Half-Price Raptor Part 5 / KOH Qualifier

(ANNOUNCER)>> THE FORD RAPTOR'S GOT PLENTY OF POWER, LONG TRAVEL SUSPENSION, AND NO SHORTAGE OF STYLE. BUT ALL THAT PERFORMANCE COMES AT A PRICE. CAN OUR UPDATED F-150 KEEP UP WITH A NEW RAPTOR FOR HALF THE PRICE. TODAY ON XTREME 4X4 WE BEEF UP OUR PICK UP WITH A

SUPERCHARGED POWER PLANT, A STRONGER DRIVE LINE, AND MODERN ELECTRONICS. PLUS HIGH STAKES RACING FROM THE ROUSH CREEK KOH QUALIFIER.

(IAN)>> TODAY WE'VE GOT A PILE OF WORK PLANNED FOR OUR HALF PRICE RAPTOR PROJECT. NOW SO FAR WE'VE BEEN CHECKING OFF ALL THE BOXES ON OUR MUST

HAVE LIST WHEN IT COMES TO THIS TRUCK. WE'VE GOT IT WORKING LIKE A FORD RAPTOR THANKS TO OUR PERFORMANCE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. AND NOW IT LOOKS LIKE A RAPTOR WITH OUR FIBERGLASS CONVERSION KIT. AND WITH THIS FRESHLY REBUILT SUPER CHARGED FIVE POINT FOUR VEIGHT, WE KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT THE POWER OF A FORD RAPTOR. THIS ENGINE ISN'T GONNA MAKE THIS TRUCK GO ANY FASTER SITTING ON THIS STAND. WE HAVE TO GET IT UP UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GONNA DEAL WITH TODAY. WE'LL LIFT THE CAB OFF THE FRAME, INSTALL THE ENGINE, DEAL WITH ALL THE ELECTRONICS AND A COUPLE

OF TRANSMISSION ISSUES. NOW HOW DID THIS WHOLE PROJECT COME TO PASS? WELL BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT ALL STARTED WITH A ROAD TEST. ALL GEARHEADS WILL AGREE THAT A FORD RAPTOR, WELL IT'S JUST STRAIGHT UP COOL.

WITH LONG TRAVEL SUSPENSION, AGGRESSIVE LOOKS, AND TONS OF POWER UNDER THE HOOD STRAIGHT FROM THE FACTORY, WELL THERE'S ONLY ONE PROBLEM WITH THIS TRUCK, THE PRICE. SO WE DECIDED TO TACKLE AN IDEA THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE WONDERING, COULD YOU BUILD A RAPTOR FOR LESS THAT BUYING ONE?

WELL WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT. OUR DONOR TRUCK, A 1997 FORD F-150. A LONG TRAVEL KIT FROM H&M RACING DESIGN WOULD GIVE US THE SUSPENSION TRAVEL WE WOULD NEED AND BILSTEIN COIL OVERS AND BYPASSES WILL KEEP IT ALL UNDER CONTROL. DEVER LEAF SPRINGS IN THE REAR AND A BUILT SPIDER TRAX NINE INCH WOULD BE THE BEGINNING OF OUR DRIVETRAIN UPGRADES.

AND UP FRONT A FIVE POINT FOUR SUPERCHARGED LIGHTNING ENGINE WAS DISASSEMBLED, MACHINED, AND REBUILT WITH ALL NEW PARTS.

NOW LIKE A LOT OF THE MODERN FSERIES PICK UP TRUCKS, ONE

OF THE EASIEST WAYS TO PERFORM AN ENGINE SWAP LIKE THIS IS TO ACTUALLY LIFT THE CAB OFF THE FRAME. SURE, YOU COULD TRY AND SHOEHORN THE ENGINE DOWN IN

FROM THE TOP, BUT IT'S NOT THAT HARD TO GET THE BODY OFF AND OUT OF THE WAY, AND IT JUST MAKES

THINGS A LOT EASIER.

WITH THE FLUID DRAINED AND EVERYTHING DISCONNECTED, WE'LL REMOVE THE RADIATOR TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T GET DAMAGED.

THEN WE'LL MOVE INSIDE THE CAB TO UNDO ALL THE BODY MOUNT BOLTS AND SLOWLY LIFT THE CAB OFF THE FRAME CHECKING TO MAKE SURE WE DIDN'T FORGET TO UNHOOK ANYTHING.

ONCE IT'S ALL FREE AND CLEAR, THE CAB CAN GO TO THE SKY. WITH THE CAB UP AND OUT OF THE WAY, YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN OUR FOUR POINT SIX AND OUR NEW FIVE POINT FOUR. SURE, THE MOTOR IS NATURALLY ASPIRATED AND OUR NEW ENGINE HAS A SUPERCHARGER ON IT, BUT THE BLOCK IS ALMOST IDENTICAL. IT'S A VEIGHT ENGINE WITH THE FRONT MOUNTED TIMING CHAINS, OVERHEAD CAM, AND THE CENTER MOUNTED ALTERNATOR. NOW THAT'S IMPORTANT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE ELECTRONICS

PACKAGE THAT WE NEED FOR THIS ENGINE SWAP. SEE NINE TIMES OUT OF 10 WHEN YOUR GOING TO SWAP A DIFFERENT ENGINE INTO A TRUCK, YOU'VE GOT TO SOURCE EVERYTHING. YOU'VE GOT A NEW WIRING HARNESS, A NEW ENGINE COMPUTER, SOMETIMES EVEN A NEW INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER SO THE TWO CAN TALK TOGETHER. NOW BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE TO DO THAT.

THE BULKHEAD CONNECTOR FOR THE ENGINE THAT PLUGS INTO THE ECU UP ON THE BODY FOR THE FOURSIX IS THE EXACT SAME AS THE ONE FOR THE FIVE POINT FOUR. NOW THAT MEANS NOT ONLY CAN WE JUST PLUG OUR FIVE POINT FOUR INTO OUR STOCK COMPUTER, IT WILL ACTUALLY START AND

THE ENGINE WILL RUN. NOW IT WON'T RUN PERFECT BECAUSE THE FIVE POINT FOUR IS A LARGER DISPLACEMENT YES, AND NOW IT HAS A SUPERCHARGER ON IT. WE WILL HAVE TO TAKE THE TRUCK OUT AND HAVE A CUSTOM TUNE INSTALLED. BUT BECAUSE WE CAN JUST PLUG IT INTO THE COMPUTER THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, THAT'S ONE LESS STEP WHEN YOU'RE DOING AN ENGINE SWAP.

(ANNOUNCER)>> THE KING OF THE HAMMERS TAKES PLACE IN THE DRY DUSTY DESERT, BUT IF YOU WANT TO RACE THERE SOMETIMES YOU'VE GOT TO GET A LITTLE MUDDY FIRST.

(IAN)>> WHENEVER YOU GET A GROUP OF GUYS TOGETHER FROM THE EAST AND WEST COAST, THEY'LL ALWAYS ARGUE ABOUT WHERE THE WHEELING IS HARDER. BUT ONE EVENT THAT COULD POSSIBLY ANSWER THAT QUESTION IS THE ULTRA FOUR RACE A ROUSH CREEK.

(DAVE)>> YOU EAST COAST TO WEST COAST, THE BIG DIFFERENCE, THE TREES. THE FACT THAT THERE'S TREES RIGHT NEXT TO THE COURSE. SOMEONE GIVES YOU A BUMP AT KING OF THE HAMMERS YOU GO FARTHER OUT INTO THE DESERT, IT'S NO BIG DEAL. SOMEONE GIVES YOU A RIDE HERE AT ROUSH CREEK, YOU'RE UP AND AROUND A TREE. SO YOU'VE GOT LESS MARGIN FOR ERROR, IT'S A LOT HARDER. BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S WHEELING MAN. THERE'S A STARTING LINE AND THERE'S A FINISH LINE AND SOMEONE'S GONNA WAVE A GREEN FLAG AND SOMEONE'S GONNA WAVE A CHECKERED FLAG. AND WE'RE ALL RACING, SAME THING.

(IAN)>> LINED UP LEAVING THE LINE SIDE BY SIDE, 30 SECONDS APART. NOTHING IS MORE EXTREME THAN THE FIRST 100 FEET OF AN ULTRA FOUR RACE.

MAKING IT TO THE FIRST CORNER COULD BE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN YOUR RACE DAY.

YOU WANT TO BE OUT FRONT BREATHING CLEAN, DRY AIR. IF NOT, YOU'RE GONNA BE STUCK BEHIND YOUR COMPETITOR EATING DIRT, DUST, AND MUD.

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT'S HARDER, WEST OR EAST COAST WHEELING.

AND RCQ IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE. GUYS LIKE JASON CHERA BRING THEIR IFS RACE CAR ALL THE WAY FROM THE WEST TO COMPETE. BUT LAST YEAR'S WINNER OF THE KING OF THE HAMMERS

IS A LOCAL, ERIK MILLER. WE THOUGHT WE'D SIT DOWN WITH HIM AND ASK HIM WHAT'S HIS OPINION.

(ERIK)>> IT'S ALWAYS A TREAT TO GO TO CALIFORNIA AND RACE JUST BECAUSE OF THE ATMOSPHERE. IT'S ALMOST LIKE A VACATION EVERY TIME. SO I DO LIKE TRAVELING WEST BUT THE EAST IS MY HOME. I GREW UP HERE. I'M FROM WESTERN MARYLAND, AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO RACE ANYWHERE ELSE. IT'S THE MOST BRUTAL ENVIRONMENT THAT I THINK THE COUNTRY HAS TO OFFER.

RIGHT HERE AT ROUSH AROUND THE NORTHEAST AREA, AND I THINK THE WEST COAST GUYS ARE STARTING TO SEE WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT HERE.

(IAN)>> WITH STEEP HILLS, HUGE ROCK GARDENS, SWAMPY MUD, AND NARROW TRAILS, ROUSH CREEK WILL PUNISH ANY RIG THAT TRIES TO TAME IT. ONE THING RARELY SEEN ON THE WEST COAST IS RAIN, BUT AT THE RCQ IT'S BECOME A REGULAR OCCURRENCE. IT MAKES THE HILLS SLIPPERY, THE TRAILS MUDDY, AND AT TIMES THE TRACK CAN SIMPLY DISAPPEAR BEHIND A WALL OF WATER. AFTER A DAY OF TEARING UP THE COURSE AT ROUSH CREEK, DO WE

HAVE AN ANSWER, WHAT'S HARDER, EAST OR WEST? WELL WHETHER YOU CALL THE DESERT YOUR HOME OR DODGE

TREES IN THE EAST, AT THE END OF THE DAY IT'S ALL RACING AND IT'S ALL HARD.

(ANNOUNCER)>> UP NEXT, A SUPERCHARGED ENGINE DEMANDS A TOUGHER TRANSMISSION.

(IAN)>> WE ARE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF TAKING YOU GUYS STEP BY STEP TO REPLACING A FOUR POINT SIX MOD MOTOR WITH A SUPERCHARGED FIVE POINT FOUR THAT WE PULLED OUT OF A FORD LIGHTNING.

NOW YOU GUYS DON'T NEED TO BE BUILDING A HALF PRICED FORD RAPTOR CLONE LIKE WE ARE IN ORDER TO

BENEFIT FROM THIS SWAP. THERE'S LOTS OF TRUCKS OUT THERE WITH FOUR POINT SIXES IN THEM THAT ARE PROBABLY OLD, WORN OUT, AND TIRED. AND REMEMBER WE'VE ONLY GOT $2,500 BUCKS INTO THAT FIVE POINT FOUR. SO THIS IS A GREAT POWER UPGRADE ENGINE SWAP FOR ANYBODY. THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU DO NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO. THE PASSENGER SIDE MOTOR MOUNT ON BOTH ENGINES IS THE EXACT SAME, BUT THE FIVE POINT FOUR USES A DIFFERENT ONE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. SO WE PICKED ONE OF THOSE UP AT OUR LOCAL PARTS STORE. THE LIGHTNING ENGINE ALSO USES A VERY DIFFERENT LOWER

RADIATOR HOSE. SO WE GRABBED ONE OF THOSE WHILE WE WERE THERE. BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE A/C COMPRESSOR CAN SWAP FROM ONE MOTOR TO THE NEXT. NOW WITH THE CAB UP AND OUT OF THE WAY, THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO JUST DETAIL THIS FRAME A LITTLE BIT. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLEAN IT UP, TOUCH UP SOME OF THE WELDS ON OUR SUSPENSION, AND THEN DROP OUR NEW ENGINE INTO THE FRAME.

AND WHILE WE'RE AT IT WE'RE GONNA REPLACE SOME POSSIBLE WEAR ITEMS. A NEW IDLER ARM, STEERING BOX, AND PITMAN ARM THAT WE PICKED UP FROM O'REILLY AUTO PARTS WILL MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR STEERING IS 100 PERCENT NEW.

(IAN)> NOW THERE IS SOME DEBATE AS TO WHETHER THE FOURR-70-E TRANSMISSION THAT'S BEHIND THE FOUR POINT

SIX CAN HANDLE THE EXTRA POWER THAT THE SUPERCHARGED FIVE POINT PUTS OUT. NOW WE'RE GONNA LEAVE OURS IN OUR TRUCK,. MAINLY BECAUSE OF BUDGET. REMEMBER, WE'RE BUILDING THIS RIG FOR HALF THE PRICE OF A BRAND NEW FORD RAPTOR. AND A FULL ON TRANSMISSION SWAP, WELL THAT COULD PUT US OVER THE EDGE. WE WILL TAKE SOME PRECAUTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT TRANSMISSION LASTS AS LONG AS IT CAN.

WE GOT A COMPLETE PACKAGE OF PARTS ALL FROM SUMMIT RACING. IT'S GONNA START WITH AN EXTRA DEEP EXTRUDED ALUMINUM TRANSMISSION PAN. THIS WILL HOLD EXTRA FLUID AND HELP KEEP IT COOL BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN. IT ALSO HAS A DRAIN PLUG BUILT INTO IT, WHICH MEANS THAT WE CAN SIMPLY DUMP THE FLUID OUT INTO A CLEAN PAN AND CHECK IT WITHOUT HAVING TO REMOVE THE TRANSMISSION PAN WHENEVER

WE NEED TO SERVICE IT. WE'LL UPGRADE THE TRANSMISSION COOLER. THIS IS TWICE AS LARGE AS THE EXTERNAL COOLER THAT'S ON OUR FORD ALREADY AND IT HAS AN EXTERNAL FAN THAT WE CAN SIMPLY HOOK UP TO A SWITCH AND KEEP IT RUNNING WHENEVER THE TRUCK IS ON TO KEEP THOSE TEMPERATURES DOWN. NOW THIS ITEM IS NOT A NECESSITY BUT IT PROBABLY WILL HELP OUR PERFORMANCE OVERALL. THIS IS A HIGH STALL TORQUE CONVERTER.

NOW BY SWAPPING THIS OUT IT'LL JUST HELP OUR TRUCK GET OUT OF

THE HOLE FASTER AND TAKE OFF FROM A DEAD STOP. NOW NORMALLY WE DON'T INSTALL THESE IN ROCK CRAWLERS BECAUSE WE'RE AFTER ALL THAT BOTTOM END TORQUE. BUT BECAUSE THIS IS A HIGH SPEED TRUCK, WELL IT'LL JUST GIVE US ONE EXTRA BIT OF PERFORMANCE.

ONCE THE CONVERTER IS FULLY SEATED INTO THE TRANSMISSION, WE'LL LOWER THE NEW FIVE POINT FOUR ONTO THE ENGINE MOUNTS,

THEN START HOOKING UP EVERYTHING THAT WAS DISCONNECTED OFF THE OLD ENGINES.

(IAN)>> WITH THE ENGINE IN THE FRAME RAIL, THERE'S STILL TWO KEY AREAS THAT ARE DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE FOUR POINT SIX AND THE SUPERCHARGED FIVE POINT FOUR. THE FIRST HAS TO DO WITH FUEL DELIVERY. YOU'LL NEED TO GET A FUEL SENDER AND PUMP ASSEMBLY FROM A FORD LIGHTNING. WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT YOU SEE THAT IT HAS TWO FUEL PUMPS THAT SIT INSIDE THE TANK INSTEAD OF A SINGLE PUMP LIKE THIS TRUCK WOULD HAVE HAD FROM THE FACTORY. THOSE TWO PUMPS ARE THERE JUST TO DELIVER A LARGER VOLUME OF FUEL UP TO THE ENGINE. NOW THE REASON WE NEED A GREATER VOLUME OF FUEL HAS TO DO WITH HOW A SUPERCHARGER WORKS.

SEE AS THE PULLEY SPINS AND IT COMPRESSES ALL THAT AIR INTO THE CYLINDER AND THE ENGINE, YOU BASICALLY HAVE MORE AIR INSIDE THE ENGINE AND THEREFORE YOU CAN PUT IN MORE FUEL, AND THAT IS HOW YOU BUILD POWER. BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH COMPRESSING THAT MUCH AIR. IT HEATS UP AND CAN CAUSE DETONATION. SO YOU NEED TO ADD AN INTERCOOLER. NOW ON THE FIVE POINT FOUR THE INTERCOOLER IS ACTUALLY INSIDE THE INTAKE. THERE'S A SMALL HEAT EXCHANGER OR RADIATOR THAT LAYS

UNDERNEATH THIS SUPERCHARGER THAT ALL THE AIR PASSES ACROSS. THERE'S TWO COOLANT PIPES ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE SUPERCHARGER THAT CIRCULATE THAT WATER THROUGH THAT SMALL HEAT EXCHANGER. AN ELECTRIC PUMP PULLS IT OUT OF THE INTAKE AND MOVES IT DOWN TO THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK. NOW AT THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK WE ADD A SECONDARY RADIATOR, OR INTERCOOLER ASSEMBLY.

AND AS AIR PASSES ACROSS THAT INTERCOOLER, COOLS DOWN THE WATER THAT THEN TRAVELS UP TO THE INTAKE TO COOL DOWN THAT AIR BEFORE IT ENTERS THE ENGINE. NOW THE PUMP WE GOT FROM A JUNKYARD BUT THE INTERCOOLER ASSEMBLY WE PICKED UP FROM SUMMIT RACING. IT'S A HEAVY DUTY ALUMINUM UNIT THAT JUST HAS A GREATER

VOLUME OVER THE FACTORY PIECE. ONCE THAT'S IN PLACE AND PLUMBED, IT'LL HELP KEEP OUR ENGINE RUNNING COOL.

WITH THE CAB BACK ON THE FRAME AND EVERYTHING HOOKED UP, IT'S TIME TO DEAL WITH THE MOST COMPLICATED PART OF ANY MODERN DAY ENGINE SWAP AND THAT IS THE ELECTRONICS. FOR THAT FOUR POINT SIX TO SUPERCHARGED FIVE POINT FOUR SWAP THERE'S A COUPLE OF WAYS TO GO ABOUT. FIRST IS TO CHANGE OUT THE HARDWARE AND THE SECOND IS TO CHANGE OUT THE SOFTWARE. THIS IS THE FACTORY COMPUTER FROM OUR '97 F-150. INSIDE HERE IS A TUNE THAT MAKES THAT FOUR POINT SIX RUN. THE PROBLEM IS IT'S NOT REPROGRAMMABLE. SO IF YOU DO AN ENGINE SWAP LIKE WE HAVE, YOU NEED TO ADD A PIGGYBACK CHIP SET LIKE THIS ONE FROM DIABLO SPORT. IT'LL SIMPLY WORK ALONG WITH THAT FACTORY TUNE TO GET THE TRUCK UP AND RUNNING AND DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THE PROBLEM IS IF YOU'RE NOT HAPPY WITH IT, YOU NEED TO

REMOVE THAT CHIP SET, SEND IT BACK TO DIABLO SPORT WHERE THEY'LL FINE TUNE IT, AND SEND IT BACK TO YOU. THAT'S A LOT OF HARDWARE THROUGH THE MAIL. ANOTHER OPTION, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT BETTER, IS TO UPGRADE THE SOFTWARE. THIS PCM IS OUT OF A 2002 FORD LIGHTNING. NOW IT MAY LOOK THE EXACT SAME AS THE 1997 BUT THE CHIP SET INSIDE HERE IS REPROGRAMMABLE. THAT MEANS WE CAN PULL IT OUT OF THE COMPUTER USING A SMALL HANDHELD LIKE THIS DIABLO SPORT IN TUNE, SIMPLY BY PLUGGING IT INTO THE OBD TWO PORT UNDERNEATH THE DASH.

ONCE WE HAVE THAT TUNE OUT AND INTO THE HANDHELD, WE CAN UPLOAD IT INTO A COMPUTER, EMAIL IT TO THE GUYS AT DIABLO SPORT, AND TELL THEM EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF OUR TRUCK. THEY'LL MAKE ALL THE CHANGES AND THEN SEND THE TUNE BACK TO US, AND WE'LL BURN IT BACK INTO THE COMPUTER. ONCE IT'S BURNED BACK INTO THE COMPUTER, WE CAN START THE TRUCK AND TAKE IT FOR A DRIVE. IF WE'RE NOT HAPPY WITH IT, ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS EMAIL THEM THE TUNE AGAIN AND THEY'LL MAKE THE CHANGES FOR US. INSTEAD OF SENDING CHIPS THROUGH THE MAIL, WE'RE JUST SEND TUNES OVER EMAIL, SO IT'S A LOT FASTER TO END UP WITH

THAT PERFECT TUNE.

SO WITH ALL THE FLUIDS TOPPED OFF AND EVERYTHING HOOKED UP, WHAT'S THE BUDGET FOR OUR HALF PRICE RAPTOR LOOKING AT? WELL TO GET THE ENGINE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD, RIGHT AROUND $1,500. PUTS THE ENTIRE PROJECT JUST NORTH OF $25,000.