Frankentake IV is Finally Here... OMG and WTF!

[MattRobertson]

Be sure to check out Post #2: Parts, Tools & Construction. This is a new addition to the thread - begun 12/24/2011. Some elements in this original post overlap what is now in Post #2. Eventually this post will be rewritten to eliminate this overlap. Until then... suffer :-)

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Yes, thats right. More than two years after I posted up Frankentake III to the world - a quality intake you can do yourself for almost no money - I have finally gone what I think is the final step with it. Something I always wanted to do, and discussed, but never went anywhere with.

Why get off my butt now? And more importantly why in God's name would I spend money for this car's twelfth intake when I am pretty happy with the stainless AirHammer I have had on since the stroker motor went in?

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Sidebar: My list of intakes (the ones I can remember. Doesn't count all the ones tested on the car at MFO events):

• Stock
• K&N Typhoon
• Weapon-R prototype design #1
• Weapon-R prototype design #2
• Frankentake I
• Frankentake II
• Frankentake III
• SRT/Daytona stock
• Stainless AirHammer
• Frankentake IV

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My initial impetus came from Billet Technology. They now offer what is essentially the Frankentake III as a commercial product, and unveiled it at MFO6 recently, where it tested pretty well compared to the rest of the field. I think its especially neat since their price point puts it *well* underneath the cost of other commercial intakes. Its nice to see my idea make it to market so others can get a good product (rated second behind the AirHammer for sound at its original MFO test) and save more than a few bucks in the process.

Where was I? Oh yeah. Frankentake IV. Why do it and what is there left to do?

We have lots of hard test data that shows that, with the help of the famous lower radiator baffle mod, the engine compartment is bathed in ambient air when its moving. The result is a very surprisingly low air temperature at the point where the filter sits. Thanks to the experiments done with 12" filters on one of the two FIII designs, we even know how big that pocket is (its not big enough to support a 12" filter unless we relocate the p/s reservoir and lengthen the tube as far as we can).

We also know that, thanks in part to the alloy tube, the thing cools off surprisingly fast when you've been sitting in a staging lane, or at the Taco Bell drive thru. Net result: You can do without a heat shield. Something that still freaks people out and causes some to promptly reach for their keyboard and hammer away in fury and disbelief.

But its not perfect. I measured a 6-to-14 degree peak in temperature at the top of the filter, where its up against the hood. My ram air hood, with its air feed at this precise point, cut this down to about a 1-degree bump, but either way it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out that heat rises, and there is a lot of dead air space under the filter that leads straight down, face-first, into the ambient airflow coming into the engine cavity. In a perfect world we want to bend the filter down so it lives deep in this 'cold' air pocket.

A few months ago QuickSilver83 showed off his take on this idea, and I have to say this was what I always figured Frankentake IV should have been: another rubber elbow, a couple of connecting pieces of tubing and more clamps.

When I got to thinking about this again, I figured that somewhere there has to be some mandrel-bent aluminum elbows out there we can use to keep the parts down to a minimum. A mandrel-bent single alloy tube should give better airflow characteristics, better cooling, simpler construction and may even be cheaper.

Well, I found a grand total of ONE place where there are mandrel-bent alloy elbows sold. Fortunately they are pretty cheap. I chose a 16-gauge, 4" x 45-degree elbow with a six-inch centerline radius bend. Here it is and it costs just over 12 bucks plus shipping. Note I could have and maybe should have chosen a thinner 11-gauge elbow that would have shucked heat faster. Furthermore, they sell an elbow with a very gentle 12" centerline radius bend (here it is in 11-gauge for just under 18 bucks). This may offer the smoothest airflow channel of all but I wasn't 100% it would fit, and didn't want to put too much extra money into this experiment.

Here are all the parts, as delivered.

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EDIT: Look to the Frankentake III thread for parts suppliers, since they are all the same except for the bent tube still listed below. Also, Post #548 has some build options laid out using 2011 prices

Global Tech Engineering
1 4" dia x 45-degree (6-inch radius) tube $12.40

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Please note I bought the standard-issue rubber elbow you see at intakehoses.com, along with a set of T-bolt clamps... but their idea of clamps that fit 4" rubber hoses is just plain wrong. The clamps were unusable. I personally bought clamps at verociousmotorsports.com, which is also where I bought the 9" high-quality S&B filter. You can get a silicone 90-degree elbow at siliconeintakes.com for $19.99, although I have not seen it in person. That site also has the cheapest price for T-bolt clamps @ about $2.50 each.


Here are all the parts. BTW I decided to use a breather filter instead of the original F III"s gas recirc hose and fitting (I still have at least a dozen sets of parts to make them in the garage) out of sheer laziness, and the fact that the BT version tested fine with a breather filter itself... and they didn't use a recirc hose because they were lazy too :P.



A few minutes with a hacksaw, using the same hacksaw and guide that I display in the Frankentake III thread, and we get this. Note the long piece is big enough to make a Frankentake III (hint to BT!).
EDIT: The long straight piece I cut off on the left is about 8" long and the short cut off piece on the right is about 2 1/2" long. The cut that made the long piece that is right at the bend was calculated to be right at the *end* of the bend with just *barely* enough straight pipe to let the filter have a roughly 1/2" section to be torqued onto. The short cut was made to fit the remaining tubing into the space available. In other words, the 'left' cut is the one you absolutely need to get right the first time.

NOTE FOR THOSE USING THE VEROCIOUS POLISHED PIPE

I find I only need to cut 4-1/4 inch off of the filter end. That places the metal end ring of the 9" filter right on the edge of the triangle air hole in the radiator cowling, or fender area. No cut needed on the pipe end that fits into the 4" to 3.5" reducer 90 degree rubber elbow.

Together but not yet installed. This is one very simple, clean assembly.



Installed. Note there is no IAT in the elbow. Thats because I was experimenting with a relocation when I took these pics. I eventually drilled into the elbow top-of-center near the throttle body. I went top-of-center so I would be sure to clear my BT catch can ... that I have had for a year and haven't gotten around to installing :-(.



Seen from the side... The filter dives right down into the cavity left by the stock airbox. The filter actually sits almost directly on the hole leading out of the engine compartment. A little 3M red rubber body tape keeps it from rattling. Note that while this is a 9" filter, if you wanted to, a 10" filter would definitely work. There's plenty of wiggle room available, although clearly the 9" unit is perfect from a fitment standpoint.



Speaking of plenty of wiggle room, look at how much there is as this reverse angle shows. You can see the Frankentake III support mount that still is sitting on my power steering hose fitting (the hose clamp with the red 3M tape on it). The FIII sat directly on that, and we still have loads of clearance above it. That tells me the smoother-transition 12" radius elbow would almost certainly work. Who wants to try it??



On to the obvious question: Performance. As most know I think butt dynos are for morons. I believe in what you can test and measure. Only. There are two components to an intake's performance that matter to me: Heat retention and horsepower.

As heat goes, from what I have seen so far, this combo is behaving exactly as you would expect: it runs cooler than my stainless AirHammer. This is probably a combo of the bend and the alloy material. However thats not a test. I will be on Buttonwillow Raceway on January 29, and that track gave my motor its hottest temp readings ever. I will interchange intakes on back to back 20-minute sessions, see what I can see and report back. In the interim I may try and run a closed slow-speed course near my home and see if that gets me anything useful. If I get ambitious I will toss on the SRT and stock 5.7 intakes I have over the same course.

Performance. Well, butt dynos are for morons. But, since I am a moron I will say this: my bigass 6.4L motor may have lost a bit from the AirHammer. EDIT: Once again a real dyno proves that butt dynos are an utter waste. I GAINED power quite nicely. I have to stress that my motor is bigger than most out there, and greedier. The SRT intake is a performance disaster on my car, and it sure wouldn't be for most folks. So remember my perspective and how your needs are probably not so intense. What do I think I lost? Well, when I romp on it, when the rpm's start climbing and I get up past first gear I get what feels like an afterburner whoosh of power at a certain point. You can feel it in your gut. That seems to be gone right now. But I could EASILY be imagining it. Lets wait for some real data.

In the meantime, Frankentake IV can be seen as a viable, low-cost alternative to commercial intakes that is very likely to be a decent performer, at the least. Probably not for a big-motor setup, but if you have a 5.7 or even a 6.1 thats not too far off of stock, and you want a bitchen intake... you can build this one for peanuts and a few minutes of your time.

[MattRobertson]

PARTS, TOOLS AND CONSTRUCTION
This post is a new addition to the thread (12/24/2011). this post will be updated as we move some of what we learned 200-500 posts down this thread into this post (like build options). Got any ideas? PM me.


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TOOLS

When this thread was originally posted in 2008, the Frankentake III was still widely in use, and the build specs/parts lists in that thread were much better known than they are now... so I just linked to them. Fast forward a few years, and while the links still exist... well lets face it. People don't read and ask over and over again for parts/build specs. So... since this blank post has been kept here reserved in case I needed it... it no longer blank and contains everything you need to do your own build.

Since there are several ways to do this, I will list multiple options. But first lets get our tools together and describe the build process:

• You need a drill with a chuck that can handle a 1/2" shank. Both of my Makitas have this ability and hopefully that means yours does as well, cuz you'll need it.
  
• One 3/4" hole saw with pilot bit. This is to drill the hole for your IAT sensor in the elbow. I got mine at Lowe's.
  OR...
  Use a 1/2" hole saw and stuff the IAT sensor directly into the hole, skipping the grommet part described below. Since a rubber (not silicone) elbow is recommended, so long as the fitment is snug you are good with no grommet.
  
• A 10mm box-end wrench to tighten down the t-bolt clamps.
• A file. Any metal file the likes of which is buried somewhere in every garage will do. Unless all you have is a rasp, in which case go spend $2 at the hardware store for a basic file. No you cannot sneak into your wife's bathroom and snitch her fingernail files. the emery board types aren't sturdy enough and if she figures out you ruined one of her metal ones you are a dead man. Besides, a man without a file in his toolbox is a mouse in trousers, so just go buy a dam file if you need to.
• A hacksaw. Now, everyone has a hacksaw, right? Probably not like this one, which is extra deep. Much better than the old piece of crap hacksaw I've had for like 20 years. Treat yourself. Especially since you need to saw thru a 4" deep tube. This deep version will make the job easier.
  

Thats it for the tools. As you can see, its a very short list.




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PARTS
As you will see if you read through the thread, there are about 50 different ways to build this intake. Initially this section will concentrate on just doing it "my way" -- the way the original build did it. As time permits in the future I will put in some links to noteworthy variations found in this now-monstrous thread.

Here pictured is the entire required parts list:

this picture leaves out the grommet and the liner for the intake 'hole' in the fender.

Suppliers:

There are a number of them, and if you peruse their web sites you will find there is overlap between them all regarding parts available. The build examples below are the most likely to yield best-price combinations. But... things change over time. Do the math yourself before ordering. The suppliers are

• Verocious Motorsports - They worked with me back when Frankentake III was being developed out of thin air, and gave me/us group prices when we built about 40 of the things for a fundraiser. They have treated a lot of other LX'rs buying Frankentakes well over the years, and their intake product line has grown to the point where you can use them as a single source for the entire project (although their reducing elbow is not a desirable choice).
• Airflo Systems - Looks like they cater mostly to truck intakes - as in semi trucks. This is another source dating back to 2006 and the Frankentake III project. They too worked with me making 40 or so tubes for the F-III fundraiser and have been a reliable supplier for parts from then to now.
• intakehoses.com - another supplier dating back to F-III. These guys sell some of the best silicone parts I have seen for very reasonable prices. They have some interesting stuff buried in their catalog.
  
• siliconeintakes.com - as silicone goes, this is where you get it the cheapest. But its also pretty thin stuff. A reliable supplier thats been around for several years.
• Summit Racing - used only for the velocity stack option here, they probably sell everything else too if you want to look for it. Likely for more $$$ overall.
• Western Rubber & McMaster Carr - used only for the grommet, which is optional. Western Rubber is the preferred supplier - being both cheaper and a little better. This supplier also dates back to F-III and the fact that they sell grommets individually at all is a direct result of the F-III project. Originally I had to buy 50 of them just to get one and even that was considered just a sample qty. They were geared to sell lots in the thousands at the time.
• Global Tech Engineering - the holy grail for cheap mandrel bends. This is an industrial supplier who went into more extensive retail due to the response they got on this Frankentake IV project. I wound up talking to the company president one day, who was wondering why in the hell, out of the blue, he was selling qty 1 orders all over the place.

Air Filter - 4" inlet, 9" height w/open top, 8-ply from S&B Filters (R0862) $38.26

S&B Filters makes one of the best-quality universal air filters on the market. If you are looking for a filter that keeps the crud out of your engine, this is one of your best bets. If you want free-er flow at the expense of filtration, or just want to go cheap, look to K&N or Spectre. But for this project the S&B R0862 from Verocious Motorsports was used.

Clamp-on crankcase breather filter - $13.25

Spec'd from Verocious again to take advantage of combined shipping. You can also stop by your local Pep Boys or auto Zone and pick up a version from Spectre. Size for this part may vary depending on whether you have a 5.7 or 6.1. I believe mine is a 0.5" unit.

Three T-Bolt Clamps - $10.50

• T-Bolt Size: 3.88" : Fits 3.50" ID 3-4 Ply Hose (qty 1)
• T-Bolt Size: 4.38" : Fits 4.00" ID 3-4 Ply Hose (qty 2)

Again spec'd from Verocious for the sake of combined shipping savings,

• The same size clamps can be purchased somewhat more cheaply at siliconeintakes.com (2.60 each). They are more cheaply made but adequate to the task
• intakehoses.com also sells high quality stainless t-bolt clamps for roughly $4.25 each. this may be an alternate source especially if you are buying other parts there (see below). They also sell constant-torque clamps for slightly more, which are worth investigating.

Alloy tube: 4" dia x 45-degree (6-inch radius) tube

• Available in plain finish dirt cheap from Global tech Engineering. This tube is dirt cheap but shipping costs will actually be more than the tube. ($12.40+$13.65)
• Verocious Motorsports has a much more expensive - and prettier - tube for $40.00. Combined shipping savings if buying other components from Verocious even this cost out somewhat. However the 5" centerline-radius bend vs. 6" from the original GlobalTech supplier may be less than optimal

Rubber elbow: 3.5" to 4"

• Reducing Intake Elbow 90 Degree 4" to 3.5" $18.46 + $9.88 shipping
  Not spec'd at Verocious because they just plain don't sell it. This is the elbow most widely used and strongly recommended.
  OR:
• intakehoses.com sells the identical elbow for essentially the same price. This may be an alternate source, especially if you are building the velocity stack version, since the best coupler is sold there.
  OR:
  
• Silicone elbow 3.5" to 4" $19.95 + $7.99 shipping
  Reportedly thin stuff (note the cheap price) and harder to drill thru by its nature, this is not the recommended option. The extra shipping can be offset in part by buying the T-Bolt clamps from this vendor.
• Verocious sells a 3.5-->4 reducing silicone elbow... for $52. Looks like a design not meant for smooth airflow too. Knock yourself out if you want to go there.
• intakehoses.com sells a 3.5-->4 reducing silicone elbow whose design looks very similar to the one Verocious sells, only for $38. I'm not fond of the hard 90 design, which may also need trimming to fit.

Rubber IAT Grommet (optional)

• Western Rubber will sell you a single grommet online for $1.45 plus tax and shipping. Part MR-200-0649
• McMaster-Carr sells these grommets now from this page. Available in a pack of 5 for $7.73 plus shipping. Look for Push-in High-Temperature Flexible Grommet MS35489-14, AN 931-8-13, 1/2" ID, 1-1/16" OD

A. Inside Diameter 1/2
B. Groove Width 3/16
C. Groove Diameter 13/16
D. Outside Diameter 1 1/16
E. Overall Thickness 7/16

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PURCHASING OPTIONS
You can mix and match this project about 10 different ways, now that you know the parts you need to buy. ASSUMING you want to combine shipping and buy from Verocious. Here are a couple of options:

Option 1: Basic Build W/Polished tube
Here is a screen shot of my cart with shipping figured in We'll add in the cost of the elbow below.

Click to view the original image

112.84
28.34 + (rubber elbow from Airflo systems)
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141.18
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Option 2: Basic Build W/Plain Tube
If you prefer the 6" radius, want to paint your tube instead of polishing the thing, plan to leave it plain or just want to save a few bucks, here is a second option. This is a screen shot of my cart with shipping figured in We'll add in the cost of the elbow below.

Click to view the original image

72.51
28.34 (rubber elbow from Airflo systems)
26.05 + (6" CLR plain tube from Globaltech)
--------
126.90 <------- lowest cost option
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Option 3: Basic Build W/Plain Tube, 8" filter and Spectre Velocity Stack

• Pictures of this option built, along with a description, are in Post 207. Added discussion of the option is in the thread (so start reading)
• an 8" filter is used due to the extra space needed to fit the velocity stack. You can use your choice of two S&B filters (both are the same price)
  
  • R0927D - 6" inlet, 7.5" base and a 5.5" top diameter. The top diameter is slightly larger than standard
  • R0927 - 6" inlet, 7.5" base and a 5.25" top diameter.
• An additional 4" ID T-bolt clamp is required..
• A silicone coupler is required - best product is sourced at intakehoses.com
• Spectre velocity stack part# 9604 from Summit Racing: $17.95 (free shipping)
• Build cost is just one combination of suppliers - many others are possible which may yield a lower final cost

Click to view the original image

72.68
17.95 Velocity Stack from Summit Racing
26.05 6" CLR plain tube from Globaltech
35.01 + Silicone coupler and rubber elbow from intakehoses.com
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151.69
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CONSTRUCTION

First drill out the IAT sensor hole in the elbow. Don't worry about the rubber fragmenting. Its tough stuff. I wound up drilling at high speed and the rubber, which is pretty thick, got so hot it smoked, but thats what it took. When you're done you'll have this.

Note above this hole is going to be one of two sizes: If you are going to be using a grommet like you would see on a storebought intake, this will be a 0.75" wide hole. Wipe down the interior of the elbow thoroughly to remove all rubber shavings.

Now remove the intake sensor from the existing intake. If this is the stock intake, you will want to use some sort of agent to grease it up so it slips out. People have used about a million different things, from Vaseline to soapy water to a spritz of WD-40. I'll leave it to you to decide on what you will use (a bit of soapy water might be the best bet). Work a little of the agent into the hole around the installed sensor and, (after disconnecting the sensor cable and removing the intake from the engine bay) *carefully* pull the thing out.

Next, stuff the intake sensor and grommet into the hole. Do it with the sensor installed in the grommet already, and again use some more of your greasing agent on the elbow to make the job easier. Don't be afraid to bend the rubber elbow and really stuff that sucker in there. Make sure the flaps of the grommet are flat against the inside of the elbow all the way around. Perhaps the best way to do this (I have done it many many times) is to use the heel of your hand pressed to the plug end of the sensor as a press, and with your other hand inside the elbow providing support so the sensor doesn't smash into the other side of the interior, get that sucker in there. Leather gloves save you a lot of pain in the heel of your hand.

The photo below is from the Frankentake III build of 2006, so you are looking at a smaller grommet than you will be using. Otherwise this is what you will see when done.





Now its time to cut the aluminum tube with your hacksaw. The long straight piece I cut off on the left is about 8" long and the short cut off piece on the right is about 2 1/2" long. The cut that made the long piece that is right at the bend was calculated to be right at the *end* of the bend with just *barely* enough straight pipe to let the filter have a roughly 1/2" section to be torqued onto. The short cut was made to fit the remaining tubing into the space available. In other words, the 'left' cut is the one you absolutely need to get right the first time.



Cutting the pipe straight can be a bit of a pain. You can use masking tape (or a hose clamp) as a guide... assuming of course you put on the tape straight. However at OSH, I found this simple plastic mitre box for $7.99:



guess what? That channel in the middle is 4" wide. See the plan now? Stick the tube in the channel and use the center slot as a guide to do your cutting. You can't fit it across and have to cut at a high angle for awhile, keeping the blade in only one slot, but it makes the job quick and easy. Well worth the 8 bucks.

Once you have cut the tube, take a metal file and take just a minute to smooth the edges of the tube where your cuts were made. After that, wipe the interior very carefully with a moist cloth to ensure no aluminum shavings will be ingested into your motor.

Next: Just assemble the parts you have and attach the breather filter. Should be about 10 minutes work. Once thats done, affix the intake to the manifold.

A final option: Line the fender hole with something so the filter does not stand on a metal edge. Thin tubing slit along its length makes a perfect liner. Something like fuel line - available from any auto parts store - is perfect. A last-ditch choice that will probably work well for some time is rubber electrician's tape. InferAl probably did this best. See is pic of the lining installed in Post 288 and his description of what he did and the part description in Post 295.

[DMAG]

Awesome...copying to the KB!!

[Shane T.]

And I though t my bargain used K and N was a cheap (and wothwile) mod... I'm getting the Visa card out now to order some parts. Maybe my buddies brother would like a 3rd hand K and N for a late Christmas present...

[65standard]

Man, that is nice.

[MattRobertson]

Something additional to note: I am using top-quality parts here, only. You can save money on this a number of ways.

Use worm gear hose clamps instead of t-bolts. Sure I show you a cheap place to go, but even so, with shipping costs you are looking at way more than basic hose clamps.

Use a cheaper filter. $40 of a $90 parts list is the filter. An 8-ply S&B is not the free-est flowing but is nails on protecting the motor.

Same with the breather filter. I went with something I knew to be triple the cost of a readily-available Spectre breather, which you can get at the local auto parts store for five bucks with no shipping. The Spectre product may be just fine, too. I just know the S&B is a quality product.

[fnkychkn]

MattRobertson, pioneer of inexpensive mods for everyone.

[Ron380]

Once again Matt... It is Alive! It ISSSS AALLLIIIVVVVVE!! HAHAHAAAA




Lookin' forward to some numbers, there, buddy!

[ChagaRT]

i was thinking about cutting my mopar CAI and adding a bigger filter. WOuld that work aswell? Nice job btw.

[MattRobertson]

i was thinking about cutting my mopar CAI and adding a bigger filter. WOuld that work aswell?

Very likely you can cut the tube down and fit another filter on it. The Mopar filter has a few bends in it, right? You'd want to make sure the way the thing points is going to be the right direction. But otherwise you are talking about what was done with Frankentake I, which was a cut-down K&N Typhoon tube and velocity stack with a 9" S&B filter stuck onto it. That was actually Meister's original design, which I altered in large part by removing the heat shield after running temp tests under the hood.

Speaking of velocity stacks, there's another way to go with Frankentake IV that I didn't feel like messing with.

1. Fuggedabout the filter I spec'd in Post #1
2. Get this 4" velocity stack from Spectre Performance. Jeg's sells them.
3. Get a short silicone collar and a couple extra t-bolt clamps to connect the velocity stack to the tube.
4. Fit the 6" inlet, 9" long S&B filter I originally fit to Frankentake I.

You'll wind up with a true velocity stack at the bottom of your filter at the expense of simplicity and a few more bucks. If I still had that Frankentake 1 filter (I cleaned out my garage when I moved a year or so ago) thats the way I would have gone.

ChagaRT you could do the same thing with a different 3.5" stack. I'm sure Spectre sells them.

[rander]

Way cool Matt! how would you sell one assembled?

[MattRobertson]

I wouldn't. I sent a PM to Billet Technology suggesting they sell it along with their Frankentake III design. Hit them up. Please! I think this would be a good product.

You can do it yourself, too. Just look at the Frankentake III thread and pretend the tube is curved in those instructions. You need to make the cuts like I showed in the picture in Post #1. I suppose I should go out and measure the pieces so I can save you the trouble of having to size the cuts yourself :-)

[rander]

I've got the tools so sure... the places where to cut would be awesome!!!! BTW, what's the final cfm with the new setup?

I wouldn't. I sent a PM to Billet Technology suggesting they sell it along with their Frankentake III design. Hit them up. Please! I think this would be a good product.

You can do it yourself, too. Just look at the Frankentake III thread and pretend the tube is curved in those instructions. You need to make the cuts like I showed in the picture in Post #1. I suppose I should go out and measure the pieces so I can save you the trouble of having to size the cuts yourself :-)

[MattRobertson]

BTW, what's the final cfm with the new setup?

Not a clue. :-) I just built the thing in my garage, just like the previous versions.

[gremlinsteve]

and after all these months that coated intake manifold is still looking good...i like that titanium color we did it on...


steve-o