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  1. Finishing Touches - Aluminum Expansion Tank R&D Part 2 - Design Fabrication and Finished Product

    Finishing Touches - Aluminum Expansion Tank R&D Part 2 - Design Fabrication and Finished Product

    If there's one thing that hasn't ever changed about muscle cars it's that they're hot cars. All the current iterations of American classics have a way of making just about any grade of gearheads neck break as they rumble by, especially when it comes to the latest Mopars. The scalding hot and aggressive looks are enough to sizzle your retinas, and their monstrous V8 actually produces plenty of heat. All that hot coolant needs a place to go, and unfortunately, Chrysler didn't have aesthetics in mind when it came to the expansion tank, as we went over in our last post. Lucky for you, we have a better idea on how to dress up your engine bay.

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    It might have been a little over a year since I started

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  2. As is Tradition - Direct Fit Catch Can R&D

    As is Tradition - Direct Fit Catch Can R&D

    Tradition is something that spills over into just about everything. For the most part, we as a species like to settle into a groove. We keep things the way they are because that's just how they've always been done. While change is sometimes a good thing, it's often nice to have that hint of familiarity in the air. Not to mention, putting your foot down and standing by your principles holds a certain kind of respect.

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    The muscle car scene is deeply rooted in tradition, especially when it comes to Mopars. While the new Chargers and Challengers might be trending towards a sleeker and sexier outward appearance, what's under the hood is reminiscent of another time. Calling out the size by cubic inches rather than liters, and even just the different editions bring plenty back to

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  3. A Cooler for Atlas - Transmission Cooler R&D, Part 2: Prototype

    A Cooler for Atlas - Transmission Cooler R&D, Part 2: Prototype

    This 2003-2009 Dodge Ram 5.9L/6.7L Cummins Transmission Cooler is now available! Click here to check it out!

    From the outside, you wouldn't think that the modern pickup truck is exactly the evolution of Henry Ford's Model T. Under the surface however, you might find that the two are more related than they appear. The Model T was a car, built for the masses, designed to be affordable, approachable, and to get people where they wanted to go.

    It didn't take long for Ford and other manufacturers to realize the potential of an affordable utility vehicle. A vehicle that helped them work, so that they could afford to go places in their car. Pickups have grown to sell almost twice as well as cars since the Model T "Runabout" was introduced in 1925, and it's hard to find a vehicle that can do as much as a pickup. For all the development that has happened in nearly a century, the pickup could still use some improvement to make it a better workhorse.

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  4. Cool Under the Blue Collar - Radiator R&D, Part 2: Prototype & Production

    Cool Under the Blue Collar - Radiator R&D, Part 2: Prototype & Production

    As the threads of the last bolt spun their way out, Jason hoisted the stock radiator out of the Ram's engine bay, over his head, and set it on the ground next to his workbench. With the radiator laying next to the truck, it was easy to see why we're making a replacement. The chiseled fenders and snarling grill of the 2017 Ram portray a truck built for power. The anemic core and plastic end tanks of the Ram's radiator, on the other hand, look like they come from a truck built to meet a budget.

    Dodge's most popular truck is not just a vehicle to get from point A to point B; it's a tool built to do what any tool does best: work. Like any good tool, much of the Ram's design focuses on reliability and its ability to take abuse day after day. You'd be hard pressed to find an engine more durable than the 6.7L Cummins turbo-diesel found in the 4th generation Ram 2500 and 3500. But despite its legendary reliability, the 6.7 Cummins still relies on some less than bullet-proof support to get

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  5. Next Generation Cooling - Transmission Cooler R&D, Part 1: Stock Review

    Next Generation Cooling - Transmission Cooler R&D, Part 1: Stock Review

    This 1994-2002 Dodge Ram 5.9L Cummins Transmission Cooler is now available! Click here to check it out!

    1994 was an eventful year.  Nelson Mandella became the president of South Africa, OJ Simpson gave the Ford Bronco some free air-time, and Dodge released the 2nd generation Ram pickup that would define the brand for the next thirteen years.

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    Breaking the blocky, sedan-like mold poured by their competitors' previous generations, the designers of the second-generation Ram looked to the trucks of the 1950's to design an edition that stood out with just the right amount of bravado.  With its rolling fenders and massive front grille, little of the first-generation Ram remained when Dodged revealed the 1994 model. What did remain, however, was the option of getting your workhorse

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  6. Finishing Touches - 2011+ Dodge Charger and Challenger Aluminum Expansion Tank R&D Part 1 - Stock Review

    Finishing Touches - 2011+ Dodge Charger and Challenger Aluminum Expansion Tank R&D Part 1 - Stock Review

    I have a confession to make. I've never been a fan of American muscle cars. Most of this sentiment can be attributed to my two older brothers, who both molded my young mind to favor BMWs, Audis, and Mini Coopers over the fire breathing V8s of Detroit. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the mighty muscle car. In fact, it's almost a strange concept as an automotive enthusiast not to have a soft spot for engines measured in cubic inches. With a roaring V8 in the front that sends all that power to the rear wheels, creating warp speeds in a straight line and slide happy turns, it's no wonder such qualities would draw in crowds chomping at the bit for the next fast Mopar. Not me, however. I preferred to stay behind the wheel of my tiny hot hatch back. That was, of course, until I drove this Charger.

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    Luckily

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  7. Blow-By Verified - Oil Catch Can R&D, Part 2: The New Kit!

    Blow-By Verified - Oil Catch Can R&D, Part 2: The New Kit!

    Function and utility often outweigh aesthetics, and our engineering department has paid particular attention to the two while creating the baffled oil catch can kit for the 2009 Dodge Ram 5.7L V8 Hemi. Your Ram works hard for you, so it's only natural to want to take as much care of your pride and joy as you can to keep it running at its best.

    We already know that this truck can use some TLC when it comes to the amount of blow-by the Hemi produces. If you need a refresher, in only 1,000 miles, we caught nearly 50ml of content, which is on the high side of tests performed on other applications. It was clear that our can was working, but there was one problem - our original two-ounce can just wouldn't cut it. You'd have to empty the can several times before you're even due for an oil change. That's an inconvenience we don't want you to experience, so we came up with a solution.

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  8. Cool Under the Blue Collar - Radiator R&D, Part 1: Intro

    Cool Under the Blue Collar - Radiator R&D, Part 1: Intro

    When I was growing up, rural Pennsylvania wasn't exactly the breadbasket of America, but there were some mirrors between the two. For every field, of which there were many, there was a farmer. For every new building, there was a contractor. Each small town, connected by the twisting back roads, had its own set of mechanics, builders, and craftsmen. And, for each of those hard-working men and women, there was a truck that worked just as hard.

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    The legendary reliability and power of the Dodge Ram has solidified the 2500 and 3500 as the preferred truck of many blue-collar Americans and their counterparts around the world. Whether it be hauling a bed full of lumber or a trailer loaded with ten tons of equipment, these trucks do work. The fourth-generation Ram is no exception to that mentality. With its bulky shoulders,

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  9. Blow-By Verified - Oil Catch Can R&D, Part 1: That's A Lot of Oil

    Blow-By Verified - Oil Catch Can R&D, Part 1: That's A Lot of Oil

    What do carbon-deposit caked valves, decreased fuel economy, oily intake tracts and inefficient combustion all have in common? The resulting effects of engine oil blow-by. During combustion, the top side of the piston forces combusted gasses, with remnants of fuel and oil past the piston rings, and into the crankcase. This would force the crankcase to become pressurized without some sort of relief, so the content of what enters the crankcase exits the system through a positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system and gets recycled through the engine via the intake tract.

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    Our shop Ram getting ready to go under the knife

    You may have heard of a device called an air oil separator or AOS. These devices tap into your PCV routing system

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  10. Mopar, Mo' Cooling - Aluminum Radiator R&D, Part 2: Test, Test, Test

    Mopar, Mo' Cooling - Aluminum Radiator R&D, Part 2: Test, Test, Test

    The 5.7L fitment of this radiator is now in pre-sale! Get it now for more than 30% off!

    2006-16 Dodge Charger 5.7L V8 Aluminum Radiator Pre-Sale

    2005-13, 2015 Chrysler 300 5.7L V8 Aluminum Radiator Pre-Sale

    2009-16 Dodge Challenger 5.7L V8 Aluminum Radiator Pre-Sale

    America loves the V8...and so do I

    The American V8 has always held a special place in my heart. My father owned a 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1 with a 351 Cleveland motor (it was green). That car was rear-ended by a bus long before I was born, so I never experienced it for myself, but I got to

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