9 Drive Throttle Controller - Review

[Phunk]

I know this is a touchy subject with some of you but if you haven't tried it, don't knock it.

Picked up a digital throttle controller from Aliexpress for $42 delivered, brand is 9 Drive (809 cable for Nissan).

No it doesn't give you more HP, but the way the power is delivered is absolutely worthwhile.

Response time is phenomenal and the power delivery is amped up and makes the engine feel more alive.

Before you all jump in with "use the accelerator" - you have never used a throttle controller before.

Anyone on the fence about getting one? save your money and grab the 9Drive unit.

Install as with all the units takes about 10 mins and sore back from working under the dash. Basically unplug the accelerator cable, connect the 9Drive unit to it, then connect the stock cable to the other side of the adapter. The end.

Normal Mode / Economy Mode / Sports Mode / Race Mode. The 3 modes above normal all have a setting of 1-9 for aggressiveness. I'm leaving mine on the stock setting of 2.6 which is Sports Mode level 6.

 

[Tms40]

Thanks for the review mate. I’ve got a manual 6 speed 2014 and considered a throttle control. For the price it’s worth a try. I’ve always been a little wary of the extra strain or wear and tear on the drive train.

 

[Phunk]

@Tms40 keep in mind it's not making the engine work harder than it's limitations, it's just changing the responsiveness of the pedal. Where your 60% open throttle was registered at 3/4 pedal push, it's now at 1/4 pedal push. (as an example)

My old girl is a 2013 with 270 on the clock, doesn't seem to mind it!

 

[bringthenav]

Certainly sounds cheap. Maybe cheerful? I've looked at this subject recently & seen there are several brands are avail for the Navs as well as just about every modern car that doesnt use a cable for the acceleration. I note they are usually between $2-300.
If this device is any good & does what it says it does without any detrimental effect, i could possibly consider purchasing.
For $42 thats a neat bargain mod if it does you proud at the pedal & doesn't have any ill affects to the vehicle.

Eager to see a few replies to this thread about what people think who have used them on Navaras.

Watching

 

[Phunk]

Certainly sounds cheap. Maybe cheerful? I've looked at this subject recently & seen there are several brands are avail for the Navs as well as just about every modern car that doesnt use a cable for the acceleration. I note they are usually between $2-300.
If this device is any good & does what it says it does without any detrimental effect, i could possibly consider purchasing.
For $42 thats a neat bargain mod if it does you proud at the pedal & doesn't have any ill affects to the vehicle.

Eager to see a few replies to this thread about what people think who have used them on Navaras.

Watching

In the past I've used EVC on previous cars such as my Subaru's / Holdens / Toyota's.. basically identical apart from the cost.

'Race' mode on the 9Drive I don't recommend, makes the pedal WAY too touchy, but 2.5 for me is the sweet spot.

 

[bringthenav]

I'm looking at this now.
Which one is needed @Phunk for D40 Spain Vskc?

On the Aliexpress site i am seeing that $42 809 one, but the seller doesn't specify it fits for Navara, let lone D40

 

[bringthenav]

Never mind i saw it says it works for all Navaras in the pictures of the listing. Can't wait to fit it & cheering i hadnt forked out for $200 one, as this was on my list for upgrades

 

[Phunk]

Never mind i saw it says it works for all Navaras in the pictures of the listing. Can't wait to fit it & cheering i hadnt forked out for $200 one, as this was on my list for upgrades

All good mate, from my diminishing memory, it was the 809 plug for the D40 (mine is a VSK as well).

When you check the listings, it looks like 3/4's of all manufacturers used the same pedal in their cars!

Mine showed up in 1.5 weeks, I was genuinely surprised on how fast it came.

I mounted mine basically behind the wiper stalk on the left hand side, mainly because of how the cable connects to the little display unit.

 

[Phunk]

Never mind i saw it says it works for all Navaras in the pictures of the listing. Can't wait to fit it & cheering i hadnt forked out for $200 one, as this was on my list for upgrades

How did you go with the throttle controller?

 

[bringthenav]

REALLY GOOD !!!
Best thing I've ever installed on any car, let alone my Navara.

You install this for $40 in 5 mins & I'm running 2.9 up from the stock 2.6,
No issues.

Just installed a boost guage the same day from my intercooler sensor tee & on 2.7 it was so snappy off the mark. I just take off now, flying up hills... Barely notice any fuel usage increase & it even spools up alot faster to max boost and engine power as its reduced lag at the accel which in turn moves u off faster & the boost kicks in quicker & I'm feeling like i am in a turbo petrol car to drive it around. I turned it up to 2.9 and its probably a sweet spot for a Navara.
Towing would now be a breeze,
It pulls hard, i have to watch my speeds constantly, but u get used it in a couple days, full snappy, less of that Nav black smoke under load, as it takes alot more to load it up.

She moves! I would recommend to anyone. No limp mode, no codes, seems to work as good as a $300 unit would & is exactly the same just costs $260 less.

Great easy mod. No longer need to think of dpf chips, 3 inch exhausts etc

 

[bringthenav]

Any car i ever buy from now on that has a drive by wire Accel instead of the OG cable.. i am buying these.

This would be insane in a Skyline

 

[bringthenav]

In the past I've used EVC on previous cars such as my Subaru's / Holdens / Toyota's.. basically identical apart from the cost.

'Race' mode on the 9Drive I don't recommend, makes the pedal WAY too touchy, but 2.5 for me is the sweet spot.

2.5 is less than stock. Probably still makes it snappier
I put it on 2.6 which is supposed to be Navara stock amount & it felt like an upgrade. 2.7 was awesome.

Now i rock 2.9

I wouldnt go into the 3's unless i had a bigger motor, like a 6 or 8 cyl.

On 2.5 your probably getting better than stock performance plus saving a bit of diesel.

I would not turn it any lower though, ur Nav motor might blow from lack of Diesel to air if u go too much economy. And these motors seem to cost $10k second hand, you dont wanna lean out a diesel motor

 

[Phunk]

2.5 is less than stock. Probably still makes it snappier
I put it on 2.6 which is supposed to be Navara stock amount & it felt like an upgrade. 2.7 was awesome.

Now i rock 2.9

I wouldnt go into the 3's unless i had a bigger motor, like a 6 or 8 cyl.

On 2.5 your probably getting better than stock performance plus saving a bit of diesel.

I would not turn it any lower though, ur Nav motor might blow from lack of Diesel to air if u go too much economy. And these motors seem to cost $10k second hand, you dont wanna lean out a diesel motor

haha, ours must be behaving differently, because on 2.6 I'm barely resting my foot on the throttle and it's cruising up to 60k's like it did when I was on 1/4 throttle!

Remember - stock is when you have it in the 'NOR' mode, 2.6 is just the default mode that the unit comes in when you first power it up and that's definitely not stock

The biggest highlight for me as you called out is the hill climbing, it just feels like it's not lumbering like it used to and I don't have the need to jam the throttle to get it up.. it's just 'snappier'

 

[bringthenav]

Yeah haha i know what u mean!
But i have read 2.6 is the base Navara, so I would put it up to 2.6.

I thought 2.6 was heaps snappier myself! But i know i am informed that is the stock pedal/ecu/diesel motor etc number,so i dont dare go below it.

Makes sense its snappier, but itd be using the same amount of diesel on 2.6, which i hear off a mate u really dont wanna lean a diesel motor as they can go kaboom.
And I've seen online lots of smicked up Navs in the wreckers, and wonder why... Well i have eyeballed the cost of a 2nd hand motor with 200+km is at least $10000 !
Thats nuts, u can buy a 2nd hand nav for around that so we dont wanna be blowing our motors !

My Nav rips up hills now like as if i am in a sports car, i can see the boost hitting 20-22 and staying there.

If i don't gear back as soon as needed i still get the black smoke under excess load start blasting out til i do gear back, and itll shudder a little after still if stopped at a stop sign etc, til i throttle up some juice & drop the clutch, but thats a different issue i am yet to work out, and it's not the egr valve, i am thinking i could use a new fuel pump!

 

[Phunk]

Yeah haha i know what u mean!
But i have read 2.6 is the base Navara, so I would put it up to 2.6.

I thought 2.6 was heaps snappier myself! But i know i am informed that is the stock pedal/ecu/diesel motor etc number,so i dont dare go below it.

Makes sense its snappier, but itd be using the same amount of diesel on 2.6, which i hear off a mate u really dont wanna lean a diesel motor as they can go kaboom.
And I've seen online lots of smicked up Navs in the wreckers, and wonder why... Well i have eyeballed the cost of a 2nd hand motor with 200+km is at least $10000 !
Thats nuts, u can buy a 2nd hand nav for around that so we dont wanna be blowing our motors !

My Nav rips up hills now like as if i am in a sports car, i can see the boost hitting 20-22 and staying there.

If i don't gear back as soon as needed i still get the black smoke under excess load start blasting out til i do gear back, and itll shudder a little after still if stopped at a stop sign etc, til i throttle up some juice & drop the clutch, but thats a different issue i am yet to work out, and it's not the egr valve, i am thinking i could use a new fuel pump!

Hmm... I think he might be talking about 2.6 on a EVC controller or something like that, not the 9 Drive?

Setting 2 is sports mode and makes the throttle snappier on level 2.1, you can then ramp it to 2.9, level 3 is race mode and has 1-9.

Remember, these units have 4 settings.

Eco / Normal / Sports / Race

Also, not sure how it would manage to starve the car of fuel dude, it's a throttle controller and doesn't change the fuel mapping.

All this unit does is tell the ECU you're on 45% throttle, when you've only pressed the pedal down to where it would normally be 21% (as an example).

The ECU will still use the correct fuel maps for the 45% throttle as that's what it's seeing as an input.

 

[Tms40]

After rubbish shipping by Aramex Couriers my EVC throttle controller finally arrived. 10 minutes and it’s all installed.
I’ve had it set to Ultimate 6 but I find the smart Auto setting pretty good as well. I’ll give it week or so and hopefully settle on a setting.
Not sure why I took so long to grab one of these. I’m pretty happy so far with limited driving.

 

[David Hall]

I use U3 mostly. U9 is just way too perky for me, often spinning the wheels at the lights or cornering.

I use E9 when I’m reversing my boat up my fairly steep driveway.

Great little gadget for not much money.

 

[Rhino1174]

I’m running in u4 in my auto most of the time I found in ac in the wet it could be a little harsh and unpleasant in corners if you wasn’t paying attention but I wouldn’t be without it

 

[Phunk]

it's funny, I had my 9Drive set to like the mid sports setting, and agree it can be a bit 'too' much at times, now I'm on the setting above 'Normal' on half way in.

so, Setting 1.5 and find it more than enough.

Lots of others on here don't believe in the difference they make until they've driven with and without them