2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992) 1986-1992 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections.

intake tornado

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Old May 31, 2002 | 05:31 PM
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intake tornado

Last night around 2 i turned on the TV and saw an infomercial on this intake tornado thing. Its a fan-like thing you place in your intake that helps suck air in. Does anybody know if this thing works? The ad said that it was once car and drivers product of the month but im still not satisfied. It claims around 5-10 hp and some percentage of gas mileage and costs around $70.
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Old May 31, 2002 | 05:48 PM
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vmb
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thats all i got to say about that
ala forest gump
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Old May 31, 2002 | 05:50 PM
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I saw that infomercial too and thought WTF?

I doubt it really does what it claims.

I agree, BS!
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Old May 31, 2002 | 06:26 PM
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I think that if it were that simple, the factories would have done it.
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Old May 31, 2002 | 06:59 PM
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1 or 2 years ago I read up on a magazine test if this tornado thing worked.

I can't remember all the different cars they had but I do remember they had a first gen 12a and it only gain 1hp.

C
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Old May 31, 2002 | 08:04 PM
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1hp at the wheelz or flywheel? either way thier is a little bit more error in the dyno than 1hp...So in my opinion? LOLOLOL.
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Old May 31, 2002 | 08:11 PM
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Thumbs down

I saw it too...on the Speed Channel. The mpg gain claims were preposteous, something like 25%! OPEC must be shaking in their boots!, or sheiking in their sandals...I'm not sure which!
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Old May 31, 2002 | 09:06 PM
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Save your $ for something more worthwhile, like blinker fluid.
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Old May 31, 2002 | 09:24 PM
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daym this been covered so many times, this **** dont work!
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Old May 31, 2002 | 09:42 PM
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Thanks for the info guys. I thought its wasnt all that its cooked up to be. I mean come on it is an infomercial. But anyways im never too embarassed to ask when it comes to extra power.
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Old May 31, 2002 | 11:12 PM
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I had a friend that ordered a off brand part. $70, and it was a piece of metal that you could make with some shears and about 5 minutes. If you stop and think about it, what good is it going to do to put something inside your intake to *swirl* air? Isn't the whole point just to shove as much down your intake as possible?
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Old Jun 1, 2002 | 06:40 AM
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You're missing the whole point of this device. It creates a tornado in your friggin air intake!!! Now until someone comes out with one that creates a hurricane in their, where else can you go?!
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Old Jun 1, 2002 | 10:18 AM
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you're better off buying some new muffler bearings to improve performance.

Oh and I've heard of people on the Honda/Acura board who decided to try it cause so many people asked about it on the board and I guess it came loose and went halfway through their intake tubing towards the throttle body.
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Old Jun 1, 2002 | 03:40 PM
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You're missing the whole point of this device. It creates a tornado in your friggin air intake!!! Now until someone comes out with one that creates a hurricane in their, where else can you go?!
From fart cans to fart fins - God Bless Technology.
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Old Jun 1, 2002 | 03:54 PM
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The thing about that tornado is that it actually creates turbulance in the intake! I always thought turbulance in the intake was something to avoid. Even A'pexi intakes have been engineered to stop turbulance, while this tornado creates it? BS.
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Old Jun 1, 2002 | 05:00 PM
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Enthu beat me to it
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Old Jun 1, 2002 | 05:13 PM
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Originally posted by Enthu
The thing about that tornado is that it actually creates turbulance in the intake! I always thought turbulance in the intake was something to avoid. Even A'pexi intakes have been engineered to stop turbulance, while this tornado creates it? BS.
To defend the idea behind this device, think about the rifling grooves inside the barrel of just about any rifle. If you apply the same principle to air, it should move not only smoother but possibly with more velocity than if it were just being sucked in. The turbulance that you are trying to avoid is that which is created by the rough uneven inside edges of flexpipes and air ducts, etc. If you eliminate the rough inside edges, you should see more than just a few extra hp. Ever wonder why the CAI's have a long metal one-piece smooth intake hose? That's right, lack of turbulence.
Do I think this "Tornado" works? Maybe. Will I buy one? NO! I can still think of plenty other mods that need more priority than this. For $70, I could have a nice down-payment on a turbo timer. I think the Tornado is B.S. but I think the idea is heading in the right direction.
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Old Jun 1, 2002 | 05:42 PM
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what about twin tornado's LOLOLOLOL holy crap , whats next........lol
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Old Jun 1, 2002 | 11:43 PM
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Umm.. rifling is there to apply a gyroscopic effect onto the actual bullet.. to maintain straight line accuracy...
Same principal as taking a bike wheel, (off the bike) and holding the axle in your hand, then spinning it, you can feel the gyro effect strongly...
Thats why in baseball, a knuckle ball is deadly and unpredictable, taking strange dips and jumps... because the pitcher isn't spinning it when it's thrown...
As for the TORNADO... I just don't know... you do want some swirl into the TB, for more effectively atomizing fuel.. it exposes more of the air to the fuel- but in the intake tract?? Whats that do? Just going through the MAF or whatever?
Oh well.
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Old Jun 2, 2002 | 12:07 AM
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spend ur $70 on a less restricting intake filter, not the tornado

<my 2cents>
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Old Jun 2, 2002 | 12:17 AM
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The rifling idea is bunk.

That is there to create a stable, non-tumbling projectile.

It does not increase velocity, nor does it decrease drag.
(Except to keep the bullet from tumbling)

In the TV demo, the test they do with the spinning thingy in the tube is a false test.

heres how the test SHOULD be done to prove if the Tornado causes better air flow...

Yes, the spinning blade in the tube shows the air twisting.

Big whoop.

If the put a air flow meter on the output of the tube that would prove its bunk.

You see if they did the air flow test on the output, you would see that the airflow stays the same if not drops a tiny bit.

If it were to increase, then thats somthing.

There is only one way that this device inceases air FLOW:

On intakes that have to go throught INSANE obstacles to get to the engine.

if the device is tuned to create a tornado that actaully comes to a point at the EXACT POINT of entry in the engine, perhaps at the butterflys.

Only this device would have to be at the very BEGINNING OF THE INTAKE as well.

It would be similar to tuning a subwoofer box.

Only when someone places a mass airflow meter on the output of the installed device and then measure an INCREASE in air flow and air pressure, would I be satisfied that it works.

Im sure that they DID find a particular vehicle or two that this worked on to use as testimonials.

But for 99.999999% of the air breathing engies of this world, its just hooey.

My 2 cents.
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Old Jun 2, 2002 | 01:38 AM
  #22  
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I have an intake tornado type of device. It rocks! It says HT-18 on the front of it. These things are great!














If you haven't figured it out, it's a turbo.


About the Tornado thing they sell on TV, useless crap. Snake oil. A sucker is born every minute, and they have credit cards ready for spending.

Here's something to go with the Tornado Twister. http://www.turdtwister.com/
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Old Jun 2, 2002 | 04:28 AM
  #23  
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Keep bashing it, I have a 86 GXL and I purchased one of these. My intake sounds different, noticable power gain....they also claim better mileage.....I don't keep track of mine but I don't think there is much of a difference. My opinion, it's worth it.
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Old Jun 2, 2002 | 08:09 AM
  #24  
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well here is what iv learned about these tornado things.

the theory behind it is sound, but it just doesnt live up to its hype IMHO as far as the designs of todays engines.


theory 1: creating a turbulance pattern in the intake system will help atomization of the a/f mixture, thus allowing a more efficient and complete ignition of the a/f mixture. it does this by swirling the air, thus making it interact with the fuel to get that sweet formula that makes power. a more complete interaction = more atomization = more power.

hypothesis: we do this by placing a fan like object in the intake system AFTER the air filter and BEFORE the throttle body. when the air hits this object(which does not actually move) and passes through, the blades cause the air flow to "swirl" making a tornado like effect in the intake. this in turn will make atomization more complete and thus give us more of a usable a/f mixture to ignite.

result: while the tornado effect is quite present there is no noticable gains in performance.

conclusion: the throttle body plates totally disrupt the swirling effect and nullify it before it ever gets to the atomization chamber. no extra turbulance is achieved where it counts.



this is what iv learned, but i should make a point here that may leave people confused. below i post the link to a thread where an independant dyno was done with carb setups which did see some gains. not alot but some. read for yourself.

http://www.eng-tips.com/gviewthread....d/71/qid/15649


http://www.eng-tips.com/gviewthread....d/71/qid/17082


make what you will of this info. i have yet to see results on a fuel injected setup, so who knows what results can be found there. maybe someone else can find info on that.
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