We just finished up an install on a 2002 TA, upon the initial start up, I heard a whistling sound at idle, then got worse up to 30% throttle but went away after 30 % to WOT. With that said, I noticed the IAC counts were too high so I went to drill the customary idle bleed hole larger and there is none on the blade, upon further inspection of this part, I noticed that there is a deticated bleed hole for the IAC motor in the TB body housing that looks rather generous in size to begin with. Anyway I ended up drilling a hole in the TB blade the same diameter I use to dial in a 216-218 cam and the IAC counts fell right in place...Thank God. Then, the next problem was the throttle sticking upon tip in, after rotating the shaft a few times from base to WOT to partial, then making sure it wasn't the base adjustment causing the blade to stick in the housing, Then I realized it wasn't a mechanical problem, but rather the vac against the straight vertically placed blade was causing this tip in stickyness, you can turn the motor off driving down the road and it will not stick untill you start the car again. The stock TB blades are kicked out a small percent towards the bottom and the BBK unit is not so, it's acting like an "air cap". I guess what I am getting at here is... has anyone else had these problems with this unit? Or, is this one in particular just a POS? :Side note: this unit is quite heavy and requires an adapter plate to bolt on.
TIA!
Joe.

<small>[ June 02, 2002, 10:31 PM: Message edited by: JPR ]</small>

 

I had nothing but problems with my BBK throttle body, both in the installation and driving phases.

The blade on the TB stuck repeatedly and after a couple of hundred miles, I pulled it off and sold it.

I've heard and read on a number of forums that this is just not a good design for the LS1, but I'm sure that there are people out there that it's working fine for, I just wasn't one of them.

 

I've also been involved with BBK problems (same as what you'be described.) Probably best to avoid this and go with a ported stock TB...

Shane

 

Most I've seen are nothing but trouble. Ported seems to be the way to go.

 

Joe,
I had the same problem with my BBK, it would stick when it went back to idle. I had the idle set to low which caused the TPS voltage to be to low, I think it should be .5 volts minimum, which in turn was causing the blade to go past vertical with the bottom of the blade moving forward. It would catch when I went to accelerate. Readjusted the set screw to give the correct voltage and haven't had a problem since. I'm happy with it now.

Mark

<small>[ June 02, 2002, 11:35 PM: Message edited by: Elite_Hot_Rod ]</small>

 

Ported is the only way to go.These are some of the reasons that I never bought one.

 

OnyxSS tried one and went back to stock ported. The BBK was much harder to get to idle properly.

 

Joe,
I was originally going to get one of these, but everything I read and heard suggested these were one of the poorest designed parts for the LS1. I believe the problems you describe are common with everyone attempting to make use of this TB. I am kinda surprised that BBK would make such a crappy product, and not try and fix it/redesign it, especially after all the reported problems.

Erik

 

All the posts I see are negative on the BBK... I guess I am the only one who has had a positive result. I do not have the sticking problem, nor the whistling problem. The unit went in very easily and idled perfectly from the get go. I checked it with ATAP and it was reading O% TB at idle and would go to 100% at WOT. I later put on the MAF Translator and tuned in the whole thing as the Ltrims and WOT readings needed fine tuning.
Guess it is the luck of the draw. Since all reports are negative, if I were you I would return the unit, which may be difficult since you drilled it, and get a ported unit. My engine still has the stock cam and heads, although I have changed springs, and rocker arms are the 1.8 Crane Full Rollers, and a new MAF.
Good luck with whatever you decide and keep us posted.

 

Mine whistled and eventually the cam broke off the side of the TB while driving in light traffic. I lost the spring, but the cam hung on the throttle cable.

I bought it used for $20, and haven't decided which aftermarket TB to buy at this time, so I'm back to stock.

 

I just wanted to add one more mention about the BBK. I went to the dyno session 2 days ago with the car and it tuned in well, 415/383 through Mac cats. BUT on the way home it began to surge and chuggle up hills, so I assumed it may have been a PE table that got accidentally moved, then the SES light came on so I was like WTF? I got it back to the shop, checked the code and it was a TPS dwell too high, I don't remember the TC # off the top of my head. So I checked the dwell of the TPS sensor at WOT and it was at 5.87! Your not allowed to pass 4.70 or else it will throw a code, so, I pulled the TPS sensor, ground off the -0- lock and oblonged the bolt holes with a drill and re-set it up on the TB at 4.60 at WOT and all is well now. The point I am making here is that the TPS ID location on the side of the TB is not oriented correctly. Base setting is now 1.16 and the WOT is 4.60 as opposed to 5.87. Thanks for listening to my rant.
Joe.

 

Joe,
For what it is worth, my BBK has never had an issue. I installed it when the car had about 7k miles on it and now has 41k on it.
The only issue that I had was the linkage that goes to the TCS box then to the TB needed to be adjusted a little as I was not getting 100% throttle. Now I get 0-100% every time. Just my 2c

 

Lil SS,
Wanna trade? j/k. sorry to sound so harsh about the problems I have encountered with this piece, it's the first one I have seen or had to work on to get right, I trust your claim that you haven't had any problems with yours, but it's not the case with this one.
Joe.

 

I also have positive remarks about this piece. I orginally bought it for my 5.3 silverado and then moved it to the caramo. On both motors, initial idle was a little shakey, but some learn time took care of it on both vehicles. The IAC bleed port Joe described is the likely cause of the whistle, but I for one am not concerned. The TB made a noticable difference on the 5.3, on the camaro I installed with some other intake mods so I can't say for sure.