Picking the right throttle body for your racecar is more than just finding something that looks like it will fit and move some air — it requires some calculated thought. Not selecting the right throttle body can greatly reduce how a well-planned engine combination will function and produce a tuning nightmare. Thankfully, Wilson Manifolds is able to provide some good baseline information about throttle body selection to make matching one to the engine much easier.

The first step in getting a throttle body that will function well is to know what kind of combination you will be running. This may seem like common sense, however, a four-blade throttle body won’t function with a boosted application, so knowing what direction you’re going will prevent issues.

John Rollins, a Nitrous Specialist at Wilson Manifolds, is able to provide some extra information on throttle body selection.

“There are two big things a racer needs to look at when they’re trying to decide is if a four-blade style or a single bore type of throttle body will work for them. This is based on if they’re replacing a four-barrel carburetor for a down drafts-style, or if they need a forward facing type of single bore where the air is coming in via a pipe in the car.”

The combination being used plays a role because forced induction, naturally aspirated, and nitrous induction systems all have different needs.

“For a forced induction application you would want to use the single bore-style throttle body with a V-band on it to help secure the charge pipe when it’s on the pressure side of the intake. Nitrous and N/A applications use the four blade-style for distribution purposes since it’s so critical in these engines to get them to run correctly,” Rollins explains.

Keith Wilson, owner of Wilson Manifolds, reminds racers that matching the throttle body to the intake type is important, and so is providing Wilson with information when it comes to helping you select an proper throttle body.

“The distribution of air from the throttle body has to match what the intake is doing when it comes to flowing the air when you’re selecting a throttle body. We also have to examine many factors like the style of racing, the weight of the car, what transmission they’re using, and how they do a burnout when we’re trying to help a customer choose a throttle body. Bigger isn’t always better, so you need to match the body to the induction system, power adder, and engine,” Wilson explains.

You can learn more about throttle body selection from Wilson Manifolds at their booth during the 2017 PRI Trade Show this December or on their website today!