I am considering to go with the miniram what is its pros and cons? How do you feel about it?

 

pro
- you can build a very fast car w/ a long flat torque curve
- VERY easy to work on and around

con
- if you're not trying to build a fast car, the MR itself may not be the best choice. {Meaning, you'll want to run good heads, a nice cam, and a nice torque converter to really make it shine.}

Note how i described the negative point as not trying to build a fast car. Good heads, cam and converter are needed no matter WHAT combo you are trying to build if you are trying to go really fast. If you're happy in the mid 13s and just want an intake and a few bolt ons, the MR is not for you.

this thread has the potential to turn into a flame fest, and if it does i'm closing it immediately. Let's keep this thread full of facts (i.e. LTR set-up defenders that feel the need to brag about how great a low torque peak in stop light races is should keep it in check cuz it sounds dumb coming from cars that haven't run better than a 2.0 60')

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Ed Maher - Moderator @ The TPI & Carb Boards
92 Z28 Convertible - Quasar blue / Tan top
305 TPI A4 2.73 - 14.7 @ 93.6
Stock except ported plenum and dual cats
-=ICON Motorsports=-

- Definitely prototypes, high powered mutants of some kind. Too weird to live, too cool to die

 

i been reading lingenfelters stuff and he says miniram is for cars with stick shift transmission.
looks like it would be easy to work on and give lots of hood clearance for stock hood.

only person around here that ran miniram and did any good had a 406 and still only ran mid elevens. he said it was easier to hook up traction than the superram.



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1986 Iroc 305 small block chevy getting modded now for speed

 

What do you want, a miracle? mid 11's is FAST for a daily driven vehicle. I am building a 406 with an LT1 intake, and I am hoping to break into the 11's.

 

Very happy with mine. I agree with Ed,it`s not something to use on a stock engine.It`s working great on my combo now and should be able to support more(I have a small cam,unported heads and low compression) if I want more from the engine. I`ve been told the MR is best suited to engines 383 cid or larger,and the Super Ram for engines smaller than 383cid. Is this right Ed? What engine are you thinking of using it on?

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91Z28 406,mini-ram,Track-1s,232/242 roller,Wiseco 9.5:1 pistons,6"Eagle rods,Callies crank,Speed Pro EFI w/ wide band,Weldon 2015,Nitrous Express 150,Turbo350 w/ 10"ATI,12-bolt 373s,Southside bars,Centerline Warriors,28x11.5 ET Streets Best N/A: 11.22,120mph...10.41/129 with 150 shot

 

Dont forget about the con for emissions, the miniram doesnt have egr, so it wont pass emissions in a lot of places.
I had decided to get one till I found that out.

 

I wanted to check out the MiniRam as well, but also found it to be emissions illegal. But couldn't this issue be cleared by going with the modified LT1 setup? Pretty much same intake, lots cheaper, and should have provisions for EGR. It'd be a bit more work though.

In the long run, the SuperRam put on top of a 396 stroker with AFR 195 heads, and whatever is the best cam (ZZ9, ZZ4 hotcam) would be ok, or not good??? And how about a supercharger with that application?

 

If you want an example of what a miniram can do look at traxions car (mod of PROM board). On his stock unrebuilt shortblock and tranny he ran 12.2s @ 112 in his 90 IROC w/ AFR 190s, MR, 218/224 comp XR, SLP 1 5/8 headers, 2800 stall vigilante, etc. Stock weight car though. He should be into the 11s next year with his AFRs ported, a bigger cam more suited for the MR (230/245), 3600 stall on the vigilante, and hooker long tubes (the 1 5/8 shorties had to have been a serious bottleneck at his power level.)

In other words, it is not just an intake for big inch engines and stick shift cars. Of course ligenfelter would say something like that, he wants you to buy his super-pita ram (note, the SR can make big power too, but it's MUCH harder to work on, and the extra low end it may make over a MR is just different, not better than the way the MR makes power) When matched w/ good heads and a nice converter MR cars can fly. (BTW, i have driven in tim's car, and you'd never gues sit has a 3600 stall in it, so don't start about how high stall converters aren't streetable, only CHEAP, poorly designed converters aren't streetable. Sure a vig cost a little more, but noone can argue the results they produce.)

 

So from what i am getting at it is not worth me getting since i have a stock 350 TPI. I am just better off upgrading with items like, exhaust, cold air, chip, ignition, cam, headers, etc?

 

exactly, like Ed said, unless your a running a big HP combo a mini ram isn't really a good choice. For a stock or even mildly modded L98 i'd port the plenum, get a nice set of runners and either port the **** out of the base or go aftermaket. Exhaust, headers and cold air intake stuff is all good too


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*89 Trans Am GTA
*Moderator at www.transamgta.com

To hell with the GM vs Ford war. We must unite, as brothers to fight the plague that is overtaking the world...RICE

Tony

 

Oh yeah man. If you're talking about a dead stock car then odds are a MR would be useless and *might* slow you down. Concentrate on the basics and learn more about your car for now. I jst took for granted that if you were asking about intakes that you already knew that much. If you're all stock now and as green as you seem from the last post, you are a LONG way from the 12s or beter you'd be shooting for w/ a good MR set-up

 

One common comment made against the Miniram is that you loose all your bottom end torque. While it does reduce it, it is because it flattens the torque line. But by no means does it cause you loose all of your torque.

A buddy that has a MR on his 383, initally had it on his 350 (before he stroked the engine). On his older 350 combo, he had ported Vette heads and a longer duration cam than stock...but by no means radical (214/222 if I remember). I can tell you that his old 350 combo had tons of torque...just as much as my TPI and his top end was way better than my TPI, so a MR definitely is beneficial even on a mildly built engine.

PS: He has an automatic too and 3.08s in the rear vs my 3.23s.

 

89 TPI read this thread lot of info...
https://www.thirdgen.org/messgboard/...ML/000351.html

 

Thanks for all the help guys! I am going to a local shop today called Winners Circle maybe to see what they have and offer. What should i start off with now and later try to tackle down the line and also what is a good site to buy TPI products from? I just don't want to buy or start doing the wrong and be wasting money or wasting money through bad parts.

 

I think that most of us would like to eventually get a miniram, but whats the next best thing for those of us who cant run one because of emissions? If we cant use a miniram, would we be better off going with a super ram or a combo like the big mouth base and as&m runners?