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Throttle body conversion - ITBs

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 8:57 pm
by Garett
Everyone seems to be going down the turbo route these days, and bhp per pound this is clearly the most cost effective way to increase power.

I like the idea of keeping my car naturally aspirated, and building on the already revvy nature of the car and I'm quite interested by a GSXR throttle body conversion with a ME221 (danST engineeering).

Has anyone gone down this route and if so what sort of power did you see?

My car is a '99 10th Anniversary (140 bhp).

Re: Throttle body conversion - ITBs

Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2018 8:50 am
by Mazda Mender
This is one for speedy i think..
M-m

Re: Throttle body conversion - ITBs

Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2018 11:32 am
by Speedy
I too did not want to alter the engine's reliability record by going turbo or charged. I looked at Twin carbs initially then found that throttle bodies was the modern way to go.

I had a good bit of funds in the kitty from the sale of my concours Mk1 and my recently imported very fresh 89 Mk1 1.6 with 30 thou kilometers on it was a great donor.

I have always admired Jenvey ITB's and thought that is the way to go, yes they are expensive for the power gained but the entertainment factor does balance it out.

Visited the Jenvey factory and placed an order for 42mm bodies with trumpets, back plate, filter, throttle linkage, fuel regulator, Injectors and ECU.
Fitted the lot in February 2016 got it running only just and found a very experienced tuner and dyno'd at 141 bhp.

Now done 43k and never missed a beat, went to Spa classic last year with a couple of laps thrown in. Grinning from ear to ear is an understatement.

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Re: Throttle body conversion - ITBs

Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2018 11:54 am
by Garett
Thanks for the reply, that is looking good! You've done well to achieve an increase of 26 bhp over standard on a 1.6, nice one. I bet it sounds fantastic on WOT!

What injectors did you use? I think the set up I am looking at uses the standard injectors and fuel pressure regulator.

Re: Throttle body conversion - ITBs

Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2018 3:54 pm
by Hugeness
Speedy, what do you think of the Skuzzle sport drive in package? It seems viciously expensive but reported gains of 40ish bhp with no turbo. Red line at 7500 :-D

Skuzzle Motorsport modified cylinder head
Reground cams by Kent cams to Skuzzle profile
Motorsport Electronics ME221 ECU
Jenvey Individual Throttle Bodies.
Approx 165 - 170bhp

Re: Throttle body conversion - ITBs

Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2018 9:37 pm
by Speedy
Hugeness wrote:Speedy, what do you think of the Skuzzle sport drive in package? It seems viciously expensive but reported gains of 40ish bhp with no turbo. Red line at 7500 :-D

Skuzzle Motorsport modified cylinder head
Reground cams by Kent cams to Skuzzle profile
Motorsport Electronics ME221 ECU
Jenvey Individual Throttle Bodies.
Approx 165 - 170bhp


What is viciously expensive ?

Doesn't seem to be a lot more gain over my standard head and standard cams producing 26 bhp more than standard.

Re: Throttle body conversion - ITBs

Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2018 7:15 am
by Mazda Mender
Now i understand why owners want boost "power"....but in 98% of owners doing this it looks like a dogs dinner under the engine bay with washing lines of tubes and wires everywhere with bits of rubber to stop this and that units from rubbing, and a good hand full of wire rip ties holding most of it all in place, they look untidy with the any crap will do as i want to get out and show off ..and then there is the other side to this, as it does not just become "i want a little more power","MORE MORE MORE I SAY" so they get over stretched as they are pushed to get as much out of it as you can which in then turns it into a unreliable car, the owner gets frustrated as it seems like one thing after another "after all the money i have spent to boost" and in most cases done on a tight budget so will never be done correct to a car thats rotting so spending in the wrong places to be all street and keep face in a scene, after a year or so it becomes..." breaking due to rust, spent a fortune on this, full DIY turbo kit set up,all parts available ", how many times have we heard " i hate this car,it never goes right, there is always something"
Now here's the thing with boost you will get sprint power it will get there quicker than the standard set up and by using a weeks fuel for the testosterone boost level, but once at that top end....thats it. you can only go as fast as a standard car at top end, so on a motor way journey when it is banged out to "watch me" you cannot stay at that top end because it does become.... watch the fuel go, or you can and you just keep filling up to get home which is fine and their choice, while the guys with the standard setup are home hours before you banging down at top end with fuel still in the tank and only filled up once and still had great fun and enjoyment with the roof down..
Like i said before i get wanting the extra "power" but why not just fit a bigger engine and be done, crap engineering subframe and a mazda V6, or a lexus V8 etc etc....fit all the stuff that is needed so you are transplanting a bigger engine in to a smaller lighter car,,,,you have "sprint power" you have a lot higher top end speed, you have a reliable car with hot and cold starts etc as it makes no difference to the ECU and engine you have installed , you can knock crap out of the "boost" boys, it will not use ridiculous amount of fuel, it will go like stink , it will sound lovely, and the street points will never stop.... if it is done correct that is, and you can drive it like miss daisy are like you have stolen it .
Like any project....plan, read, homework,ask, someone as already been there at some point, none of these ideas are new to the scene and a lot have been around them from the beginning, i personally have only ever seen and dealt with a handful that were well done looked and drove/run correct.
For me with dealing with the problems from owners ,,it is low boost or a full on new bigger heart.
Opens the can of worms......
M-m

Re: Throttle body conversion - ITBs

Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2018 12:39 pm
by Hugeness
Speedy wrote:What is viciously expensive ?

Doesn't seem to be a lot more gain over my standard head and standard cams producing 26 bhp more than standard.


£4500.00 from Skuzzle seams viciously expensive compared to the value of the car(well mine). For those of us who’d like a bit more but don’t want to turbo or supercharge is this reasonable. I know it’s not a fast car, I didn’t buy it for that. Virtually every car I’ve had in the past 20 years has had forced induction, and yes... it’s addictive. But driving the MX5 is a real pleasure for me, I love it... I’d forgotten how nice a naturally aspirated engine is!
My question was with your experience of throttle bodies, and what you paid, is it A fair comparison to what you’ve done to yours? Honest question. I’m not being arsey, and on a lighter note... how’s the induction noise! :handgestures-thumbup:

Re: Throttle body conversion - ITBs

Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2018 1:05 pm
by Hugeness
MM, completely agree... would this fit? :laughing-rolling: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Re: Throttle body conversion - ITBs

Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2018 9:15 pm
by Mazda Mender
You can make anything fit in a roadster bud.
M-m

Re: Throttle body conversion - ITBs

Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2018 11:18 pm
by Speedy
Hugeness wrote:
£4500.00 from Skuzzle seams viciously expensive compared to the value of the car(well mine). For those of us who’d like a bit more but don’t want to turbo or supercharge is this reasonable. I know it’s not a fast car, I didn’t buy it for that. Virtually every car I’ve had in the past 20 years has had forced induction, and yes... it’s addictive. But driving the MX5 is a real pleasure for me, I love it... I’d forgotten how nice a naturally aspirated engine is!
My question was with your experience of throttle bodies, and what you paid, is it A fair comparison to what you’ve done to yours? Honest question. I’m not being arsey, and on a lighter note... how’s the induction noise! :handgestures-thumbup:


The Jenvey ITB kit contains the Manifold, ITB's ready to bolt on including the injectors, trumpets and fuel rail. Then you need, pressure regulator, Air sensor, Throttle position sensor, Accelerator linkage, back plate with filter. ECU and a rolling road tune up. All for about £1800 self fit give or take.
Skuzzle at £4500 is way out but you are paying for the head work and cams along with fitting time.

For me it was 1st of all about reliability, then the warble trumpet sound, it is just worth every penny to just drive it from zero to 6500 rpm the buzz just makes it so worth while. I am thinking of doing away with the box filter and going individual gauze trumpet filters. It will look better and hopefully sound just as good.

Re: Throttle body conversion - ITBs

Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2018 5:26 pm
by Hugeness
Speedy, do you ever come “ooh north” to any meets etc, because I’d love to hear it? I’m thinking pretty seriously about something like this, I imagine it would have a really old school sports car kind of feel about it but with NA drivability and sone nice extra power :-D just as soon as I can get mine not shaking and wobbling about! :handgestures-thumbup:

Re: Throttle body conversion - ITBs

Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2018 7:24 pm
by Speedy
Hugeness wrote:Speedy, do you ever come “ooh north” to any meets etc, because I’d love to hear it?


I do travel about with the Mk1, what do you call 'oop north' ?

Re: Throttle body conversion - ITBs

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 6:24 am
by Mazda Mender
Wiganshire sir.....
M-m

Re: Throttle body conversion - ITBs

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 12:33 pm
by Hugeness
Indeed, The People’s Republic of Wiganshire, :handgestures-thumbup: