Super Ram Install Finally DONE!!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: San Luis Obispo California
Super Ram Install Finally DONE!!
First off, its been three hours since I picked up the car, so I don't have pictures yet. I had it taken care of at a local shop, where the installation took over eighty hours (lotsa headaches, thats about 4 assemblies and disassemblies in that time). I didn't have the time b/c of school. I was able to retain my Super Coil too, and it fits under the hood! Minimal loss of torque, and much smoother power band, I didn't even have a chance to really go wild. (I'm afraid I'll break something and on a college budget that's no bueno!)
Pics to come, also, a tip if you wanna use a super coil with this intake, rotate it 90 degrees, and then just adjust the timing accordingly!
Pics to come, also, a tip if you wanna use a super coil with this intake, rotate it 90 degrees, and then just adjust the timing accordingly!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: San Luis Obispo California
Pictures
It ain't too pretty, but she's mine. Note the adjustment on the position of the distributor.
Yes, that is a stock TB...I don't think I need anything larger...stock cam and all.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,401
Likes: 397
From: Lakeville MI
Mine went together pretty easily the first time. I did some research here beforehand and was prepared accordingly.
I studded my plenum and used kep nuts from below, enlarged the runner to plenum bolt holes to 5/16" for a little more wiggle room, ground some flats on the runners for valve cover clearance with a belt sander, cleaned up all the mating surface by lapping on a piece of plate glass with some valve grinding compound.
I also built-up some of the marginal gasket surface areas on the runners with some faststeel epoxy. A long 6 mm ball end socket also helped a great deal with the runner to base bolts. The kep nuts were all accessible with an ordinary open end wrench as long as the distributor was out of the way.
With a little forethought and preparation it was no problem.
What went wrong with the installation that it took 4 times on and off? That's crazy.
Hope you didn't have to pay for all that labor at shop rates.
Now the real fun begins. I'm on tune # 183 since my SR was installed, but I like to change something just about everytime I drive the car. I guess it never ends. If you have tuning issues, I may be able to point you in the right direction.
I studded my plenum and used kep nuts from below, enlarged the runner to plenum bolt holes to 5/16" for a little more wiggle room, ground some flats on the runners for valve cover clearance with a belt sander, cleaned up all the mating surface by lapping on a piece of plate glass with some valve grinding compound.
I also built-up some of the marginal gasket surface areas on the runners with some faststeel epoxy. A long 6 mm ball end socket also helped a great deal with the runner to base bolts. The kep nuts were all accessible with an ordinary open end wrench as long as the distributor was out of the way.
With a little forethought and preparation it was no problem.
What went wrong with the installation that it took 4 times on and off? That's crazy.
Hope you didn't have to pay for all that labor at shop rates.
Now the real fun begins. I'm on tune # 183 since my SR was installed, but I like to change something just about everytime I drive the car. I guess it never ends. If you have tuning issues, I may be able to point you in the right direction.
Last edited by tequilaboy; Aug 4, 2007 at 11:51 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: San Luis Obispo California
Had to pay for 55 hours of it at dead cost, so it was pricey. They kept having vacuum leaks, so they'd have to go back and find them. Then they couldn't get the distributor on right, then a bolt hole was stripped out so they had to redrill and re-tap.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,107
Likes: 171
From: Dublin CA
You are just beginning....next roller rockers and then work on the exhaust......
GREAT START. I know that you will like it and feel a difference. Did you also do the intake manifold also? Replace the heads and you have a going machine.
GREAT START. I know that you will like it and feel a difference. Did you also do the intake manifold also? Replace the heads and you have a going machine.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: San Luis Obispo California
Yeah, I did do the base too. I'm home working this summer one town over in San Ramon, I'm gonna try to be over at Hot Summer nights in Danville next thurs, my car's a blue 1985 with PY3 option code wheels and my batter access pannel is black...maybe I'll catch you there?
As far as roller rockers and heads...I'm gonna wait till I'm outa school.
As far as roller rockers and heads...I'm gonna wait till I'm outa school.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 22,209
Likes: 12
From: OBAMA IS HITLER
IMO, you should have waited on the SR intake until the following:
1. long tube headers (for an L98, this should be done before ANYTHING)
2. cam & heads package.
Then do it all at once. While you're in there, the costs will fatten. Replacment upgrades like double roller timing chain, RR's, pushrods, lifters, etc, etc, etc...............
Dead cost means what shop rate? It had to be at least $1,000 for the install. Ouch! The intake will have to be removed again anyway when the heads & cam are upgraded to match the intake.
Good luck.
1. long tube headers (for an L98, this should be done before ANYTHING)
2. cam & heads package.
Then do it all at once. While you're in there, the costs will fatten. Replacment upgrades like double roller timing chain, RR's, pushrods, lifters, etc, etc, etc...............
Dead cost means what shop rate? It had to be at least $1,000 for the install. Ouch! The intake will have to be removed again anyway when the heads & cam are upgraded to match the intake.
Good luck.
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Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,934
Likes: 3
From: Citrus Heights California
Last edited by Kool88vette; Aug 5, 2007 at 11:36 PM.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 682
Likes: 1
From: SpringHill florida
i agree!
IMO, you should have waited on the SR intake until the following:
1. long tube headers (for an L98, this should be done before ANYTHING)
2. cam & heads package.
Then do it all at once. While you're in there, the costs will fatten. Replacment upgrades like double roller timing chain, RR's, pushrods, lifters, etc, etc, etc...............
Dead cost means what shop rate? It had to be at least $1,000 for the install. Ouch! The intake will have to be removed again anyway when the heads & cam are upgraded to match the intake.
Good luck.
1. long tube headers (for an L98, this should be done before ANYTHING)
2. cam & heads package.
Then do it all at once. While you're in there, the costs will fatten. Replacment upgrades like double roller timing chain, RR's, pushrods, lifters, etc, etc, etc...............
Dead cost means what shop rate? It had to be at least $1,000 for the install. Ouch! The intake will have to be removed again anyway when the heads & cam are upgraded to match the intake.
Good luck.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: San Luis Obispo California
The cost was 1700 for labor, 400 for the parts but I bought those months ago. Candidly, I really didn't wanna put that much into the car, but I just wanted to get it running right, and for whatever reason, the stock parts didn't do it. Car runs like a champ now. As far as headers, heads, roller rockers and all that stuff goes, its just too costly. I know the old saying 'while you're in there, you might as well' but that's another $1500+ that I really just don't have right now. If anybody wants to do the car pro bono, I'd be happy to let ya, but until I'm done with school, I just need to hope that it stays running and registered. Once I've got myself a job out of college, ohhh, just you wait. I'm plannin on a 383 with probably a Fast XFI controller, new rear end gears, six speed transmission, new paint, interior, and all that good stuff. But now, I'm just gonna drive her gently, she's 22 years old, and enjoy her.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 8,183
Likes: 3
From: Santa Maria, CA
big_how,
too bad the car wasn't in SLO.
I'm close by
<----------
as well as a couple other C4 guys that are very knowledgable gearheads.
I can do the SR in my sleep now.
We could have gotten her done on a Saturday no problem.
Just provide burgers or steaks or Mo's BBQ
You will love the SR. Torque, lots of torque!
too bad the car wasn't in SLO.
I'm close by
<----------
as well as a couple other C4 guys that are very knowledgable gearheads.
I can do the SR in my sleep now.
We could have gotten her done on a Saturday no problem.
Just provide burgers or steaks or Mo's BBQ
You will love the SR. Torque, lots of torque!
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 22,209
Likes: 12
From: OBAMA IS HITLER
i'm also stunned as to how a shop is that severely incompetent that it took 70 hours to do a 5-6 hour job (assuming its their 1rst SR effort ever). what "deal" are you talking about? so they charged half their usual shop rate and cut the hours to 55. what they did was usurious. i would have punched the shop owner's teeth down his throat.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: San Luis Obispo California
Paul in Cali...are you a SLO Vettes member? I am, I go to as many of the meetings as I can, lotsa great people in that club.
I bought the super ram used, it was used for 6 laps on a built motor in a camaro, before the bottom end gave out. A guy I knew bought the dead motor for the block (I guess it still was alright) and he had the super ram laying around for a while, I was talking about doing an LT-1 conversion, and I didn't wanna lose the torque, so he offered me that set up and a bunch of other stuff for $400.
The reason it took so long was because it wasn't a chevrolet mechanic, the shop typically does...dare I say...Korean cars, and the low labor rate was part of a favor. At any rate, she runs now, and I'm super excited!!
I bought the super ram used, it was used for 6 laps on a built motor in a camaro, before the bottom end gave out. A guy I knew bought the dead motor for the block (I guess it still was alright) and he had the super ram laying around for a while, I was talking about doing an LT-1 conversion, and I didn't wanna lose the torque, so he offered me that set up and a bunch of other stuff for $400.
The reason it took so long was because it wasn't a chevrolet mechanic, the shop typically does...dare I say...Korean cars, and the low labor rate was part of a favor. At any rate, she runs now, and I'm super excited!!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: San Luis Obispo California
Beyond that there were a few other issues with the car that caused it to take so long, they had to smog the car...and I don't even wanna think about how long it took them to do that. I'd failed a few times prior to the intake swap.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,484
Likes: 2
From: Dayton, OH HAWG: "this is Off Topic...it can get a bit north of care bears and strawberry shortcake in here"
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
Late to the party, I know.
Anyone have any pictures of what that looks like under the cover?
Anyone have any pictures of what that looks like under the cover?