Bear with me, this is gonna be kind of a rant, but more importantly a "heads up" to potential problems that would be a bitch to track down. As some of you might know, I'm getting very close to finishing a 421 transplant after a couple years of planning and acquiring parts

As with any project, the closer you get the hornier you get, and I'm just about like a teenage boy on prom nite these days

So anyhow, we get to the driver side runner on my Superram and........ whaddya know? The front runner to intake manifold gasket doesn't line up on the runner. I mean this thing is not even close!!! It looks good on the intake side because of the large milled surface, but when placed on the runner, the EGR passage of the gasket is too large and protrudes slightly beyond the edge of the runner! (Like just ever so slightly) This creates a gapola there that'll no doubt end up becoming a vacuum leak....

I'm having trouble believing this..........I got a brand spanking new Superram and either the casting itself is screwed up in it's design or the gasket is made wrong. My buddy had a bunch of these gaskets in stock at his shop, and they're all the same............ I've got an extra Superram at home, and the runner casting is also the same on that one too I test fit one of the gaskets on my spare runner and noticed there's a very slight tolerance and the EGR passage might seal up.....maybe. It's right on the bubble though and if it did seal, it would most definately be a potential problem in the future!

The way I see it, Superram users have a choice to either make their own gasket, or have the damn runner welded and milled. I chose to weld mine so I wouldn't have to screw around making a gasket in the future........the problem for me is my Superram has (had) this gorgeous satin black powder coat that's gonna get screwed up too, so now I'll need to chase that down as well I hope this info helps avoid some future problems and/or clears up any mystery vacuum leaks on existing installs

OK, here's some pics (man, this was hard to describe )

 

I have to check when I get home later on tonight to check mine. I got mine from LPE.

 

Maybe a phone call to LPE before you screw up the pretty paint. You cannot be the only one this has happened to. Keep us posted!

 

Good idea George. I think I'll call Rich at Cruzin.......he's actually responsive

Gracias!

 

Wow, so this is what I have to look forward too!

I will begin this,,, Odyssey,,, that IS the Superram in 1-week.

In the mean time I'm stocking up on Kettle One!

 

Kettle 1

 

Golly Gee...I did a test fit on mine 3 years ago and did not encounter this problem at all. They all matched up perfectly from LPE. my problem was the lid holes did not match up with the threaded holes. I had to elongate the lid holes slightly to get 4 of the bolts to line up with the threads. I still have the extra set of gaskets that I was adivsed to purchase on the forum due to potential leak problems. Never had to use them yet. Hope you find your answers.

 

Haven't had my super ram apart for a couple of years but I remember that the runners will bolt up to either side, but if you bolt them up on the wrong side, it will give a major vacuum leak?? Don't remember if both sides had the EGR port?

 

I see what your talking about. I guess its time to make a Gasket and market it

 

It's hard to believe no one else on the forum has encountered this. Definitely sounds like the gasket was cut wrong. Thanks for pointing this out!

 

I notified the Accel DFI reps about this via email as well as sending them a link to this thread. So far out of the many that I have personally sold I haven't heard a problem with them. Hopefully this is just an isolated case.

 

Thanks Tom

Do you know if there's any appreciable differences between an Accel gasket and a stock one? Only thing I can think of is maybe there is a slight difference and all we have are stock gaskets around here

The thing that throws me for a loop is both my runners are casted the same (within casting tolerances of course)

Thanks again for helping chase this!

 

I am not sure if stock replacements are different or not. I never really paid much attention. But I know that they should work and also that the surfaces should be straight. A minor variation is acceptable but gaps are NOT.

 

I've gone through a few sets of runner gaskets and have never encountered this.

 

You can always weld more aluminum then file the surface flat where the gasket makes contact.

 

Quote: "The way I see it, Superram users have a choice to either make their own gasket, or have the damn runner welded and milled. I chose to weld mine"..........

 

Ditto... I had the superram on and off about 4 times, always use LPE gaskets, never any issues. No leaks, no problems.

Make SURE youa re not trying to put the runners on the wrong sides, they WILL bolt on, and work, but will leak like crazy. I did that my first time..
Man I felt stupid after I reversed them.

 

I have had the same problem with my superram, the gaskets never have sealed as shipped from LPE. Both passanger and driver side gaskets would have had vacuum leaks with the gaskets supplied by LPE. I use a little sealant when I put the superram on to make sure the hole is plugged. I have ran into this problem on at least four different times.

 

I've had mine off and on about 4 times. Using Accel/LPE gaskets have never given me potential vacuum problems(like your photo) but I have had to open up the runner holes in the gaskets a bit.

 

I've had several problems with my SR that lead to vacuum leaks.

1. I was sent two left-side runners instead of a left/right pair. Notice the EGR ports are different shapes...
2. Getting leaks around the top of the plenum - *most* of them gone with good gasket sealant but some still there, I think.
3. Now it looks like I've got a leak around the fuel injector O-rings on the manifold. I can spray carb cleaner into each port and the engine revs. Spraying it onto the runner/manifold join doesn't do that. So far, I'm 5 for 5 on the injectors - WTF?

I'm very close to ripping the whole thing off and getting a Miniram instead.


[RICHR]