Approximately how long would it take to take the plenum and runners off so that I can polish/paint everything. What exactly do I have to unscrew?

 

TPI's are all pretty much the same. You can have it off in under 1 hour. Take a good look under your hood and see what you think. It is as easy as it looks. You should get by with a few screwdrivers, a 10mm and a couple of torx. If you have a 50-70 piece combo socket set you will be fine.

RP.

 

have it off in an hour? Thats crazy talk... The plenum should take 20 minutes or less but the runners, holy crap, some of those torx bolt spots are nuts. I had to use all sorts of elbowed ratchet arms and crap to get them off. I would say it took me an hour and a half or 2 to take them off my first time. So easyspeed expect to spend 4 .
greg

 

Elbows and ratchet arms??? What are you talking about Greg? I use a 3/8 ratchet with a 12' extension and a torxs bit. They all came off with ease. Maybe you have a special plenum? No I don't thinks so. Just have to find the porper angle to go at the screws/bolts. As for Alex...yeah it will probably take you a couple of hours to get it completely off. While your are at it. You should take off the intake and gasket match,port and polish the insides. More power. Remeber looks don't win the race, bruit power does.

 

Here is some advice that mayhelp.... there is one bolt on each side tha bolts the runners to the intake base, they come in from behind.. one in the front and the back. Those baffled me... didn't know about them myself

 

Errr I dont know if thats the technical name but the elbow joints that can bend 90 degrees any direction type thing. I wouldnt have been able to do it without it unless I removed some lines and valve covers maybe. No special intake... It will definately be faster second time around...
greg

 

An hour?!? Not a freaking chance! For someone who has never done it before, you are looking at a minimum of 3 hours...minimum! I did it in the freezing cold, made sure every hose and connection was labelled, bolts in zip-lock bags and labelled, and plugged all the intake ports to reduce the chance of something falling in. All that, and removal of the fuel rail took me 5 hours. I tend to go a bit slower and be on the cautious side for that would account for some wasted time. But I can guarantee someone's first crack at it can not be done in an hours time...no way no how.

 

I just use the tool that came with my slp runners works great can get to them all very easily and quickly with the long torx head, its also a littlle rounded on the end so it will work better at different angles i guess? Id say it would take about 20 minutes to get the plenum and runners off. Dont forget to slap some new gaskets in there while your at it.

 

my first time was definately under 2 hours.. I was actually surprised I got it done as quick as I did

 

Me too. Probably more like 1.5 tops! Fuel rail off and all! The wires and vacum line basically speak for themselves. The injector wires don't matter cause they are in series. What is left? Couple of cables. When I did this I had no knowledge what so ever of these engines except what they looked like. IMO though. Each person has there own pace i guess. Best bet is...If you don't know what you are doing, take your time and learn it well the first time to avoid future error. 2 hrs..3hrs...5hrs. DOesn't matter really as long as you do the job right. In your case Alex..take your time. I really don't think you have the tools for this job, or maybe you do I don't know. I guess the torx is the only one you may not have. ALl you really need is: 3/8 rachet, 3/8 12" extension, 3/8 u-joint socket, T40 torx bit, 10mm wrench, 10mm socket, and a flat screwdriver. For the most part this should get you threw the process. I don't think I am forgeting anything...am I?

Hope this helps ya Alex
Keiran

 

Dont forget to remember what length bolts go where. Not a huge thing but it saves a bit of a pita for the install.
greg

 

Very true..good point Greg. But I don't remember them being to different, infact! I seem to remember them to be the same in length and style for some reason all t40, except for the one 10mm with the peg on it by the throttle cable. Maybe I am forgetfull? Or just seeing things

 

I believe I had 3 different length sizes on each side (not including TB). Maybe they changed it from 98-92 or 91-92? Either way easys should be the same as mine.
greg

 

I remember at least two different lengths.

I guess I'm retarded cause there's no freaking way my first time out I could have done that in 2 hours or less. Oh well, I guess I'm just slow.

 

easy did you get them off?

 

Please excuse my ignorance (and laziness, since I don't want to run down the street to take a closer look), but does the fuel rail have to come off to remove the plenum and runners? Offhand I can't remember the exact layout.

I've been thinking about pulling my plenum and runners for a little cleaning this winter but I hadn't thought about the fuel rail.

 

here's a pic without the fuel rail..check the bolt holes..



Daz

 

no i haven't gotten it off yet, pulling insurance on monday, then i'll start all the fun stuff with my car...

here's another question... below is a pic of what my mission is...

notice how the TPI unit is complete there... is there a way i can pull everything off at the same time, like in the pic below with everything still together? ie: runners, tb, fuel rail... all still together, but removed from engine?

 

no

 

Yes theres a way!!!

You will need some goggles or eyeshield,sunglasses,new intake bolts and a Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation system.

Daz

 

heheeh good luck

 

here another:lala:

 

and last, another

 

here another:lala:

 

SBlackfoot: If I remember correctly you can take the runners and plenum off without removing the fuel rail. THe only thing in the way for me was the cold-start injector, but I don't believe you have one on a 1990 car.

 

easySPEEDcamaro

First off I do not remember giving you permission to have MY ride in your sig. Man....I should check here more often.

IROCKER is right, you do not have to remove the fuel rail. I hope you will open up the plenum since you have it off.
Since you have all that stuff off and if you do not have an AFPR try shimming the regulator. If your FP was 42psi stock then put a 0.5mm shim on top of the spring, this will give you approximately 47-48psi

 

I used a penny to adjust my regulator. 51 psi

 

That was you who I raced and talked to?

Dam, never knew you were from the board. Thought you just... were there...

I loved your car :P

 

Well I was going to look for an AFPR, but if it's as simple as adding a shim to the old one then maybe I'll try that instead. I have access to whatever thickness of various metals at work as well as a laser to cut them on, so a shim of any kind isn't a problem. Any more info on this?

I took a closer look today and it looks tight in there, but everything looks reachable without pulling the fuel rail. I had also intended to take my Dremel to the plenum while it's off. Hey why not eh? I won't be needing it until late spring anyway.

Of course, before I tear into mine I need/want a dry day to move it to it's hybernation garage...

 

MPS,O2,coat hanger,nut,cut a bolt head off and slot the

top...heres a pic...5 yrs and its still holding




Daz

 

Hey Daz, could you elaborate a bit? MPS, O2, coat hanger?

 

MPS gas and O2..put a hole through the stock FPR and braze nut..the bolt pushes the diaghpram..

Daz

 

Hey ClarionedCanuk have you done it many times before ?

I've had the TB, plenum and runners off a 1/2 dozen times. Port work on the plenum and then re & re the injectors several million times. I did NOT mean taking the base manifold off that is another matter altogether.

About the tb, plenum and runners, No sh*t man if you do this job often enough (as I have) it takes very little time to expose the fuel rail. In fact the biggest problem I have is undoing the fuel line anchor bolt above the water pump now that is a freaking hassle and the bolt seems to be somewhere between 14mm and 15mm whatever that may be in imperial ?

Last time I had the injectors (8) re & re'd I think I did it between 1 hour and 45 minutes and 2 hours and 15 minutes. I'll have to ask MARK97Z28 he was there at the time (doing his brakes).

Oh yeah -- I haven't the foggiest how long it will take EasySpeed. Maybe 6 hours ? Maybe 6 months. I wish him luck.

RP.

 

Daz

I also thought of welding a nut on top of the regulator to adjust the FP. However I wanted to keep the car looking stock(you know sleeper), as for the nut you would have been better off using a fine thread nut for more accurate adjustability.


I do not recommend going more than 0.5mm shim on a stock or mild motor. I am currently running 52psi with a 1.8mm shim SLP runners and have lost about .5 seconds in the 1/4 mile.