I have had a superram base on my 91 formula 350 for a few months and I finally got a good deal on the plenum and runners. It should be a simple bolt on right? hah, famous last words.

Where does the bracket that bolts to the stock plenum on the passenger side go (the on that has an electric plug plugged into it). I see the connections for the vacuum hoses.

Also is there any problem on the later model thirdgens with the giant plenum clearing the firewall area? I heard there was on earlier models.

Also, any other tips?

 

What bracket are you referring to? The only elictrical connectors on the passenger side that I have are on the TB itself, not the plenum.

I have heard of clearance issues with the wiper motor but I had no such problems with my 89 L98.

The installation is a major PITA. It is easier if you remove the valve covers so that you can tighten the lower runner bolts. It was quite a challenge getting the passenger side valve cover back on after everything else was on though.

The hardest part is bolting the plenum to the runners. There are 4 interior screws that must be tightened from underneath the plenum and between the runners about 3" in from the edge. Your best bet would be to slot the ends of the screws and use a small screwdriver from above to start the threads. Be sure to keep the runners ports covered. It is extremely easy for something to fall almost straight down in to the lifter valley.

 

I had to remove the rubber bushings for my wiper motor.

tips:

PATIENCE! and take it easy, its real easy to destroy al.threads....Have seen some superram with messed up threads...

 

Well on further examination I see a bolt that I think is for that plug. The plug has nothing to do with the plenum (that I know of)except that it is attached to it. Must be on later models, 91 and 92. I appreciate your comments. Im going to be doing headers to so I should have a little more room with all that stuff off.

Another question. The plenum had been painted red and is chipping a little. Also the plenum cover is kind of dull and the indented parts between the flat raised parts were painted black and kind of chipping. Im mainly after performance but I would like the motor to look nice. What option do you know of for either polishing or repainting or coating or ??

I see were guys have spent weeks polishing their plenums, I am not into that, to me I would rather spend the time on something more productive. I think powder coating is expensive. Maybe just polish of the paint and leave nice clean aluminum

 

The bracket I think you are refering to is the MAP sensor bracket, there is not a spot to bolt this on a SR, you might have to let it hang or move it, besides there isn't even a vac port on the side of the SR, all in the back.
Many just spray the lid and then polish the paint off the raised portions to give it a good look. You could spray the whole thing, do whatever you want, its yours. Might try using a high temp paint, should last longer.

 

Look at my pics. on my page. Se sign.

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=172861

 

Thanks guys, I like the look of the unpainted aluminum on the plenum, I think Im just going to polish off the red paint there, then repaint the top black and polish the raised area, like in the photos of yours. The last post was very helpful on install tips. Lots of good info

 

Finally got around to doing the install. Spent about 4 hours trying to get the bolt in the middle of the runners in, no dice. Used a 1/4" swivle and hex wrench as suggested but could not get is started. I believe the bolt has to be all the way up against the runners to line up with the hole. Could not get it up there and be able to turn it also. I guess Im going to have to remove the valve covers. Never done that before so its a good time to learn. ONly thing is the to get the passenger side off looks like I will have to remove the coil and the smog pump crud too. Hope I dont' have to do this too often.

One guy said the hard part is putting on the plenum. Cant wait until I get to that part.

Sure would be nice to remove all that Smog AIR stuff.

 

On the map sensor I made a bracket for it.
I cut the rubber fitting to make it shorter as the map sets closer with the new bracket.

 

It fits good and the shorter hose does not hurt as having a long hose would and the bolt hole is there in the plenum already.

 

I couldnt even fit a finger underneigth. For the 4 centers I just drilled out the holes and put in 4 bolts with a tad of RTV and locked them in place with lock washers and rubber nuts. Been good for 10,000 miles aready. And do make sure to put the TV cable underneigh before bolting ont he top. i forgot to and have to remove it all.

 

I found the bolt hole for the MAP bracket. I was thinking about using the same bracket and just grinding off the one corner that has a 90 deg bend to where it would mount flat. YOur bracket looks good.

As for the last reply, I don't understand. When you are talking about the "four centers" are you referring to the four bolts that bolt the runners to the base, each bolt in the bottom middle of a pair of runners? Those are the bolts I am having trouble with. When you say you "drilled out the holes" you cant mean you drilled out the threaded bolt holes in the base? Sorry to be so dense. The other bolts on the runners to base are easy, I was thinking about puttings RTV along the bottom and just leaving those bottom bolts out, but it would probably leak.

 

plenum to runner bolts were talking about. I smeared a thin layer of rtv on the runners then placed the gasket on top then smeared another layer on the gasket to it mated with the plenum. NO leaks no nothing

 

Well this sucks!. I thought I had it figured out without having to take the valve covers off. I noticed each hole under the runners is slotted, open to the bottom. So I took the fuel rails back off, just started all four bolts for the bottom runners, and slid each side over the top of those bolts. Then put the rule rails back on, plugged the injectors in, then started the other bolts on one side of the runners. Now Im ready to tighten all the bolts right? Wrong! You cannot even see the bottom bolts now, let alone get a hex wrench on them. The only thing I can figure is to take the valve covers off to get to them. I hope I don't have to take the rockers off too. I don't want to have to adjust my valves every time I take the intake off!!

This design sucks, shouldve made them with a long bolt through a housing on the bottom ones, like the SLPs

 

Now you know why so many guys call it the PITA SuperRam and they prey to G0D they don't get an oil leak and have to take the mother off again.

 

practice makes perfect.. i can rip that POS off and have it back on in 3 hours..

take the valve covers off for sure... cover the rockers when you take the covers off tho...i have roller rockers and i had to take a couple off.. you can rotate the engine and maybe get at a couple of the bottom bolts.. also a bent allen wrench helps to tighten them... its hard to gauge when they are tight so dont overtighten.. make sure to use the smaller bolts on the bottom holes or they will jam up also

yeah i also knocked out the 4 inside holes where the box attaches and used bolt/nuts to get it.. just put rtvon the top of the bolts inside the box after you tighten them down..

i had to take apart my washer motor and cut it up a bit to get a bit more clearance.. also flipped the mounting posts to the inside and then tightened them down

also, i used rtv on the lid.. get some leaks if you dont

good luck with the tranny cable too.. if you have to use the stock bracket it pinches it and makes it hard to adjust

 

I also had trouble with the bottom runner bolts. The problem is that a socket for the torx bolt is too fat to get to the bolts. What I did was buy 4 new bolts with the same thread of course but with an allen head. This way I could just use a long allen wrench to tighten them.

 

I just used a 6mm allen T handle with a ball end. I had them in in 5 minutes.

 

Yes, I definitely used socket bolts with with 6mm hex and a 6mm hex wrench. I got them in in 5 minutes after removing the valve covers, but could not get them started without removing the valve covers.


I took the valve covers off last night and got the driver side runners on OK. Had to take off the rear rocker to get that bolt in. I have stock rockers. I tried to note where it was and tighten it down to the same place but its pretty difficult using a ratchet and trying to count the little strokes. so I guess I will have to adjust that valve with the cover offf and the engine running according to my mechanic buddy. Kind of a drag to have to do every time you put the intake on.

Got the passenger side valve cover off after removing the smog pump, spark plug wires and coil. STill a real bitch to get off though. Putting it back on will be a "real challenge" Im sure, as was stated on here. Now again the front bolt tightened ok without removing the rocker there, but the back one would not. I quit at that point late last night, but I guess I have to take that rocker off there and will have to readjust the valve there too with the valve cover off. Im new to this, but I guess this means I will have to put the smog pump, wires, coil etc back on, then start the motor and adjust the valve, then take that crap back off again, put the valve cover back one, then put it all back on again. GEEZ!.

I can see what you mean by practice making things easier, but cripes, I better get some hallacious power improvements to make this installation worthwhile. Like someone said, I will be praying for no oil leaks or vacuum leaks.

I havent' even got to the plenum yet. Those inside bolts are really tough eh? Do you recommend I go right ahead and modify the thing before I put it on? Which bolts are the problem, only the inside ones? How is using bolts and nuts easier than slotting the bolts to get them started from the bottom, then putting a ratchet on them for final tightening?

I can't have any problems with my tranny cable, I do have the stock bracket which I switched back to after buying an aftermarket Lokar one. I never could get the TV cable adjusted with that bracket, in fact, I believe that contributed to my 700r4 currently being on its last legs. I am going to put in a TH350 which I guess does not have such a sensitive TV cable adjustment.

Please let it clear the window motor!

 

how i did mine was bought all allen heads 1/4 inch for under the plenum. hey i live in deerpark maybe i can swing by and check out your ride and possibly help out?

 

YOur car sounds awesome, must be putting out some serious HP no?

I would love to see it sometimes. "Swinging by" is pretty far, haha, I used to go to the car show over there off of Center street I think it was, not to far from 8 and 225. I would love to have you come by and give some pointer on this $#$% superram, kind of far tho. Im going to Mexico on business tomorrow, will email you when I get back,
thanks
Larry
PS, I got the runners all on tonight and started putting stuff back together, got all the bolts slotted, I think Im going to try it that way instead of drilling out the 4 hard ones and putting nuts and bolts. Ive got SLP headers to put on, plus I just got chip burning equipment. What do you do for a chip with your "stock" setup?

 

Do you have to drill new holes in the intake or bend the throttle bracket that comes with the superram, because mine is not lining up with the holes?

 

hmm, I don't remember any problem with the throttle cable bracket. Its been a while back now. That throttle bracket looks different than mine. My car is a 91 Firebird so it should be the same as a stock 91 z28 I would think. Is it possible that is an aftermarket throttle bracket? You mght go to an dealer and see if they have a stock one to compare to. If its different, buy the stock one and bolt it on.

Are you saying that bracket came with the superram? I bought mine used and receive no throttle bracket with it. If it CAME with the superram you would think it would line up.