Super Ram + 3.73 gears = HELP

[fast.asleep]

I want more power out of my car! (I have a mostly stock 87 auto)

I spent a couple of hundred dollars on the cheap mods (chip, computer ignition, T-stat, Urethane bushings etc) and realized that I was on the wrong road to performance.
I need advice on what would be best. First off, I should say that I'm not a mechanic and would prefer not to open up the engine (or pay someone big $ to do it for me)

I was thinking headers, exhaust & mufflers and 3.73 rear gears. Or should I bolt on a Super Ram? (I heard a Super Ram is better for Auto's than a Mini Ram)

If I do go with 3.73 rear gears, how essential is a Dana 44 carrier?

Will a Super Ram be worth the money since I'm not willing to do the heads or add a cam?

Will I see a large improvement by doing the exhaust & mufflers, 3.73 rear gears and porting and polishing the TPI intake? (leave the Super Ram for the future)

I know some of you guys have lots of experience with this stuff.

PLEASE HELP!

Will

 

[jsinga]

If you're not going to do it yourself sell it and get a Z06 C5

JS

 

[vader86]

Switching to 3.73s is totally unnecessary for any intake other than Miniram.

SR, TPI-neither need more than 3.07 rear gear.

D44 is not essential unless you want to drag race it with slicks, or are putting enormous torque numbers to the rear.

I would add the SR base manifold, and P&P the runners/plenum if I were going to leave the bottom&heads/cam stock. No point in putting on the SR unless youre going to change to a bigger cam and ported heads.

 

[FourAndAHalf]

If you're not going to do it yourself sell it and get a Z06 C5

JS

why?? tons of people do this to their c4's why sell it??

 

[Edmond]

If you're not going to do it yourself sell it and get a Z06 C5

JS

:L:L:L If only it were that easy JS :L:L:L

 

[WhalePirot]

I'd start with Flowmaster mufflers (or such), then do headers before tackling the intake. There's a LOT of wiring and plumbing to get through before getting to the mechanicals of these engines.

Lingenfelter told me that polishing the ports on my Dart One, LPE intaked 406 would be a waste of money.

Step by step makes sense to me.

I miss good ole Calgary; where I have many friends.

mike

 

[vader86]

Polishing the exhaust port is just fine. Polishing the intake port is not what you want, you want the surface to be rougher so the Air and Fuel can mix better.

 

[Edmond]

Does anyone in here run the Superram? Consensus seems to be for the Miniram and the Stealthram.

I'm thinking about doing a Superram years down the line when I have money. I figure that if I'm going to do the Superram, I may as well go for everything like heads, cam, headers, high flow cat, basically a rebuild...

 

[hott85]

I have an 85 with Super Ram Plenum Kit and Super Ram Base Intake, ported heads, cam, headers, flowmasters, msd, chip, shift kit, stall converter, forced air induction, etc.

It's in the shop now having the gears changed to 3.73 using the current Dana 36 - I don't race that often. I just want the ability to kick some butt when I decide to do so.

I purchased the Super Ram Plenum Kit based on the recommendation of the mechanic I had at that time. Can't say how it compares to the others, but I like how she runs....

I've been told by a different mechanic, one I trust more than the mechanic who provided the recommednation to purchase the Super Ram Plenum Kit, that purchasing the super ram base was unnecessary. At least until I change the heads...down the road maybe...maybe a hotter cam too...

 

[fast.asleep]

Thanks for the responses guys.

It looks like I'm not going to do the Super Ram until I scrounge enough money to do the heads and add a larger cam. The advice I've gotten from Vader and other members has been very helpful in the past so I'll leave the rear end alone as well.

As far as the Z06 idea goes, I want one but when I say "Z06" my girlfriend says "House". Since she seems to be able to give herself a headache on command, I'll leave the Z06 idea for now.

I'll just do the exhaust and port the intake for now.

Does anyone have the "Insider Hints Handbook" from TPIS? How useful is it?

Will

 

[vader86]

I've been told by a different mechanic, one I trust more than the mechanic who provided the recommednation to purchase the Super Ram Plenum Kit, that purchasing the super ram base was unnecessary. At least until I change the heads...down the road maybe...maybe a hotter cam too...

The base manifold wouldnt do you or I any good, because of the iron heads on the 85-86E. Their ports are so small that they are more of a restriction than the intake manifold.

For later vettes, the manifold is probably the most restrictive part.

I have collected dyno results and ETs from many members of CF who run the Superram. It is what I will be installing on my own, but since i have a non-roller cam and iron heads, I'm going to wait until i can do those before ever installing a SR.

Not enough people run the Stealth yet, so I dont have much data on that. But Miniram, Superram, and Stealth all would have their strong and weak points, it just depends on what you want from your car.

 

[WhalePirot]

super ram here

I'd not buy it again. It is a b**ch to assemble and seal. The fit leaves much to be desired. Ask any mechanic/owner who has installed one. Any work under it, like injectors, leaks, certain sensors, etc. require this 3-piece puzzle to be disassembled and removed.

Lingenfelter (Accel sells it, too) didn't even send all the bolts needed to assemble, saying to use some from the stock manifold, which I did not have. For $1600, I expected ALL the parts. I understand that some improvements in customer service were made, but in my experience, they were sorely needed.

If such becomes the case for me, I'll likely change manifolds. Can you say 16 1/4", 12 point bolts, half of which are hidden in nearly wrench-inaccessible places? I had to buy two new wrenches in that size, which were hard to find; then use every one, plus creativity to secure the plenum to the runners. Torque? HA! My wrist was my torque wrench.

If you do get one, also buy a LOT of RTV black and don't be shy with it. I trimmed the excess, after, with a knife.

I understand that low end torque is less than with other manifolds but my 406's stroke compensates nicely.

 

[Ken]

Re: super ram here

I'd not buy it again. It is a b**ch to assemble and seal. The fit leaves much to be desired. Ask any mechanic/owner who has installed one. Any work under it, like injectors, leaks, certain sensors, etc. require this 3-piece puzzle to be disassembled and removed.

Lingenfelter didn't even send all the bolts needed to assemble, saying to use some from the stock manifold, which I did not have. For $1600, I expected ALL the parts. I understand that some improvements in customer service were made, but in my experience, they were sorely needed.

If such becomes the case for me, I'll likely change manifolds.

Such has been my experience also Mike. I saw one on a bench and it struck me as being a shoddy piece of workmanship; there was just too much machine work and other stuff left for the installer to do, plus parts to add that should have been included.

I was going to run one until I saw that.

_ken

 

[Edmond]

So Pirot, Ken,

You guys are telling me that for $1600, you don't get all the parts you need? I was thinking about going the Super Ram route next summer but hearing comments like these has given me second thoughts.

So the $1000 for the Mini Ram + $600 for the fuel rails would probably cost you less (factoring time to asemble/install the unit)and give you less headaches in the long haul?