Do Those Aftermarket Throttle-body Gadgets Really Work??

[Randy Eads]

They make some pretty proud claims for these devices and I was curious if the actual users had successful results. I am referencing the airfoil that supposedly "reducing power zapping turbulence".

 

[Ken]

The foil doesn't do much until you're at wide-open throttle, so unless you've got your foot to the floor all the time, I'd advise spending the money on something more worthwhile, such as improvements an air filter, exhaust upgrades, etc..

Something to remember when buying parts that advertise certain horsepower/torque gains - they have to work in conjunction with each other before you're going to see any noticeable improvements. Caveat emptor!

 

[Vettefan87]

Most will say no, but the 52mm Throttle bodys already have them molded into it, so maybe that means something. For like 30 bucks dont expect to much. I have one in my car and I would buy one if it didn't.


Justin

 

[Edmond]

The worst case scenario is that you'll be out $30.

 

[vader86]

Junk

 

[Tuna]

Mostly they improve the seller's bottom line. Sometimes they make you feel like you have more power. I bought an air foil for mine a long time ago and I still have it installed - as long as it's not hurting anything, what does it matter. If the dyno runs didn't cost so much, I'll pull it out and see if it really did make any difference. Then again, dyno runs are always at full throttle, so you don't really know if they improve drivability in town. The whole issue becomes very subjective when you start talking drivability vice HP gains.

There are other things to spend money on that actually do some measurable good.

 

[Hib Halverson]

"Air foils" do little or nothing for stock or near stock engines. Once the engine gets modified such that it's air flow is significantly more than stock, then these "air foils," which are actually a fairing or a streamlining device that fit between the two bores of the throttle body, might be useful but, even then, the improvement is incremental.

 

[Rogue]

It only works at Wide Open Throttle, and high RPM's. You'll get more out of it if you have an LT1 that makes its maximum power past 4,500 RPM.

All by themselves, you won't notice anything. But do they actually work?

Well, in the later half of the 1980's when the SCCA created the Corvette Challenge series of races where they raced identically prepped C4 Corvettes, I read that every single car HAD the airfoil thingies installed. So.....