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The MiniRam & Ram Clutch conversion begins!

Update

Well, it made it too and from work on Monday with ZERO defects. Yes, the exhaust is loud, and Yes the trans is noisy, but ohhhhhhh yes, does she scream for more every time I thrash her.

It appears that I will have to use a rubber type o-ring seal around the bottom of the distributor to intake mount. Right now some oil is leaking up out of the paper gasket seal. Could be the result of casting differences in the aftermarket intake.

I turned the fuel pressure down to stock levels to reduce excessive consumption. You don't really notice it until you are screaming off the RPM chart.

I took a co-worker for a white knuckle ride at lunch time. He is just now learning the difference between and exhaust and intake manifold. The concept of headers really confused him.

The idle is a little lumpy, but not too bad, and I am still breaking in the clutch, and learning how to transistion smooth from stop to go.

The heated O2 sensor was an awesome improvement. With the cooling fans finally turning on and off proper, a good 180 performance thermostat, and all the proper water passages restored in the cooling system, she runs under 200 degrees. With headers it would not have been getting hot enough at the collector to keep the puter in closed loop. However, I am jumping to closed loop very fast now and get the full benefit of computer command controls, and low operating temps.

Here is the ha ha funny part. Before I took Doug for a ride I dumped out my left over coffee on the ground. When we came back to the parking lot I was eyeballing the ground to look for leaks where I had parked it. Well, I saw a small amount of dark fluid on the ground. I thought, darnit, what is that? I parked the car, got out, bent down, and stuck my finger in it. Dooooooooh, it was the coffee I had just poured out before we went cruising.
 
Specifications

Here are the full specs on the engine.

**Note** I built the long block in 1998 for my V8 Fiero project, then pulled the engine from the Fiero before selling it. This long block has been collecting dust since early 2000. It has a Weiand intake and Edeblrock carb when in the Fiero.

Cam:

Crane Compucam 2050 CRN-104241 $249.69
1994-Up Chev LT-1 350 CID Hydraulic roller with cast iron distributor drive gear.
lift:
Intake @CAM 332 @Valve 498
Exhaust @CAM 332 @Valve 498 Rocker Arm Ratio 1.5

Cam Timing @ .004
Intake Opens 25 deg BTDC Closes 75 deg ABDC Adv Dur 280
Exhaust Opns 77 deg BBDC Closes 23 deg ATDC Adv Dur 280

Recommended RPM: Min 2200, Max 5800 valve float 6500

CAM Timing @ .050
Intake Opens (2.0) deg ATDC Closes 40 deg ABDC Max lift 111
exahst Opens 50 deg BBDC (12) deg BTDC Max lift 121
Duration @ .050 intake and exhaust 218.

Lobe seperation 116

***If used on a LT-1 engine, the heads must be modified and spring kit 99893A installed. For use on non-LT-1 hydraulic roller engines, installer must swap cam gear dowl rod with the shorter one supplied with the cam.

NOT FOR USE ON STOCK TUNED PORT INJECTION INTAKES 85-91

Ignition:

Stock HEI with Accel 8mm wires.


Heads:

Edelbrock 6089 64CC SBC $931.95 (1998 price)

Push rods:

7.300 Chromemoly - Trick Flow $68.50

Rocker Arms:

Erson 1.5 full roller (bought used in 98) $100

Pistons/rings/bearings/gaskets/oil pump etc. (Summit Master kit)
$551 (1998 prices)

Machine Work: 1990 truck 350 roller block

Hot tank
align bore
surface block (zero deck height)
cam bearings installed
freeze plugs installed
bore & hone w/ torque plate
polish crank
full balance
resize rods
R&R pistons
install crank and degree cam with one piston installed
$935.75 (1998 prices) A.P.E. in Auburndale FL.

Intake/Fuel Injection:

TPiS mini ram (used) $695
Fuel Rail kit (500-507) $355
52 mm 89-92 throttle body w/ exhange (100-151) $280
Heated O2 sensor (300-162) $66.80

Exhaust:

Headman Headers (Summit racing) $112
Flowmaster mufflers (bought used in 2001 $100
Exhaust welding work $80

Misc:

Air filter, oil, anti freeze, cooling fan temp switch, gaskets, RTV, bolts, hardware, hoses, etc. $200

Transmission:

TPiS RAM clutch conversion (700-260) $250
New 87-88 4+3 Flywheel (#14088646 G.M.) $237.90
New Pressure Plate (local clutch shop) $212

THE FUN THIS ALL PRODUCES...................PRICELESS
 
Oh, *(&#^$&*^*&^%@#%_!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I just added that list up $5,425.59!!!!!!!! :cry

There is easily $500 worth of little stuff like the timing chain, new seals for the trans, trans oil, belt, valve covers, bolts, etc. that are not part of this list.

This stuff really adds up!

I need to find a cheaper hobby.
 
Hey Chris,
So when can I come check out your '90:D?.....and the C5:D
It sounds awesome!

Jay
 
JT ZR-Won said:
Hey Chris,
So when can I come check out your '90:D?.....and the C5:D
It sounds awesome!

Jay

Anytime Jay,

Maybe we could meet up at the Gainesville International Speedway in a few months.
 
What is it about a Corvette that always sounds so great. Is it the sound waves resonating off of the fiberglass, or just because you are sitting close to the ground. I ride in my friends fast Z-28, it goes, but it just doesn't have the same sound.
 
JT ZR-Won said:


Just wait till you start moddin' the C5 Chris:L

Jay

If you notice Chris did not start "modifying" the 90 until it was his to play w/. When I drove it, it was a very clean stock 90. :) He is not getting his engine adjusting fingers on my 00 anytime soon. :L:L:L
 
Let's Go to Gainsville !

Hello Chris and Jay !

Hey, if you two human Dynamo's do make time for a weekend trip to Gainsville, FL for a little tire smokin' fun, please let me know, as if I can fit it into my schedule, I will meet you there with my silver car ! Chris, words will never say how everyone appreciates your posts & photo's... Thank You again though !



:w
Steve.
 
Chris - your project is really coming together. AND I can see Nikki has a head on her shoulders. Maybe she will let you wax her C5.

Seriously - even though I haven't gotten my ZZ4/mini ram installed yet I have been looking at the traction/handling issue some. I have the BFG KD's 275x40x17 on now and thats as far as I can go with the stock 17x9.5 wheels. They are pretty good for (dry only) street traction with more tread than the stickier minimal tread depth ones on the market but they are costly. What I'm toying with is a desire to move to 315x35x17 for the rear or move to 18s on the rear. I think I prefer the 17s to max tread width BUT the offsets available are the rub. I don't want to add the GS wheel lip thing as I think it would look out of place on a totally stock apearing 89. I haven't gotten around to see what others are doing and there seems to be a lack of dialog on the internet as to good choices. Track widths for the 84 -96 are all over the place and I am not going to spend $4K on some custom made wheels.

Have you or Ken or anyone else had any experience on this issue?

Phil (aka 89ZZ4)
 
Phil,

I don't know what to do about the traction. It is a SERIOUS problem right now. I can thump the throttle and just spin the back end anywhere I want with very little effort.

The car is just so stiff that it does not transfer the weight to plant the back tires very well. Wider tires will help.

I have BF G comp ZR tires on there now. I am otherwise very happy with them.

You are going to be very pleased with the difference. Nikki and I were just running up the main strip about 15 minutes ago. We got side by side (her 2000 six speed) at about 20 mph and we both nailed it. We did this a couple of times. I ran up to about 85 and then slowed fast (45 mph speed limit).

I looked over after she caught me and all she could do is throw her hands up in the air. This car is freaky fast.

Just imagine how much better yours and Ken's will be with some higher quality bigger cubes and better parts in general. I slapped mine together with a spare engine and whatever pocket chance I could muster.
 
Chris I hope mine turns out as fast. I don't have but the stock 350 cubes - my cam is bigger but the heads flow less so I figure we both will be in the 385-405 range. Now Ken's - thats another story. It will be nice to think I can maybe dust a standard new vette 6 spd with good driving. Now it's still a thought - I've got 6 inches of snow on top of the car cover now.

Phil (aka 89ZZ4)
 
Racer78 said:
Chris how about softening the rear suspension to get weight to transfer back faster? a Lil less rear air pressure? As mentione before a stickier tire.


Keith

I could if I was just drag racing. However, for autocross, and maybe a little Solo I I need to stay stiff and balanced as a whole.

This project since mostly complete as this point will go on the back burner now. I am happy. In fact, my current pursuit with it is to drive nice and easy and see how many miles I can stretch out per tank. I need to run about 300 miles per tank to avoid filling up mid week. I drove super smooth and easy this morning and pumped the range up to 375 (of course this means very little, but it is some indication of how I am doing) up from a range of 200 as it had been reading based upon my driving habits when I filled up.
 
89ZZ4 said:
... I've got 6 inches of snow on top of the car cover now.

:nono Shame on you Phil! :L

I'm running the same size as you at this time, and Chris has already instilled in me the need to seriously consider what I am going to do, or how I am going to approach, the traction (and related drivetrain components) issue.

For street use, I'm going to have to start shopping for some different wheels; the Borbets I currently have on the car, which are less than a year old by the way, are only available in a maximum width of nine-and-a-half inches. I really liked those wheels too, but I'm SOL I guess. :(

Jim at The Tire Rack told me that they are going to start carrying the Speedline brand and I know they make a wide wheel, but as you said - "they're expensive."

I'll have to address this issue eventually, maybe we'll come up with something between the three of us and the rest of the community. :upthumbs

_ken :w
 
Wheels?

Ken,
There is nothing wrong with the A-Mold wheels that GM offers for the C4. I payed $1200 for two 9.5 and two 11 inch wheels and I love them. They are only 17" but a lot of the AGT teams like them. Light weight and relatively inexpensive.
 
Thanks for the tip on the A-Mold wheels Whitey. BTW, you got mail! ;)

_ken :w
 
The GS offset (+50mm) A-Mold wheels - Torque Thrust IIs with the +45mm offset and the ZO6 18" rear set up (18x10.5) with their +54? offset appear to be the finalists in fit as well as price as a set of 4 can be had in the 1,100 to 1,300 range which is about the price of -1- HRE or Fiske. The problem on paper seems to be the the rear track on the C4's were all over the map if you can believe what you read. My 89 rear is listed on this web site as having a rear track of 60.4 inches vs a 92+ year od 59.0 inches and even the GS is listed at 59.1 inches. Assuming room in the wheels wells you sill add about +.75 inches more to track per each wheel. On my 89 I would have to wonder if they'd fit under the lip or would they stick out. I'm just not into the G Rod look and if you ever wanted to lower your suspension 1 to 1.5 inches????

Phil (aka 89ZZ4)

P.S. Cruising Ebay I spied a nice looking camber brace setup from www.r-dracing.com that I might go for. The Ebay price is a $30+ dollar savings.
 
Finished

Okay guys, I told you this aint a show car. Here is what it looks like all done. I might go back and detail this and that. I should at least yank the plug wire tape off.

MVC-017S.JPG


MVC-016S.JPG


We will get some more shots of the car at the Autocross this weekend. I will upload them to our new McSpeed home page.
 

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