Stay Away From Throttle Body Spacers
Jason (Admin) | Jul 21, 2008 | Comments 56
The engine in your Tundra is essentially a giant air pump – the more air that you can get into your motor, the more fuel that can be mixed with it and then combusted in order to generate more horsepower. There are a lot of different methods out there designed to help an engine “breathe” and maximize its power potential. Truck owners install performance air filters, cold air intakes, and even superchargers in order to get the most airflow possible, all in a chase for that extra horsepower edge.
There are some products out there that claim to be able to improve on the already significant engineering that has gone into your motor. Some of these products, like performance air filters and cold air intakes, work as advertised. These accessories improve performance because they trade an increase in performance for an increase in something else. In the case of air flow, it’s usually a trade between increased engine noise and an increase in power (not to mention expense).
Unfortunately, these usually simple enhancements sometimes claim excessive increases in horsepower and fuel mileage. We’ve tested a few cold air intakes and none of them matched the results printed on the box. Having said that, none of them disappointed us. However, one device that we have a hard time endorsing is known as a throttle body spacer.
We don’t recommend AirRaid’s throttle body spacer, or any other brand of throttle body spacer, for the Toyota Tundra (or any other modern fuel injected vehicle).
Designed to be installed between your truck’s throttle body and its intake, these devices, such as the PowerAid made by Airaid, claim to be able to create an intense “vortex” of air which will help better atomize fuel when the two are mixed together. According to the manufacturers, this is accomplished by a series of grooves which are carved inside the device itself.
Unfortunately, there are some flaws behind the engineering in this device. From a common sense perspective, if it were really that easy to add significant amounts of horsepower or fuel mileage gains, then these spacers would be stock equipment from the factory. Automakers need every competitive edge they can get in today’s market (especially when it comes to fuel economy) and none of them are leaving anything on the table in that area. The idea that a “vortex” could help the air and fuel mix together is not a bad one, but in the modern fuel injected engine air and fuel are not mixed together until they both find themselves in the cylinder [correction] air and fuel are mixed together inside the intake manifold, relatively far away from the throttle body prior to combustion.
In primitive forms of fuel injection (such as throttle body injection or old-fashioned carburetor models), where fuel was sprayed directly at the throttle body and then mixed with the air immediately before being routed to the cylinders, then perhaps a spacer would be of some benefit. However, the technology used in the Tundra’s multi-point fuel injection system precludes any useful effect from such a device. The chances that the air would still be feeling the effects of a vortex by the time it got through the intake to the cylinder are very low.
UPDATE: The Tundra 5.7 and 4.6L V8′s have something called ACIS, which stands for Acoustically Controlled Induction System. This system varies the airflow inside the intake manifold depending upon engine RPM in an attempt to generate a vortex and improve fuel mixing. While this is the same technique a throttle body spacer is supposed to employ, most Tundras already have this feature. If you own a 5.7 or 4.6 Tundra, do not but a throttle body spacer. You’ve already got ACIS.
If you drive anything other than a Tundra, we still don’t recommend a throttle body spacer. They rarely add more than 1 or 2 hp, and that’s just not cost effective. Your money can add more horsepower elsewhere.
Bottom Line: We do not endorse the use of a throttle body spacer on any modern fuel injected engine. Save your money and put it towards something else. A K&N performance air filter, for instance, costs half as much and it will definitely improve your engine’s performance and fuel economy.
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Filed Under: Toyota Tundra Accessories
This is your quote from the above paragraph:
“but in the modern fuel injected engine air and fuel are not mixed together until they both find themselves in the cylinder just prior to combustion.”
This is an incorrect statement and this statement ONLY applies to DIRECT INJECTION and not typical EFI. Typical EFI mixes fule in the intake runner similar to old carb’ed motors. Direct injection (not that common) puts the fuel and air in the cylinder seperately and just before combustion.
So Eric what they are saying above is wrong??
Eric – Thank you – the comment you made is correct and we have corrected the post. Still, as Mickey says, the main point of the article still holds true.
Throttlebody spacers are absolutely worthless unless you want to hear a whistle under your hood. I installed one on my ’07 Ram and removed it the very next week after I noticed a drop in power and significant throttle hesitation.
[...] fuel savings may come from the TBS as well. I read that the TBS are not good for the vehicle Stay Away From Throttle Body Spacers | tundraheadquarters.com what do you guys [...]
yeah, but according to the manufacturer’s website, the vortex is created from the “helix bore.” Whatever the hell that means.
This is just another one of those worthless Ebay products.
Hi,
nice information. Throttle Body Spacers are not good.
i have to disagree with the statement above. i installed one on my 02 chevy avalanche i got better gas miles and better performance.
im sorry but i dont agree either.. i put a tb spacer in my 01 dodge dakota sport and i noticed a substantial difference in throotle responce..i also like the whistle sound beween 3 and 4 thousand rpms.
[...] you go and for the folks who say they work, "Shame on you!" Avoid Throttle Body Spacers Stay Away From Throttle Body Spacers | Tundra Headquarters __________________ ’05 Stone White SRT4 ’04 Graphite PT [...]
so does a throotle body spacer work or not ?
Bobby – The 2nd to last sentence “We do not endorse the use of a throttle body spacer on any modern fuel injected engine.” They might add 1 or 2 hp in the right situation, but mostly they’re just a way to waste some cash.
I have a hummer H3 and I agree with you on the throttle body spacer. I purchased one and installed it on my Hummer. Before I installed it I noticed that the effective diameter of the inside of the unit would reduce the amount air the engine can pull in so I had my doubts. My fuel mileage and performance were reduced so I am removing the unit from my vehicle. I guess I am another person that purchased snake oil and I knew better.
Jim – I wouldn’t feel too bad – throttle body spacers were a legit performance add-on up until just a few years ago, and there are a lot of people who claim gains, so it’s hard to know for sure.
Thanks for commenting.
WOULD IT BE GOOD ON A CHEVY SILVERADO 4.8L V8 2009 EXT. CAB I HAVE AND INTAKE BUT WANT TO HEAR A WHISTLING SOUND AND HOPE THAT WITH THE AEM COLD AIR INTAKE AND FLOWMASTER EXHAUST I MAY GET SOME GAIN
Moose – Your truck is new enough that a throttle body spacer will have little or no impact.
I have to agree that they dont work. I installed an Airaid spacer on my 2009 GM sierra 6.2L (gas). It began giving me engine codes of too rich fuel and cyclinder miss fire. As soon as it was removed it went away and there was actually a power increase from the other up-grades I installed.
Ken – Good to know. I never would have guessed that a TBS would set an engine check code, but that’s another great reason to avoid this product.
Jason, I have a 04 Tunrdra Crewcab with a magnaflow muffler and a k%n intake it on it. Wouldn”t a helix power tower spacer be a good cheap upgrade since my truck is pre 07? Or am I wasting money
Charlie – My opinion is that these throttle body spacers are completely unnecessary for most vehicles past the early 90s. Unless your vehicle has throttle body injection or a carb, there’s no point.
well this is a bunch of bull… i just installed one on my f150 and a cold air intake and made a WORLD of diff. i mean it only makes sense right the better the motor can breath the better its gonna perform i mean thats high school auto class 101
dsfasch – Have you ever considered the idea that the cold air intake is 100% responsible for the improvement? Do me a favor – take the TBS off and see what you think. I guarantee it makes no difference. None. Unless your F150 is 1988 or older…then it might help.
Jason – that is a guarantee, placing a TBS on a fuel injected engine just does nothing. Well maybe some sound. lol The CAI is getting you all of the increase in power.
Was thinking of buying a TBS for my 2010 Tundra SR5 5.7L Flex Fuel but after reading some of these comments I don’t think I’m even going to waste my time. My question is “then what do you (jason)recommend to use for better MPGs in a tundra like mean? I already have the K&N Filter but I have installed yet but what else us there?
Thanks,
Pelon
Pelon – First, check out this post: http://www.tundraheadquarters......ndras-mpg/
Next, the accessories that can boost efficiency are:
- Air Intake
- Exhaust
- Unichip Tuner
- Less aggressive tires
- Remove any accessories that increase drag (bull bars, wind/bug deflectors, lift kits, etc.)
- Tonneau cover (only not a lot, and mostly on the highway)
TBS are intended to be used in conjunction with CAI’s. If you installed a TBS without an intake then yes you will notice a decrease in performance and a slight whistling gain, not to mention throttle lag. I installed aFe Stage 2 Magmun Force Sealed Intake, aFe TBS, and Gibson Exhaust System, and I must say I have noticed a moderate gain in HP and Torque. I own a 2007 Tundra CrewMax 5.7L V-8, and as we know this is a gas hog and air sucker. My mpg increased by about 2-3 mpg. I am very pleased with this combo.
Hi……..
I have installed TBS on my Yukon Denali 07 and I noticed an encrease in the torque but after that the engine service light show up and the car stabilizer as will. So dose that related to the TBS ?
Alucard,
Two things to check for this error.
1. Did you remove the negative battery cable prior to installing the TBS? If not then try that this will allow the ECU to rest and register the new air flow.
2. Did you install a CAI if so verify that your MAF sensor is installed the correct way as with mine I installed it backwards and I got an error. If you didnt install a CAI, just disconnect the MAF sensor and reconnect it. This should clear it.
Popehat – I really do believe that you know what you’re talking about, so when I ask this question I’m not intending to dispute your expertise.
How do you know the TBS works? Have you ever dyno’d one?
I’ve dyno’d a few of them, and they’ve never made a difference with or without a CAI. When you think about the technology, it’s easy to see why – a TBS doesn’t help a modern fuel injected engine.
That is correct with modern fuel injected engines adding a TBS wont make a major difference in performance, but if one is thinking of adding an intake they should consider adding a TBS for the simple fact that it will provide a smoother stream of air directlt to the chamber. I know on my Tundra there was a grid filter in the throttle body that restricted airflow and wasnt allowing for a clean mixture of fuel and air.
As you know with an OEM intake you get a lot of distorted air flow as with the CAI the air moves faster and flows more freely.
I have never dyno’d one but my dad works on vehicles and has been for 20+ years, and I have learned mostly from him and some personal experience.
Honestly, I cant prove if they work or dont work, its more of a preference for me. I will have to try to do a DYNO with the TBS and one without it and see what results are produced.
PopeHat – Fair enough. I think they’re a holdover from a bygone era, but I could be wrong.
Thanks for commenting!
I do however have a question… I want to level my truck, but I dont know if I want to lower the rear to match the front or raise the front to match the rear. Which is a better option? I dont haul or tow anything.
Popehat – In my opinion, the ability to run a bigger set of tires are the main benefit to raising your truck’s front end to level things out. Toss a 3″ leveling/lift kit on a 2007+ Tundra and you might be able to run 35′s (33′s with no trouble at all).
If you don’t want to invest in bigger tires, lowering the rear end makes a ton of sense because it improves stability and reduces body roll/body lean in the corners. Personally, this is the way I’d go. But I’m sports car kind of guy, so there you have it.
OK thanks.
I just replaced the flange gaskets on my exhaust 2007 tundra, because I noticed a water dripping out of the flanges where the muffler meets the catback. After replacing them I can feel air coming from between the two flanges. Im considering welding the two together. Any recommendations.
Popehat – Exhuast system water leakage isn’t abnormal – in fact, it’s probably a good thing as allowing that water to pool inside the system could cause rust.
As for air blowing out, that’s not a good thing, but it could be that the system hasn’t warmed up…is air leaking after the truck has been running for 15 minutes?
No air is leaking after the truck has been running for a few minutes just mainly upon start up. I took the flange gaskets out yesterday and noticed that they wasnt seated properly so I adjusted them and retightend the bolts and all is well at the moment.
I have a question. I have a Gibson Side Swept Exhaust, I noticed that I have a drone a cruising speeds of 50-55 mph. I have no idea how to correct this issue. Does anyone have suggestions.
I hope it’s okay to post a link for a possible Drone Killer?…
http://www.tundratalk.net/foru.....post656961
Popehat – Good work on that gasket. As for the drone, you can try a new set of tips that point the exhaust flow down towards the ground…but that’s about it. It’s a muffler design issue.
ok thanks. i was looking at getting the Zoomers Cannon Exhaust tip. will this help?
Also I decided to not lower the rear, but instead raise the front 2.5 in to match the front with toytec 2.5in lift. now im trying to decided on which size tire to get to cover the extra wheel space. any advice
Popehat – No idea if those specific tips will help or not, but I’ve seen downward pointing tips help before. As for the tires, see this page (check out the comments too):
http://www.tundraheadquarters......cks-tires/
I used the airaid product on my 2007 Tacoma 4×4 V6 an it made a dramatic improvement on my performance and MPG! I think I got the maximum performance because I had installed both the throttle body spacer and the intake system. Yea it may be a bit louder when I accelerated but personally, I kind of liked the whistle. Oh and another thing, I lost MPG later on when I had a flow master muffler installed! It kind of went back to my old mpg. So in all, don’t get too greedy with performance of you’re trying to maximize MPG.
Dannyboy – Glad to hear your truck is getting better fuel economy. All I would point out is the possibility that the air intake is 100% responsible…kind of hard to credit the spacer for an improvement unless you install it alone.
I installed a throttle body spacer and a bully cold air intake on my 2005 F150 5.4L. I noticed significant improvements in MPG on the highway. To top it off, I installed a Flow Master 1 inlet/2 outlet muffler. Before the swap, I would be able to drive up to 300 miles on a single tank. After the swap, almost 400 miles. That’s basically from New York to almost North Carolina!!!! I have to admit. A throttle body spacer alone will not increase your mpg’s!!! In order to achieve great results, you will need multiple components and spend anywhere from $800 to a grand, but it’ll be worth it!!!
You dont promote the throttle body spacer but yet its offered under your accessories and parts for the Tundra? Hmmmmmm
08 Tundra – Good point. It’s being removed right now…
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[...] buy a throttle body spacer – they’re not worth the money. Read more here: http://www.tundraheadquarters......y-spacers/ Airaid PowerAid Throttle Body Spacer2.33333333333333Jason2012-03-18 21:55:26Airaid PowerAid [...]
Jason- I wouldn’t have put one of these on if I didn’t get a good deal I called airaid and asked if they had one to fit a 2012 tundra they said they didnt yet,so the guy said he would sell me one for the 2011 tundra and if it fit he’d give me a good price so I said fine send me one..so long story short it fit fine..I paid $50+shipping.
[...] anyone confirm this on the throttle body spacers? Stay Away From Throttle Body Spacers | Tundra Headquarters [...]
“Automakers need every competitive edge they can get in today’s market (especially when it comes to fuel economy) and none of them are leaving anything on the table in that area. ”
I believe that this is a missinformed generilization and
disagree with the above quoted statement. I have made many upgrades to my 2003 Crown Victoria police car and I can tell you for sure that even a police car is not factory prepped for maximum power and efficiency. Fuel curves, timing, throttly body, air tube and pulleys for example are all areas where I have improoved my car. The Factory doesn’t “tweak” the motors for maximum efficiency and power because most people want a quiet smooth running car. Look at “true” cold air intakes…they don’t install them on most factory vehicals because they would be a noise complaint.
Catch what I am saying? The throttle spacer may not make a difference, but your Quote above is missleading to say the least.