Throttle body spacer
An apparatus and methods are provided for a throttle body spacer that improves the performance of an internal combustion engine. The throttle body spacer comprises a body that includes an airflow opening for conducting airflow from a throttle body into an intake manifold. A spiral is disposed along a sidewall of the airflow opening and configured for swirling the airflow. The spiral comprises a helical shape disposed around a circumference of the sidewall and extends from an initial bore near a first contact surface of the body to a second contact surface. The helical shape includes a diameter that increases as the spiral extends toward the second contact surface, giving the body a sidewall taper angle that contributes to an increase in power output of the engine. A sawtooth cross-sectional shape of the spiral causes the airflow to swirl so as to improve atomization of an air-fuel mixture entering engine.
1 . An apparatus for improving the performance of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
a body disposed between a first contact surface and a second contact surface;
an opening through the body;
a spiral disposed along a sidewall of the opening for swirling airflow, wherein the spiral extends continuously from the first contact surface to the second contact surface; and
a tapered sidewall to reduce turbulence of airflow through the opening, wherein a diameter of the opening increases continuously from the first contact surface to the second contact surface and wherein the first contact surface is directly connected to the air intake of an internal combustion engine.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body is a cylindrical member having a uniform thickness that extends from the first contact surface to the second contact surface.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a first contact surface is configured to join with a throttle body.
4 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the second surface is configured to join with an intake manifold.
5 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the thickness is configured to increase the distance between the throttle body and the intake manifold.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a perimeter of the body is configured to match a contact surface of a throttle body and a contact surface of an intake manifold.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the perimeter has a shape configured to seat the body between the throttle body and the intake manifold without being obstructed by other vehicle components.
8 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the body includes multiple through-holes disposed in locations of the perimeter that align with bolt holes disposed in the throttle body and the intake manifold.
9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the through-holes are configured to receive bolts extending through the bolt holes in the throttle body and threaded into holes in the intake manifold.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the spiral is configured to swirl the airflow.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the spiral is configured to improve atomization of an air-fuel mixture flowing through the opening.
12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the spiral comprises a helical shape that extends around the circumference of the sidewall.
13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the spiral begins near the throttle body and extends to near the intake manifold.
14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the spiral includes a sawtooth cross-sectional shape that is biased toward the first contact surface.
15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the sawtooth cross-sectional shape is configured to interact with the airflow through the opening.
16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the sawtooth cross-sectional shape includes a top surface that is substantially perpendicular to the opening.
17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the sawtooth cross-sectional shape includes an angled surface that is disposed at a spiral angle with respect to the top surface.