Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Duratec Performance Throttle Body Optimization Howto isnt for everyone

I dont know if this was addressed before but the Throttle Body Optimization Mod in the how-to doesnt work for every vehicle as it implies.

Last night I took a shot at it and it didnt go a smoothly as I hoped. The instructions are written assuming the throttle body shaft, where the plate is attached, is a semi-circle and the plate screwed directly to the shaft (as in the first pic of the how to). Maybe I could have avoided this by inspecting my throttle body a lil closer but... when i got to the part where Im removing the plate from the shaft i realized there was 2 halfs to this shaft and the screws did not touch the plate directly. In other words the shaft was slotted to hold the plate on place and the screws "sandwiched" everything tight.

I didnt realize what i had until everything was apart so not to make the project a waste i "optimizted" what i could. I countersunk the holes on one the SHAFT (not the plate) where the screw heads would rest. The intent was the same, to increase the open surface area when plate was turn 90 degrees @ full throttle. I was able to complete the part of the intructions for filing off the protruding threads of the screws, making it flush with the shaft.

I though about cutting off one side of the shaft to make it look like the pictured setup but figured it was built like that for a reason. Doing so could have weakened the structure, either braking or warping the shaft over time.

I dont know if i just have a freak of a car or if there are others out there with setups like mine, that would not allow them to optimized their throttle body as instructed. If anyone else has come across this give a shout, id like to know what category i fall in. And if theres enough then the how-to needs to be rewritten.

I have pictures of what i did, if someone is willing to host them it would help alot in understanding what i mean.

send em to me I will host em

Qwk98svt@aol.com

-Jeff-

That's how they all are ( or most at least). The how to is not very specific in that section. You are supposed to cut off the top half shaft. It will not weaken the structure, each shaft is pretty darn strong. The how to is right, but it does not exactly say you have to cut it off. I guess they assumed it was a given when they wrote it...But yeah, cut that baby off and countersink the screws.

ok well the howto needs to be rewritten to include that vital step. How do we go about getting that done?

Maybe ill cut it off the next time im in there, i didnt have time sit around with my throttle body off my car, hoping someone responded to my post soon.

Here is pupet's pic, Hope it helps you out.



-Jeff-

See the top half shaft with the holes in it, cut that off...you can use a dremel with a cutting wheel or something along the lines of a hack saw. Cut it so that there is a straight wall up along the sides from where the bottom connects. I agree that the how to needs to be changed, but don't know who to tell, do you?

Even the Zetec TB's are like that.

Before:


After:


We've just about got the TB optimization videos downloaded to the PC and are editing a little bit just about every night. Hopefully I should have those videos done before the end of the year, or at least early next year to help everyone out in situations like this.