4.0L OHV & SOHC V6 Tech General discussion of 4.0L OHV and SOHC V6 Ford Ranger engines.

What does a throttle body spacer do?

  #1  
Old 11-01-2008
Jazz921's Avatar
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Evansville, IN
Posts: 997
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
What does a throttle body spacer do?

I havnt don to much to my engine but have heard a lot about the throttle body spacer and having better mileage and horsepower. What does this thing actually do and does it work?
 

Last edited by Jazz921; 11-01-2008 at 05:37 PM.
  #2  
Old 11-01-2008
Igobytwitch's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Cocoa Beach, Florida
Posts: 504
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Google.... I came up with this
A Throttle Body Spacer is an add on to your air/fuel intake area. Originally
used in the days of vehicles with carburetors, a throttle body spacer would
allow additional fuel/air mix to be present to allow for additional power, or
was used to "disturb" the air in such a way so that the fuel would form smaller
droplets. In current fuel injected vehicles, the spacer would allow for a
greater amount of air contained within the throttle body assembly so that the
engine would not have to work as hard in getting the air into the engine.
 
  #3  
Old 11-01-2008
korey89's Avatar
Member
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: South, FL
Posts: 4,672
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes on 5 Posts
Nothing, just makes noise. Sure in some random car it might in theory make .37 HP at 13,000rpm, but for you or me it will do nothing other then make a little bit of a whistling noise.
 
  #4  
Old 11-01-2008
i_luv_strats's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: bremerton wa
Posts: 338
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
does nothing, trust me i read the hype and bought one, did nothing but make noise.
 
  #5  
Old 11-01-2008
mudranger96's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Lehigh Acres, FL
Posts: 2,549
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
It makes a real good paper weight
 
  #6  
Old 11-01-2008
04blackedge's Avatar
RF Veteran
iTrader: (13)
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Durham, NC
Posts: 23,426
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes on 6 Posts
It does work on other engine setups, but not ours.
 
  #7  
Old 11-01-2008
Fx4wannabe01's Avatar
RF Veteran
iTrader: (23)
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Boring, Oregon
Posts: 21,721
Likes: 0
Received 10 Likes on 10 Posts
it does nothing but add a sweeeet sweeeet whistle sound. that's it.
 
  #8  
Old 11-01-2008
karrbass4life's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 3,072
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Anyone ever get a video of one making the noise? I'd like to get a used one for a couple bucks.
 
  #9  
Old 11-01-2008
shagmail's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Millington Tn
Posts: 132
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It also increases the effective length of the runners adding to low end torque. But I havent seen anything that can substanciate this on an EFI engine. Carb/ yes, carb in a racing application/ yes. EFI/ no.

****
Save your money say no to the spacer.
 
  #10  
Old 11-02-2008
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: WARWICK RI
Posts: 895
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
it did a little in my freinds 1994 chevy 1500 with a 350 that becuse it has the f up fuel injetion on the throttle body
 
  #11  
Old 11-02-2008
Jazz921's Avatar
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Evansville, IN
Posts: 997
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks guys, just what I was thinking, a waste of money. So, I have another question and instead of opening a new thread, I will just ask here.

What does the under drive pully system do for a 4.0 SOHC? I had thought about this mod a lot but wasnt sure what it will do for me.
 
  #12  
Old 11-02-2008
Urandaman's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: wher ever uncle sam wants
Posts: 1,193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
i had on on my f150.. free with the intake i bought from this guy... sounded like i had a supercharger on it at a certain rpm if i held it there haha...
 
  #13  
Old 11-02-2008
Fx4wannabe01's Avatar
RF Veteran
iTrader: (23)
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Boring, Oregon
Posts: 21,721
Likes: 0
Received 10 Likes on 10 Posts
i've tried several times to pickup on the whistle...no luck whatsoever.
 
  #14  
Old 11-02-2008
karrbass4life's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 3,072
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
LOL i swear someone had a video of one on a ranger making noise.
 
  #15  
Old 11-03-2008
shagmail's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Millington Tn
Posts: 132
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The underdrive pully slows the accesories down in speed and like shifting gears on a 10 speed makes them easier to turn..... they just turn slower. I had one on my 2.3 ranger, i could tell a diffrence. The 4.0 U/D is supposed to produce real diffrences but I dont know for sure yet.

then theres the price. This piece had an intergral harmonic ballancer and because of that is more expensive than just the pully. And if you have issues with charging your battery because of an amp or huge sterio then an U/D is not for you.

But if you have all that then you should upgrade the alt anyway. An upgraded alt and the U/D pully might even be able to keep up. You could even use a U/D crank pully and a O/D alt pully in combination if you still do, but then your getting back to normal crank loads so your spending money for almost nothing not factoring in the Water pump, AC compressor and power steering pump (and whatever else the ranger has up there).

I dont think an U/D crank should have problems with a mild stereo system, the normal electronics, and even an electric fan. But you will have to make the call on that after you evaluate your driving habits.

****
 
  #16  
Old 11-03-2008
shagmail's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Millington Tn
Posts: 132
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
theres alot of info on the U/D pully here, do a search you you will get enough to choke a horse with it.
****
 
  #17  
Old 11-03-2008
wydopnthrtl's Avatar
Member
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Ohio
Posts: 2,496
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes on 6 Posts
Check out my web page
 
  #18  
Old 11-05-2008
RedRocket08's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Fresno, OH
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My throttle body spacer along with the K&N intake makes a real high pitch noise.. especially when cold
 
  #19  
Old 11-05-2008
wydopnthrtl's Avatar
Member
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Ohio
Posts: 2,496
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes on 6 Posts
Adding a spacer to a intake on a stock 4.0L won't gain you anything at all.

In the tune there is a parameter for this volume. But it has more to do with throttle response than anything else.

On a very technical level increasing the intake volume and not changing anything else; would make the throttle response more lethargic and it would decrease top end flow rates. And there-for top end power.

The only reason anyone with a stock 4.0L should add something like this is for mounting a nitrous nozzle.
 
  #20  
Old 11-05-2008
Fx4wannabe01's Avatar
RF Veteran
iTrader: (23)
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Boring, Oregon
Posts: 21,721
Likes: 0
Received 10 Likes on 10 Posts
Alot like a carb plate for nitrous? I like the idea. lol.
 
  #21  
Old 11-08-2008
ringer4x4's Avatar
Member
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: upstate ny
Posts: 544
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
so possible to gain throttle response?
 
  #22  
Old 11-08-2008
SparkYZ's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Granada Hills, CA
Posts: 679
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rich just said the throttle response would be lethargic, meaning slow.

Throttle bodies for our EFI 4.0's are a waste of time and money.
 
  #23  
Old 11-23-2008
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: San Deigo, CA
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Like everyone has said, a throttle body spacer on a EFI car is a waste of money
 
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
08 superduty
4.0L OHV & SOHC V6 Tech
23
03-24-2011 06:02 PM
dangelj316
4.0L OHV & SOHC V6 Tech
34
11-17-2007 12:41 AM
dontbehatin2010
2.3L & 2.5L I4 Tech
8
10-12-2006 06:17 PM
ZoNe5
SOHC - 2.3L & 2.5L Lima Engines
12
02-06-2006 12:16 PM
Sonic_03
4.0L OHV & SOHC V6 Tech
34
08-15-2005 08:09 PM


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Quick Reply: What does a throttle body spacer do?



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:25 AM.