3800 Next Q: Equalizer Fitment

[Eddie]

I've installed ZZP's Cold Air System.
--G/F's comment (She walked right into it): "Wow. That looks like a tight place. How did you get that big thing in there?"
--Me: (Completely deadpan/blank stare/Mr. Spock Raised Eyebrow/not believing she actually said that): "Dear, getting Big Things into Tight Places is What Guys Do..."
--G/F: (Rapid-fire Spanish.) (I picked up on "Puto" "Pendejo" "Huevos podritos", etc.) ?






ZZP makes some pretty cool stuff; ZZP makes lots of, ummm, "stuff", too...And ZZP's "instructions" (in my limited experience) seem to gloss over or leave out important installation points. That said, my feeling is that their Equalizer setup is a very cool idea on multiple levels; I'm a-gonna gets me one of dems.

After critically viewing ZZP's installation video (several times), I'd like input from anybody (anything?)with an L67 supercharged car that's already been there.
ZZP offhandedly mentioned in passing that clearance twixt throttle body/intake tube and throttle body/transmission was tight, and (naturally) Z recommended installation of their:
1. ZZP Shorter Dog Bones--(firewall/rear bank clearance)--A (cheep) good idea in any case; spark plug clearance comes to mind.
2. ZZP Phenolic Spacer--(push the T/B out further from the Equalizer)--Another good cheep idea in any case.
3. ZZP Water-Cooled Intercooler System--Space the T/B upwards. The Intercooler System system recommendation worries me; Cooler intake air=goooood, but..that particular installation requires A LOT of downstream modification and dinero, money that I need to spend elsewhere on the car.

What I need is actual measurements:
1. L67 engine Throttle Body-ZZP Equalizer-Top of transmission housing without any added spacer (such as an intercooler plate)?
2. ZZP T.O.G. (required) downpipe/brake booster clearance.
3. Other "tight places" (ahem).

Thanks, Eddie

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[Turbocharged400sbc]

Get yourself a good quality piece of plywood and cut your own phenolic supercharger spacer

I also recommend copious quantities of zip ties

 

[sktchy]

I'm not sure what your budget or goals are other than trying to make it sound good but in the long run you'll thank yourself for any sort of charge cooling to help keep knock down as well as gaining some extra space to keep the throttle body from heating up.

I remember there being an expensive plenum spacer for the fbody intakes but not sure if anyone's done just a spacer for the m90. 3d printer kinda thing maybe?

 

[Eddie]

Get yourself a good quality piece of plywood and cut your own phenolic supercharger spacer

I also recommend copious quantities of zip ties

I definitely thunk about using wood; good heat insulator, drag race guys use it all the time. On a DD, with the TB already in close proximity OEM to exhaust crossover--well, I also thot about wood...heat...underhood California burning....

I also thot about making my own phenolic spacer, which wood (sorry) be a plus 'cause buying a thin (say 1/4") sheet of phenolic material could make various oaverall thicknesses of spacer. I also gave some thot to using aluminum, which actually I'd prefer. I haven't built a cost spreadsheet yet but I just betcha between the minimum material purchase requirements, multiple gaskets, and the 2-7/8" (72mm) hole saw I'd be way over the $40+ ZZ wants so it would be a separate project all on its own.

Bandsaw, drill press, and mounting tooling I have.

Zip ties--I gots a couple bags of 1,000 each, both black. 'Spose that'll be enuff?

McGyver wire: I have several untouched rolls of rebar tying wire (AKA "baling wire") just in case... Or: Picking up a bunch of chewing gum at The Convenience Store in Beautiful Downtown Alief, Texas would give me a good excuse to make a beer run...

Thanks, Eddie

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

Ply
Wood

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

Don't be a pussy

 

[sktchy]

Don't be a pussy

I hate to say it but this is the man that knows all things 3800 ^^^

Probably make plywood work too

 

[sktchy]

My vote goes for an intercooler a smaller pulley and a tune before the equalizer. You'll be alot happier with the results.

 

[10sec]

Best modifications for a blower car is an intercooler and a downpipe and obviously smaller pulley's.

If using the spacer for the reasons of a spacer then sure go for it but it doesn't do anything beneficial. All that shit gets hot, the only way to combat it is cooling the intake charge with an intercooler. As the 3800 master himself Ron Vogel said "You know that feeling on a cold night? It's like that all the time"

I skipped all of this waste of time blower stuff though and turbo'd both of mine.

 

[Eddie]

I hate to say it but this is the man that knows all things 3800 ^^^

Probably make plywood work too

(Snivel) (Sniff) Pleeez pleeez don't hurt me so good, you wins, I'll make the spacer outta plywood already. I obey! (But I do gets to smear some coating on it, right? (Whine Pleeez) Both wood heat insulation and a sealer to keep in the heated, dripping plywood glue.

And yeah, I do want the Q-Ship Ol' Man 4-door Sleeper car to be sorta sneaky (aside from sounding good) so I shall just suck it up and go smaller pulley/intercooler, too.

Anybody know if the taller supercharger location fits under the flat stock hood?

In fact, I think Mr. Intercooler project is going to happen ahead of Mr. Equalizer...

Eddie

 

[sktchy]

If I'm not mistaken zzp makes a half stack that fits under the hood and a full stack that may not clear? One of these front wheel drive guys would know.

Also consider e85 and a set of bigger injectors if you can get it easily as that'll work wonders for cooling and all but obliterate knock at the expense of fuel mileage.

 

[Eddie]

If I'm not mistaken zzp makes a half stack that fits under the hood and a full stack that may not clear? One of these front wheel drive guys would know.

Also consider e85 and a set of bigger injectors if you can get it easily as that'll work wonders for cooling and all but obliterate knock at the expense of fuel mileage.

This is good, you are all helping me refine my goals with this car and, more importantly: defining what CAN be done--give yerselfs a pat on the back (sure as hell nobody else will!).


I bought the car cheep off a friend in 2015, with the idea of using it as a commuter car, crosstown; I needed a widdle MPG car (lifted 4wd P/U didn't qualify as MPG) but this car sorta fit the bill.

OK, car now has 100K on the clock, reel good maintenance, etc., and doesn't have to commute any more. Car sits a lot, and my idle "mind*" thinks it wants to do something to enhance/update car. But whatever I do, the car has to pass an emissions check, not much of one, granted, but...

Anything you can do to ease exhaust flow is going to help power production by easing pumping losses, which means MPG and power gains--easing KR as well.

Cooler inlet temps mean more oxygen as well as KR reduction.

Higher inlet pressures plus lower exhaust back-pressures may well balance out an OE tune, and it theoretically may pass an emissions "test" (with out extra cash, if ya know what I mean . Hence, intercooler package and exhaust package. Factory shoulda done it; it's all GM's fault (I think GM was Obama Motors that year (2000).

Sheesh--now you've beat me up to point where I'm gonna have to actually do something.

Eddie