In pursuit of laying down record-breaking passes you’re bound to run into a few road-blocks. With engines being force-fed boost pressures in excess of +60 psi, and excessive amounts of nitrous, there comes a higher potential of an intake backfire. Wilson Manifolds witnessed first hand the kind of damage an exploding sheetmetal intake can do to both the vehicle and bystanders when it decides to let go. The SFI-approved intake burst plate is the first line of defense to combat the carnage this type of backfire can cause on the plenum.

A properly functioning burst panel could’ve prevented the intake breach on the nitrous-fed Pro Mod of Randy Walker, that rattled the starting line at the Street Car Super Nationals XI in Las Vegas last year.

“The burst plate is designed to minimize any damage to the runners, plenum, or intake welds sustained during an intake backfire, by directing this explosion into the atmosphere,” said Dave Secuda, Wilson Manifolds.

After getting a quick wash, the template of the interior of the burst panel was scribed and cut out.

After converting the Dragzine project car BlownZ over to run solely on alcohol, the intake manifold was shipped off to the experts at Wilson Manifolds to receive the particular safety upgrade.

The burst panel is comprised of three parts. The aluminum inner frame is the portion of the burst panel assembly welded to the manifold. The burst panel itself is made out of an SFI approved material that has a 250 psi rating, and is designed to quickly be replaced after it ruptures. The receiver is a steel retainer that aligns the burst disk with the inner frame and is secured with a set of reusable bolts.

When asked if a particular placement of the burst plate assembly is required Dave responded, “The burst panel is normally placed in a position where it equally covers the runners of the manifold, to help displace the pressure as evenly as possible. This helps prevent any particular portion of the manifold from taking the brunt of the explosion.”

Along with getting two SFI approved burst panels burned in, this particular manifold received additional bolts to secure the plenum to the lower intake manifold.

While most racers opt for larger single burst panels, Wilson decided to go with a dual setup on this particular combination.

There is no doubt that all the design and man-hours that go into creating an intake design like this justify the high-dollar piece. The addition of this single component is a sure way to ensure its continual functionality. Check out Wilson Manifolds to outfit your intake with all the safety features available on the market.