Hard Charger: Four on the Floor

(NARRATOR) TODAY ON DETROIT MUSCLE IT'S ALL ABOUT SHIFTING GEARS, OR FIXING THEM. THE TRANSMISSION IN OUR '69 CHARGER IS ON ITS LAST LEG AND THE GUYS WALK YOU THROUGH A COMPLETE TEARDOWN AND REBUILD. PAY CLOSE ATTENTION OR YOU'LL BE WALKING HOME.

(TOMMY) HEY GUYS, WE'RE BACK WORKING ON OUR OLE MOPAR HERE AND I'VE DONE SNATCHED THE TRANSMISSION OUT OF IT. NOW THE LAST TIME WE DROVE IT, IT DIDN'T SHIFT THE GREATEST BUT IT DIDN'T SHIFT THE WORST, AND IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT THIS OLD THING'S GOT SOME LEAKS. (MARC) AND SINCE WE'RE GONNA BE DOING SOME WORK TO THAT ENGINE NOW'S A REALLY GOOD TIME TO GET THIS THING ALL CLEANED UP, AND FIXED UP, AND READY TO SEND SOME MORE POWER THROUGH IT. (TOMMY) NOW MARK IF YOU DON'T MIND WORKING ON THIS TRANNY HERE I'M GONNA WORK ON GETTING THE ENGINE OUT. YOU KNOW, JUST SO THAT WE CAN BOTH STAY BUSY. (MARC) SOUNDS GOOD! WELL THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO IS GET THIS THING DRAINED, AND MAYBE IT WOULDN'T BE SO HEAVY IF TOMMY HAD DONE THAT FIRST. THIS THING WEIGHS A TON.

WITH THE DRAIN HOLE HANGING OFF THE TABLE, WE CAN PULL THE PLUG AND LET IT DRAIN. WELL LOOK AT THAT RIGHT THERE. THIS DRAIN PLUG HAS A MAGNET ON THE END OF IT AND IT HAS COLLECTED SOME SHARDS OF METAL HERE. THAT'S A GOOD SIGN THERE'S SOME WORN COMPONENTS INSIDE THERE. WELL WHILE THAT'S DRAINING LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS REBUILD KIT. THESE RIGHT HERE ARE BLOCKING RINGS, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS SYNCHRONIZERS, AND THESE ARE ACTUALLY A WEAR ITEM. THEY'RE MADE OF BRASS, SO WE EXPECT THAT'S PROBABLY THE SOURCE OF SOME OF THOSE SHAVINGS THAT ARE ON OUR DRAIN PLUG, BUT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY THING THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WHILE WE'RE IN THERE. THE KIT ALSO COMES WITH THESE BEARINGS, AND THEY STAY LUBRICATED BY THE GEAR OIL THAT'S IN THERE, BUT OVER TIME THEY WEAR AS WELL. THE KIT ALSO COMES WITH A NEW OUTPUT SHAFT SEAL, SOME MORE BEARINGS, CLIPS, AND GASKETS TO GET IT ALL PUT BACK TOGETHER. NOW WE GOT THIS FROM STEPHEN'S PERFORMANCE, AND ALL WE REALLY NEEDED TO TELL HIM WAS THAT WE HAD AN A-833 MOPAR TRANSMISSION, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE. HE NEEDED TO KNOW THE COUNT ON THE INPUT SPLINE AS WELL AS THE OUTPUT SHAFT, AND HE NEEDED TO KNOW THE DATE CODE RIGHT OFF THE SIDE OF THE CASE THERE, BUT WE GAVE HIM ALL THAT INFORMATION AND HE WAS ABLE TO TELL US EXACTLY WHICH KIT WE NEEDED. [ drill spinning ] (MARC) THE SHIFT LEVERS CAN BE REMOVED NEXT AND SET ASIDE. IT'S NOT A BAD IDEA TO KEEP THESE THINGS IN ORDER SO YOU KNOW WHICH WAY THEY GO BACK ON. THE SIDE COVER IS NEXT. IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE PERSUASION TO GET THE COVER OFF SINCE THE OLD GASKET'S HOLDING IT ON THERE, AND ONCE IT'S OFF THE SHIFT FORKS WILL FALL RIGHT OUT. NOW'S A GOOD TIME TO INSPECT THEM TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT DAMAGED BECAUSE THE KIT DOESN'T COME WITH NEW ONES. OURS LOOKED JUST FINE, AND NOW THAT WE GOT THE COVER OFF WE CAN KIND OF INSPECT ALL THE GEARS HERE TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING LOOKS BECAUSE IF THERE WAS SOME MAJOR DAMAGE IN HERE WE WOULD JUST PROBABLY STOP HERE AND GET A DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION ALL TOGETHER, BUT EVERYTHING LOOKS REALLY GOOD SO FAR. THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF DAMAGE RIGHT HERE ON THIS ONE, BUT THAT'S PRETTY MINOR CONSIDERING THE REST OF THE TEETH ON THAT GEAR LOOK PRETTY GOOD. WE NEED TO GET THIS SHIFTER BRACKET OUT OF THE WAY TO ACCESS THE TAIL SHAFT HOUSING BOLTS, BUT OURS ARE STUCK AND THE HEAT...

...WELL IT AIN'T HELPING. SO IT'S TIME TO BREAK OUT THE DRILL. THE LEFT HANDED BIT WASN'T ABLE TO SNAG THE BOLTS OUT. SO WE'LL GRAB A HAMMER AND CHISEL. [ hammer tapping ]

(MARC) THEN WE CAN DRILL SOME MORE SO WE CAN GET THE REST OF THOSE BROKEN BOLTS OUT.

THERE IT IS.

NOT MUCH LEFT OF THAT ONE.

WE'LL USE SOME AIR TO BLOW THE METAL SHAVINGS OUT OF THE HOLES MAKING SURE NOT TO GET ANY STRAY SHAVINGS INTO OUR OPEN TRANSMISSION CASE. THEN A LITTLE WD 40 LUBRICANT IN THE HOLES SO WE CAN RUN A TAP THROUGH THEM JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE GOOD TO GO.

THE TAIL SHAFT HOUSING BOLTS CAN THEN COME OUT, AS WELL AS THE SPEEDO GEAR.

A LITTLE PERSUASION WILL HELP GET THAT WHOLE TAIL SHAFT HOUSING AND OUTPUT GEAR CLUSTER OUT OF THE CASE.

THE COUNTER SHAFT HOLDING THE COUNTER SHAFT GEAR CLUSTER INTO THE CASE NEEDS TO BE DRIVEN OUT FROM THE FRONT. WITH IT OUT, THE COUNTER SHAFT GEAR JUST FALLS TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CASE. WE ALSO INSPECT THE SHAFT FOR ABNORMAL WEAR. [ drill spinning ] (MARC) THE FRONT BEARING RETAINER CAN BE UNBOLTED AND REMOVED, FOLLOWED BY THE SNAP RING...

...AND THE INPUT SHAFT CAN BE REMOVED. THIS BEARING IS CLEARLY WORN AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, BUT THE REST OF THE INPUT SHAFT LOOKS GOOD.

THE COUNTER SHAFT GEAR CAN THEN BE REMOVED FROM THE REAR OF THE CASE, ALONG WITH ALL OF ITS BEARINGS, AND THE CASE CAN MAKE A TRIP TO THE PARTS WASHER. (NARRATOR) STILL AHEAD OUR TEARDOWN CONTINUES WITH A FEW PRESSING MATTERS. ORGANIZATION IS KEY! PLUS A FEW CANS OF PAINT CAN GET YOU A TRANSMISSION TRANSFORMATION.

(MARC) HEY EVERYBODY, WELCOME BACK. NOW WE'RE BUSY REBUILDING THE FOUR SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION THAT CAME OUT OF OUR '69 DODGE CHARGER, AND WE'VE GOT THE BASIC DISASSEMBLY DONE BUT WE NEED TO TAKE IT A LITTLE FURTHER SO WE CAN REPLACE THOSE WEAR ITEMS, LIKE THIS BEARING HERE THAT'S PRESSED ONTO THE INPUT SHAFT, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE AT THE PRESS, BUT THERE'S ALSO SOME OTHER THINGS THAT NEED TO GO ON TO GET THESE SYNCHRONIZERS REPLACED. THIS WHOLE CLUSTER'S GOT TO BE DISASSEMBLED, BUT WE'VE GOT TO GET IT OUT OF THIS TAIL SHAFT HOUSING FIRST. WITH THE SNAP RING SPREAD OPEN, THE BEARING MAY NEED TO BE PRIED FROM ITS HOME IN THE HOUSING, BUT ONCE IT'S OUT OF THERE WE CAN SEND IT OVER TO THE PRESS.

THERE'S A SNAP RING THAT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED.

THEN THE BEARING CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE OUTPUT SHAFT. WELL NOW THAT WE'VE GOT THAT PRESSED OFF THINGS ARE GONNA START HAPPENING HERE. THIS IS JUST GONNA SLIDE OFF PRETTY EASILY, THIS GEAR, AND THAT'S GOT ONE OF THE SYNCHRONIZERS THERE IN IT, WHICH WILL GET REPLACED. I'M GONNA LEAVE THESE IN ORDER. THAT WAY I DON'T GET THEM MIXED UP.

ANOTHER SYNCHRO.

THERE'S ONE MORE SNAP RING HERE THAT NEEDS TO COME OFF, AND THE OUTPUT SHAFT IS COMPLETELY DISASSEMBLED.

WELL THE LAST THING TO DO NOW IS GONNA BE TO GET THIS BEARING OFF THIS INPUT SHAFT, AND ONCE WE DO THAT WE CAN SEND ALL THIS STUFF TO THE PARTS WASHER. THIS BEARING ON THE INPUT SHAFT COMES OFF JUST LIKE THE ONE WE TOOK OFF THE OUTPUT SHAFT.

THEN LOTS OF TIME NEEDS TO BE SPENT IN THE PARTS WASHER MAKING SURE WE GET ALL OF THESE PARTS SUPER CLEAN AND READY FOR REASSEMBLY. WE'RE USING SOME VHT CAST IRON PAINT TO GIVE THE EXTERIOR OF OUR HOUSING A NICE LOOK, AS WELL AS A LAYER OF PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS. WHILE OUR PAINTED PARTS ARE DRYING WE CAN START WORKING ON ASSEMBLING THESE INTERNALS. NOW THERE'S ONE THING WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT BEFORE WE JUST SLAP ALL THIS STUFF TOGETHER. THESE LANDINGS HERE WHERE THE SYNCHRONIZERS GRAB, WELL SOMETIMES THEY'LL GET GLAZED. IF THAT HAPPENS YOU JUST TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF FINE GRIT SAND PAPER AND GIVE IT A LITTLE TOOTH, BUT OURS ARE FINE. SO WE CAN JUST START PUTTING IT TOGETHER. THIS GEAR GOES ON FIRST. A LITTLE WD 40 HELPS EVERYTHING SLIDE ON NICE AND EASY.

AND BEFORE WE PUT THESE LITTLE DETENTS INTO PLACE HERE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT SYNCHRONIZER GETS LINED UP. THERE'S A LITTLE GROOVE THERE IN IT, AND WHEN WE GET THAT LINED UP, PUT THE DETENT RIGHT INTO PLACE.

THERE IT IS. THIS NEXT SYNCHRONIZER NEEDS TO GO INTO THE GROOVES THE SAME WAY HERE. WELL NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE BEARING TO GO HERE. SO WE JUST NEED TO GO OVER TO THE PRESS.

THE INPUT SHAFT GETS ITS NEW BEARING AS WELL WITH THE HELP OF THIS PIECE OF THICK WALL TUBING. (NARRATOR) WANT TO LEARN A TRICK TO GET THOSE NEEDLE BEARINGS IN? STICK AROUND AND WE'LL SHOW YOU.

(MARC) HEY EVERYBODY WELCOME BACK, AND WE'VE GOT OUR PARTS CLEAN AND PAINTED UP. WE'VE GOT OUR TAIL SHAFT ASSEMBLY ALL PUT TOGETHER, AND IT'S ALMOST TIME TO START PUTTING EVERYTHING INTO THE CASE HERE, BUT BEFORE WE CAN START TOSSING EVERYTHING IN WE'VE GOT SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO DO. MAINLY GET THE BEARINGS TOGETHER FOR OUR COUNTER SHAFT. NOW THIS ISN'T BEARING ASSEMBLIES THAT GOES IN THERE. JUST THESE ROLLER BEARINGS HERE THAT ARE LOOSE IN THIS BAG. SO WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THEM IN THERE SO THEY STAY IN, AND WE CAN GET IT IN THE CASE WITHOUT THEM FALLING OUT AND GOING EVERYWHERE, WHICH IS GONNA FUN. SO WE'RE GONNA USE A LITTLE BIT OF GREASE AND THIS WOODEN DOWEL. WE'RE JUST GONNA PUT THE DOWEL IN FIRST, AND THEN THE SPACER, AND THIS THING JUST GOES IN HERE AND SPACES OUT THE BEARINGS TOWARD THE ENDS HERE. ONCE THAT'S IN WE CAN START PUTTING THE BEARINGS IN.

THE GREASE IS A LITTLE MESSY, BUT IT MAKES THIS JOB WAY EASIER. IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, AS WELL AS PATIENCE. IF THIS LOOKS TEDIOUS IT'S BECAUSE IT IS.

THE SPACER GOES IN NEXT, GETS PUSHED IN, AND IS FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER ROW OF ROLLER BEARINGS.

THE REASON WHY WE'RE USING THE GREASE IS BECAUSE IT HELPS HOLD EVERYTHING IN PLACE AND KEEPS THESE ROLLERS FROM JUST FLYING OUT EVERYWHERE, BUT ALSO THE REASON WE USE GREASE IS BECAUSE ONCE WE GET EVERYTHING ASSEMBLED, AND PUT FLUID IN HERE, THE GREASE WILL JUST MELT INTO THE GEAR OIL, AND THEN THE GEAR OIL WILL EVENTUALLY TAKE THE PLACE OF THIS GREASE AND KEEP EVERYTHING LUBRICATED. THE GREASE IS JUST NEEDED FOR ASSEMBLY. I'LL PUT THIS OTHER RING ON HERE. THEN THE THRUST BEARING IS NEXT. THAT THING SITS IN HERE AND HOLDS ALL OF THAT IN PLACE. WE'RE JUST GONNA PUT THE COUNTER SHAFT IN, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA INSTALL IT YET CAUSE IT JUST NEEDS TO BE SITTING IN HERE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE CASE SO WE CAN INSTALL THE INPUT SHAFT. NOW OUR INPUT SHAFT, BEFORE WE CAN STICK IT INTO THE HOUSING, IT'S GOT SOME BEARINGS THAT NEED TO GO IN HERE AS WELL BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE OUTPUT SHAFT RIDES INSIDE THERE. SO JUST LIKE WE DID ON THE COUNTER SHAFT, WE'RE GONNA GET SOME BEARINGS, GET SOME GREASE ON THEM, AND PACK'EM INSIDE THERE. THE INPUT SHAFT CAN THEN GO INTO THE CASE, AND A BRASS HAMMER WILL HELP GET IT SEATED.

NOW IT'S TIME TO GET THE COUNTER SHAFT GEAR INTO PLACE, WHICH CAN BE HELPED ALONG WITH A PRY BAR IF NEEDED. THE SHAFT CAN THEN SLIDE IN FROM THE REAR OF THE CASE, AND AS IT'S DRIVEN THE WOODEN DOWEL COMES OUT OF THE FRONT. IT'S A PRETTY TIGHT FIT TOWARD THE END, AND A WOODRUFF KEY KEEPS IT FROM SPINNING ONCE IT'S HAMMERED DOWN. [ hammer tapping ]

(MARC) WELL NOW THAT ALL THOSE BEARINGS ARE SAFE INSIDE THE COUNTER SHAFT AND THE COUNTER SHAFT'S MOUNTED IN THE HOUSING, WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE. NOW WE DO NEED TO GET SOME MORE ASSEMBLY DONE, AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA START WITH IS THIS TAIL SHAFT HOUSING AND THIS SEAL. WE MADE THIS HANDY SEAL DRIVER OUT OF A SCRAP PIECE OF EXHAUST TUBING.

WELL NOW WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD TIME TO START TALKING ABOUT HOW THIS THING ACTUALLY WORKS. THE POWER IS SENT INTO THE TRANSMISSION THROUGH THE INPUT SHAFT, AND ANY TIME IT'S SPINNING SO IS THE COUNTER SHAFT. EACH GEAR ON THIS SHAFT HAS A JOB TO DO, AND IS THE COUNTERPART TO ONE OF THE GEARS ON THE OUTPUT CLUSTER, AND WHICH ONE OF THESE IS IN PLAY DEPENDS ON WHICH GEAR WE ENGAGE ON THE OTHER SHAFT, AND SPEAKING OF THAT OTHER SHAFT, THIS IS OUR OUTPUT SHAFT GEAR CLUSTER HERE. WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED THAT THE COUNTER SHAFT IS ALWAYS SPINNING ANYTIME YOU'RE SENDING POWER THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION, AND BECAUSE THESE GEARS ARE CONSTANTLY IN MESH WITH THAT COUNTER SHAFT THEY'RE ALWAYS GONNA SPINNING AS WELL, AND WHEN YOU'RE IN NEUTRAL THEY'RE JUST GONNA FREE SPIN, BUT WHEN YOU GO TO GRAB THAT GEAR SHIFTER AND PUT IT INTO GEAR THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS. LET'S ASSUME YOU'RE SHIFTING OUT OF FIRST GEAR AND INTO SECOND. THIS IS THE ONETWO COLLAR HERE, AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS ENGAGE IT INTO SECOND HERE, BUT THAT'S WHERE THE BLOCKING RING COMES INTO PLAY. IT'LL GRAB SECOND AND ALLOW YOU TO SHIFT THAT COLLAR IN. NOW THE POWER'S GONNA BE LOCKED ONTO THIS GEAR THROUGH THE SHAFT, AND OUT. WELL YOU DO SEE FOUR GEARS HERE ON THIS SHAFT. THESE FOUR HERE, BUT THIS ONE LOOKS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S REVERSE, WHICH BEGS THE QUESTION WHERE IS FOURTH GEAR, AND THAT'S WHERE THIS TRANSMISSION GETS SUPER COOL. THE REALLY COOL THING ABOUT FOURTH GEAR TO ME, IT'S MY FAVORITE GEAR BECAUSE IT'S SO SIMPLE. THIS IS THE THREEFOUR SHIFT COLLAR, AND THIS IS ITS NEUTRAL POSITION, AND TO SHIFT IT OUT OF THIRD AND INTO FOURTH YOU SHIFT IT FORWARD HERE, AND IT JUST MOVES THIS WAY, BUT THERE'S NOTHING HERE FOR IT TO GRAB. THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S GONNA GRAB THE INPUT SHAFT INSIDE THE HOUSING HERE. THAT CONNECTS THE INPUT SHAFT DIRECTLY TO THE OUTPUT SHAFT, WHICH IS DIRECT DRIVE AND A ONE TO ONE GEAR RATIO. NOW WE'VE JUST GOT TO FINISH GETTING THIS TOGETHER. THE NEXT THING'S GONNA BE GETTING THIS CLUSTER INTO THAT TAIL SHAFT HOUSING, SO DON'T GO ANYWHERE. (NARRATOR) WE'RE ABOUT TO HIT THE HOME STRETCH. STAY TUNED TO SEE HOW EVERYTHING TIES TOGETHER.

(MARC) WELCOME BACK FOLKS. WE'RE WELL ON OUR WAY TO GETTING THE FOUR SPEED OUT OF OUR '69 CHARGER REBUILT AND WE'RE READY TO START PLUGGING THE MAIN PIECES BACK IN. WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE OUTPUT SHAFT. THE SHAFT SLIPS IN AND THE BEARING SLIDES INTO THE HOUSING.

THE SNAP RING NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED WHILE THE SHAFT AND BEARING ARE HAMMERED INTO PLACE. THE SNAP RING CAN THEN GET SLID INTO THE GROOVE ON THE BEARING. THE THREEFOUR SHIFT COLLAR DETENTS NEED TO GO INTO PLACE, FOLLOWED BY THE THREEFOUR SHIFT COLLAR. WHAT'S COOL ABOUT THESE GASKETS IS THAT THEY DON'T REQUIRE ANY SEALANT AT ALL. NOW THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND BEFORE WE PUT THESE TWO TOGETHER, AND THAT IS THIS LAST SYNCHRONIZER. IT HAS TO BE LINED UP AND INSTALLED PROPERLY BEFORE WE PUT THESE TOGETHER. OTHERWISE IT'S NOT GONNA MESH. REMEMBER THE FRONT OF THE OUTPUT SHAFT HAS TO RIDE ON THOSE BEARINGS INSIDE OF THE INPUT SHAFT, AND WHEN IT LINES UP IT ALL GETS CINCHED DOWN.

WELL NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE SHIFT FORKS. THIS FUNKY ONE HERE GOES TOWARD THE BACK.

AND THE STRAIGHT ONE UP FRONT. OUR GASKET, AGAIN LIKE THE OTHER ONE, DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY SEALANT AT ALL. RIGHT HERE THIS IS WHERE THE SHIFT FORKS INSERT. SO WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE LINE THEM UP. THESE COVER BOLTS ALIGN THE COVER AND GASKET TO THE CASE, AND GET TORQUED TO ABOUT 15 FOOT POUNDS. THEN THE SPEEDO CAN GO BACK IN AND GET LOCKED INTO PLACE.

FOLLOWED BY THE SHIFTER BRACKET AND SOME NEW SHINY BOLTS.

THE SHIFT LEVERS ARE NEXT, AND WE JUST PUT THEM BACK WHERE WE FOUND THEM ALONG WITH SOME NEW HARDWARE. [ drill spinning ] (MARC) THE LAST COUPLE OF PIECES ARE GONNA BE THIS GASKET HERE FOR THE FRONT BEARING RETAINER, THE FRONT BEARING RETAINER ITSELF.

WELL THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT. SO WHEN WE'RE READY TO GET THIS THING BACK IN WE'LL BE GOOD TO GO, BUT FIRST WE'VE GOT TO GET THAT ENGINE ALL FIXED UP. (TOMMY) HEY GUYS, I WANT TO SHIFT GEARS FOR JUST A MINUTE AND TALK ABOUT SOME INTAKE MANIFOLDS. NOW OFTEN TIMES THESE PIECES RIGHT HERE ARE A LOT LIKE A CARBURETOR OR CAM SHAFT. GUYS PICK THE BIGGEST, COOLEST ONE THAT THEY CAN FIND THINKING THAT IT'S GONNA MAKE THEM A WHOLE LOT OF POWER, AND IN THE LONG RUN IT ACTUALLY WINDS UP COSTING THEM SOME. (NARRATOR) DETROIT MUSCLE PRESENTS BACK TO BASICS. TIPS FOR THE BEGINNER GEARHEAD. (TOMMY) AN ENGINE IS BASICALLY A GLORIFIED AIR PUMP. THE AMOUNT OF POWER THAT IT CAN MAKE DEPENDS ON THE AMOUNT OF PROPERLY MIXING AIR AND FUEL THAT IT'S ABLE TO BURN. IF YOU WANT MORE AIR FLOW A GOOD WAY TO GET THERE IS WITH A BETTER INTAKE MANIFOLD. WHEN SHOPPING FOR INTAKE MANIFOLDS YOU'RE GONNA HIT TWO TERMS RIGHT OFF THE BAT, SINGLE PLANE AND DUAL PLANE, AND YOU'RE GONNA WANNA PICK ONE OF THESE DEPENDING ON YOUR ENGINE'S COMPONENTS AND THE OPERATING CONDITIONS. THIS IS A SINGLE PLANE AND IT'S PRETTY EASY TO IDENTIFY BY IT BEING OPEN UNDER HERE WHERE THE CARBURETOR MOUNTS. THESE ARE LESS RESTRICTIVE THAN THE DUALS AND ARE PRIMARILY USED ON PERFORMANCE APPLICATIONS. THEY HAVE AN OPERATION RANGE OF SAY 2,000 TO 8,000 RPM, AND CAN BE USED ON THE STREET, BUT EXPECT SMALL ISSUES AT IDLE AND LOW RPM AS WELL AS WITH VACUUM. THIS ONE RIGHT HERE IS THE DUAL PLANE INTAKE. YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S SPLIT HERE IN THE MIDDLE EACH SIDE FEEDING FOUR CYLINDERS. THIS HELPS TO BALANCE THE AIR FLOW BETWEEN EACH CYLINDER, ALLOWING THE ENGINE TO MAKE JUST A BIT MORE TORQUE ON THE LOW RPM SIDE OF THINGS, BUT SINCE IT'S MORE RESTRICTIVE IT IS GONNA COST YOU A FEW HORSES ON THE HIGH SIDE. NOW LOOKING A BIT CLOSER TO THIS INTAKE YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IT'S CAST IN A WAY THAT THE INTAKE RUNNERS ARE SEPARATED FROM THE BELLY OF THE INTAKE. THIS IS KNOWN AS AN AIR GAP. THIS IS DONE FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS. FOR INSTANCE, WHICH THE ENGINE IS RUNNING THE BOTTOM OF THE INTAKE HERE GETS SPLASHED WITH HOT OIL, AND THAT CAUSES THE INTAKE TO HEAT UP JUST A BIT. THAT GAP HELPS TO REDUCE THAT TRANSFER. NOW ALSO THESE INTAKE RUNNERS BEING SEPARATED HELPS TO ALLOW AIR TO FLOW THROUGH KEEPING THE COOLER, AND THAT MEANS A COOLER, DENSER AIR CHARGE, AND THAT USUALLY MEANS A LITTLE BIT MORE POWER. THESE ARE BOTH FOR A SMALL BLOCK FORD, AND THEY WILL OUT FLOW A STOCK UNIT, BUT THEY HAVE OTHER BENEFITS AS WELL. IF YOU'RE RUNNING A STOCK CAST IRON MANIFOLD THESE WEIGH ABOUT HALF AS MUCH, AND WE ALL KNOW THE LESS WEIGHT YOU'RE PULLING AROUND THE FASTER YOU CAN GO. NOW THERE ARE A LOT OF VARIETIES OUT THERE OF THE SINGLE AND DUAL PLANE INTAKES, AS WELL AS SIMILAR GAP STYLE INTAKES, AND DEPENDING ON WHICH ONE YOU CHOOSE TO GO WITH HAS A LOT OF FACTORS TO IT. KINDA LIKE YOUR ENGINE PARTS COMBO AND THE WAY YOU PLAN TO DRIVE YOUR CAR. HECK ON THAT NOTE WE COULD TALK ABOUT INTAKES ALL DAY LONG. THERE ARE DIFFERENT DESIGNS OUT THERE FOR DIFFERENT RPM RANGES, MULTICARB SETUPS, EVEN COMPANIES OUT THERE THAT OFFER THEM MADE OUT OF EXOTIC MATERIALS, KINDA LIKE CARBON FIBER, BUT THAT'S ALL WE'VE GOT TIME FOR TODAY. SO UNTIL NEXT TIME Y'ALL KEEP IT BETWEEN THE DITCHES.