Tornado device: good or snake oil?

[Lyondellic]

I was searching for an air filter on the Advance Auto parts site and found a device called the Tornado. The Tornado is a stainless steel insert that is placed in the air intake line. Results that are listed on the Tornado site seem almost too good to be true. What are your thoughts?

http://www.tornadoair.com/index.php

 

[refaller]

Comes up a lot and it is snake oil. If it worked, wouldn't car manufacturers use it? For a few cents per car, they could increase the horsepower number and fuel efficiency- would definitely increase what people would be willing to pay for the car.

ref

 

[cmhj]

Burn your money, the payback will be just as good.

 

[Pablo]

If one is good, put three in series!!

I thought I read a debunk article on these things.....must have been on the web because magazines won't say anything negative. Why kill an advertiser?

 

[Jonny Z]

It was a magazine: PM
http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/1802932.html
I had the actual paper issue - and I thought the Tornado or the Twister was in the ad section in the back.

 

[Pablo]

Thanks for the link! Good for PM for standing strong.

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

No, it's garbage. Amazing how much they charge for those things! I saw something on TV about this thing, they found no difference in anything except that your wallet is ligher.

 

[wileyE]

During another (phony balony) fuel crisis in the late 70's the hot tip was to cut some fine mesh screen and sandwich between the carb and manifold, sort of dished it to the clear the throttle plates. It was supposed to atomize the fuel and be more efficient. On my 396 it just made less power and you had you foot in it more. Didn't work for me. Disconnecting the secondarys, tiny primary jets and 2.50 rear end gears got my 396 heavy chevy 20mpg on a freeway commute. Car was completely neutered though.

 

[KilgoreBass]

Consumer Reports has tested the Tornado, and a few other devices....looks like snake oil:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/...age-gas-prices/

 

[exranger06]

If you understood how modern fuel injected engines worked, you would know this device is a scam. Even if the Tornado created this swirling vortex space-time-continuum-bullc-rap in your intake, as soon as it hits the intake manifold, it gets broken up as the air goes through the individual runners to the cylinders. All it does is create a restriction in your intake.

 

[odessit]

So the obvious solution is to install tornados on each intake manifold "path". [running to patent the idea]

 

[Durango]

save your money and buy fresh air filters every 6 months instead!

Durango