Intake, Tornado, and Gas Mileage MPG 99 Chevy Tahoe 350

[WorleyGuy]

Anyone out there had any experience with using the Tornado Air Flow Management thingy with a Cool Air Intake?

I have a 99 Tahoe with a 350. It has a lower air restriction exhaust on it. I want to get a little better gas mileage. So, I'm wondering if a air intake would help (which I think it will), if so which intake would be best. I'm also wondering if using the Tornado in conjunction would increase the results I am looking for. I also have access to a power programmer to reprogram the computer for better performance.

I am wanting better gas mileage.

Anyone know the best way to acheive this?
How about using the intake, Tornado, programmer, will this help?

Thanks.

WorleyGuy

 

[Tosh]

Have you tried fuel line magnets? They straighten and orient the gasoline molecules so they pass through the fuel injectors easier. Of course if you orient the magnets the wrong way, you'll have a messy clog.

 

[Darryl]

The Tornado is JUNK! A true CAI (one that's sealed from under hood heat) will help in MPG's and power.

Volant makes a good CAI that uses a box (at least for the Titan).

Stay away from the CAI's that just have a cone style filter that sits unprotected in the engine bay. They suck in hot air from the engine and that is bad!

Some people on this site are going to tell you to stay away from a CAI because the cotton filter doesn't filter as well as the stock paper filter.

I however am NOT one of them.

If you're the type of guy that gets all worked up over your latest oil analysis because it showed 10ppm of iron, and your prior analysis showed 7ppm, then a CAI is NOT for you!

And by the way, a programmer should help with MPG's a little as well.


Darryl

 

[yugrus]

C'mon, the guy is just asking. Nobody was born with comprehensive knowledge.
Forget Tornado, magnets and electric boosters. You can spend $$ on the intake, but buy very little in terms of power gains. You actually can decrease your mileage and increase dust intake with some set-ups.

 

[JHZR2]

CAI might help 0.2% MPG increase... but 0.2% on 12 mpg is... sad...

I'd suggest putting synthetic lubricants wherever you can: differential, transmission, engine... Use LC/FP, which will keep your engine in top notch shape, and consider doing a run with auto-rx, to eek out any bit of dirt or junk in your engine that might rob a bit of performance...

If you have access to a power programmer, Id guess that you could essentially detune the engine somewhat, and maybe change shift points to be a bit more economical, but it likely wont help too much. Dont by one - you have to burn a lot of gas to make up for the purchase price.

Best bet is to keep the engine well-tuned, and drive lightly. Make sure your tires are aired up fully, and that your foot is nice and light

For the rest... well.. you've got a v8 full size truck... exercise your right to spend your $$$ as you chose, and keep fillin' it up!

JMH

 

[rpn453]

If you can find an intake that gives you more torque at the lower loads and rpm that you usually drive at, then it will probably help mileage out a bit. Most CAIs are tuned for higher rpms though.

A programmer that abandons emissions considerations may be able to give you some more mileage.

If a Tornado did anything, they'd put them on from the factory.

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

If you have access to a programmer for free, try it and see what happens. With a Hypertech/2001/5.3, my mileage went down a little--the extra power made my right foot heavier. I quit using the engine tuning, even the 87 octane option, because the motor pinged too much under load.

 

[Matt_S]

A lot of power adders, like a CAI, will actually help gas mileage if you learn to lighten up your right foot accordingly. Most people take advantage of the extra power, though, and wind up doing worse. I would suggest that you may see a slight difference, with emphasis on slight. It may not be worth the purchase price.

One area you might focus on is weight reduction. Getting the junk out of the trunk and removing extra seats, tools, mothers in law, etc. can help. Like I said, though, you have learn to lighten your right foot accordingly.

Tosh, that was hella-funny.

 

[T-Keith]

The airbox and filter on these trucks is actually pretty good. The key is air flow AND air temps. The air filter is large enough so that shouldn't make too much of a differnce and the airbox is pretty well setup.

Run the other way from the Tornado.

-t

 

[michaelc80]

quote:

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Originally posted by Tosh:
Have you tried fuel line magnets? They straighten and orient the gasoline molecules so they pass through the fuel injectors easier. Of course if you orient the magnets the wrong way, you'll have a messy clog.

---

Wouldn't they cause the molecular orientation and magnetic field of the fuel to be reversed, causing he engine to run backwards?

 

[michaelc80]

Seriously WorleyGuy

Like the others have said, the "Tornado" is only a way to part you and your money. Your best bet would be some modifications to help it breath and exhaust better (sounds like you've already done the exhaust).

You'll need to balance any potential mileage gains with the initial cost outlay.

Since it's a 99, have you considered running AutoRX through it? Some have reported (myself included) that minor gains in fuel mileage can be had. Others have noted that a product called Fuel Power may be able to help boost mileage. Both products are discussed in depth in the Additives forum here at BITOG.

 

[eljefino]

I'm concerned you wouldn't be getting enough EGR flow with the lower-flow exhaust. That'll lead to pinging, knock retard, and less efficient combustion and worse mileage. I don't know how easily you could return to stock intake and exhaust, reset the computer, and manage to drive in similar weather with the same batch of fuel.

 

[CharBaby]

One of our local T.V. stations recently did a small segment on the evening news. They tested the "TORNADO" on a somewhat new Crown Victoria V8. They ran the car without the Tornado for a select amount of miles, refilled the gas tank, checked the mileage and got mid 20's mpg. Then they installed the Tornado and ran the exact same rout, refilled the gas tank and got around 40 mpg this time. I couldn't beleive what I was seeing. I had read so many magazine/news paper articles that claimed that the Tornado did nothing, and also reading different web sites that also said that the Tornado did ziltch, I just couldn't beleive this... I know! There are always claims that people are getting better mpg and some indepentant lab test that shows a certain % increase in mpg, but Im still not buying the thing. Not for $69.99! Only when everyone is getting better mpg will I buy this thing.

 

[ikeepmychevytoo]

I'm also concerned with the bigger dia. exhaust. Not it will just postpone the power band to the higher engine speeds itself (which is not prefered for economy), like eljefino states it also can easily mess up the EGR.

~3 psi extra air in the tires and the API fuel economy type oil (if not already intalled such type) may help. Both are small gains but everything will be a small mpg gain. Economy is sum of these.

 

[mechtech]

The cold air intake will help power - not really a mileage increaser.
I never heard of a lower air restriction exhaust.
The programmed chip will help power and economy - a great idea.
Some people get good results from the Tornado for economy improvements. I don't understand how turbulence will help, once it hits the almost closed throttle plate at cruise conditions, but people I know have had improvements.

 

[Darryl]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Char Baby:
One of our local T.V. stations recently did a small segment on the evening news. They tested the "TORNADO" on a somewhat new Crown Victoria V8. They ran the car without the Tornado for a select amount of miles, refilled the gas tank, checked the mileage and got mid 20's mpg. Then they installed the Tornado and ran the exact same rout, refilled the gas tank and got around 40 mpg this time. I couldn't beleive what I was seeing. I had read so many magazine/news paper articles that claimed that the Tornado did nothing, and also reading different web sites that also said that the Tornado did ziltch, I just couldn't beleive this... I know! There are always claims that people are getting better mpg and some indepentant lab test that shows a certain % increase in mpg, but Im still not buying the thing. Not for $69.99! Only when everyone is getting better mpg will I buy this thing.

---

Boy, I hope President Bush does't find out about a simple device that can double MPG's....He'll have the inventor wacked!

Darryl

 

[Gary Allan]

It would be nice if someone who knew the fat on fixed vane elements of a turbine could debunk this type of device for us. I've often seen "swirl" used in exhaust/header/collector configurations ..and it makes sense. The pulsations are setup to extract the next exhaust pulse as it dumps in ..effectively aiding in the entrainment.

On the supply side, however, I can't figure out how this would be beneficial. Perhaps in a 1bl carb ..with venturi induced fuel managment you could see some benefit out of it. But what happens when it hits the plenumn? I imagine if you had an inverted element in the plenumn, that it would effectively "uncoil" the swirling air mass and provide some benefit. Otherwise ..the surfaces that cause the swirling must represent some form of restriction ..since you can't get that change in direction free. There's got to be some slight pressure drop across those surfaces.

 

[JHZR2]

We are involved in a vortex combustor project. Its an external combustion device to a modified turbine... The extremely high mix rates, allow for very lean, complete burning, with very low pollution.

Some of it can be seen here:
http://generalvortexenergy.net/

In a way, the mix/controled combustion/optimal mixing is similar...

However, the vortex from this device isnt in the combustion chamber... maybe some effect maintains through the engine?

JMH

 

[Lumberg]

I think the best way to go is to use synthetic lubes in the drivetrain...especially the rearend.

Maybe you can even go a little thinner...I've seen lots of discussion on it...the search tool is your friend!

 

[road_rascal]

I want a link to that station. I have an extremely hard time believing that any 'fuel saving product' doubled gas mileage. 40mpg in a Crown Vic

?

quote:

---

Originally posted by Char Baby:
One of our local T.V. stations recently did a small segment on the evening news. They tested the "TORNADO" on a somewhat new Crown Victoria V8. They ran the car without the Tornado for a select amount of miles, refilled the gas tank, checked the mileage and got mid 20's mpg. Then they installed the Tornado and ran the exact same rout, refilled the gas tank and got around 40 mpg this time. I couldn't beleive what I was seeing. I had read so many magazine/news paper articles that claimed that the Tornado did nothing, and also reading different web sites that also said that the Tornado did ziltch, I just couldn't beleive this... I know! There are always claims that people are getting better mpg and some indepentant lab test that shows a certain % increase in mpg, but Im still not buying the thing. Not for $69.99! Only when everyone is getting better mpg will I buy this thing.

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