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Mini-Ram,Super Ram or Stealth Ram?

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Old Apr 29, 2003 | 02:27 PM
  #1  
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Mini-Ram,Super Ram or Stealth Ram?

Which of these 3 are supposed to perform the best on a moderately modified 350? My 350 has aftermarket rods, forged pistons, cam kit, rollers rockers, 255 fuelpump in tank with adjustable regulator, headers with 3" exhust, Bosch platinum +4 plugs, MSD 6, modified MAF (screens removed) Edlebrock 58MM throttle body with heat bypass and 3:73 gears. Rightnow it hs a Paxton 2000 S/C on it but most likely I'll be taking it off. Those were not good units. It desn't help much and stays torn up. I alo have to run a stock chip with it to keep timing from advancing. I'm looking at performance more than cost. Thanks.
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Old May 7, 2003 | 04:10 PM
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From: Smithfield, VA
Car: 85 Tojan
Engine: ZZ4
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9", 3.50
If you want to stay away from a PITA don't get a super ram. I've got one and the performance is good but it was a pain to install. the new stealthram looks nice. To bad no EGR.
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Old May 7, 2003 | 11:55 PM
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From: sweden
Car: GTA -89
Engine: Blown 415"
Transmission: 4L80E
Axle/Gears: Strange 12-bolt
search and you will find alot of info!

Main questions.

1. Need for EGR?
2. Where do you want your powerband?
3. Money.........

All intakes are good if its in the right combo........ build the engine the way YOU like!

/N.
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Old May 8, 2003 | 10:15 AM
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I've been searching but I'm not getting any difinitive answers. I'm not concerned about the cost. I want the power band tocontinue to 6000-6500 without loosing ALL my torque and drivability. What I'm trying to find out is between the Mini-Ram and the Super Ram, which one will still have good drivability yet climb to 6500 (unlike the TPI). I've pretty much ruled out the Stealth.
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Old May 8, 2003 | 03:14 PM
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From: Texas
Car: 1992 Formula Firebird
Engine: 305CID (LB9)
Transmission: World Class T5
Axle/Gears: 10-bolt, 4.10 gears
A friend of mine has a Mini-Ram and is really pleased with the results. He was able to pass the sniffer test with it and it pulls real hard past 5000-6000rpms. He lost a minor amount of torque down low. So it doesn't feel quite as quick of the line as my car. However he makes up for it on the top end.

Also you never have to worry about clearance issues with the Mini-ram. Your stock hood will do just fine even with a strut tower brace. I have also been told that it is an easy installation all things considered.
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Old May 8, 2003 | 03:19 PM
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Thanks. Thats the answer I was looking for. Jimmy
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Old May 8, 2003 | 07:15 PM
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From: The Bone Yard
Car: Death Mobile
Engine: 666 c.i.
Originally posted by gta324
search and you will find alot of info!

Main questions.

1. Need for EGR?
2. Where do you want your powerband?
3. Money.........

All intakes are good if its in the right combo........ build the engine the way YOU like!

/N.
My answer exactly. You can get equal results (performance wise) with any of the 3 depending on your cam and head choice.

I currently have a Miniram with ported Aluminum ZZ3 heads but a stock L98 cam (more for testing and experimentation). I lost NO LOW END TORQUE over my stock TPI, inspite of the Miniram, in fact it's a bit stronger. But I gained a TON on the top end. i attribute the good bottom end torque to the stock cam with the better flowing heads.

I expect to loose some bottom end torque when I swap the cam for something a bit strogner, but not much. But I expect to gain a lot more at the mid range and top end.

Conversely, I have a friend that had a Miniram and swapped it for a Superram and is very happy with his choice. His preference for the Superram was that he didn't like having to rev his engine to 6,500 rpm (the shift point with the Miniram). By swapping to the Superram, he now shifts at 6,000 rpm, an engine speed he is more comfortable revving his engine to, without abusing it.

If you want "hgh revs" and your engine is designed to handle it, the Miniram is a great choice (if you don't have emissions to worry about). But if you have Smog *****, or not comfortable revving the snot out of your motor to make max power, the Superram is a great alternative.

FYI, there are a couple of guys on the DIY Prom Board that are running low 11s with their 406 Superram, just to show you the power potential. And they don't have to rev past 5,400 rpm to do it.

I also have another friend with 383 Miniram that we expect to turn simialr times. The big difference, he must shift past 6,500 rpm and has a smaler cam than the 406 Superrams I mentioned previously. He would like to install a bigger cam, but it pushes his shift point to 7,000 rpm and he needs to re-do the bottom end so the engine will live (and survive) at those revs.

Just remember, that consistenly running high rpms requires the eninge to be built accordingly if you want it to live for awhile.
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Old May 8, 2003 | 07:58 PM
  #8  
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From: Philly, PA
I'm with Glenn. Miniram hauls butt on the top end and is no slouch in the torque department, despite what you may have heard from others.

It's a pricey sucker (with fuel rails that must be bought from TPIS). Firgure well over a grand. Ouch.

If I had to do it over again I'd go with a modified LT-1 intake for a lot less money but a slight increase in effort. No such was available when I installed the Miniram 2 years ago.
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Old May 8, 2003 | 10:00 PM
  #9  
Ed Maher's Avatar
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From: Manassas VA
Car: 04 GTO
Engine: LS1
Transmission: M12 T56
People who knock a short runner intake for lack of torque are sheep. Even a carb intake or stock LT1 make plenty of torque to make even a heavy car go pretty fast quickly with only a small block to feed. TPI simply pitches a tent in torque peak, but all that extra runner creates inertia that drags it down on the low end and frictions off your top end.

Proof of the pudding:

Stock Lt1 cam is basically identical to the L98 cam exceopt a little more duration (i.e. similar power band)

Stock LT1s peak torque: 325 @ 2400 (!!!!)
Stock L98s peak torque: 345 @ 3200

Whoopty frickin do. 20ft lbs but 800rpm later. Nevermind 245hp @ 4400 vs. 275hp @ 5200. Wider powerband too. No way. You'd almost think they were a lot faster showroom stock and pretty driveable.
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Old May 9, 2003 | 09:09 AM
  #10  
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From: Lower Salford, PA
Car: 1987 Camaro Z-28
Engine: 6.3L Victor EFI
Transmission: Tremec TKO 600
Axle/Gears: Moser 9"/4.11 Trac-Lok
Originally posted by Ed Maher
People who knock a short runner intake for lack of torque are sheep. Even a carb intake or stock LT1 make plenty of torque to make even a heavy car go pretty fast quickly with only a small block to feed. TPI simply pitches a tent in torque peak, but all that extra runner creates inertia that drags it down on the low end and frictions off your top end.

Take for example the LT1 in the Impala SS, there ain't a lot of cars heavier than that. The torque loss everyone refers to is the old "Butt Dyno" rearing it's ugly head yet again.
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Old May 9, 2003 | 10:20 AM
  #11  
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From: Texas
Car: 1992 Formula Firebird
Engine: 305CID (LB9)
Transmission: World Class T5
Axle/Gears: 10-bolt, 4.10 gears
Who sells the Superram? I haven't been able to find it.
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Old May 9, 2003 | 12:20 PM
  #12  
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From: Nebraska
Car: '89 Formula
Engine: 355
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt
You can get one at a reasonable price through Jegs.
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Old May 9, 2003 | 08:06 PM
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From: michigan
i like my miniram.

is a little sluggish down low but i'm also running a stock gear.
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