FAQ's

Isn't it just a bent piece of metal?

Nope. More complex than it first appears, the POWERBLAST PLATE is precision-designed with exact flares and curves in order to fan out the fuel in an exact pattern, delivering it into the high speed air at the edge of the venturi which results in increased fuel surface area and better-atomized fuel mixed with the incoming air. This atomized air-fuel mixture is more combustible and what the engine wants to burn, not the existing balls of raw fuel that choke the engine and eventually get spit out the tailpipe, unused. Without the exact flares and curves of the precision-designed POWERBLAST PLATE, the accelerator pump fuel shot will not atomize as much as it could, and your engine is (sadly) robbed of the performance enhancing benefits of atomized fuel.

Why don't POWERBLAST PLATEs come already installed on carburetors from the big manufacturers?

The POWERBLAST PLATE was not designed by nor patented by the carb manufacturers, and they do not own the technology. We wanted to ensure that this innovative technology was available to fellow performance enthusiasts, so we decided to manufacture it and sell it directly. In this way, we can ensure that we can develop and produce it for multiple carburetor makes and models.

As far as why the carb companies did not think of it, we can only speculate. There have been many improvements made to carburetors over the years that were not thought up by the well-known companies, and this is one reason why there are so many independent specialists customizing the carburetors of these big manufacturers. The POWERBLAST PLATE is a self-installable customization that was designed out of a desire to improve performance even more. A fresh point of view that led to a cool invention that has practical use in the real world. (Sometimes that can only happen outside the parameters of a big established company.)

Is something that small worth what you charge?

It's not the size that matters, but what the POWERBLAST PLATE does that has value. Also, there is nothing you can spend so little on that produces as much in performance gains as the POWERBLAST PLATE.

Precision-engineered and produced in the USA, manufactured with US materials, lasts the lifetime of your carburetor, works every time you hit the throttle... You are buying more than just a "bent piece of metal." You are buying a piece of ingenuity that you get to enjoy every time you drive. And, as social proof of its value, many of our customers have told us "It is the best bang for the buck ever!" and return to purchase more for themselves and their friends.

Do you make a POWERBLAST PLATE for Dominator 4500 model carburetors?

Yes we do! Our parts # PBP HD-1 and PBP HD-2 POWERBLAST PLATE sets are special order only, but they are the same price per PLATE as all of our other models. Please email a photo of the top of your Dominator to thompsonperf@gmail.com. We will email you an invoice that you can pay with any major credit card via a secure payment gateway.

How does the POWERBLAST PLATE help my engine get the power out of the fuel?

Fuel, in its liquid state, only has potential power. In order to release and utilize that power, fuel must burn. Atomized fuel can more easily vaporize and burns better (faster and more thoroughly) than un-atomized fuel. Atomizing the fuel means reducing the fuel to fine particles or a mist.

The "Before" images in the video on our Testing page shows how the fuel from the factory accelerator nozzle is not well atomized - it is basically just a stream of fuel. Since this fuel is not well mixed with air and has little surface area, it has a difficult time burning and causes a sluggish throttle response with less than optimum performance. For a simple analogy, imagine holding a lit match and then "streaming" fuel from a spray bottle (like from a garden hose) on the flame. Most likely that flame will be doused out - at best, the flame will flicker and struggle to ignite the fuel. This is similar to what occurs with the factory nozzle spray. If the fuel does not mix with the air properly it will not ignite well, and it will not release the potential power.

You can see in the "After" images of the same video, with the POWERBLAST PLATE installed, that the POWERBLAST PLATE greatly atomizes the fuel and directs it down the Venturis and into the intake manifold (while maintaining the atomized state). You can see that the fuel is also evenly dispersed among the barrels and that there are no puddles of raw fuel collecting at the throttle blades. All of this adds up to better performance because the engine no longer struggles with fuel it cannot utilize. To continue with our earlier spray bottle analogy, now imagine you have a lit match and the same amount of fuel as in the example above, but this time you have the nozzle in "mist" mode, with the fuel spraying in a wide mist. More of the fuel will ignite due to a better air-to-fuel mix and greater surface area which increases the combustibility of the fuel, and results in a much more complete combustion. Atomized fuel is what the POWERBLAST PLATE was designed to produce... and you know "It's All About the Atomization!"

What are the performance benefits of the POWERBLAST PLATE?

The POWERBLAST PLATE was specifically designed to improve throttle response and acceleration performance, however, as a "happy side effect" we are also seeing increases in peak Horsepower and Torque, simply because the engine does not have to recover from a flood of wet, raw (unatomized) fuel.

Because there are many variables, engine to engine, that can effect overall performance, the Horsepower and Torque improvements created by the POWERBLAST PLATE can vary from vehicle to vehicle. However, in every chassis Dyno test independently performed for us, there have been performance improvements. In addition to these independent shop chassis Dyno tests, some of our customers have reported their own independent Dyno test results showing improvements in peak HP and Torque after installing the POWERBLAST PLATE on their carburetor. Again, the POWERBLAST PLATE was not designed for these specific performance enhancements, but they have been shown time and again to occur. (Just an added bonus to the real purpose of the PLATE, which is much-improved throttle response and acceleration performance.) You can see the results of independent dyno tests on our Testing page.

What are Holley “Tube” nozzles and “Anti-pullover” nozzles, and why doesn’t the POWERBLAST PLATE work with them?

A Holley “Tube” style nozzle looks like this:

A Holley “Anti-pullover “ nozzle looks like this:

These nozzle types do not come on most carburetors from the factory, and the POWERBLAST PLATE was designed intentionally to not work with these nozzles. The “Tube” nozzle focuses the stream of fuel harder, which is the exact opposite of what we are trying to do with the POWERBLAST PLATE. For this and other scientific-based reasons, we decided to design the POWERBLAST PLATE to work only with standard “Straight” nozzles, which come on most all performance carbs from the factory. The good news, though, is that, if you have a “Tube” or “Anti-pullover” nozzle, you can easily replace it with a standard “Straight” nozzle of the same size, and run it with the POWERBLAST PLATE. No permanent change of your carburetor is required.

What is the value of the POWERBLAST PLATE?

As we mentioned, the POWERBLAST PLATE converts the stream of fuel from the acceleration circuit of the carburetor into a fully atomized mist of fuel. Atomized fuel will provide you with a quicker and smoother throttle response and transition up onto the main boosters. This improved response will allow you to accelerate faster and smoother from a stop and will help you to pass and climb smoothly and without hesitation- which makes your driving experience more enjoyable (and being able to enjoy your car is why you have it!). The POWERBLAST PLATE will help you to bring out more of your car's existing power potential sooner. And since the POWERBLAST PLATE installs utilizing existing hardware and does not require any filing, grinding or drilling of your carburetor, it makes for a simple, fast and pretty effortless install for anyone who is mechanically inclined, and it allows you to keep your carburetor in stock condition. The POWERBLAST PLATE's precise engineering saves you time, as well - simply install it the way you receive it... no need to file or bend the device to "make it fit" your carburetor. This is not something you have to continually tune on your carburetor, either, and it works every time you hit the gas. The POWERBLAST PLATE is proudly manufactured in the United States of America and is made from 260 American brass. With proper care and installation it will last the lifetime of your carburetor making this a valuable one-time purchase.

There is nothing else on the market you can spend so little on that gives your car this much added performance. As background information, before going to market, a panel of drivers did direct before and after tests (that is, they drove their own vehicles without the POWERBLAST PLATE first, and then drove the same vehicle roughly 10 minutes later with the only change being the addition of the POWERBLAST PLATE), and when asked what they would pay for the improved performance they just experienced, every single one of them said, "at least $100."

The chart below is a value comparison of the POWERBLAST PLATE (priced at its regular retail amounts for one and two plates, respectively), and other automotive devices producing similar horsepower improvements.

Does this device block the airflow of the carburetor?

The POWERBLAST PLATE atomizes and directs the fuel shot from the accelerator pump and thus does alter airflow, but to a positive performance gain. Any potentially blocked airflow is outweighed by the improved delivery and state of the fuel from the accelerator pump, as modified by the POWERBLAST PLATE. You can view the dyno test results on our Testing page, read the testimonials from just some of our customers on the Testimonials Page, and look over the Reviews on our Facebook page. The proof is in the performance.

Does the POWERBLAST PLATE work when you are drag racing with a trans-brake and 2 or 3 step rev. limiter?

If you are you running a trans-brake, and are wide open when you launch, the acceleration circuit will be complete before you launch. There is no additional throttle motion and therefore no additional accel pump spray to atomize at that point. That being said, we have reports from racers that the POWERBLAST PLATE helped in getting up on the trans-brake faster and smoother, which has won more than one race.

Do I have to re-tune my carb after I install the POWERBLAST PLATE?

For most applications you will not have to change any tuning. We suggest running a direct before/after with just adding the POWERBLAST PLATE and no other changes. You can tune from there, if needed, to get the best possible performance.

In most cases, you will not need to change the pump size, standard Straight accel pump nozzle, or pump cam from the factory settings. If you have changed any of these significantly from the factory settings, most of the time you can change them back for best results with the POWERBLAST PLATE. If your accel pump nozzles have been up-sized significantly, you can usually bring them back down to a factory setting for that carb when you run the PLATE. You do not need as much fuel as fast with the POWERBLAST PLATE, due to the greatly improved atomization.

How much is Postage / Shipping & Handling?

S&H for purchases of 1-3 PLATEs at one time: $5.00 via USPS First Class Parcel to anywhere in the United States. Purchases of 4 or more PLATEs at one time receive FREE USPS First-Class Parcel S&H to anywhere in the United States.

S&H Fees for all purchases sent abroad are calculated at checkout (and receive a discount off the carrier's retail rate). Both USPS and UPS are available to most countries.

Currently - Australia and most other countries can receive USPS First Class International Parcel service. New Zealand's border restrictions change frequently and often limits USPS services. All available options are listed at checkout.

The default delivery service is the United States Postal Service, as they have proven to be the least expensive and deliver most parcels in 4-5 business days (US) and usually within 15 business days (Internationally). [These estimates do not apply at this time due to COVID interference.]

Do you accept PayPal payments?

Yes, we accept PayPal purchases as well as Apple Pay and Shopify Payments in addition to all major credit cards.