BBK vs Granatelli Throttle Body for 2016-2020 Camaro SS

A throttle body upgrade is one of the first bolt-ons Camaro SS owners ask us about at our Tampa, FL shop, and for the 2016–2020 6.2L LT1 the field really comes down to two parts: the BBK 92mm Power Plus throttle body and the Granatelli 95mm billet drive-by-wire unit. Both replace the factory electronic throttle body — roughly 87mm across the bore — with a larger, free-flowing billet-aluminum casting. This guide compares them head-to-head on bore size, fitment, emissions status, install, and price so you can pick the right one for your build, whether it is a stock daily or a cammed weekend car.

Why Upgrade the Throttle Body on a 2016-2020 Camaro SS?

A larger throttle body removes a measurable restriction between the air intake and the LT1 intake manifold. The 2016–2020 Camaro SS makes 455 horsepower and 455 lb-ft from its naturally aspirated 6.2L Gen V V8, and the factory throttle body opening measures about 87mm. Stepping up to a 92mm (BBK) or 95mm (Granatelli/aFe) bore widens that opening by 5–8mm, which lets the engine draw more air at wide-open throttle without choking the intake tract.

Be realistic about the payoff. On an otherwise-stock LT1, a throttle body is a supporting mod, not a power-adder on its own — BBK advertises a 10–15 horsepower gain, and in the real world the biggest wins show up once you pair it with a cold air intake, long-tube headers, a ported manifold, a camshaft, or forced induction. What every owner notices immediately is sharper throttle response and a crisper tip-in, because the bigger blade moves more air per degree of pedal travel. If you are building toward 500+ wheel horsepower, the throttle body stops being optional and becomes a genuine airflow bottleneck to clear.

BBK 92mm Power Plus Throttle Body: Our Top Pick

The BBK 92mm Power Plus throttle body (part bbk1899) is the throttle body we recommend to most 2016–2020 Camaro SS drivers. It is a direct-fit, CNC-machined billet-aluminum unit that reuses your factory electronic throttle control, and BBK designs it to work with the stock tune on an otherwise-unmodified car — so a stock SS can bolt it on and drive. A calibration is only recommended once you stack other airflow mods. It also fits the 2014–2019 C7 Corvette Stingray and Grand Sport that share the LT1.

Granatelli 95mm Billet Throttle Body: The Budget Big-Bore

If you want the largest bore for the least money, the Granatelli GM Billet 95mm drive-by-wire throttle body (part gmsGMTBLT95B) is the value play at around $426 — roughly $165 less than the BBK while giving you an extra 3mm of bore. It is a black-anodized billet unit engineered for the full GM Gen V LT family (LT1, LT2, and the supercharged LT4), which means it physically covers the 2016–2024 Camaro SS, the C7 Corvette, and even 6.2L GM trucks. The trade-off versus the BBK: because the bigger opening changes airflow behavior, we recommend a supporting tune to get the most out of it, especially on a built car.

aFe 95mm Throttle Body: The Corvette Crossover

The aFe 95mm throttle body (part afe46-39110) is worth knowing about, but with one big caveat: it is a Corvette-only part. aFe lists it for the 2014–2025 Chevrolet Corvette 6.2L — that spans the C7 (LT1) and C8 (LT2) — and it does not carry a Camaro SS fitment. If you own a C7 that shares the LT1 with the Camaro, this is a genuine third option at around $568; if you own the Camaro SS, stick with the BBK or Granatelli. We include it here because so many LT1 shoppers cross-shop the Camaro and Corvette.

BBK vs Granatelli vs aFe: Side-by-Side Comparison

Here is how the three LT1/6.2L throttle bodies stack up. For a 2016–2020 Camaro SS, the real choice is the top two rows — the aFe is listed for reference because it fits the C7 Corvette that shares the LT1, not the Camaro.

Does a Bigger Throttle Body Actually Add Power?

A bigger throttle body adds the most power when it is removing a real restriction — which on a stock LT1 is modest. The honest answer is that a throttle body alone is a 5–15 horsepower part at best, and most of its value is throttle response plus the airflow headroom it unlocks for the rest of your build. The LT1’s intake manifold, camshaft, and heads flow enough that the factory 87mm throttle body is not the first bottleneck on a stock car. Where a 92mm or 95mm unit pays off is on a Camaro SS that already has a cold air intake, long-tube headers, a ported manifold, a cam, or a supercharger pushing more air than the stock throttle can meter.

That is why we steer stock-ish daily drivers to the BBK (no tune, instant snappier pedal) and heavier builds to whichever 95mm unit matches their platform, paired with a tune. If you are shopping the throttle body first, do yourself a favor and plan the matching cold air intake at the same time — the two work together to feed the LT1.

Installation, Tuning & Emissions

Installing a throttle body on the LT1 is one of the most beginner-friendly bolt-ons there is: it is a four-bolt swap with a single electronic connector, and most owners finish in under an hour with hand tools. Disconnect the battery, unclip the connector, remove four bolts, transfer the gasket or O-ring, and reverse. After an electronic (drive-by-wire) throttle body swap, let the car complete a throttle relearn — usually a key-on/key-off cycle or a short idle — so the ECM recalibrates the blade’s closed position.

On tuning: the BBK is engineered to run on the factory calibration on an otherwise-stock car, while the larger 95mm Granatelli and aFe units are best paired with a supporting tune to smooth idle and tip-in. On emissions, be clear-eyed: all three of these throttle bodies are non-CARB parts sold for off-road or non-California use, so they are not 50-state legal on a registered street car in California. And none of them fit the supercharged LT4 engine in the Camaro ZL1 or Corvette Z06 — those cars use a different throttle body and a blower that interferes with these castings.