Horse Sense:
BBK throttle bodies power some of the hottest Mustangs on the street. They're also used as some of the many "factory" performance-enhancing parts on Roush Stage III Mustangs. If Jack Roush gives BBK throttle bodies the thumbs up, that's good enough for us.
It takes working with a few...
It takes working with a few electrical connections and some fasteners to get these babies on your Mustang, but the effort will be worth it. While we didn't dyno test the BBK throttle body for this article, we have in the past. This upgrade is usually good for high-single-digit power numbers, though that will vary with your Mustang's modifications.
When you say throttle body, a lot of people think BBK. While BBK has a strong lineup of products and is known throughout the Mustang hobby, it was the larger-than-stock performance throttle body that put the company on the map 15 years ago. Its Power-Plus Series throttle body has been one of its best-selling products, and the line continues to grow with new part numbers, either as new applications or larger sizing for current applications.
Made from 356-T6 aluminum alloy, BBK's throttle bodies and EGR spacers are machined in-house on the company's high-tech CNC hardware. With exclusive features such as double-sealed shaft bearings, O-ringed throttle shafts, and OE-style die-stamped linkages, these throttle bodies will outlast your car. Available in 65, 70, 75, and 80mm sizes, there's a BBK throttle body for any application. In addition, all throttle bodies (except the 80mm race version) are emissions-legal, direct-replacement parts-and we do mean direct replacement too. The BBK throttle body and EGR spacers come with all necessary gaskets and are machined to accept all stock components (EGR valve, throttle linkage, and so on) for an easy driveway installation. We chose the 70mm throttle body (PN 1501) and the 70mm EGR spacer (PN 1502) for our installation. The 70mm size is a bit ambitious for a simple, bolt-on car (pulleys, exhaust), but with future engine plans including aluminum cylinder heads, cam, and more, we figured it's worth it to install the 70mm now.
We'll let the pictures do the talking so you can see just how easy the installation is. Best of all, as your induction needs grow, not only will your throttle body work well with your upgrades, but BBK can also supply you those upgrades, with a full line of cold-air intake kits, headers, and a new 5.0 intake on the horizon. Check it out.
 You'll need to temporarily...  You'll need to temporarily remove the throttle-body inlet hose. Loosen the clamp at the throttle body and at the mass air meter. Slip off the hose and set it aside for now. |  There are only a few electrical...  There are only a few electrical connections, but you don't want to miss one and yank on a harness by accident. Carefully disconnect the idle-air bypass solenoid (shown), the throttle-position sensor (from the top of the throttle body), and the EGR valve position sensor (on the rear of the EGR spacer). Remove the valve-cover breather hose and disconnect the EGR valve vacuum line now as well. You'll also notice our EGR spacer does not have coolant lines attached. If your Mustang's lines are connected (which they should be), loosen the clamps and remove the hoses from the EGR spacer. |  Using a flat-blade screwdriver,...  Using a flat-blade screwdriver, pry the throttle linkage off the ball stud found on the throttle body's die-stamped throttle-shaft bracket. Remove the two 10mm bolts holding the throttle cable bracket to the EGR spacer and pull the throttle cable out of the way. |
 Two 8mm screws retain the...  Two 8mm screws retain the idle-air bypass solenoid to the throttle body. You can either remove them and the solenoid now or once the throttle body is off the car. We suggest removing them now, while the throttle body is still bolted to the engine for leverage. |  There are four 13mm nuts retaining...  There are four 13mm nuts retaining the throttle body and EGR spacer to the upper intake plenum. Remove the nuts from the intake studs in order to remove the old parts. |  Sometimes a stud will back...  Sometimes a stud will back out instead of the nut coming free. Don't panic if this happens. Usually all you have to do is lock the stud in a vice or hold it with some locking pliers so you can remove the 13mm nut. Once the nut is free, use a wire wheel or brush to clean the rust off the stud. Reinstall the stud in the upper intake plenum. |