Throttle body location???

[titaniumdave]

I am to the point of making the new intake for my 2.3 L Whipple Blower. The intercooled manifold has raise the blower by about 1", so I have to make up the height in the intake, plus it has a different bolt pattern. I was looking a the motor on the stand last night, with the throttle body nested in the more or less stock location and wondered if there is any reason we always tend to leave it parallel to the ground?

I can make a much more direct run by tipping the throttle body at an angle, straight line from the air box to the blower intake. This seems so logical, I am figuring there is a reason it won't work...

Has anyone tried this or know why it won't work????

 

[Prospeed]

Hi Titanium Dave, I have had a lil experience with tilting my individual throttle bodies on my on h22a race engine. There are no problems associated with doing it as far as i know. I believe it is usually done parallel due to engine package. I have seen ITB's parallel and vertical. Heres is a manifold made for the k-series engine using a mustang throttle body. I have seen it up close and as you can tell by the picture the throttle body points down. Hope that helps.

Heres the pic

 

[Ponyboy]

I can make a much more direct run by tipping the throttle body at an angle, straight line from the air box to the blower intake. This seems so logical, I am figuring there is a reason it won't work...

Has anyone tried this or know why it won't work????

Are you talking about just angling the throttle body or the airbox itself? If the TB, I believe the reason is to maintain/augment, as much as possible, air flow velocity and quality. If the airbox, my best guess is that the OE intake runner length is tuned for resonance frequency (in addition to air flow velocity and quality) and varying (by angling) individual runner length will negatively effect the "tune."

But ICBW.

 

[titaniumdave]

Are you talking about just angling the throttle body or the airbox itself? If the TB, I believe the reason is to maintain/augment, as much as possible, air flow velocity and quality. If the airbox, my best guess is that the OE intake runner length is tuned for resonance frequency (in addition to air flow velocity and quality) and varying (by angling) individual runner length will negatively effect the "tune."

But ICBW.

But the air flow is horrible with the CT intake from the throttle body to the blower, makes 2 90 degree turns in 8"!

I can straighten most of this out and have 2 20 degree turns total, one before the TB and one going into the blower. It just won't look any where close to stock:biggrin:

I have a CT air box and a Downforce vent funnel, so I am sure the stock tune is gone, what ever Honda had in mind for runners and air flow. The stock location seems ideal of the stock manifold, a straight line from the air box to the manifold. I guess CT kept as many things in stock locations as possible to limit the issues with a kit install, not about maximum performance.

 

[Bob Kenney]

Dave,

I have seen throttle bodies that were vertical, horizontal, inverted and even splayed. I don't believe you will have any problems. Of course none were on an NSX; so as you have done many times before; there is only one way to test the theory. :biggrin:

 

[Ponyboy]

But the air flow is horrible with the CT intake from the throttle body to the blower, makes 2 90 degree turns in 8"!

Since you're SC'd, I don't think air flow quality and velocity is as important. My thoughts were towards the OE intake manifold design.

I can straighten most of this out and have 2 20 degree turns total, one before the TB and one going into the blower. It just won't look any where close to stock:biggrin:

Any amount of air flow improvement is going to be better than 2 90 degree turns. How much is probably going to be fractional at best. And I know looking stock is isn't very high on your list of goals.

I guess CT kept as many things in stock locations as possible to limit the issues with a kit install, not about maximum performance.

You're already at over 100% volumetric efficiency so any resonance tuning benefit is going to be just gilding the lily. And yeah, I'm sure packaging was a part of the SC design equation.

 

[titaniumdave]

Thanks for the thoughts, sounds like full speed ahead!!!:biggrin:

 

[JeffShoots]

Dave, I like the 3" silicone ~20-30 degree airbox to a strait pipe into the SCs intake.

Clean and easy just not to stock looking :biggrin:

BTW: Your cell phone SUCKS