I'm not sure where to put this thread but this product is an "additive" of sorts. It is metal and you place it inside your air intake hose and they claim, like many liquid "additives" that you will get more horsepower and better fuel economy simply by the airflow stimulation. Has anyone ever heard of this contraption and what do you think about it?
"Turbonator"/Vortex Generator: an additive - of sorts
- Thread starter martyi
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worthless. do not waste your money on these things. its like TB spacers does noting but suck the money out your wallet quicker.
also I know we had what was called vortex generators on the leading edge of our wings on the B-52 and was for disrupting air flow not calming air flow.
also I know we had what was called vortex generators on the leading edge of our wings on the B-52 and was for disrupting air flow not calming air flow.
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Oh!! A "tornado"!! Yep ..this goes in Auto Gen (I think). It's pretty much considered snake oil. I've reasoned that there could be something to it in a carb or tbi setup ..where the turbulance could help atomize and suspend fuel vapor ..but the flow in a intake plenumn isn't a smooth flow, it's a series of pulses. How's a tornado supposed to swap from number 3 cylinder to number 4 (v-6) ..and to what gain anyway? In a carb setup ...what happens when it goes from one swirling flow ..and breaks up into two or four swirling flows
Now maybe if you had ram air ..and had a "counter" tornado piece in the base of the plenumn to "uncoil" the tornado, you may see something ..but
Now I don't necessarily go with the baseline theory that "if it was so good, the OEMs would incorporate it in the engine design". Some of these gizmos do something ..and some are beneficial. It's just that they tend to cost more, or require too much "help", to make them reliable or cost effective in the normal vehicle usage. Can you see every suit and/or soccer mom going to a self serve convenience store and lifting the hood to fill a resevour full of alcohol laced water for their "water vapor injection system" in the winter?? Stuff like that usually kills most of these types of add ons. That makes them somewhat limited in customers ..which makes them of limited production/distribution ..which makes them more expensive.
It's like bypass filtration. It's a proven technology ..but even those who sell them will state that you probably won't realize the benefit of it in your lifetime of ownership. You'll retire the finest (internal) condition engine to the junkyard ..or to the next owner.
Now maybe if you had ram air ..and had a "counter" tornado piece in the base of the plenumn to "uncoil" the tornado, you may see something ..but
Now I don't necessarily go with the baseline theory that "if it was so good, the OEMs would incorporate it in the engine design". Some of these gizmos do something ..and some are beneficial. It's just that they tend to cost more, or require too much "help", to make them reliable or cost effective in the normal vehicle usage. Can you see every suit and/or soccer mom going to a self serve convenience store and lifting the hood to fill a resevour full of alcohol laced water for their "water vapor injection system" in the winter?? Stuff like that usually kills most of these types of add ons. That makes them somewhat limited in customers ..which makes them of limited production/distribution ..which makes them more expensive.
It's like bypass filtration. It's a proven technology ..but even those who sell them will state that you probably won't realize the benefit of it in your lifetime of ownership. You'll retire the finest (internal) condition engine to the junkyard ..or to the next owner.
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Can't you find an article for those who want to believe? Isn't there an X-Files type Popular Mechanics??
(visions of poster above Fox Mulder's desk)
(visions of poster above Fox Mulder's desk)
Kestas
Staff member
Marty, don't you think the auto manufacturers would be putting it in new cars if it worked?
My favorite "additive" along these lines is the high quality synthetic blinker-fluid available from these folks:
http://www.kalecoauto.com/fluids.htm
In addition to the above negative comments, which I agree with, its cheaply made, and if it should happen to come apart, you might get some additives in your engine alright, pieces of metal sucked into the piston chambers.
I've tried the cyclone in my camry. Doesnt improve mileage. It is more of an obstruction than anything. In fact my 0~100kph timings are slower. It blocks airflow when doing WOT.
In desperation, I tried moving the cyclone closer to the TB side. Also didnt help. It's even slower than before now. LOL.
In desperation, I tried moving the cyclone closer to the TB side. Also didnt help. It's even slower than before now. LOL.
Good to know and thanks for sharing your experiences and pictures with all of us. Your information will no doubt save a bunch of folks some time and money.
I love the translation to English on the box in the picture...'essential to all engines of vehicle' How many engines does the vehicle have? '20 multiple satisfying effects' What is this thing for again? This kind of stuff is sold all over eBay. Saw one that was supposed to take some energy from the firing spark plug and transfer it to the other spark plugs - yah like I want to fire the plug with the intake valve open.
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