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Installing A Poweraid Throttle Body Spacer

Throttle body spacers have been a common modification to trucks and muscle cars for decades. The helix bore of the throttle body spins the incoming air all the way to the combustion chamber, which causes a more efficient burn of the fuel air mixture and increases horsepower as well as torque. As engine and engine control technology has increased over the last decade the gains from spacers has diminished somewhat. Most people that install spacers notice improved mid-range acceleration and a slight increase in fuel economy. It is one of the easiest modifications you can do your Avalanche and at roughly $110, one that will over time pay for itself. Installing a throttle body spacer will not void your factory warranty.

The Poweraid throttle body spacer (EVG-200-514 for the Chevrolet Avalanche) can be purchased for under $110 from Macromotive. Graham Bryant aka Helmet installed one on his CK1500 5.3 liter V-8 4X4 Avalanche and detailed the procedure. In roughly 30 minutes you can have some power to play to with. The directions that come with the kit are straight forward but not detailed enough for someone who doesn’t spend much time under the hood. Graham was able to complete his project with nothing more than a ratchet set and didn’t have to cut, bend, or break anything to finish the job. Here are the steps he used complete with some great pictures of his efforts!

Step 1: Remove the air intake tube (fig. A) from the throttle body with a 5/16" socket.

Step 2: Remove the bolt from the plastic manifold cover (fig. A) with an 8mm socket.

Step 3: Remove the three bolts from the throttle cable bracket (fig. B) using an 8mm socket. Be very careful not to disconnect the cables.

Step 4: Remove the three (3) nuts from the throttle body using a 10mm socket. There is an easy one at the top (fig B-arrow 4), and two at the base of the throttle body that are a little more difficult to access (fig. B-arrow) Bolts five and six cannot actually be seen in the photo. They came out easily with the help of a 3" ratchet extension.

Step 5: Remove the three (3) throttle body studs from the intake manifold (fig B-arrows 4/5/6). The studs are the threaded rods you just removed the three nuts from in Step 4.. I tried to pull the throttle body forward and away from the manifold in order to get better access to the studs but it doesn’t work. There are hoses and electronics connected to each side of the throttle body and they are very secure with a few being quite difficult to reach. Leave the throttle body where it is, and remove the studs through the throttle body. A 5/32" socket fits snugly to the end of the studs, and the 3" ratchet extension comes in handy again to access them.

Step 6: Carefully pull your throttle body forward (fig C) and slide your new throttle body spacer in between the manifold and the throttle body. A provided gasket is placed between the throttle body and the new spacer. A gasket is not required between the manifold and the new spacer because there is an existing gasket (fig C) recessed in the face of the manifold.

Step 7: Install the three (3) supplied 6mmx5mm bolts through the throttle body and spacer into the voids where you removed the studs. (fig D)

Step 8: Now that your throttle has been displaced toward the front of the vehicle by roughly 1", we install the throttle linkage extenders so the throttle cable bracket can move forward too. Install the three linkage extenders using the supplied flat head screws.(fig D) The screws fit into the holes previously occupied by the throttle cable bracket.

Step 9: Position the throttle cable bracket over the extenders and install the original factory 8mm bolts. (fig D)

Step 10: Reinstall the air intake tube over the mouth of the throttle. Start from the top of the throttle body and slip it on at a 45-degree angle. It will be a tight fit since you have moved the throttle body closer to the fan shroud.

Step 11: Reinstall the plastic Vortec manifold cover. (fig F)

Step 12: Close the hood and go waste a half a tank of gas playing with a few more horsepower.

For more information you can visit Airaid at their website.  To purchase one you can visit Macromotive at their website.

Author Credit:  Graham Bryant
Photo Credit:  Graham Bryant