How to Buy the Best Performance Throttle Body

Your vehicle’s throttle body helps your motor by measuring the amount of airflow which enters your engine. There are two main types of throttle body systems. On older vehicles, a special cable attached to the throttle body’s moveable plates (also called butterflies) pulls them open when you step on the gas to let in fresh air. Newer models are usually equipped with a “drive-by-wire” system. This means that instead of sporting a cable, the throttle body is equipped with a potentiometer, the gas pedal with a potentiometer.

Whichever of the two you have, both serve the same purpose. They open and close your throttle body’s “butterflies” to let cool air inside your engine. And the more the fresh air, the greater the power. But… sometimes your throttle body is not large enough to feed enough air to your engine. Even when its butterflies are completely opened. In those cases, the engine’s power potential is being limited. And the only way around that is to upgrade to a performance throttle body.

The only way to unleash your vehicle’s potential power is by upgrading to a performance throttle body with a larger internal bore. This will deliver the needed air flow inside your engine and will unlock that dormant horsepower. But don’t make the mistake of purchasing the biggest throttle body you find! After all, horsepower is not only generated by a high air flow. Horsepower is generated by an interplay of air volume, velocity, and turbulence. And if one of those factors is off, you will hurt your engine’s power. That’s why if you install a throttle body that’s too big, you will end up with too much air volume at the expense of velocity and turbulence.

A throttle body’s internal bore is available in several different sizes, shown in millimetres. And the size of the internal bore dictates at what RMP your vehicle will generate the most horsepower. The general rule is: the bigger the size, the higher the RPM needed for a kick of power. If your new throttle body is too big your vehicle will feel tired at lower RPMs, while really taking off powerfully at higher RPMs (when the engine’s demand of air flow matches up with the the internal bore’a bigger size). And this is why going with a larger throttle body could be exactly what you need. It will deliver the boost in performance you’re looking for without sacrificing acceleration.

Remember these three simple rules when shopping for a new performance throttle body:

 Confirm that the throttle body you want is emissions-legal in your province or state.

- Bigger is not necessarily better when choosing a throttle body. If you’re vehicle is close to stock, you’ll be best off with an only slightly bigger size.

- Think about the future mods you’re planning to make. If you’re planning major performance upgrades, invest in a bigger throttle body from the get-to. This will ensure you have the air flow you’ll need down the road.

Still can't find the best performance throttle body for your vehicle? Drop us a comment below and we'll help you figure it out!