this Intake manifold possibile?

[paw2000]

I was searching around for alternates to the marine intake and stumbled across this from Edelbrok (High-Flo T.P.I. Vortec Baseplate Only #3817 ) Is it possible to take a Corvette or Firebird TPI Hardware and using the vortec baseplate make it work on the L31 motors in the 96-99 trucks. I searched and was able to locate a complete TPI from a 92 camaro and with this baseplate should be able to have a working system. Any thoughts on this?

[TLL]

It will work. There are few guys on this forum that are running that set up. I considered TPI but for less than the cost of that Vortec TPI intake alone ($400) you could buy a Holley Stealth Ram. I'm in the process of putting one on my Tahoe right now. Go to www.stealthram.com to see a comparison of the two setups.

[paw2000]

I looked at the stealthram, I read there is issue with the distributer hitting the manifold. The complete kit Holley has comes with a small dizzy, but it states its only for motors up to 95. I checked with MSD, accell and others and finding a dizzy for the vortec has been tough. I'll check the site out, thanks for the info.

[TLL]

Its tight but it works fine with a Vortec distributor because you don't turn a Vortec to adjust the timing like the older ones. The computer controls the timing. They make a Vortec version of the intake. Just look on Summit or Jegs. A Vortec distributor cap sits much lower than the old HEI too so it does not interfere with the plenum. What you are reading referes to not being able to use an old HEI on a pre 1996 intake. A TPI will not flow well enough for the potential of Vortec heads so you will be giving up power that way as well.

[paw2000]

Thanks for the info, I read so many different problems and its hard to find answers. Which throttle body did you use? I looked thru the site and most of the rides were the older TPI cars. I have a complete 95 LT1 engine if I need to borrow parts from like the trottle body. I'm pulling the vortec motor soon as I have a coolant leak and figure nows the time to upgrade.

[TLL]

Originally Posted by paw2000

Thanks for the info, I read so many different problems and its hard to find answers. Which throttle body did you use? I looked thru the site and most of the rides were the older TPI cars. I have a complete 95 LT1 engine if I need to borrow parts from like the trottle body. I'm pulling the vortec motor soon as I have a coolant leak and figure nows the time to upgrade.

I am using an older Accel 1000cfm twin 58mm throttle body on mine but the stealth ram accepts any TPI ot LT1 throttle body. The LT1 is a good way to go with a conversion from a stock vortec set up because the TPS and IAC sensors will plug right in to the vortec harness and it uses the same style throttle cable too.

[oldred95]

From what I've gathered the stealth ram and LT1 and LT4 style intakes aren't all that truck friendly because of the short intake runners. They don't really promote good lowend torque like the TPI intake does with its LONG runners.

[Tbi-MAX]

Originally Posted by oldred95

From what I've gathered the stealth ram and LT1 and LT4 style intakes aren't all that truck friendly because of the short intake runners. They don't really promote good lowend torque like the TPI intake does with its LONG runners.

also something to this tune is what i was told as well. thus the reason i didnt get the HSR at 1st. i think with the brackets and everything, rails etc. it came out to be like 7-800$ swap. and still wouldnt develop the lowend like a truck needed. unless its really light and gutted scsb.

[96SLT350]

So Stealth Ram is definately the way to go then for the vortec engine intake manifold?

[TLL]

My stealth ram is going on my supercharged Tahoe Limited which has a 4.11 rear gear so low end is not really much concern to me. As far as what you need to buy the intake is $360 and if you go with the matching fuel rail/regulator kit it is another $180. I'm using a fabricated rail with an external adjustable regulator. The injectors vary in price by what you need. I went with a used set of LS1 injectors which are rated at 28.8lbs. They cost me $50 from a guy on thirdrdgen.com. I had the throttle body from a TPI unit I bought on ebay for $75 and sold for $150 without the throttle body. There are no brackets to buy. I have about $600 total in mine with the new injector wire pigtails and I feel the performance is well worth the cost.

[paw2000]

Originally Posted by TLL

I am using an older Accel 1000cfm twin 58mm throttle body on mine but the stealth ram accepts any TPI ot LT1 throttle body. The LT1 is a good way to go with a conversion from a stock vortec set up because the TPS and IAC sensors will plug right in to the vortec harness and it uses the same style throttle cable too.

Thats good news as I have a complete LT1 engine to test fit components on the truck. As for the LT1 not "truck" friendly is not being fair. My 95 impala SS is not a lite weight vehicle at 4061 lbs.. my yukon@4600 lbs. so they are close in weight. And most of us are not racing the trucks, we want fun vehicles that can run with the pack, and still tow the boat, haul the junk.

Anyone have pictures of thier install? how they routed the AC hoses, connected thier harness to the injectors. Thanks

[Fast305]

Originally Posted by paw2000

Thats good news as I have a complete LT1 engine to test fit components on the truck. As for the LT1 not "truck" friendly is not being fair. My 95 impala SS is not a lite weight vehicle at 4061 lbs.. my yukon@4600 lbs. so they are close in weight. And most of us are not racing the trucks, we want fun vehicles that can run with the pack, and still tow the boat, haul the junk.

Anyone have pictures of thier install? how they routed the AC hoses, connected thier harness to the injectors. Thanks

The Impala LT1 has the same head design as the Vortec and the same camshaft. That makes it very much like a vortec. The LT1 is NOT nearly as "truck friendly" as a TPI is. The TPI will kill the LT1 from off-idle to about 3,600 rpm. I don't know many that are running a daily driver truck much over 3,000 rpm for any appreciable time.

[JD'98]

Originally Posted by Fast305

The Impala LT1 has the same head design as the Vortec and the same camshaft. That makes it very much like a vortec. The LT1 is NOT nearly as "truck friendly" as a TPI is. The TPI will kill the LT1 from off-idle to about 3,600 rpm. I don't know many that are running a daily driver truck much over 3,000 rpm for any appreciable time.

why do you think the marine intake would kill the LT1 intake?

[TLL]

Originally Posted by Fast305

The Impala LT1 has the same head design as the Vortec and the same camshaft. That makes it very much like a vortec. The LT1 is NOT nearly as "truck friendly" as a TPI is. The TPI will kill the LT1 from off-idle to about 3,600 rpm. I don't know many that are running a daily driver truck much over 3,000 rpm for any appreciable time.

Fast305, I know that you have a good running vehicle and know your stuff but that seems like an odd statement to make. So what do you tell people you only want to race them from an idle to 3000 rpm? In my opinion the generally accepted standard is 1/4 mile performance. I think my Stealth Ram will overcome your TPIs better low end torque by the end of a 1/4 mile, and I don't come off the line at an idle either, I leave at about 2500 rpm so my engine is seeing 3000 rpm by the time my rear bumper passes the tree.

TLL

[19doug90]

Originally Posted by TLL

Fast305, I know that you have a good running vehicle and know your stuff but that seems like an odd statement to make. So what do you tell people you only want to race them from an idle to 3000 rpm? In my opinion the generally accepted standard is 1/4 mile performance. I think my Stealth Ram will overcome your TPIs better low end torque by the end of a 1/4 mile, and I don't come off the line at an idle either, I leave at about 2500 rpm so my engine is seeing 3000 rpm by the time my rear bumper passes the tree.

TLL

are we talking drag trucks here or a dd/trail truck.

Sure i opted on my third gen camaro to swap from a tpi to a stealth ram because my cam was going to make peak power at 6000 rpms.

But who the hell drag races a 5000+ pound truck? talk about a waste of time/effort/money.

I'm with fast personally im going with a tpi on my vortec truck because i dont think ive ever taken it past 3500 driving around town. i cant imagine trying to drag race my truck.

[19doug90]

Originally Posted by JD'98

why do you think the marine intake would kill the LT1 intake?

same reason a tpi would, runner length. The intake is designed for high velocity hence high torque.

Anything like a stealth ram or lt1 intake has short runners, is way less restrictive and is great for top end power, but less restriction comes with less velocity, which means you lose low end torque.

[MSlewis]

After personally anylizing the runners on both the LT1 and RamJet intakes, and seeing GMPP's dyno graph for the RamJet350 put down an almost linear 400 ftlbs of torque with stock vortech heads and a tiny cam, I can't see how the short runner length is considered to be a torque detriment. I think it has more to do with the head port design and flow cahracteristics as to wether low rpm torque can be acheived. IIRC the stock 92'Z28's numbers were no match for the stock 93's with the only major differences being the intake design(ignition & cooling notwithstanding).The newer,shorter,runner lengths and port designs are an excellent blend of both high velocity @ low rpm and high rpm breathability.

This is of course my opionion and we all know what those are worth. Nonetheless I too am contemplating wich intake to run on my 383 wich currently is TBI. Both the RamJet and StealthRam look impressive,however the Ramjet's open plenum section above the 4-5" long port entry is alot narrower,could have something to do with it's torque #'s. The StealthRam has longer runners, but with larger plenum area, could end up being about the same. Price is about the same, give or take a few bucks. Hmmmm....

Even thought about running the StealthRam with the stock twin TB blocked off and machining/modifying the upper plenum to accept my 96's single TB in the center so as not to have to modify cables/brackets/intake snorkels. Would only need to do fuel lines and swap dizzy's.Hmmmm......

[Pauly]

Originally Posted by 19doug90

are we talking drag trucks here or a dd/trail truck.

Sure i opted on my third gen camaro to swap from a tpi to a stealth ram because my cam was going to make peak power at 6000 rpms.

But who the hell drag races a 5000+ pound truck? talk about a waste of time/effort/money.

I'm with fast personally im going with a tpi on my vortec truck because i dont think ive ever taken it past 3500 driving around town. i cant imagine trying to drag race my truck.

Why in earth woudl you even change from teh stock intake if you never see above 3500 rpm when driving around town?

There are tons of people who race 5000+ trucks at the drags. Trucks are standard fair at the drags nowadays. It doesnt matter how heavy teh vehicle is, it can be made to accelerate very fast.

Any truck that accelerates well at the strip can accelerate that heavy trailer up a hill(provided the truck has a reasonable TC and other parts for towing)

peace
Pauly

[Pauly]

Originally Posted by MSlewis

Even thought about running the StealthRam with the stock twin TB blocked off and machining/modifying the upper plenum to accept my 96's single TB in the center so as not to have to modify cables/brackets/intake snorkels. Would only need to do fuel lines and swap dizzy's.Hmmmm......

Sounds like a bunch of work, esp when a marine intake pretty much bolts a 96-2000 Vortec 305/350 truck.


The 2nd intake down just needs a t-body on it to work on your engine. Plus you can buy teh edelbrock fuel rail kit.

http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive_...ds_chevy.shtml

Unless you are planning on over 430hp(naturally aspirated), teh stock intake, will work. Obviuosly an intake without all teh injection debris RIGHT INSIDE THE PLENUM will make more power than teh stock L31 intake.


BTW I think the LT1 would make an excellent engine in a truck, as would a TPI as does a TBI 350 and Vortec 350. The LT1's make strong low rpm torque, much stronger than the GEN 3 engines.
peace
Pauly

[19doug90]

Originally Posted by Pauly

Why in earth woudl you even change from teh stock intake if you never see above 3500 rpm when driving around town?

There are tons of people who race 5000+ trucks at the drags. Trucks are standard fair at the drags nowadays. It doesnt matter how heavy teh vehicle is, it can be made to accelerate very fast.

Any truck that accelerates well at the strip can accelerate that heavy trailer up a hill(provided the truck has a reasonable TC and other parts for towing)

peace
Pauly

simple cause i want more torque from a stop, hence a tpi intake.

Ya anything is possible, and i guess if putting a 500hp engine into the 12's is your thing then by all means have at er, just for most of us thats not why we own trucks.

and going to have to disagree again, youre running a hp intake youre going to be optimizing that with a big cam that makes useable power between 3000-6000 rpms. Sure if youre driving along youd have tons of power to get up a hill, but not so much if you have to come to a dead stop half way up it with said heavy trailer.