has anybody bought one of those tornado intake thingys that you can buy at schucks or whatnot?? supposed to slide it into your intake tube to give you better gas mileage and power or whatever. well, i just bought one and figured if it didnt work i would take it back in a week. taking off out of the parking lot, it seemed to actually have more power. the little bottom end lag wasnt as bad as normal. ill get back to you folks on how the mileage is after our chelan trip. ill really be able to tell then with some highway miles.

I've been looking at getting one of those. We'll see if it actually helps.

they are uselessall they do is cost money.

they are uselessall they do is cost money.

 

do you KNOW that or is that a blanket statement.

do you KNOW that or is that a blanket statement.

 

i have on, my friend has one. made no difference. just makesa whisling sound at 1/2 throttle. only thing ive heard that it works on is big chevy v-8's. still doesnt do much then.

They can help carb'd engines run better when cold. Once your enigine is warmed up, there probably wont be much if any difference.

They will have no effect on a fuel injected engine.

They can help carb'd engines run better when cold. Once your enigine is warmed up, there probably wont be much if any difference.

They will have no effect on a fuel injected engine.

 

how does it work? seems to me like putting something inside the intake tube would restrict the airflow, wouldn't it? and even if it speeds up the air and creates a vacuum, it still couldn't get MORE air in. right? but i guess i don't know everything so maybe somehow....

its made of razor thin stainless steel, it spins the air as it coe in to the intake. it is supposed to creat turbulence to help mix the air and fuel better

I heard about those a couple of months ago and did a thouough web seach and a couple of hours of reading.

 

All the "they work" testimonies seemed to be anecdotal or paid for byt the folks that make them.All the scientific studies done by INDEPENDENT researchers, (yes, there have been several), proved that they do not work. (thats what I read)

 

Some major auto magazine guys (more than one) looked into them too, and said that all dyno claims of more economy and power were paid for by the manufacturer. But when THEY dyno'd them, no increases.

 

Hey, thats just what I read. I have no experience with this product, and I aint gonna.

 

Pyro

Theoretically, there is some advantage to them in exactally the same way that pyromaniac said

 

but realisitcally - more power => bigger boom => more air + fuel OR better combustion

 

as these engines are designed for good, even combustion in order to pass emissions, the latter option for a power boost is therefore already taken care of - this is the one area that the tornado actually works on

 

the tornado thingy does nothing to increase the amount of air (or fuel) going into the intake, so it does NOTHING to increase your power, unless you are driving an old V-8 in which technology did not permit an engine (or carb) that would allow for good, even mixture of the fuel and air, something which the tornado would do

 

therefore - the tornado would help your '64 1/2 Mustang, but probably not your Subaru - unless it was made in the 70's - in fact it adds resistance to the intake, so if anything it will probably hurt performance on your car

 

a turbocharger is your best option for increasing power with a engine of a given displacement, a well tuned engine will help fuel economy - I regularly get 25mpg city - and I have a lead foot - you can polish the intake manifold and get a similar result

 

if you do see a difference with the tornado, it probably means your engine is out of tune (dirty injectors or carb jets)

if yo want to try the idea cut up a pop can and put it in the intake. and if you decide it doesnt work you could throw it out and not feel like a jack for spending money

I got a bridge for sale out in CA. Interested?

Hey,

I actually discovered that I had one jammed into my intake from when I baught my car four years ago, so these things are not new, they just started selling them at checker/schucks what have you. I discovered it about 1 year into owning the car. XT-6 BTW and it got an avreage MPG of about 28, which is par for a auto 2wd XT-6. Now I've got ht e trans switched over, it gets like 20-22, the "sprial MAXX" is still in the intake and I cannot imagine it getting much worse MPG, but somewhere in the back of my mind, I think it makes the car slightly fastAR..... I should probably pull it out, its useless.

i got two 6 years ago (phil is right, they are not new). i installed one (and even two at a time) in an XT6. no difference, i haven't had them installed for...well 6 years now.

Gunslinger,

 

Don't ask! All you'll get is ridiculed. Purchase one, dyno or 1/4 mile it to get figured. THEN get ready for the ridicule.

 

It's been tested by Sport Compact Car and installed by the manufacturer. No gain at all!

Gunslinger,

 

Don't ask! All you'll get is ridiculed. Purchase one, dyno or 1/4 mile it to get figured. THEN get ready for the ridicule.

 

It's been tested by Sport Compact Car and installed by the manufacturer. No gain at all!

 

your right. thought i might ask for others experiences with them. i am going to take mine back though. they might work in carbed rigs but it hasnt helped in my SPFI. maybe a little lower end? but not enough for the cost.