Tornado Knock off, Gimmick or ??

[EBottema]

I was searching on ebay and saw this, figured I would take a look see.



here is it:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Better-Gas-Mileage-Dodge-Ram-2500-3500-Cummins-Diesel_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ42604QQitemZ8025306145QQrdZ1



Well, it promises better gas mileage... .



31% increase- That means at 15mpg right now you would be up to 20mpg with the product.

35 horsepower increase- Doubtful at best.

Smoother shifting auto trans- Where did you come up with that one??



Maybe it will attrach the girls to me too :-laf



Now, i have seen a family member use the Tornado on a gas vehicle before and gained 2 mpg. It was a small chevy v6 van. I am sure it slightly helps but I doubt on a turbo system it would do any good. Better yet, 30lbs of boost might send on of the pieces down the intake. I wonder if that is part of the lifetime warranty??



~erik

 

[AJ]

When the TAG came out , it was heavily debated wether it works or not. In my case yes the tag works, it gave me an honest . 6 mpg increase and less lag and smoke.



This contraption could work, but not for the reason listed in the ad;



"What is the Power Maxx?: The Power Maxx is a stationary vortex generator that fits inside your air intake tube.



How it works: The Power Maxx produces a vortex, effect in the combustion chamber of your engine. This allows for better atomization of your fuel, resulting in more complete combustion of the available fuel. "



Since it is located before the turbo, the little rotation of air would be negligible BUT since it would direct the intake air opposite the rotation of the compressor wheel, it can "fill" the vanes, saturate if you wish the wheel with

more air, and some benefit could be gained, 31%? at 15mpg ~ 5mpg As the movie line goes... "in your dreams".

 

[TRCM]

Like all the other snake oil gadgets... it may induce a swirl effect where you put it, but once the airflow goes past the throttle blades in a gasser, or past the valves in ANY engine, the swirl effect is removed.



I think the only mpg increase seen by using one of them is cuz the driver is subconsciously driving more economically.

 

[JRagland]

If it comes with some stickers for your back glass, they're worth 5-10 HP a piece!



Actually, I'll bet authentic snake-oil would mix well with diesel and get us all 30 MPG! It would have to be the authentic snake-oil though.

 

[Joe Mc]

When placed in the exhaust, just after the muffler, the increased swirl reduces back pressure and helps speed up turbo spool. Only drawback is it creates smoke rings at idle. However, if you place one of the stickers on the tail pipe extension and the other on top of the air breather box it will eliminate the dreaded smoke ring phenomena. . . :-laf

 

[Benson]

If they'll throw in some magnets for the fuel lines I'll buy.

 

[JFielding]

I have the TAG on my old '94. It works. Will do nothing to my '05 til it's out of warranty.

They advertise the Vortex Valves around here too. I posted a question about them earlier. Most answers were negative. Maybe they work on a Diesel but I need LOTS of proof before I'll risk my engines. Sounds like snake oil to me too.



J

 

[Extreme1]

Snake oil - big time. Don't you think that if Dodge could boost fuel economy by anything measurable they'd spend the $. 75? (remember, you're dealing with an order of thousands that gets handed to the low bidder)



I don't buy the TAG advantages either. I think you might get similar results (lower boost is good?) by putting duct tape over part of your turbo inlet. I would like to see a back to back dyno run first hand with and without.

 

[blacksheep4x4]

I fell for the Vortex gimmic. The ad said it would spin the air and make it go through the valve openings better. Well I own a '03. All of you who own 3rd gen trucks know they don't use glow plugs. Instead we have a plate under the intake manifold that has a grid that goes across the intake opening to the head. This grid is what heats the air that goes into the engine. Well if the vortex spins the air and it goes through the intake and hits the grid won't the grid straighten the air flow back out? I think so.

 

[Shovelhead]

If you hold it juuuust right, it makes great curly french fries... .....

 

[Idaho Native]

I bought a Tornado for my wife's 01 Durango with the 4. 7. It really reduced the pain I used to experience in my right leg while driving because now my wallet is thinner

 

[biggy238]

Maybe it will attrach the girls to me too

It doubles as a wolf whistler I believe



I don't know why it would work of a gas vehicle... . It doesn't make sense to me because most use intake plenums now... turbulence killers.





On a Dodge Ram... #1 the turbo produces turbulence. The intercooler gets that first... straightens that out. It goes to the intake, through the grid heater. . Into a flat intake manifold which the air charge has to make a 90* turn to hit the cylinder... so obviously aerodynamics play a small role in our intake tract. Forced induction makes up for it.

 

[Car_nut57]

Turbo Air Guide

Snake oil - big time. Don't you think that if Dodge could boost fuel economy by anything measurable they'd spend the $. 75? (remember, you're dealing with an order of thousands that gets handed to the low bidder)



I don't buy the TAG advantages either. I think you might get similar results (lower boost is good?) by putting duct tape over part of your turbo inlet. I would like to see a back to back dyno run first hand with and without.

The Turbo Air Guide is all about air flow into the engine and to help reduce load on the turbo. Here is an air flow chart on this page for the Dodge Cummins and more information http://www.dieselpowerproducts.com/tag