"turbonator" adds 35 horsepower?

It's garbage. If anything, it will reduce power by being an obstruction in the intake tract.

I'm surprised Wu doesn't sell this.

 

J.U.N.K.

 

Well in theory it works with a jug of water. Stand with 2 full jugs of water upside down and swilrl one while just leaving the other upside down. The one that is swirled wil empty faster but that's only because the air needs to go back up inot the jug for the water to escape. This isn't so with an air intake so I dont think that will be more efficient.

 

Funny you should ask, I just got one!
I haven't installed it yet so I'll tell you after I do.
Hey, money back guarantee so what do I have to lose?
And, if they're a total sham, then why are there two companies that sell these? (Tornadoair is the other)
So we'll see.
At least I don't pretent to 'know-it-all" about these WITHOUT having tried one.

Wes

 

Actually, if you also buy one of those magnet things that you put on your fuel line that lines up all the gasoline molecules and supposedly gives a few extra HP and super gas mileage, you could turn your ordinary car into a supercharged monster!!

If anyone does think this thing is a good idea and is considering buying one, I have this really nice bridge in Brooklyn that I'll sell you for a really reasonable price. All you need to do is put up a couple of toll booths and you'll be rich in no time. ;-)

 

Wes,

Be sure that you have your car dynoed before and after installing it. "Seat of the pants" impression is meaningless. The only true test of something that claims to add horsepower to an engine is to put it on a dyno and get before and after measurements. If you do, please post the results. And I'll keep that bridge available just for you.

Over the years I've seen tons of things that claim to increase HP and gas mileage, from STP oil treatment to K&N "high performance" air filters. It seems that when they are actually tested in a controlled environment and are put on a dyno, they simply don't do what they claim. Subjective driving impressions are not reliable, because you WANT to see a change. The only thing that counts is a verifiable, repeatable, scientific test.

So why do people buy them? Advertising. Plain and simple. People buy into the hype. Test this gizmo for us in a controlled test, not your driving impression, and if it proves out to add 35 HP, I'm sure lots of people will run and buy it. I bet you lunch that if you put it on a dyno, it won't produce any increase in power.

Steve

 

Ya, people need to be more careful about the 35hp claim. It says "up to" 35hp, so people carelessly think/say they're going to get 35hp themselves. Maybe it will be 5? Maybe 10? Who knows, but higher reving and flow engines may gain most.

I agree that the dyno setup is best but I'm not putting my car through that, and people here have said that you will feel a 20hp change seat-of-the-pants. But I'm not going to test this based on power, though I will see if there's anything to notice.

We bought one for a company truck. Silverado V-8. My driver is going to check his mileage on a typical, repeatable route each day for 1 week. Then we'll put it on and do it again with the unit on. So I will be able to report those test results when they are done in 2 weeks or so.

Stay tuned.....

 

I don't have to jump in a pond to know that water is wet.

 

What's wrong with a dyno test? It won't hurt the engine?

One way to butt-dyno is take the car up a hill. Make change. Take up hill again. Any changes (less time, for example), good or bad?

 

If you put the Turbinator or whatever they call them in the throat of each individual carb then it may help. But on a FI (fuel injected) car, no way. It's a restriction and the 'swirling' will get all broken up by the time it hits the intake plenum.

Remember, angled blades cannot make a 'tornado' or swirl the air. Mother Nature needs cold and warm air traveling opposite each other to get such an effect If angled blades could make a tornado then simple house-hold fans would be wreaking havoc throughout the world

 

BTW, do you have a larger image of your avitar?

 

Why I thought you'd never ask.
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Did somebody push the Big Red Shiny Button?

 

You have a lotta of balls to admit that....for the sake of your pocket book, please do not watch cable tv after midnight....

 

In a carb car, having a nice uniform airflow is critical, at least for Strombergs in my Lotus. The Lotus Twincam engine air intake is a box behind the carbs, a large hose, a 90 degree angle to the air filter box and two horns on the other side to admit air to the filter. This allows for a very gentle, uniform airflow into the carbs. That fan thing looks like it would really ruin the airflow and defeat everything Lotus designed in the first place.

Ken

 

My screen name refers to my love of the air-cooled engine...VW to be specific. I simply use the same screen name for all of the forums I'm on so people know it is me and I've had it since early 1996. That aside, the VW list I'm on did a lot of evaluation on these (including a physics professor) and we pretty much determined them worthless. Also, if they actually did work wouldn't one think that auto manufacturers would have some sort of similar set up?

BTW, link to larger avitar picture?

 

Very true. Even for FI cars. Some FI cars have a grid in front of the mass air flow sensor to straighten the air flow prior to the meter. Also, at least on my Jetta, there's an air horn in the air box prior to the grid to further straighten the air flow. Velocity stack is the common carb equivalent I gots 'em on my air-cooled, dual Dellorto carbed engine

 

From what I've learned/heard....

If you take a carbuerated engine that has a simple OEM air-filter mounted on top of the carb.....you will see some results: it's like putting a velocity stack just above the carb and the air can roll/tornado in a lot easier and it may just help atomize the gasoline a bit and help with a more thorough combustion.

As for a Ferrari...especially with out long lead-in tubes that run past the actual air-filter housings: NOT going to happen. You'll get more results driving on a day with a stiff tail-wind.

Money-back guarantee...doesn't hurt to try. Please make some noise with the results!

Ya know, they also have powerful magnets that strap around the fuel-line. They are supposed to help the fuel burn better and cleaner. Believe it or not, we took my Karmann Ghia to Tune-up masters and put it on the sniffer and read the results. First we did it with the magnets ON, then OFF, then back ON again. Results were CLEANER, NOT AS CLEAN, CLEANER.

Damn if those magnets didn't actually make a difference that the computer sensors detected!!!! By the drivers seat, zero feel difference....but the numbers on the display of the computer supported the change.

But you know the old saying.....who cares!

 

Y'know, it would have been a lot easier for me to not come in on this topic, but since I am going to try one I thought I would.

I oversee a fleet of vehicles and with the price of gas being what it is I have to check out things like these. If it works to any degree it's worth trying. And ya, it takes balls to admit I'm trying one, but I don't give a sh*t! I'm gonna try it and if I like it I'll keep it, and if not I'll send it back. But don't address me as some idiot just for trying it. If you wanna know how it works out then stay tuned, if not, don't! But I have no time for comments out of ignorance that demean those who inquire. There are lots of sceptics who don't believe anything and like to pout in the corner: join them!

For testimonials related to Turbonator see:http://www.turbonator.com/Feedback.html

For "results" related to the TornadoAir see: http://www.tornadoair.com/Results.php

For more Ren and Stimpy see: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Theater/3006/
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Theres tons of reviews on this crap out there and all say the same thing...Hoax! Heres one:

http://autorepair.about.com/cs/productreviews/fr/aafpr052002.htm