Who's running a 52 mm TB?

I've read the other forums' threads on the topic. I see mostly good ratings about adding a 52 mm throttle body to a basically stock LT1 over the 48 mm stock one.

I've also read its a waste of money "for just increasing throttle response" was the popular negative comment. Also "instead of a 48 mm TB at 10% throttle , your intake is now recieving 15% throttle with a 52 mm at an actual 10%" was another (if you can understand how I typed it).

I can see both sides of the argument. However, I'm still interested. Seeing that most dyno runs show that its only worth is in the low to mid RPM range. Once you get up in RPMs it flattens out and does nothing for performance. Now, for a street car, I think that is very acceptable and worthy of the swap. Who doesn't like smoking imports at stop lights? That's all low to mid RPM stuff on most surface roads here.

Even if I were to take it to say, seekonk speedway for spectator drags, it's a tiny track. I feel that this mod, along with heads, cam, tune, etc would be great as you won't be in higher RPM levels for very long. As I was against the idea before, I'm also looking to descreen the MAF and TB bypass. Newbie mods, but I was honestly afraid to wreck stuff. But with a little more knowledge and hands on I feel more comfortable. I mean, when is my throttle ever gonna ice up??? I NEVER drive it in the winter/extreme cold.

I've seen some TBs come with a bypass kit as well as a built in air foil. I have a bolt on, but I can't recall feeling a difference even with the CAI.

Of course theirs a bit more involved to it like the TPS and all, but I'll save my breath invade this thread gets little to no attention.

If anyone has one they've used and feels it essentially a bullet proof mod, lmk what it is and if you got before/after dyno runs or run at the strip times.

Well, I don't think you'd need a bigger T.B. without cam/heads.rockers/tune.

If anything, it will probably give you a tip-in hesitation. JMO


Whatever you do, DON'T TAKE THE SCREEN OUT OF THE MAF!

It is there to straighten the airflow, removing it causes turbulence, and messes with the MAF readings.

Thanks Al. The opposite of everything I've read.

But that's good. That's what I'm looking for. An opinion from THIS forum.

Sorry Bri, didn't open this before because I wasn't running one yet.

But yeah, pretty much what Al said. It's not a worthwhile upgrade until it becomes a restriction. In my case, I think it is. Which is why I purchased one, a couple years ago for the Impala(!) but have yet to install it. In your case, not so much.

Thanks for the input, Bill. Bolt-ons it is!

+3 to everything Bill and Al touched upon. If you want better throttle response, get a boot to mount the MAF right in front of the TB, then a cone filter off the MAF. And a shield to keep hot radiator heat from being pulled in. LT1s like a straight cool dense air flow. Well any engine will benefit actually. Think of how a wet/dry vacuum gets louder and feels like it is more powerful when you take the hose off with it on. Same principle.

IMPALADAKID wrote:

+3 to everything Bill and Al touched upon. If you want better throttle response, get a boot to mount the MAF right in front of the TB, then a cone filter off the MAF. And a shield to keep hot radiator heat from being pulled in. LT1s like a straight cool dense air flow. Well any engine will benefit actually. Think of how a wet/dry vacuum gets louder and feels like it is more powerful when you take the hose off with it on. Same principle.

Excellent point! Everything you described, do they even make RAISS or similar kits still? I'd love to ditch the traditional K&N and stock elbow I have. Given that elbow creates un wanted turbulence and even the air foil can't fix it 100% given its "absolute last minute" location.

Keep in mind that you'll have to lengthen the MAF wires if you do that. You could either cut and solder or get a harness extension off eBay, iirc.

Also, I had always heard that if you've move the filter directly in front of the TB, then it needs to be adjusted for in the tune. Not sure how or where to adjust, or if it's even a valid concern, but there it is.