:

I don't have that control box on my Sniper, as I have the 'Ready to run' distributor fitted - coil pack contained inside the cap. I do however agree with the thought put into the wiring loom - obviously set up for something other than MoPar engines. I just did the best I could at the time to get it running. The display module is mounted on the passenger side 'wing' in the middle of the dash area.

upload_2021-3-17_10-47-42.png


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I plan to re-wire the engine looms and under-dash during the approaching winter - as I was put under a lot of pressure the first time around....nearly 11 years ago. :)
 
Are you trying to stay stock looking or do you care? If you don't care, there's lots of places to put it......but on top of the roof isn't an option. :D

What's wrong with "on top of the roof".... the ECU's in the air stream, keeping it cool, easy to service when needed, most are potted and impervious to rain water and car washes should not matter....but the good 'ole points distributor and coil system do not need any special consideration.....(tongue in cheek so to speak) just a thought....
BOB RENTON
 
Yeah that's for sure. I'm feeling that pain now. I ended up mounting the ECU inside the car. I wanted to get under the battery but I don't want to give up the vacuum canister for the headlights and I really don't like drilling holes in the engine bay Same issue with the wires here. I'm going to depin and install the correct length wires. I don't like splices. Currently doing the research to order correct parts. What type of wire did you use for yours? 20 gauge TXL?? I know the power wires are 12. Have to make them new too.

I spent a LOT of time trying to track down all the correct wiring and terminals. Holley does list some wiring stuff on their website but not nearly enough to build a new harness just ordering from them. I haven't looked recently so maybe they updated their offerings.

I found a lot of what I needed from here; https://www.eficonnection.com/ They sell pre-cut lengths of TXL wire. Was a good place to order from. I think I used Del City too.

I can't remember exactly where I found it but somewhere in the Sniper instructions there is a list of the wire gauges for the provided harness. I ended up making my own list using that as a template because I was so far away from what comes in the box. Obvious, bolded notes included.

To compound my problems while installing the Sniper, I was in the midst of re-wiring my entire car with an aftermarket wiring kit. My goal with both harnesses was to eliminate any extra wire and to integrate everything to make it all work like it was designed that way. Only so much you can eliminate from each. The 10-pin ECU connector is pretty useless unless you have A/C or electric fans which I don't. So basically there's this large, unused connector just laying there coiled up at the back of my intake. I hate stuff like that. Anyway...

Please don't take my list here as gospel. I don't know if I ended up using everything exactly because there were a couple things I had to re-do and may have wound up using different terminals or wire. Do your own homework but the list should at least give you a place to start.

Again, I'm not kidding when I say that I replaced every single wire in the useless, Holley supplied harness - not one, not 10, ALL of it. Maybe their product development team should think of a way to provide a non-terminated kit for the non-Chevy DIY types. Just a thought.

FYI, the 8 digit part numbers are from EFI connection.

Terminals
For main harness red 12ga. wire fuse holder connector
12033997 Metri-Pack 630 Series “pull to seat” Female Terminal, 12-10 ga.

7 pin female connector from TB to 40A 5 Pole fuel pump relay -
12084200 Metri-Pack 150 Series Female Terminal, 22-20 Ga.
20g Switched 12v Ignition Wire pink,
20g fuel pump relay trigger wire blue

20 ga. Pink Wire = 12V Switched - Should be connected to a switched +12 volt power source. Power source should only be active when the ignition is on. Make sure source has power when engine is cranking.

12 ga. Red Wire = Battery Positive – Connect directly to the battery post. This powers the Sniper EFI system.
12. ga Black Wire = Battery Negative – Connects directly to battery negative post.
20 ga. Blue Wire = +12v Fuel Pump Relay Power Output - Used to directly power the fuel pump (max current 15A). Make sure to terminate blue wire properly if not utilizing blue wire to provide power to the fuel pump.

For fuel pump relay female terminals
Delphi 12015865 Metri-Pack 630 Series Female Terminal with tang, 22-20 GA
Delphi 12084588-L Metri-Pack 630 Series Female Terminal with tang

16 ga. Pink wire from 3 way connector to switched 12v power

12g Main Battery Power Wire red
12g Main Battery Ground Wire black

20g Crank Signal Positive Wire purple
20g Crank Signal Negative Wire green

Cable seals
Blue seal 15324974, 12048087 for 1.70-1.29 mm wire
for 20 ga. Red switched 12v ignition box wire,
fuel pump relay to 7 pin connector blue & pink wires

Dark Red seal 15324973, 12048086 for 2.85-2.03 mm wire
for 16ga. pink switched 12v distributor wire

Can bus gauge module white w. blk. stripe signal wire pin
TYCO # 3-1447221-3
 
Thanks for the info rmchgr. I was on eficonnection last night. Good site. I was on Waytec also; another good site. I'll start with the ECU because that's the farthest away. It's mounted on the passenger floor just underneath the heater box. Not where I really wanted it but at the end of the day that's where it went. It mounted well and its out of the way. I think the ECU uses GT-150 and GT-280 connectors. I'll probably put the coil where you put yours.
 
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