Power Coupler
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 10,008
Likes: 0
From: cincinnati ohio
CI 5-6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
Power Coupler
I just purchased a power coupler from Ecklers and am somewhat disappointed. My stock coupler tends to collapse a little at WOT. I thought maybe with a stiffer coupler, I wouldn't have this problem. The new coupler is extremely flexible. I'm not sure if my old problem is solved by the more flexible one from Ecklers. I haven't installed it yet, though. I see that Corvette Central also offers a power coupler- theirs,from the picture, appears more rigit. Has anyone purchased the coupler from Central? Is it more rigit? Thanks.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 10,008
Likes: 0
From: cincinnati ohio
CI 5-6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
My coupler was collapsing at WOT- I was looking to get a sturdier coupler. I know I wasn't going to gain - I already stroked the engine. My thought was since it was collapsing, a sturdier coupler would allow more air through.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
I bought the power coupler from MAM-Has less than 300 miles on it and starting to split already. I might as well have shoved $60 up my a#@ and said thank you.
Last edited by cv67; Jul 17, 2005 at 10:36 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,923
Likes: 0
From: GA
Ok, this is too simple and I can't believe no one has thought of it yet.
Go to your local hobby shop and get some 0.040" music wire (several pieces). Bend it into ovals that will fit in the ribs of the stock rubber piece with the ends of the ovals over laping about an inch. Pull the coupler and put your ovals inside of it and reinstall the coupler. I bet you won't collapse it now.
Go to your local hobby shop and get some 0.040" music wire (several pieces). Bend it into ovals that will fit in the ribs of the stock rubber piece with the ends of the ovals over laping about an inch. Pull the coupler and put your ovals inside of it and reinstall the coupler. I bet you won't collapse it now.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,858
Likes: 7
From: Santa Maria CA
Originally Posted by cuisinartvette
I might as well have shoved $60 up my a#@ and said thank you.
Laughing at what you said, not at you. I always did think they were a pos when I saw them in the catalogs.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,238
Likes: 4
From: Milan
Originally Posted by codyusa
My coupler was collapsing at WOT- I was looking to get a sturdier coupler. I know I wasn't going to gain - I already stroked the engine. My thought was since it was collapsing, a sturdier coupler would allow more air through.
This is a old problem on 90 Zr1 with the stock long intake duct.
but I repeat:
How you know your coupler is collapsing under WOT?
-Beppe-
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 11,671
Likes: 20
From: Lake Wylie SC
Originally Posted by conv90
How you know your coupler is collapsing under WOT?
This is a old problem on 90 Zr1 with the stock long intake duct.
but I repeat:
How you know your coupler is collapsing under WOT?
-Beppe-
This is a old problem on 90 Zr1 with the stock long intake duct.
but I repeat:
How you know your coupler is collapsing under WOT?
-Beppe-
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 10,008
Likes: 0
From: cincinnati ohio
CI 5-6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
Originally Posted by Black 'n Blue
Maybe by opening the throttle by hand
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 487
Likes: 0
From: Huntsville AL
I bought both couplers for my 94 from midamerica, it's a pos. I've had it less than a year and it looks like it's about to fall apart. It's a real pia to take off and put back on as well compared to the accordian style. I guess there's a reason they stopped selling the straight through design for over a year. It's about like the big mouth air dam as far as useless part designs are concerned.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,193
Likes: 1
From: Cincinnati Oh
instead of a traffic cone, I went to the plumbing/hardware store and bought the black rubber "flexible pipe couplers" in the 4" diameter. After cutting them down the middle and taking a "V" shaped section out of the middle (lengthwise) I then trimmed until the two edges came together snugly and fit both the TB and the MAF. I took a propane torch and melted the two seams back together.
3 years, multiple removal/reinstalls and 240* engine temps (don't ask) with no splitting, failing or collapsing. the rubber is ~3/8" thick and is pretty sturdy. You just need to take your time with the fab to get it to fit right.
3 years, multiple removal/reinstalls and 240* engine temps (don't ask) with no splitting, failing or collapsing. the rubber is ~3/8" thick and is pretty sturdy. You just need to take your time with the fab to get it to fit right.
