TOPIC: Throttle plate Shaping

Here again, our customer Brooks shows us about throttle plate shaping. He referenced Ron's video about it, then did it himself!

Brooks, is the closest thing to a Gadgetman I've seen yet, as a Gadgetman Groove customer...!
Brooks, thank you again for this writeup!
Brooks says:

Ron's video link below on "shaping" the throttle plate, same side as the Groove must not interfere with the natural seat of the plate in the housing he says. My F-150 plate is 3/32 of an inch thick. It looks to be about the same thickness as the one he is doing in this video.

Key Note: Things have a way of working out. By shaping the Groove side of the throttle plate as Ron illustrates, any slight intrusion of the plate into the Groove as a result of factory idle screw adjustment being advanced to obtain a good idle after deleting the IAC earlier is cancelled out now by being upstream of the Groove.

In shaping you can take metal off but you can't put it back on, going slow and careful is key.
(Ron's video link)


Wow, "shaping" the plate is the difference in night and day. Under the hood normally moving the throttle by hand there is a slight hesitation. After "shaping" the hesitation is gone!
I beveled the plate down to about 1/32 of an inch. Its the width of the back of a small kitchen knife. I can see as to why NASCAR does this. The air slides off the plate surface not having to tumble off a sharp corner.

Thanks to you and the ol' master, Ron.

thank YOU, Brooks!
Tracy G.

Then today, Brooks came back and said this:

Well, I saw a step progression of improvement. The Groove from the get go was trying to work as designed but was greatly hindered by the EGR, IAC, PCV and the opposite valve cover crankcase supply of oil upstream of the intake deeply affecting how this 5.4 ran. With each thing I removed or capped it ran better until it reached a point where that was as far as it was going to go. I even thought that was the best it was going to be, until I "shaped" the plate. The last step of "shaping" the throttle plate put it over the top dramatically. So yes, it made a huge difference. Without "shaping" the plate I truly believe the maximum potential will not be realized out of the Groove. As Ron illustrated in his video drawing how the air flow came over the top of the plate down to the bevel of the plate and into the Groove. It seems to make the vacuum created in the Groove explode! I'm not just imagining this, it is very evident. It made a huge change in how the Groove performs for a fact. I realize a lot of Groove customers are under the constraint of emissions restrictions in their state but a Groove throttle body owner in my opinion isn't going to see the maximum out of his investment until these modifications are performed. I not just saying this because I think my 5.4 is better than everyone else's. But in order for the Groove to work to the maximum the pollution has to be stopped from flowing into the intake and all the potential vacuum that was there before the factory devices were installed is restored. It is what it is, friend.

Remember also per Ron's video recommendation, I regapped my spark plugs 20% wider to get a hotter spark before I even put my Grooved throttle body on originally.

Talk soon,
Brooks

I think I might start calling Brooks..."Dr.B"

ALL HAIL Dr. B! (Sound of hundreds of boots stamping the ground as they come to Attention!!)

I'm super happy this has resolved his idle issue after the IAC delete.
Brooks, taking it to another level YET AGAIN!!!

Now I'm really eager to hear how his mileage numbers are <ahem> shaping up