What's up guys. I'm running a 383, RHS 180 heads, 223/227 Voodoo cam, Darin Dochterman ported stock base, cut open/ported/welded SLP runners, SLP 1.75 headers, etc. etc. .....and a stock TB.

The senior members will remember the days of arguing over aftermarket TB's and all the guys swearing their stock LB9 cars picked up .5 a second with a 52mm, and all that crap. I'm so set in my mind that it's a waste of money and not worth it. I feel like I've been through the aftermarket TB exercise over and over, and I know my stuff ...BUT.....somewhere along the way, I picked up heads, a cam, and 33 extra inches, and now I'm wondering if maybe it's worth picking up. Maybe my TPI 101 knowledge has gotten lazy over the years having moved past the basics almost 15 years ago. Perhaps my Kung Fu has gotten weak, and I need to hit the gym.

Should I pick up a TB???

 

Look at the ramjet 502 it has a stock 48mm. Aftermarket bling is nice but there's better bang for your buck out there.i could see wot gains but is it worth the money I'd say no. Just my two cents.

 

Only reason I bought a 52mm for my build is because it was a nice, new TB, vs my 150k OE one. I don't expect performance gains from the TB really. It's just nice to look at.

 

...that's always been my argument too. -BUT, I know not every decision at GM is made around peak performance. Again, for a stock/modded 350, I never swapped. Just wondered if maybe with a 383 it would show a gain. I still feel the TPI, hogged out as it is, is still the bottleneck. Man it's violent beast outta the hole. Then it's done. lol.

 

Have you dynoed your current set up with the stock tb?

 

Nah, not yet. I just got the car up and running a few months ago. The Holley EFI did a great job of self tuning, and I've been learning the software and how to tune with basic tweaking etc. etc. I'm about to start looking for more power in the tune, but it definitely runs great now. I had some "butt dyno" expectations, and thus far it hasn't disappointed. The thing that got my attention was that it's running out of breath right at 5k. I know it's a 383, with a long tube set up, but I really felt there'd be a little more. Factory tach is off, and until I really looked at some WOT runs on the datalog, I didn't realize it was "only" running to about 5000/5100. I know that's about right, but....had hoped for a little more.

 

yup...and you are right waste of money

 

I've always looked at it a couple ways... First, until somebody shows dyno evidence it hurts performance, I like the coolness factor Plus, back in the day, Lingenfelter was one of the first TPI gurus. If he used it on all his built motors, it must have been deemed necessary at some point, right?

 

I once had a computer program that would allow me to change intake flow numbers
runner length, cu.in. and cam specs. Then it would show max air flow thru the motor.
The most I could get it to flow with a 355 230-230 cam 200cc heads, intake that flowed
320 CFM per runner was 760 CFM total.
So with your combo.....waste of money.
HTH

 

Stock TB is good for at least 400 HP according to a 58mm BBK test Super Chevy ran a while ago. I.e. There was no difference in power made.

 

LOL, I was gonna post the same thing, John Lingenfelter was the MAN!!! He dynoed every part to squeeze out every hp he could, and everything he touched backed up his word. He included 52mm TB's in his packages. And the guy knew his stuff, better than most anybody.

 

He wouldn't be the first business man to sell you something you don't need. If it added a .2 hp hell put it in our package and bump the price. This has been proven time and time again a 52mm or 58mm tb had no advantage over a stock tb.

 

Same story on the Mustang 5.0's back in the day. No performance gain but cool to have.