Installation Time
(approx) 2 Hours
Difficulty Level:
Light to Moderate mechanical skill required.
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Hey, guys, Adam here with americanmuscle.com. Today, I'm bringing you a quick overview of the BBK 73 millimeter throttle body intake, which will be available for all '96 to '04 4.6 liter GT Mustangs. In this video, of course, we'll be going over the performance and benefits you can expect out of the throttle body intake system from BBK, as well as its materials and construction. I'll top the video off with the install, which I'll let you know up front is going to be a one out of three wrenches on our difficulty meter because throttle bodies are, honestly, one of the easiest things you can do to your 4.6 liter Mustang.The BBK 73 millimeter throttle body intake I have here today will be for any '96 to '04 4.6 liter owner who's looking to get a better throttle response overall, as well as a bit more acceleration off the line, while also picking up one of the easiest bolt-on mods you can possibly do to that engine.Before I jump into the juicy details about the 73 millimeter throttle body, I want to point out that, usually, people say bigger is always better. Now in the case of throttle bodies, that is not the case. The 73 millimeter throttle body is going to be one of the bigger options you can add to your 4.6 liter GT, but you don't want to go this big unless you absolutely need to. So what I mean by that is, if you have basic bolt-ons, including a full exhaust, you might be warranting the 73 millimeter throttle body, but if you just have a cold air intake, the 73 millimeter is probably not going to do you too much good, in which case, you might want to look at just a 65. But, with that said, if you've got those full bolt-ons, including a full exhaust, the 73 millimeter can definitely improve the throttle response and acceleration, but not by entirely too much.The good thing about this particular option from BBK is, you get the throttle body and the plenum attaching to your intake manifold. What that basically does is controls a little bit more of the airflow, and with the 73 millimeter housing here, more airflow, you get a little bit more room in the throttle body and the elbow here connected to your manifold, pulling it a bit more than just a typical throttle body. Now, with that said, it is going to cost you a bit more, which I'll touch on in just a second, but this is great for the guys who really need that little bit of extra airflow. And, of course, it's going to go great with a forced induction application, but if you don't have one and you're going to naturally aspirate it, this can do you some justice, as well.For the guys out there who are going to benefit from this 73 millimeter option from BBK, I don't want you to expect a world of difference when it comes to power. Now, as far as horsepower and torque, expect low single-digit gains, of course, but you are going to notice a small difference in throttle response and acceleration, something that the throttle body is known to help with.Now, even though this particular option is an intake and plenum combo, it's not going to require a tune. So what that basically means is this does not require you to fine-tune your computer to read for a 73 millimeter throttle body. However, it is recommended to pick up a computer tune simply because, when you tune your computer to read for the 73 millimeter upgrade, you are going to get a bit more performance out of it. Of course, that goes for almost any aftermarket part, as far as performance goes. Giving it a computer tune will definitely maximize its performance, but again, don't expect the world of difference either way.As far as materials and construction goes here, expect a direct OEM fit replacement. It's all manufactured from a lightweight 356 aluminum alloy, CNC machined for a perfect fit. Of course, this will make for a great OEM replacement if your factory one's defective, or if you're just looking for a small upgrade up to a 73 millimeter. With that said, it's also completed in a charcoal powder coated finish, so it even looks good under the hood, and it has that BBK logo printed right on top of the materials, all embedded into the materials. Definitely looks good under the hood, in my opinion, and I do think, with the 73 millimeter upgrade, you'll get that throttle response and acceleration you're looking for.Now, if you're interested in picking this up for yourself and your 4.6, expect to be spending around $250. Now, some people might think that's a lot of money. My personal opinion, it's a pretty average price tag, especially considering you get the 73 millimeter upgrade attached to the plenum combo to go right into your stock manifold. Now, this one isn't going to be for everybody, but of course, if you're looking to pick up a new throttle body here, maybe to replace that stock defective one, like I just said, this is going to be a pretty good replacement.Shifting gears over to the install portion of the video, like I said in the very beginning, throttle bodies, in general, including the plenum intake, is going to be one of the easiest mods you could possibly do to your 4.6 in addition to its cold air intake. With that said, you're going to need some basic hand tools, like a ratchet and a simple socket set, maybe a flathead screwdriver to help you with the clamps. Overall, you're just transferring a couple of sensors, a couple of clamps over to this particular one, but otherwise, it'll bolt directly up to your stock manifold and your stock airbox.Now, for a regular throttle body, it's typically four bolts holding it onto the manifold, but with the extended plenum, you're looking at about six, I can see here, including the TPS sensor, the idle air control, of course the return spring. All those good accessories that go along with it will detach from your factory option and bolt right up to the 73 millimeter from BBK. Once you have that factory one taken off and the bolts removed, as well as the accessories, simply swap it directly out with this intake and plenum, bolt it back up the same way you took it off, and you're good to go. Overall, about 30 minutes or so on the install, and a one out of three wrenches on our difficulty meter.Just to wrap things up here before we get going, if you're interested in picking up a little bit more throttle response and acceleration, and you're looking to replace that stock throttle body with a little bit of a bigger one, you might want to check out the BBK 73 millimeter intake and plenum kit we have here, which is available at americanmuscle.com.
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Features, Description, Reviews, Q&A, Specs & Installation
Fitment:
BBK 17801
CA Residents: WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm - www.P65Warnings.ca.gov
Installation Info
Installation Time
(approx) 2 Hours
Difficulty Level:
Light to Moderate mechanical skill required.
What's in the Box
10 More Questions