[jungathart]

I hope to be the first to ask other owners this question: has any of y'all used this "TornadoAir" device in your cars? It seems to be a relatively inexpensive and safe(?) way to minimally increase mileage and power; if it does work. Also, do you think it would work better if positioned closest to the engine, or vice versa? I bought one but have not installed it. Also, any trick I need to know about disconnecting the air hose?
:-?

 

[Dr. Bob]

I never heard of it. What is it, what does it do and where should it be placed?

 

[jungathart]

Dr. Bob
this is a non-moving aluminum device which is placed inside the air hose which goes to the engine. it has fixed angled blades which is supposed to swirl (thus "tornado") and increase the volume and velocity of air which goes into the combustion chambers, thus increasing fuel burn, resulting in more HP and MPG.
there is a web site for it: www.tornadoair.com
Please tell me what you think.

 

[Pete04222]

I have heard that it is no more than a gimmick and doesn't give you anymore horsepower than a new set of sparkplugs would. I doubt you would notice any difference.

 

[Dr. Bob]

I'm a little sceptical about it. aspecially since it can be used on every engine. I think has a sort of optimum, and I think high end engines like Ferrari's etc already have a very good airflow, sice they are desgned for performance. But maybe I'm wrong, please post your experiences with it after installation. I think you can not measure the exact power gain, but maybe the MPG if you keep a table with how many miles you drive on a gallon

 

[Spasso]

Removing the often restrictive intake ducting found on most injected cars (non-Ferrari) and replacing with an after market duct and a K&N filter will do more for breathing than anything else. Swirling the air around in a restrictive duct or non-restrictive duct would cause vortisies that would impede the flow if anything else. It may induce velocity but in NO WAY can it increase volume anymore than the venturi in a carburetor can. Only a supercharger or turbocharger can increase volume ABOVE what an engine is able to draw in during natural aspiration.

The Ferrari K-tronic has it's own form of restriction built in and there is absolutely nothing that can make air go through that restriction any faster except PRESSURE or INCREASED VACUUM.

That Tornado device looks suspiciously like an item found in a restaurant kitchen. Must be magic.........................................

 

[Spasso]

I would like to bring to light the theory of the airplane wing.
Because of the shape of the wing, air is deflected upwards over the top of the wing and forced to travel farther to rejoin the air that passed directly and smoothly under the wing.

The air that had to travel above the wing actually caused a REDUCTION of air pressure along the top of the wing thus providing lift.

The problem with deflecting air is that it takes energy to do so, hence engine power. The point at which the air above meets the air below causes a vortex along the trailing edge of the wing, commonly known as drag, hence even MORE engine power is required.

So wouldn't it figure that by deflecting the air inside your intake ducting with angled blades and creating vorticies at the same time actually rob power from the engine?

Tell me it ain't so!

 

[jungathart]

Interesting hypotheses and concepts. It remains an untested phenomenon for most of us here at the Forum, I suppose. :-?

 

[4i2fly]

Interesting hypotheses and concepts. It remains an untested phenomenon for most of us here at the Forum, I suppose. :-?

Why don't you try it and dyno the car before and after to see if there is any gain. I don't think it will hurt to try it. It will cost you the dyno run.

 

[jungathart]

Yes. That is the only way to objectively validate the maker's claims. Now, can any garage dyno test, and what is actually done in the test? Meanwhile, Dr. Bob's suggestion to do 'before' and 'after' gas mileage calculations would preclude or, hopefully, justify paying for the dyno (depending on the cost).

 

[senna21]

I'd love to see this put to the test as well. But, vortices act to pull more air or liquid along with it. They increase the speed of the particles. Same as polishing an intake. That allows the particles to flow faster.

To have a proper test of this device we'd need a car that was in top condition. One that had:
A) It's injectors recently rebuilt/cleaned and ballanced.
B) Tune up (New plugs, wires, cap, rotors, timing set properly)
C) New air filter or had it's K&N cleaned.
D) Fresh oil change.

If you would like to see some extra horsepower replace the "accordion" intake tube mating to the intake plenum with either a smooth Samco tube or get the proper size aluminum tubing for it. I'd be willing to bet this would pick up anywhere from 2 to 5 at the rear wheels. That thing has to be screwing up air flow in a big way.

If there is anyone in Los Angeles email me. I'll be glad to make one for you. I don't have access to a 308 or I would have done it already.

 

[Rosso]

Hmm, it would be interesting to see the results that would be brought with the addition of that little thing. My dad bought one for his Jeep and he said he really hasn't noticed much of any of a difference in gas mielage, although he's saying that there may be a tad, just a tad more power in the higher RPM range. Really doesn't seem to make that much of a difference it seems, though.

 

[4kids3fish]

I think most of these type of items hope to improve combustion efficiency by "swirling" the intake airflow so that fuel droplets get better dispersed throughout the combustion chamber. There is probably something in this with (some) carburetted systems, but I think they have gone the way of the dodo with fuel injection. A good FI setup should have a v.fine droplet size and programming of the injection timing & presures should get a pretty good A/F mixture distribution in the cylinder, so no benefit seems likely.

Plonking things in the intake airflow can only lead to greater turbulence, a breakdown in laminar flow and greater drag, so there would have to be a lot of other "upside" to overcome these negatives. Try it out, I guess.

 

[Spasso]

Plonking things in the intake airflow can only lead to greater turbulence, a breakdown in laminar flow and greater drag, so there would have to be a lot of other "upside" to overcome these negatives. Try it out, I guess.

Yeah, What he said.