vmax throttle body? buyer beware before you purchase
07-23-2016, 10:06 PM
#1
vmax throttle body? buyer beware before you purchase So I picked up a nice LS3 vmax throttle body from JDP motorsports. Paid for the core charge, sent my brand new acdelco LS3 back in as a core exchange. Whole process went real smooth from JDP. I was a little iffy however as I knew that vmax operated on a core exchange program to port these throttles, and was a bit unsure as to whether they went through proper testing or rebuilding when they receive a core part. Received the TB (pics below), amazing quality on the port job by vmax, no issues there, product was clean and painted in a gray coating. The tb worked great for about 2 weeks, during that time, didnt really feel any change in terms of power, marginal change in throttle response for the better, but nothing that really required any adjustments to the tune. So come the other day, I start my car leaving work, and the car starts running rough, and all the sudden I go into engine power reduced mode...Odd...pull the scanner out...P2176, minimum throttle position not learned. I figured, oh this is probably just a fluke or something, clear the code, drive home. Pull into a wawa on my way home to pick up some food, go to start the car again to leave, same thing. Now I'm starting to think this is a problem...well this happens several more times over the next few days. Turns out...throttle body TAC module is shot. Now I am trying to work with JDP about getting a refund on this but so far I am just getting the run around about them being understaffed. Opening an inquiry with paypal over the transaction so that I can get the RMA or a refund either way, but JDP seems to be pretty pissed about the fact that I took it to paypal. Hoping to get this straightened out next week, but wound up having amazon over night me a brand new LS3 throttle body and it works perfectly, no issues whatsoever.
Long and short of it, beware of the fact that the cores they send you in return that are ported, may or may not be defective right out of the box.
Pics of the VMAX ls3
Long and short of it, beware of the fact that the cores they send you in return that are ported, may or may not be defective right out of the box.
Pics of the VMAX ls3
07-24-2016, 02:50 PM
#2
I would have never given them a new throttle body for an unknown one. Vmax lets you send them the throttle body and you get the same one back.
Last edited by Jontall; 07-25-2016 at 02:06 AM.
07-24-2016, 04:35 PM
#4
This is on a 5.3 LS4 car, has a 214/220 .540/.535 115+2 cam, 243 heads, ported LS2 intake from CSP, and shorty headers. I ran it with the LS3 throttle body conversion for about 2 months prior to buying the vmax TB, and in all honesty, didnt really notice any significant change. The quality of the workmanship was great but there was no real significant removal of material. If i did gain anything, it was probably under 10hp if not less. Once thing I did notice is that while the factory LS3 throttle body whistles loudly at part throttle, the vmax was silent. So is it worth the money? Possible, but id only spend the money if you had a bigger displacement motor to begin with. Factory 90mm tb is more then enough for any 5.3 and probably plenty for the 5.7 as well, you wont gain all that much by making the TB inlet any bigger in my opinion.
