I'm sure this has been covered before. But, I just got my C7 late last fall and only had a few weekends driving it. It's almost spring here in the frozen lands of PA. Before I put it away last year I did notice that the throttle response was a bit "wooden" I understand that many have addressed it with products from Solar performance. My question is this. What's the best way to address this? DO I get the throttle body or the throttle controller or both? It's a stock LT 1 in a 7 speed manual and I don't plan on modding it in the future. I've also seen mention of a different air filter. Any guidance on that? Thanks. I came here to learn from experienced users. Thanks

 

If it were me, I would do both starting with tb..but individually so you can see/feel the changes with one before adding the other

 

I have both, but I started with the throttle controller, so I can't speak to improvements made by the throttle body alone.

I would think that since the TB's benefits are noticed only when moving from a stop, and the TC's benefits are felt any time you accelerate in any gear at any speed, that if you had to go with only one first, the TC would be the choice. That's what (and why) I did.

 

I’m getting both installed in the next few weeks. I’ll start with the TB to see how it performs on its own, then install the TC. Additionally, I’m planning to create a YouTube video about my stock C7 and the mods I’m adding. Please include an Attack Blue filter. Stay tuned…

 

It's SOLER and you want both.

 

I did the Soler throttle controller and a blue attack air filter. The most bang for the buck. Most improvements for the buck. Then go from there if you want.

 

I did the TC and the TB. then not too long afterwards did the performance CAI. the car def woke up. Don't care if it was one of the three or all of them. The car feels like a true sports car now. I am in love all over again. I have a 17 A8 GS.

 

It seems like you’ve already gotten a lot of good feedback in this thread, but I’ll add a little clarification since this is exactly the kind of thing we designed our products to address.

The “wooden” or delayed throttle feel on the C7 is pretty common. It mostly comes from two things. The factory throttle body design and the electronic throttle mapping.

Throttle Body (TB): Real Airflow, Real Power
Our upgraded throttle body physically improves the airflow into your engine by altering the internal geometry. The result is a smoother and more predictable power curve with better performance across the entire pedal range.

Benefits include:
• Crisper throttle response
• Reduced lag and hesitation
• Smoother daily driving feel
• Better low speed acceleration and quick throttle inputs

Many drivers notice the difference most during normal street driving where the car just feels more responsive and easier to modulate.

Throttle Controller (TC): Fine Tuned Responsiveness
The throttle controller improves throttle response electronically. It lets you adjust how quickly the throttle blade reacts to your pedal input, which removes that sluggish pedal feel many people notice.

It’s important to note that the controller does not add airflow or horsepower. It works within the limits of the throttle body you currently have. So if you are still running the OEM throttle body, some minor hesitation can still exist in certain situations.

Why Many People Run Both
Each upgrade improves a different part of the system. The throttle body improves the physical airflow and engine response, while the controller lets you fine tune how quickly the throttle reacts to your foot.

When paired together they complement each other very well and help eliminate both the physical and electronic limitations of the factory setup.

Since your car is a mostly stock LT1 and you plan to keep it that way, either option will improve the driving experience. Many people start with the controller for the adjustable response and then add the throttle body later for the airflow and power gains.

Also worth mentioning, both upgrades are completely risk free. You can try either one or both, and if you are not satisfied you can return them within 30 days for a full refund.

If you decide to pick one or both up, you can use code TIFF5OFF at checkout for a discount.

Hope that helps and enjoy the C7 when the PA weather finally cooperates.

 

@Mike@SolerEngr , just out of curiosity, does the throttle controller provide any noticeable change when used on the supercharged Z06? I'm thinking that engine has totally different acceleration characteristics, and maybe a TC wouldn't make a difference. Or would it?

And I guess, going further, would a TB be of any benefit?

 

I'm not @Mike@SolerEngr, but I run both the TB and TC on my Z06. The TB mitigated off-the-line stumble for which the OEM setup is somewhat infamous. The TC takes it multiple steps further by offering users 64 throttle response Levels spanning 10 Modes. Many (including me) prefer more linear response across the entire throttle curve offered by Sport 5. There's also a Lock mode that disables the accelerator pedal, acting as a theft deterrent.

You risk little by trying either/both of Soler's offerings for our cars. You're likely to be happy with them but, if you're not, there's a strong resale market right here in the forums.

 

I also installed the TB and, shortly thereafter, the TC from Soler on my MT7. The TB actually improves day-to-day drivability the most, especially at traffic lights and in heavy traffic. The car is much easier to drive. It didn’t significantly improve heel-and-toe downshifting. Depending on the settings, the TC helps a lot in this regard. However, I still haven’t found the perfect setting for me. Heel-and-toe downshifting is very important to me in a sports car with a manual transmission. To make that work well, you have to choose a fairly aggressive setting like Sport8 – Ludicrous1. With these settings, though, the rear end can get quite wild at the exit of corners when the driving aids are turned off. Overall, it’s a significant improvement. The basic characteristics remain the same as before, though. There’s still a slight delay between the throttle input and the engine’s response, at least in the first third of the pedal travel. With all the settings, I feel like there could be more response when I first tap the pedal. Even in Drag mode, clutch/throttlemodulation is still relatively smooth. But once the pedal is pressed past 50%, it feels like you’re already at full throttle. I’d like to see a mode that behaves like Ludicrous in the first third of the pedal travel, but remains controllable in the last third. Anyway, you can really feel just how significant the improvement from the Soler TC is, though, when you deactivate it. It feels very sluggish then. My conclusion: The TB is an absolute top-tier product. The TC is good, but I think it could still be improved. Perhaps the weak point is buried deep within the GM software and can’t be outsmarted so easily. I would buy both again.

 

Absolutely, they both do. Think about it this way, without the controller, when you press the pedal down say 50%, the throttle body only opens 25% and you get 30g/s of airflow which translates to power/trq. Now with the throttle body and controller, when you press the pedal down 25% (as opposed to 50%), the throttle body opens to 25% because of the controller but now you get 50g/s of airflow because of the new throttle body geometry. These are made up numbers for the sake of the example but it holds true at any throttle position with actual numbers.
In summary, with less pedal input you get more power / air at every throttle position thanks to the new throttle body. The combination is truly unmatched while still getting a moderate amount of power thanks to the throttle body. The throttle controller will let you fine tune that pedal feel to a more linear response, or a rocket ship as soon as you touch it.

Additionally, the Z06 still uses the same throttle body from the Stingray, not till the ZR1 did GM upgrade to a larger throttle body which kinda left the LT4 platform in this middle ground... You would greatly benefit from a lager throttle body due to the power numbers and supercharger. Usually it is done as a package when adding a supercharger as it is a strongly recommended power upgrade.

Again, in any case you can try one or both and if you are not satisfied, we will send you a return label and give you a full refund. No worries there.

Thanks!

 

I think the market now benefits from some maturity in the aftermarket induction and and electronics vendors. Glad to see they engage the customers directly here as well. That's good support and such interactions are always noted.

Im buried in a pair or C5s currently, but the 7s have been growing on me slowly. Especially as the final iteration with a stick. And owning a pair of Comp seats I can vouch for the interior quality vs those I know.

I've heard of Soler. Does Nick Williams offer same for the 7s? Who else has transitioned and followed the market?

NW
Mamo
Soler
Granatelli
Fitech (?) - theirs listed C7 but the product image looked like an LS2.
Google surprised me that LPE or Callaway have not entered the fray.
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Is it all the TB and TC, or how much is in the tune itself?

What's the best combo? Has anyone done direct comparison of products for ease of tune, tip-in, cfm etc? I've got some impressive secondhand Mamo gear I swear by and have considered a NW for my C5-R engine. Does Soler do earlier LS platforms?

 

I do sports 9 but also keep her pretty much in tour mode. Comfortable ride but also very responsive when I touch the gas pedal. I don't really drive the car fast it's more of a cruiser for me.

 

The TC is an interesting mod. I don't believe it is one I would seek out. I believe in a durable and well ported TB function and an ecu tune to my liking. I happen to have the intake and tb from the unicorn C5 on 1320 videos for one of my cars. I tend to trust the GM tbs more than anything else for having fewer signal issues and greater durability, and so I lean on the proven skills of other vendors as mentioned which have come from decades of work. I probably just need to pick up a used piece from solar at one point to try. I just don't know how it would stack up and would be curious to test them out. A great test bed would be the twin turbo car.

 

Get both you will definitely notice an improvement in throttle response and you can adjust to your liking.