I have a 91 GTA with an L98 that has 190 grand on it. I'm thinking of swapping out the TPI for a miniram setup. Right now the L98 is still running strong but I'm sure its ran better in its younger days. Anyway I'm curious as to a good setup and or other mods that would compliment the miniram? I'm looking to get in the 12's by the summer time with out having to change the 3.23's in the rear end. Is this possible and still be able to manage the car on the road every once in a while to work or what have you???

Thanks

j.wolfe

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j.wolfe
________
91 GTA
ET: 15.3@89.2mph in OD taking it easy on 190,000 mile engine!

[This message has been edited by poorboy8 (edited February 08, 2001).]

 

Read this first. Always search the messageboard first.

TRAXION's MiniRam Comments

Being fast is about combination. All of your parts should be balanced to work WITH each other and not against each other. I would never bolt a MiniRam to a stock engine (stock heads, stock cam, stock gears, stock torque converter). Again - its about the right balanced combination.

Tim

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• Program your own PROMs!. Read my article to get started!
• Research and Experiment before asking questions.
• This is not a chip store. Go to the classifieds if you want someone to sell you a chip or give you a BIN.

TRAXION's 1990 IROC-Z
Best Time = 12.244 @ 112.51mph (1.778 60' / 7.819@88.32mph in the 1/8)
All Natural. No Force. No Drugs. Stock Bottom End. Stock Body Panels.
Gunning for NA 11's with bigger cam, bigger stall, and bigger exhaust.
-=ICON Motorsports=-
Moderator: PROM board at thirdgen.org

 

Traxion,
Just so you know, I did search the boards for information concerning the miniram setup. What I found was a lot of unfinished and unanswered questions by a lot of posters. I'm not here to flame or too make enimies in anyway shape or form (because I know these boards have had there share) but I'm here to find information and maybe pick the brains of more expierenced people than myself.

I'm not sure what you read or how you read my post but you offered no information that helped me at all. I know you are knowledgeable in this field, so why dont you offer some good advice instead of telling me something that I already know and I made that obvious by my post (that I already knew).

QUOTEING MYSELF "Anyway I'm curious as to a good setup and or other mods that would compliment the miniram?"

Again I'm throwing this question out to anyone.

TRAXION just a little history of me and yourself. A few months ago you came onto the MAFBA.org boards and flamed and or showed a concern with one of our members for taking your graphics which concerned ICON Motorsports. I respected your posts and even made good conversation with you, seeing that I used to live in Woodbine, MD which is just below Mt. Airy/Lisbon area.

Again, just here to gather information for my spring/summer project on my GTA :-)

TIA

j.wolfe

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j.wolfe
________
91 GTA
ET: 15.3@89.2mph in OD taking it easy on 190,000 mile engine!

[This message has been edited by poorboy8 (edited February 08, 2001).]

 

J. Wolfe,

Seriously, the post that I made and listed above is a great post for determining what complements the MiniRam. I didn't mean to sound so short and curt. Its just that this question has been asked many many times on many different boards. That is the main reason that I wrote the post that I referenced above. I wrote it to serve as a sort of guide about MiniRam setups.

The entire key to running the MiniRam successfully is combination and balance ... heh heh or 'balanced combination' In fact, this is the key for ANY setup. The reason why this is even more important when bolting on a MiniRam is that most users of the MiniRam are bolting this piece onto an original TPI which is a balanced setup in its own right. The TPI setup is balanced for low RPM torque and power. Everything about the TPI is working toward that goal. So, when you bolt down the MR you need to change A LOT of stuff in order to make a new balanced combination. That means changing the heads, cam, torque converter, gears, and making sure that you plan for higher RPMS. If you have the $$$ you want to go for titanium retainers, AFR hydrarev kit, good harmonic balancer, higher RPM lifters (CC 'R' series), etc.

General rules for a fast MiniRam combo:
1) GREAT heads! This is the one place you don't want to skimp. Go all out here. Go for a bigger intake runner that still has good low lift velocity. If you can - get them flowed and check the flow numbers.
2) Big cam. Go for a 220+ intake duration cam with a lift that complements the head flow numbers.
3) Higher stall converter. 2800+ converter from a high quality company like Precision Industries or Neal or Yank. Don't go for a generic piece like a B&M unit
4) Gears. 3.42's or higher. You might be able to get away with 3.23's but it won't give you the best 1/4 ET because you won't be going through the traps at the best RPM for your setup. I would recommend 3.73s.
5) Good calibration. Learn to burn your own PROMs. That's the best.

Those are the main considerations. However, you also want to keep in mind a darn good exhaust. Headers and catback are a necessity with this setup. And - I am not talking Edelbrock headers either.

If you need anymore info let me know.

Tim


------------------

• Program your own PROMs!. Read my article to get started!
• Research and Experiment before asking questions.
• This is not a chip store. Go to the classifieds if you want someone to sell you a chip or give you a BIN.

TRAXION's 1990 IROC-Z
Best Time = 12.244 @ 112.51mph (1.778 60' / 7.819@88.32mph in the 1/8)
All Natural. No Force. No Drugs. Stock Bottom End. Stock Body Panels.
Gunning for NA 11's with bigger cam, bigger stall, and bigger exhaust.
-=ICON Motorsports=-
Moderator: PROM board at thirdgen.org

 

OK, I have some questions about this miniram. Are the Edelbrock Performer heads going to flow good for the MiniRam? And is my cam "big" enough for the MiniRam. It is a 264/274 duration but @ .050 it is 210/220. When you say a cam needs to be 220 for bigger for the MiniRam is that @ .050???

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'89 Formula 383 TPI

 

Yes, the duration I mentioned is 0.050" duration figures. Actually, the setup you mentioned (Edelbrock heads and 210/220 cam) is a PERFECT large tube runner setup. IMHO, you'll get great performance from a large tube runner setup with the mods that you mentioned.

Tim

------------------

• Program your own PROMs!. Read my article to get started!
• Research and Experiment before asking questions.
• This is not a chip store. Go to the classifieds if you want someone to sell you a chip or give you a BIN.

TRAXION's 1990 IROC-Z
Best Time = 12.244 @ 112.51mph (1.778 60' / 7.819@88.32mph in the 1/8)
All Natural. No Force. No Drugs. Stock Bottom End. Stock Body Panels.
Gunning for NA 11's with bigger cam, bigger stall, and bigger exhaust.
-=ICON Motorsports=-
Moderator: PROM board at thirdgen.org

 

Tim,
The other mods I have though is a 2500 stall converter with Hooker shortie headers, 3" system and no cat. Its a 388 actually too. With the right prom tuning what do you think the MiniRam will do for my set-up??

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'89 Formula 383 TPI

 

Greg for the money I'd go with better heads. The edelbrock perofrmers are about what $950/pr afr 190's are $1200 and well worth it I'm sure. I'd probly buy a pair if I wasn't about to port some 64cc camelbacks for my 67.

If you do go with the AFR's have em throw on better springs before they even send em to you. Then you can run that cam and whatever intake you want. Heads/valves is where you want the best money can buy! I'd rather skimp on exhaust and intake then on heads/valves anyday. Go with 64cc heads too especially since they're alum.

 

I am a fan of "heads" being the first major mod too. But because I have an opportunity to possibly pick up a Miniram, it will probably be my first major mod.

I may do the heads at the same time or try the Miniram by itself just to quantify want gains (or losses) in performance you get with a basically stock engine and a Miniram.

While I do expect some changes in the powerband characteristics, I really do not expect to get much (if any) gain from just a Miniram. But its single one piece design makes removal and reinstallation so much simpler (just like a good old carb) that I am prepared to quanitfy it by itself.

 

Glenn91L98GTA - The cam that you mention , 210/220@.050 is actually very similar in duration to the cam that Lingenfelter uses on his LT1 motors(350 & 383). In my opinion it's always better to error on the small side.

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D&Z Performance
"Putting Power to the Pavement"

 

I am running the LPE219 cam withthe miniram and it performed very well. My heads are edlebrook but throughly ported by LPE.
so for the cost of buying them and having them ported AFR190's is the way togo.
I say there are just some proven combos out there. 350,AFR190's,miniram,LPE211 or 219 cam,or the tpis ZZ9 or ZZ409,good stall-vigilante-Dont skip here as well. the vigilante has good torque multiplcation. Good headers and good exhaust.
It all has to work around each other. like Tim mentioned in early post.
You swap on a MR with stock heads your motor will still fall on its face a 5500 were the miniram first starts to shine.
Dennis

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85 vette,383,miniram,ZF6,4.10's..best ET 11.66@1187.00 60' 1.62
w/100HP nirous 11.05@127
http://geocities.com/bowtie8

 

Hey you cant have a fbod if you live in woodbine, You need a f250 with a cow cage on the back!!! Just kidding.

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87z 383,afr 190's, crane hyd roller(224/230-.509/.528,112 sep),Ported and polished mini ram, 30lb inj, 3.42 gears, strange 12 bolt, tremec 5spd, , 1,3/4" slp headers.