GTA
General Discussion To Gateway To Airguns => Back Room => : VINNY May 12, 2009, 02:48:17 PM
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a product called the Tonado Fuel Saver? Its been around for a while. I was talking about K&N air filters to a customer at work, and how I love mine, and he brought the Tornado up. He swears by them, has one in all 4 of his vehicles. If I get one, it will go on my 84 Power Ram, w/ a 4 barrel.Anyone know, good, bad.... :o
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It's like having a whirling tornado right under the hood of your car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have seen them, but I have no information to add....always kinda compared it to the "Shamwow!" to be honest.
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Vinny,
I hate to tell you, Popular Mechanics did a test on the "Tornado", and a few other "Popular" Gas Savers out there. NONE of them worked worth a darn. However the Tornado caused the least problems with the car.
Like you, I wanted to save some Gas Money, so that I could have More AIRGUN MONEY !!! But NO JOY !
Bill
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Been an ASE Master Auto technician for over 25 years and an ASE L1( Engine Performance Specialist) since that distinction became available and since I work mainly with engine performance computers systems and emissions. I've found,like Bill said, most of the mechanical add-ons are junk. Power from airfilters comes from les restrictions, due to bigger holes in the filters for more air( and DIRT) to pass thhrough. I love to see K&N Style airfilters on Diesel trucks as I sell a turbo on most everyone that comes in as the compressor turbine's worn to almost nothing from hitting specks of dirt at 80,000 rpm. Excess oil on the K&N just kills mass airflow sensors, costing upwards ot $600 on a lot of cars. Exhaust systems work, but are expensive. Lucas Oil Products, like fuel additive, work good , too. Bottom line, if a mechanical addon costing under $100 says it gives gas mileage, it probably doesn't, without affecting something else..
RicG
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RicG, I respect your training and years of experience. Empirical experience is hard won and very valuable. I agree that most products with claims for cheap performance gains are not worth the paper they are printed on. Engine efficiency increases are seldom inexpensive.
I do have to disagree with you on the performance of K & N air fliters however. I have both sold and used K & N air filters in both automotive and motorcycle applications and am a firm believer in their performance, if properly installed and maintained. I make no assertions as to any great increase in power or fuel mileage, but I do believe they are effecient filters and are a forever investment. Clean it, re-oil it and it's good to go. Just my opinion, based on about 25 years of experience using K & N products.
As for the claims that they do not filter effectively or contaminate MAF sensors I might suggest a little reading on their web site.
http://www.knfilters.com/air_filter_testing.htm
http://www.knfilters.com/MAF/massairfindings.htm
http://www.knfilters.com/MAF/MAFTestresults.htm
http://www.knfilters.com/MAF/massairpledge.htm
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Well I will not be getting a tornado. Thank you all for your input. I too do agree with how good K&N air filters are. Made a BIG difference in the pulling of my 7400 gvw travel trailer. I also did a single 3" exhaust system WOW, what a difference with those two things.
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I don't disagree with you, Stephanie, with reservations. Most consumers that buy the K&N style filters either install and forget. or overmaintain them, Used, and maintained properly, they're probably great. I've seen them installed completely dry or so oversoaked with oil that there is a pool of oil in the bottom of the aircleaner housing. For a lot of applications that require a huge volume of air, most are not large enough in the original housing to provide proper filtration while allowing greatly increased airflow without allow dirt through. It's simple physics, more air requires more space without causing restriction. I also live in AZ, where there's a ton of sand in the air and everyone goes driving in the boonies and stirs up even more. I've driven in a Monsoon dustorm on the way home from work and arrived with a virtually clogged airfilter, that was brand new the day before.
Ric G