rsm throttlebody

[lil_ryan]

i have seen posts that the rsm 80mm throttle body cost $250. i called them today and they told me 425+110 for core. where are you all finding your prices. i would want the spacer also. also, should i modify my airbox with a k&n or do a cone filter.

ryan

[TDK]

Ryan,

If you want more go-ahead quicker, forget wasting money on the throttle body, non-factory filter etc. Check the archives for info on those bogus bolt-on's.

Depending on you budget, try either of the following:

1. Install a higher stall speed converter in tranny. To get engine up to max rpm/hp at launch. Some loss of mpg - but the max bang for the buck.

2. Install larger cat-back exhaust system (Corsa, Flowmaaster, etc). Increased noise, but a few more hp than factory quiet.

Good luck

[Cupillac]

1. Install a higher stall speed converter in tranny. To get engine up to max rpm/hp at launch. Some loss of mpg - but the max bang for the buck.

Where would you find one of those?

Does anyone have one installed?

[jazbo]

It's so bogus the bigger TB found it's way into the new Northstar design. I doubt that this improvement is 100% necessary/helpful because of certain differences in the new NS, and it's 0% helpful with the older one. With the older NS the TB, plenum, and intake manifold are 75, 78 and 80mm respectively and simply mismatched. I believe the new NS eliminates this situation and the RSM work will mitigate it as well.

That said, it is expensive (perhaps the prices have gone up) and the gains in power are modest. You may not notice it a bunch. This is a small improvement - certainly much less than 10 HP at the wheels. It's a lot of money for a relatively small gain. Some people will think adding 5 to 7 HP or even 2 or 3 at the wheels is pretty cool, others will think it's not worth the money or bother.

Anyway, stick with the panel. Unless a cone filter is heat shielded really good you will pull hot air off the engine and lose big time. The easiest thing to do is just drop the panel into the stock box and be done. Any gains will be on the top end only. Again, it's not huge. Don't expect to "feel" it.

[Ed Hall]

Where would you find one of those?

Does anyone have one installed?

Al's Transmission

(360) 377-9891

3737 Arsenal Way

Bremerton, WA 98312

I've had good luck with this shop for doing custom torque converter work. You send them your torque converter and they'll do what ever you want to do to it. I don't know exactly what is involved with raising the stall speed but one of the things they do is install a plate over the converter fins that ties all the fins together. This alone raises the stall speed quite a bit and also makes a lot stronger converter. Their prices are also very reasonable.

You can also gain more power by installing smaller diameter tires. Find a set of 14" tires off a mid 80's cadillac and you'll feel a big difference.

[an01sts]

If you have never dirven a car with a stall converter, you may want to take one for a spin because stall converters aint for everyone who seeks performance. At light throttle the car is sluggish; in fat, it's a pos. In other words, stall's are only good for wot, and you'll sacrifice every other aspect. As I said, stall's aint for everyone because I wouldn't have a stall converter in anything.

The smaller diamater tires is a good choice because it complements low end performance, giving the car sharp response at light throttle.

I'm lost as to the 80mm throttle body, and the way it's viewed as a cost effective upgrade. I have no clue as to how much performance it offers. I know that the n/s has virtually no upgrades, so you have to take what you can get.

Because there are no performance upgrades, I don't see how an upgrade can be consdered not cost effective hp. I mean there isn't any upgrades, so any upgrade is cost effective hp.

You say it's $525 because--alas--you're not trading in a 80mm body. 2 or 3 hp at the wheels is more than petty cool. Rather it means that you have an edge over identical stock vehicles.

I'm lost as to how cost effective hp is determined: On my car, the Corsa is $1.2k in a diy kit, and I'm sure that labor would make it at least $1.5k if you had it installed. They claim UP TO 20 HP. That UP TO allows whater margin of error, so lets spilt the difference and say 10 hp. Drop 25% because it's crank--not wheels--hp, so the increase is 7.5 hp wheel hp. That happens to average out to exactly $200 per horse.

Again, I don't know so I'll use other's information, giving the benifit of the doubt as to its crediblity: You pay $525 for the 80 mm t/b, and it gives you--lets split it and call it 5 hp at the wheels. That figure happens to be exactly $105 per horse. I don't view it in such a light, but I'll be flexible and say what's the big deal about 2.5 horses.

In addition, the Corsa is a noisy system, so the t/b would be a much more stealth upgrade; also, you butcher your car up, whereby the t/b is merely a bolt on. Another point to consider is that it's a bolt together exaust system. I don't care what fancy names they give the clamps, bolt togther exaust systems are notorious for exaust leaks. So unless it's welded, you stand a good chance of having a faluty exaust. By the way, I think that the answer would be a no-brainer to ask if a welded Corsa voided its warrenty.

gain, I cannot say whether or not the t/b a bogus upgrade. The thing is that if it does give you additinal power, it's cost effective because you don't have any options where you have to give up postive aspects, wether it's throttle response of sound quality.

Free horses are nothing to sneeze at--even if it's only one horse--and a free horse is something to get major excited about. I did an air box modification that is similar to the this one.

http://caddyinfo.netgetgoing.com/dyno/auroraair.htm

In addition to it giving my car overall improved performance, there is also documented dyno tests of wheel hp gain from the modification. I don't remember how much gain, but any gain is horsepower for free. I've also read where people are cutting holes in the splash pan. I'm not familiar with the Aurora, but I'm sure that the design is similar to my STS. The fender compartment area where the air box drinks air receives more than an adequate flow of cold air. If you cut a hole in the pan, it could lead to disaster if water could splash into the induction system. (By the way, hacking a hole in the splash pan is the noise maker aspect of this modification. If you don't cut a hole in the splash pan, the area muffels the sound, and the increase in sound is barely noticable if at all.)

If your car has an air tube under the air box, there is mention of hacking it open. That will increase flow, but the thing is that if you remove it completly--and seal the air box to the frame to ensure only cold air pickup--it offers maximum flow because the air horn restricts flow into the box. There is mention that devaining offers almost no notcable gain in hp. This is another just-a-little-isn't-worth-it that I cannot understand. Any gain even .1 hp is worth it if you don't have to spend any money, and it's worth 100 horese if no can tell that it's modified.

I think that the air box modification is by far the best modification you can do becuse it's free horsepower. I haven't done either, but you can also remove the MAF screen. Although it doesn't state it, but you can remove the screen on the filter and tweak another fraction into the total package. (I'm staying with the ACDelco filter. This summer when my street racing season reopens, I might use a K & N filter when I go spend my weekends at race city. Still, I'm relying on genuine GM for 99.9% of the time.) As far as buying all the rest of the stuff, I'm just as lost as you as to the claims.