I recently installed the Holley Terminator EFI system (which is basically a carburetor with fuel injectors and electronics instead of jets, orifices, valves, and emulsion tubes), and I'm working on the tune. I was just wondering if anyone here had already done the work, and knows what's up.
I thought they were self tuning. Just enter some basics.
Do you have a wide band O2?
Just banging around in the dark without one.
Yes, they are supposed to be self tuning. The learn function on mine is teaching it to be an shiny happy person. It has a hand held unit that is supposed to be able to make all the changes you really need, because you aren't supposed to need a laptop (No laptop, they said. It'll tune itself, they said).
So, now I have a laptop, and I'm getting into the nuts and bolts of it. I just didn't know if there was a prodigy lurking around in here somewhere.
I have a wideband, and the Holley unit has a wideband, so now my car has two widebands. They actually agree most of the time.
Have you called holly? If it's not self learning properly, there may be an issue with the install. Found that to be the case with a lot of ez efi problems.
I would also call Holley tech line. Everything I've read about these indicates the self learn works quite well. What car/engine is it on?
Ive not dealt with this system, but I can say dont be afraid to contact holleys tech help. I have used them before and they were very helpful.
Holley tech support is not unhelpful, but it takes a half hour to talk to someone, and they mostly refer me to the instructions. Many of my questions are because the instructions aren't especially helpful about something, or the thing I'm asking about is completely missed in the help files or instructions. That's why I'm looking for outside help.
The system is in my Fairmont, on a 347" 302 with an Anderson N51 camshaft, SVO GT-40x heads, and 10:1 compression.
Tuning has been challenging to say the least.
I agree with everybody else, I'd be checking over the install again.
In what way is it misbehaving?
I have a Holley 950 Commander EFI and can attest to the level of support provided by Holley.
I replaced it with an MS2 and all my problems went away.
I'll be back! 
First thing it likes to do: if you try to hold it at 2k RPM or so, it surges badly, from 1k to 3k, if it's in learn mode (ECT over 160° and such). The datalog of that shows AFR, timing, and MAP all over the place.
Second, if I let it, it tries to run 8:1 AFR at wide open throttle. I've pretty much gotten around this by telling it that it's not allowed to add any fuel above 75% throttle position. It feels like a band-aid to me.
snailmont5oh wrote: First thing it likes to do: if you try to hold it at 2k RPM or so, it surges badly, from 1k to 3k, if it's in learn mode (ECT over 160° and such). The datalog of that shows AFR, timing, and MAP all over the place. Second, if I let it, it tries to run 8:1 AFR at wide open throttle. I've pretty much gotten around this by telling it that it's not allowed to add *any* fuel above 75% throttle position. It feels like a band-aid to me.
That is weird, normally the Holley will try to hold the set AFR no matter what throttle position your in. If I remember right you set the target AFR for idle, cruise, and wide-open throttle. And it pretty much tries to keep them at those settings. Is your fuel pressure staying constant? You don't by chance run a vacuum referenced fuel regulator do you?
You have a vacuum leak somewhere?
The trouble with self-tuning EFI is that it's not self-troubleshooting. This may be easier if you flash it with the HP EFI's firmware - that way you can watch what it's doing and adjust it yourself.
I've looked for vacuum leaks and not had any luck finding one. My fuel pressure regulator has an unused port for vacuum reference. There is only one vacuum line, to the PCV.
The Terminator firmware. is the HP software.
Can you look at live data and do a sanity check on all of your sensors? Is this a MAF or MAP/speed-density setup?
It is a speed-density, throttle body injection system. It has the ability to view the system live, although I haven't acquired the cable yet.
I have HPEfi in my track car and have installed one in another car(351 with a Vortec). Only problem we ran into was in the Vortec car the Holley was step for a 3bar map sensor and the car has a 2bar(owner swore it was a 3bar). Symptoms were similar to yours. Once we placed a 3 bar everything was good.
Try going to Yellowbullet.com and asking. Holley techs are on there regularly. My dealings with Holley tech department have been great. Quick responses and solutions.
After all this time, a pile of laptop tuning (some with a stand-in behind the wheel) and much useless interaction with Holley and a "tuner," I may have Figured Out The Problem! It's very early in the testing, but the driveability is way up, and I've been able to give more control to the ECU. I need to see what this does for efficiency.
It turns out that there is a setting that the program apparently looks at (that it shouldn't) regarding when to start the back injectors. If you have a progressive linkage, you need to check a check box and adjust the setting for best performance. The Terminator throttle body has a 1:1 linkage, so the box should be unchecked. Default is 36%, with the box empty. I set it to 1% with the check box still unchecked, and it drove like a different car. I can't imagine the fuel distribution problems with 4 throttle plates open and only two injectors spraying.
More to follow.
In reply to snailmont5oh:
I've been having problems with mine as well, holley tech support says my lobe separation is too much 110 deg and i have only 6.5 inches of vacuum. The terminator will not function right with that little vacuum so some applications do require a laptop to program. In my case need to figure how to put in open loop at an idle
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