Airaid intake and throttle body install

I just installed the airaid throttle body and intake. Took under an hour and all appears to be correct. I started the Hummer and they is a faint whining sound from the throttle body. Now, the important question: Will I get better performance(gas mileage and power) or this this strictly for show?

Let us know. Good Luck.

quote:

ORIGINAL: topcarbon

I just installed the airaid throttle body and intake. Took under an hour and all appears to be correct. I started the Hummer and they is a faint whining sound from the throttle body. Now, the important question: Will I get better performance(gas mileage and power) or this this strictly for show?

Well, if the throttle body has bigger ports/jets then it may consume a little of the "saved" gas to make a little more power by dumping a little more fuel. The intake will probably make up for some, or even all of it. So, you could end up with a bit more power, and a slight, to zero gain in mpg.. depending.

Better air in (free flow intake), and better air out (free flow exhuast) will gain some power and mileage. Anytime you start dumping more fuel via a chip or reprogram, or larger throttle body, then you run the risk of not gaining MPG, with the gained power. But, that's perfectly acceptable to many.

Did Airaid make any claims of what to expect from the new throttle body and intake?

quote:

ORIGINAL: Fireman

Did Airaid make any claims of what to expect from the new throttle body and intake?

Of course. Better colder air reduces heat and increases miles per galln. The throttle body doesnt increase the diameter, it increses the length. Inside there are grooves(like a bolt) that produce a swirling affest on the air which does something to the power. I am not a smart car guy. I am just happy I did it myself and I didnt break anything or strip anything or have to do it over.

That's how you learn about cars, by doing things yourself and taking a chance. Most people say the throttle body spacer doesn't do anything, but, I will probably get one anyway, because I love to tweak and test things. We are anxious to hear if you have or notice any performance/mileage increases.

I'm one that is skeptical about those TBSers..I think they are a glorified Turbonator/Tornado contraption..So Like Mike, Let us know if you sense or see a difference.

I'm a skeptic about everything, but for some reason, I still do it. Why? Because there is ALWAYS hope, and because Sucker is my middle name :)

I would never have purchased the spacer but I was looking for an after market CAI and found the Airaid duo for $125. Why not try it. If it doesnt do anything, I have an anodized red doohicky in the engine that most dont. One thing that I do notice is there seems to be more lowerend constant power through accelleration. Plus, the air induction is louder than stock. Next, I am going to put a magnaflow exhaust on, but wanted to wait to see if there is any difference. I will keep you posted on real gains.

It is probably restricting air flow. Did you JUST get the spacer, or was there something else that came in the package?

I dont see how it would restrict airflow. The spacer is the same diameter as the throttle body. what it does(supposedly) is create a cicular air flow from the grooves cut in the extension. Lets see if there is a difference.

quote:

ORIGINAL: topcarbon

quote:

ORIGINAL: Fireman

Did Airaid make any claims of what to expect from the new throttle body and intake?

Of course. Better colder air reduces heat and increases miles per galln. The throttle body doesnt increase the diameter, it increses the length. Inside there are grooves(like a bolt) that produce a swirling affest on the air which does something to the power. I am not a smart car guy. I am just happy I did it myself and I didnt break anything or strip anything or have to do it over.

You said in your post that you installed a throttle body, and air intake. What you installed is a TB spacer. So, when I replied about the throttle body, it was becuase aftermarket companies DO make aftermarket TB's that dump larger amounts of fuel (which is what I commented on, so there isn't anything wrong about my reply) it would be like putting a larger carb on an older vehicle. You were misleading in your post by calling the TB spacer a TB.

As for gains, I saw a mention in a wheeling mag that some TB spacers work for some engines, and not for others. The editors claimed it worked well on the inline 6 used in Jeeps do to the limited amount of space just inside the intake manifold. They thought that creating the extra space (on this engines design) did create a gain. Perhaps not so for other engines. So, maybe you will get something out of it.

The small swirls may obstruct it just a little, but I don't think it would be enough to cause any performance decrease, but I'm not an expert at it so I probably should not have said anything :)

There are clearly some misconceptions being posted here in regards to aftermarket throttlebodies. They in no way add more fuel to the engine. They are larger diater than stock to increase airflow into the engine. The 3.5 l is fuel injected and the only thing that can increase fuel into the motor is either heavier injectors or reprogramming the computer.

I don't think anyone is confusing The term throttle body with the SPACER do-hicky...What Fireman was saying was that he put on a larger throttle body which obviously had a larger Injector in it..hence the more fuel..I think then you are right about the I5, whereas it is a multiport fuel injected and has 5 individual injecters (one for each cylinder)..Whereas, a throttle body injection system, has one big a$$ injector in the throttle body for the whole engine (GM did this a lot on their first injected engines back in the 80's)...All we have on these I5 engines, is a butterfly valve in the throttle body to regulate air flow.

Actually, Fireman was right about what I said and did. I put a TB Spacer. I miss wrote. Sorry for the f**k up. Its just a doohicky that spaces the throttle body by about an inch from the air thingy.

OK SO, Have you seen any increase in performance? If so, I'm going to order one. I'm actually waiting to hear from your experience if you notice a difference or not after installing it. I think we ALL want to know ;-)

My thoughts on the SPACER..I think it's snake oil..I've mention this before..

The turbulance it is suppose to do to the intake air is before the intake manifold chambers and throttle body, which they themselves do that job of swirling the air..So IMHO, it is redundant to pre-swirl the air before the Throttle body with this Spacer..

And since this engine is multiported with 5 individual injectors, the intake chamber after the throttle body stirs up the air by design...

So this concept of swirling the intake air would have some merit with these TB spacers on Carburated or Throttle body injection systems.

But it's worthless on these type of injected engines.

So, what you are truely saying is topcarbon should have just sent his money to me because it would have had the same affect on his H3 that it does now invested into that part ;-)

quote:

ORIGINAL: HummerGuy

So, what you are truely saying is topcarbon should have just sent his money to me because it would have had the same affect on his H3 that it does now invested into that part ;-)

Exactly...But I was thinking more along the lines of sending ME the money..you got enough!

That's right buddy. Remember, I'm rich because I drive a $65,000 H3 and get 4 mpg!

I talked to a president of a company that designs the TB spacers. He basically said that if you have a restrictive air box then the TB spacer will help by increasing the available manifold plenum volume. If you have a low restriction air box, the benefits of the increased plenum volume decreases and the TB spacer isn't worth the lower gain.

Thanks for the info. We appreciate it. I have a K&N filter but the factory air box. Would that still be considered restrictive, or less restrictive? I was actually thinking about cutting a few air vents in the bottom of the box near the side where some air comes in through the gaps in the headlight housing to suck up extra air if needed.

When I had my camaro, I actually made a custom housing using that thermal engine compartment insulation and wrapped my entire air intake system with it to keep it cool. It seemed to make a difference.

You seem to know alot of detailed technical information about GM products. Thanks for helping us out. We all seem like novices compared to you :)

Okay, so here are some early results of the new stuff. On exclusive highway driving, speed of 65-75, there was a marginal increase in fuel economy. Maybe .5 miles per gallon. As far as pickup goes, there was a smoother power down low and for passing. I was able to smoothly go from 65 to 80 with little effort(less effort than before). I think the real difference will come when I put the Magnaflow Cat Back on next week. Although I am not overly impressed, I am not disappointed either. Hope this helps. Any improvement with little money out is always a good thing.

Cool. I honestly just want to avoid going to the gas station as much as possible. I was going to start taking the train to work every day, but now that all this terrorist stuff is acting up again, I think I'll just suck it up and keep driving. With as many people that take the train into the city everyday, I don't want to be one of those people that thinks "Oh that won't happen to me" and then be on the news saying "I didn't think it would happen to me" :)

(don't tell my wife, but it's just a really pathetic excuse to drive to work every day.....) OK well, there IS some justification in it.

Mike please take the train. If you drive to avoid terrorism you are letting them win. I work in the tallest building in Century City CA and it is considered a prime target. Do not believe everything you see on TV.

Get the K&n full kit nad you will be happy. Just ask the smart guys here Dennis, Dilo and Mr. Invisible.