Installed Vmax TB...quick review - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Stock Boy · 07-21-2015, 03:02 PM

Well, after reading posts on how the Vmax throttle body is just the about the best mod money can buy for $150, I ordered one and put it on my 1LE this morning. Most people raved about the responsiveness while others have chimed in saying you can't tell the difference. "Placebo, butt dyno, waste of money and must have" are often in those threads. I was wondering if I would notice it. I sort of resigned to the fact that I may have taken a $150 experiment. After a day of running around town, here is my review and answer to many often asked questions about it...

It IS noticeable. It's not a "new animal", but it has made improvements in the engine range where most of us drive. With a stock TB, there always appeared to be a fraction of a second hesitation to when you hit the throttle to when you felt the engine respond. I most noticed this while heel and toeing when blipping the throttle. It wasn't horrible and you just adapted to it. That's the thing, you get used to how the engine works with your inputs.

Here are where the improvements are: Light throttle application at low RPMs. Starting from a standstill or tooling around at low speed, small throttle inputs result in the engine revving a bit quicker and therefore feeling like it's pulling a little bit harder down low. The effect seems to disappear at around 2.5K RPMs and then feels like it did stock. The hesitation also is much less (fractions of a second here, though) so those things together do make a noticeable difference. It makes the engine feel "quicker and looser" while doing normal driving.
WOT, no difference from stock. Like mentioned above, I only felt the improvement at low RPMs with small throttle openings.

Most of my driving was with the AC on full blast. Turning it off did make a small percentage of improvement, but the part that impresses me was that I could notice it even with the AC on.

So is it worth it? Well, to me, it didn't make the huge difference that some reported on. However, it DOES improve the car in the RPMs that we all use. So, for the cost of a night out for dinner and drinks, I can highly recommend this mod.

Joseph1LE · 07-21-2015, 04:58 PM

So at part throttle there is a faster throttle response but it's the same response as stock at WOT? That doesn't make a lot of sense. I feel a significant pause between when I mash the pedal and when the car gets up and goes and I feel it at all levels of throttle application including WOT. I was hoping this would remedy that. Most road racers are often going to be above 2k RPMs most of the time on the track and for drag racers and street racers, straight line WOT response is very important... So are you saying that the mod yielded zero performance benefits for you and only made the car nicer to drive around town?

Stock Boy · 07-21-2015, 05:23 PM

I didn't explain the WOT enough I guess. Whenever you step on the throttle, either going to WOT or 1/32 open, there is reduced hesitation. A noticeable reduction. That's the hesitation part. You get that benefit any time you apply the throttle.

In addition to this reduced hesitation, there is a more urgent pull during low RPM, part throttle application. There is a performance benefit IMO there.

However, once the tach swings by 2.5K and you're standing on the pedal, it doesn't feel any different from stock to me.

Joseph1LE · 07-21-2015, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stock Boy

I didn't explain the WOT enough I guess. Whenever you step on the throttle, either going to WOT or 1/32 open, there is reduced hesitation. A noticeable reduction. That's the hesitation part. You get that benefit any time you apply the throttle.

In addition to this reduced hesitation, there is a more urgent pull during low RPM, part throttle application. There is a performance benefit IMO there.

However, once the tach swings by 2.5K and you're standing on the pedal, it doesn't feel any different from stock to me.

Ah ok that makes more sense. Thanks for the clarification.

X25 · 07-21-2015, 08:34 PM

Alas, I think it's a waste of money. Well, not a big deal since it's a cheap mod, but at the very least, it's but what it is claimed to be.

JohnnyCruz · 07-22-2015, 12:28 AM

Just did mine two weeks ago, love it!

07-21-2015, 03:02 PM	#1
Stock Boy Drives: 2014 1LE Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 479	Installed Vmax TB...quick review Well, after reading posts on how the Vmax throttle body is just the about the best mod money can buy for $150, I ordered one and put it on my 1LE this morning. Most people raved about the responsiveness while others have chimed in saying you can't tell the difference. "Placebo, butt dyno, waste of money and must have" are often in those threads. I was wondering if I would notice it. I sort of resigned to the fact that I may have taken a $150 experiment. After a day of running around town, here is my review and answer to many often asked questions about it... It IS noticeable. It's not a "new animal", but it has made improvements in the engine range where most of us drive. With a stock TB, there always appeared to be a fraction of a second hesitation to when you hit the throttle to when you felt the engine respond. I most noticed this while heel and toeing when blipping the throttle. It wasn't horrible and you just adapted to it. That's the thing, you get used to how the engine works with your inputs. Here are where the improvements are: Light throttle application at low RPMs. Starting from a standstill or tooling around at low speed, small throttle inputs result in the engine revving a bit quicker and therefore feeling like it's pulling a little bit harder down low. The effect seems to disappear at around 2.5K RPMs and then feels like it did stock. The hesitation also is much less (fractions of a second here, though) so those things together do make a noticeable difference. It makes the engine feel "quicker and looser" while doing normal driving. WOT, no difference from stock. Like mentioned above, I only felt the improvement at low RPMs with small throttle openings. Most of my driving was with the AC on full blast. Turning it off did make a small percentage of improvement, but the part that impresses me was that I could notice it even with the AC on. So is it worth it? Well, to me, it didn't make the huge difference that some reported on. However, it DOES improve the car in the RPMs that we all use. So, for the cost of a night out for dinner and drinks, I can highly recommend this mod.

07-21-2015, 04:58 PM	#2
Joseph1LE Drives: 2015 Camaro SS 1LE, 2001 Camaro SS Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Miami Posts: 836	So at part throttle there is a faster throttle response but it's the same response as stock at WOT? That doesn't make a lot of sense. I feel a significant pause between when I mash the pedal and when the car gets up and goes and I feel it at all levels of throttle application including WOT. I was hoping this would remedy that. Most road racers are often going to be above 2k RPMs most of the time on the track and for drag racers and street racers, straight line WOT response is very important... So are you saying that the mod yielded zero performance benefits for you and only made the car nicer to drive around town? __________________ 2017 GMC Canyon All Terrain- daily driver/dirt bike hauler 2015 Camaro SS 1LE- sold 2001 Camaro SS SOM M6- sold 1999 Firebird Formula A4- sold

07-21-2015, 08:34 PM	#5
X25 Drives: '16 C7 Z51 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Redmond, WA Posts: 3,056	Alas, I think it's a waste of money. Well, not a big deal since it's a cheap mod, but at the very least, it's but what it is claimed to be. __________________ '16 Corvette C7 Z51 1LT (Build Thread) '14 AGM 1SS 1LE [COTW 11/17/14] (Build Thread) (SOLD) '13 Mazda MX-5 Club (Build Thread) '17 RAM 1500 Crew Cab 4x4 Night Edition '15 Nissan Rogue S AWD

07-21-2015, 05:23 PM	#3
Stock Boy Drives: 2014 1LE Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 479	I didn't explain the WOT enough I guess. Whenever you step on the throttle, either going to WOT or 1/32 open, there is reduced hesitation. A noticeable reduction. That's the hesitation part. You get that benefit any time you apply the throttle. In addition to this reduced hesitation, there is a more urgent pull during low RPM, part throttle application. There is a performance benefit IMO there. However, once the tach swings by 2.5K and you're standing on the pedal, it doesn't feel any different from stock to me.

07-22-2015, 12:28 AM	#6
JohnnyCruz Drives: 2015 2SS 1LE Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NorCal Posts: 27 View My Garage	Just did mine two weeks ago, love it!