Redline Throttle Body Kits: A Deep Dive

When it comes to upgrading the performance of your 4 or 6 cylinder Porsche or VW, especially for those seeking the precision and efficiency of modern fuel injection, Redline throttle body kits stand out as a comprehensive solution. These kits are meticulously engineered to provide superior fuel distribution and enhanced drivability, transforming your vehicle's engine response and power output. Rather than a single, restrictive throttle body, Redline's approach utilises multiple throttle bodies, typically two, working in harmony to deliver a more direct and efficient airflow path to each cylinder group. This detailed guide will walk you through exactly what's included in a Redline fuel injection throttle body kit, highlighting how each component contributes to a high-performance setup.

Understanding the Redline Fuel TB Kit: Precision Airflow and Fuel Delivery

The core of any high-performance fuel injection system lies in its ability to precisely control both air intake and fuel delivery. Redline's Fuel Throttle Body (TB) Kit is designed with this in mind, offering a robust foundation for your engine's upgrade. It's a carefully curated package that ensures optimal performance right out of the box, with key components working together seamlessly.

The Heart of the System: Two Throttle Bodies

Unlike single throttle body setups that can restrict airflow, Redline kits include two throttle bodies. This dual-body configuration is crucial for multi-cylinder engines, allowing for a more direct and less turbulent path for air into the intake manifold. Each throttle body is precision-engineered to provide accurate airflow measurement and control, which is vital for the engine's ECU to calculate the correct fuel delivery. This design significantly improves throttle response and overall engine breathing, leading to noticeable gains in power and torque.

Synchronised Control: The Linkage Kit

With two throttle bodies, a sophisticated mechanism is required to ensure they open and close in perfect unison. This is where the linkage kit comes into play. This kit comprises all the necessary rods, levers, and adjusters to mechanically connect the two throttle bodies, allowing them to operate as a single, harmonious unit. Proper synchronisation is paramount for smooth engine operation, consistent idle, and predictable power delivery across the entire RPM range. Redline's linkage kits are designed for durability and precise adjustment, ensuring long-term reliability.

Optimising Fuel Distribution: Fuel Rail Kit with AN Fittings

Efficient fuel delivery is non-negotiable for performance. The Redline kit includes a comprehensive fuel rail kit with AN fittings. The fuel rails are responsible for distributing fuel evenly to each injector, ensuring consistent fuel pressure and volume. The inclusion of AN (Army-Navy) fittings signifies a commitment to high-performance, leak-free connections. AN fittings are renowned for their robust construction and secure sealing, making them ideal for high-pressure fuel systems. This attention to detail ensures proper fuel distribution and contributes significantly to the engine's drivability and power output.

Maintaining Pressure: The Fuel Pressure Regulator

A consistent fuel supply is critical for stable engine performance. The fuel pressure regulator included in the kit plays a vital role in maintaining a constant fuel pressure to the injectors, regardless of engine load or RPM. This component ensures that the fuel injectors receive fuel at the precise pressure required for accurate atomisation and combustion. Without a properly functioning fuel pressure regulator, fuel delivery can become erratic, leading to performance issues and potential engine damage.

Tuning Airflow: Air Horns (50 mm or 35 mm tall)

Air horns, also known as velocity stacks, are designed to smooth and accelerate the airflow into the throttle bodies. Redline offers a choice of air horns (50 mm or 35 mm tall), allowing for some tuning flexibility based on your specific engine characteristics and performance goals. Taller air horns generally enhance low-to-mid range torque by creating a longer intake tract, while shorter ones might favour peak power at higher RPMs. These components are crucial for optimising the volumetric efficiency of your engine, ensuring it breathes as freely and efficiently as possible.

It's important to note that while the Fuel TB Kit provides the core components for air and fuel delivery, intake manifolds are sold separately. This allows for customisation and ensures compatibility with a wider range of specific engine applications.

The Redline ECU Kit: The Brains of Your Fuel Injection System

A sophisticated fuel injection system requires an equally sophisticated control unit to manage all its parameters. The Redline ECU Kit is the intelligent core that processes data from various sensors and precisely controls fuel delivery and ignition timing. This kit transforms a mechanical system into a finely tuned, electronically controlled powerhouse.

Central Command: The Computer Control Unit (ECU)

At the heart of the ECU Kit is the Computer Control Unit (ECU) itself. This electronic brain is responsible for interpreting data from all the engine's sensors, calculating the optimal fuel-air mixture, and determining the precise ignition timing. A high-quality ECU is essential for unlocking the full potential of your Redline throttle body kit, ensuring optimal performance, fuel efficiency, and emissions compliance.

Customisation and Tuning: Programmable Software

To truly maximise performance and tailor the system to your specific engine and modifications, the Redline ECU Kit comes with programmable software. This software allows tuners to adjust various parameters, including fuel maps, ignition timing, idle control, and more. The ability to fine-tune these settings is crucial for extracting the most power, ensuring smooth drivability, and adapting to different fuel types or environmental conditions. This level of customisation ensures your engine performs optimally in any scenario.

Seamless Integration: The ECU Loom

Connecting the ECU to all the engine's sensors and actuators requires a robust and reliable wiring harness. The ECU loom is a pre-fabricated wiring harness designed specifically for the Redline system. It ensures all electrical connections are secure and organised, simplifying installation and reducing the chance of electrical issues. A well-designed loom is critical for the reliable operation of the entire fuel injection system.

Vital Data Providers: The Sensors

For the ECU to make informed decisions about fuel and ignition, it relies on a network of sensors providing real-time data about the engine's operating conditions. The Redline ECU Kit includes a comprehensive set of these critical sensors:

• O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor): Measures the oxygen content in the exhaust gases, allowing the ECU to fine-tune the air-fuel ratio for optimal combustion and emissions. This is crucial for maintaining efficient engine operation.
• Air Temp Sensor: Measures the temperature of the incoming air. Colder air is denser and contains more oxygen, requiring more fuel. This sensor helps the ECU make appropriate adjustments to the fuel mixture.
• TPS Sensor (Throttle Position Sensor): Measures the position of the throttle bodies, indicating how much the driver is pressing the accelerator pedal. This data is vital for the ECU to determine engine load and driver demand.
• MAP Sensor (Manifold Absolute Pressure Sensor): Measures the absolute pressure within the intake manifold. This provides the ECU with information about engine load and helps calculate the amount of air entering the cylinders.
• Ambient Sensor: Provides data on the surrounding atmospheric pressure, which helps the ECU compensate for changes in altitude or weather conditions, ensuring consistent performance.

Precise Fuel Delivery: Fuel Injectors

The fuel injectors are the final point of fuel delivery into the engine. Controlled by the ECU, these components precisely atomise and spray fuel into the intake manifold or directly into the combustion chambers. The Redline ECU Kit includes injectors sized appropriately for the system, ensuring accurate and efficient fuel delivery for optimal combustion. High-quality injectors are essential for smooth idle, efficient fuel economy, and strong performance across the RPM range.

For even greater precision in engine timing, Crank Trigger Systems are available, though you would need to contact Redline directly for more information on these advanced options. It’s also worth noting that while these kits are comprehensive, some kits may vary slightly in their exact inclusions based on specific vehicle applications or ongoing product enhancements.

Why Choose a Redline Fuel Injection Throttle Body Kit?

Choosing a Redline kit for your 4 or 6 cylinder Porsche or VW means opting for a system designed for performance and reliability. Here’s a summary of the benefits:

• Enhanced Performance: The multi-throttle body design ensures superior airflow, leading to increased horsepower and torque.
• Improved Drivability: Precise fuel distribution and advanced ECU control result in smoother throttle response, better idle, and overall refined driving characteristics.
• Comprehensive Solution: These kits offer a nearly complete conversion to modern fuel injection, simplifying the upgrade process.
• Tailored for Specific Vehicles: Designed with the needs of 4 and 6 cylinder Porsche and VW models in mind, ensuring compatibility and optimised performance.
• Quality Components: From AN fittings to high-grade sensors, every part is selected for durability and performance.

Comparative Overview of Kit Components

To provide a clearer picture, here's a table outlining the primary components of each Redline kit type:

Frequently Asked Questions About Redline Throttle Body Kits

Q1: Are Redline throttle body kits suitable for both street and track use?

Absolutely. Redline kits are designed to enhance both daily drivability and outright performance. The precision of fuel injection and the tunability of the ECU make them ideal for a wide range of applications, from responsive street cars to dedicated track machines. The robust components are built to withstand the demands of performance driving.

Q2: Why are intake manifolds sold separately?

Intake manifolds are sold separately to allow for greater flexibility and customisation. Engines can have various intake manifold designs, and by offering them separately, Redline ensures that you can select the manifold that best fits your specific engine configuration and performance goals. This also helps reduce the overall cost of the kit for those who may already have a compatible manifold or prefer a specific aftermarket option.

Q3: What are the main benefits of a multi-throttle body system over a single throttle body?

The primary benefit of a multi-throttle body system is improved airflow and throttle response. Each throttle body feeds a smaller group of cylinders more directly, reducing air turbulence and increasing volumetric efficiency. This results in sharper throttle response, better power delivery across the RPM range, and often higher peak horsepower compared to a single, larger throttle body trying to feed all cylinders through a common plenum.

Q4: Do I need professional installation for a Redline kit?

While a mechanically inclined individual might be able to install the physical components of the Fuel TB Kit, the installation and, more importantly, the tuning of the ECU Kit require specialised knowledge and equipment. It is highly recommended to have a professional automotive technician or a performance tuning shop install and calibrate the ECU system. Proper tuning is crucial for optimal performance, reliability, and preventing potential engine damage.

Q5: How important are the sensors included in the ECU kit?

The sensors are incredibly important; they are the "eyes and ears" of the ECU. Without accurate data from the O2, Air Temp, TPS, MAP, and Ambient sensors, the ECU cannot precisely calculate the correct fuel delivery and ignition timing. This would lead to poor performance, increased fuel consumption, and potentially engine running issues. They are fundamental to the closed-loop control system that makes modern fuel injection so efficient and powerful.

Q6: What does 'AN fittings' mean, and why are they important?

'AN fittings' stands for Army-Navy fittings, a standard developed for military aircraft and now widely used in high-performance automotive applications. They are known for their secure, leak-free connections, especially in fluid transfer systems like fuel lines. Their importance lies in their reliability and durability under pressure, ensuring that your fuel system remains sealed and performs consistently, preventing leaks that could be dangerous or detrimental to performance.

Conclusion

Redline fuel injection throttle body kits provide a comprehensive and high-quality solution for upgrading 4 and 6 cylinder Porsche and VW vehicles. By understanding the intricate components of both the Fuel TB Kit and the ECU Kit, you can appreciate the engineering and thought that goes into delivering a superior performance package. From the precision of the dual throttle bodies and the robust fuel delivery system to the intelligent control of the ECU and its array of sensors, every part plays a vital role in transforming your vehicle's power and drivability. Whether you're chasing enhanced performance on the road or the track, a Redline kit offers a well-engineered path to achieving your automotive aspirations.

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