Fuel saving gadgets
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 3,377
Likes: 0
From: Shallow Beaches CA
Fuel saving gadgets
Check out this article
http://www.maryngroup.com/articles/Article060101-1.htm
What do you think? Is it realistic the C3 can benefit from these?
http://www.maryngroup.com/articles/Article060101-1.htm
What do you think? Is it realistic the C3 can benefit from these?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,183
Likes: 2
From: Des Moines Iowa
Re: Fuel saving gadgets (spham)
Don't know about that particular device, but I did see an 'info mercial' this weekend regarding a device that sits in air intake, called the 'Tornado' which is supposed to swirl the air in the intake manifold and claims to make more power and better fuel economy due to better fuel / air atomization. Seems to make some theroretical sense to me, but wonder if it really works as well.
Anyone out there had actual experience with either of these two performance/economy 'improvers'?????
Anyone out there had actual experience with either of these two performance/economy 'improvers'?????
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,728
Likes: 1
From: Maple
Re: Fuel saving gadgets (spham)
i have seen the ads for the Tornado..whats that saying..if its to good to be true..i heard they dont do a whole lot ..i bought my bro a` helix power tower for christmas for his 98 silverado 5.7..it is basically a 3/4 or 1inch spacer that goes between the intake and throttle body..the inside of the opening has a thread running down it which swirls the air going in..if it does anything for him i will post it....
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 249
Likes: 0
From: Neustadt/Weinstr, Germany
Re: Fuel saving gadgets (spham)
What is that good for? Mileage of a new engine over 300ci in any new Audi Mercedes BMW etc. is not much better than my '69 corvette. So you can see that there was not much progress in the last 30 years. This is why I doubt very much you can increase the mileage significantly by condensing the blow-by gases of an engine.
BTW: Fuel prices are about $3.50/gal in Germany, so mileage really matters over here.
BTW: Fuel prices are about $3.50/gal in Germany, so mileage really matters over here.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,699
Likes: 1
From: Westampton NJ
Re: Fuel saving gadgets (spham)
Let's see...the "condensator" is nothing more than the charcoal canister found on all cars now, and Corvettes sometime after mine.
From all I've heard, the swirl torque spacers are worthless. You'll get more from an insulating plate (can't spell that p-word). Cooler, denser charge...
From all I've heard, the swirl torque spacers are worthless. You'll get more from an insulating plate (can't spell that p-word). Cooler, denser charge...
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 34,233
Likes: 0
From: Medford, OR
Re: Fuel saving gadgets (ram82fire)
My neighbor has one of the Tornado devices in his '01 F150. He says he gets about 18-20 more miles on a tank of gas with it. I've seen the one's for carburated engines and it has a top that looks like it would close off the top of the carb though. I'm thinking that's probably not good.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,752
Likes: 0
From: Chattanooga TN
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Re: Fuel saving gadgets (rainman69)
As I understand it the charcoal canister takes the vaporized fuel in the float bowl and condeses it and sends it back to the tank, rather than it "boiling" off to the atmosphere at the carburetor.
However, vapor carburetors have been around forever, but thanks to the oil companies, have never taken off. Only fuel vapor will burn in the combustion process (i.e. not much of what you put in), and only liquid fuel produces pollutants. Therefore if you could build a carburetor that injects vapor somehow, you would be much more efficient, and better on the environment. I read somewhere that a guy put a vapor carb on his 318 Dodge and got 81 mpg. I don't know how true it is, but it makes alot of sense on paper. A vapor carb can run on a much lower grade of petroleum as well. I've heard of a model that was used on a tractor back in the thirties that actually used spent crankcase lubricant as a fuel!
I wish I had the budget to design a prototype. We'd all be rich. :D
However, vapor carburetors have been around forever, but thanks to the oil companies, have never taken off. Only fuel vapor will burn in the combustion process (i.e. not much of what you put in), and only liquid fuel produces pollutants. Therefore if you could build a carburetor that injects vapor somehow, you would be much more efficient, and better on the environment. I read somewhere that a guy put a vapor carb on his 318 Dodge and got 81 mpg. I don't know how true it is, but it makes alot of sense on paper. A vapor carb can run on a much lower grade of petroleum as well. I've heard of a model that was used on a tractor back in the thirties that actually used spent crankcase lubricant as a fuel!
I wish I had the budget to design a prototype. We'd all be rich. :D
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,807
Likes: 0
From: Hoosier
Cruise-In III Veteran
Re: Fuel saving gadgets (e3pres)
I can't agree with the Tornado thing. It's commonly known that the smoother the air stream is going to the carb throat the more efficiently the venturies will use that air. That's the concept of newer carbs such as the Demon line. K & N sells plastic carb throat covers that smooth out the irregularities at the throat.
If you want to get a glimmer of what the Condensator thing may do...just put a pipe in place of the PCV valve and let it exit to open air. (of course cap the vacuum fitting on the carb:))
Under the carb...build for the highest velocity you can get.. Small runners, nice corners, no sharp edges, etc. Just my opinions. :cheers:
If you want to get a glimmer of what the Condensator thing may do...just put a pipe in place of the PCV valve and let it exit to open air. (of course cap the vacuum fitting on the carb:))
Under the carb...build for the highest velocity you can get.. Small runners, nice corners, no sharp edges, etc. Just my opinions. :cheers:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,807
Likes: 0
From: Hoosier
Cruise-In III Veteran
Re: Fuel saving gadgets (AlwaysWave)
BTW..all these gadgets may or may not do some good. The people that make out with them are the sellers. The real gains are made by best combustion situations brought about with tight quench areas under the heads, swirl type combustion chambers, correct cam lobe design for the application and engine use..those sorts of things. Getting 20 or more mpg from a carbed 350 is not unreasonable. Did you ever calculate what your newer overdrive car would get without the OD? Dave Emmanual (sp) the famous Vette writer has a C3 that runs 12's and does 20 mpg on the street.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 5,768
Likes: 3
From: San Diego CA
Re: Fuel saving gadgets (spham)
I dont buy it - sounds like snake oil to me - are all those ancient ads supposed to be of similar devices? I saw a guy who put a magnet on his radiator hose and claimed it would increase his cooling capability and reduce engine wear.
Wheres P.T. Barnum when you need him.
Wheres P.T. Barnum when you need him.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 16,483
Likes: 1
From: The Only Corvette in Gila Bend, Az.
St. Jude Donor '09
Re: Fuel saving gadgets (fauxrs)
Any serious fuel saving device is bought buy the oil company's... They want to stay in buisness.
I have an Uncle that designed an intake manifoldback in the 70's. He installed it on a 63 Buick station wagon, it would smoke the tires and get 80 MPG.
Chevron sends him a nice check every year to keep his mouth shut...
I have an Uncle that designed an intake manifoldback in the 70's. He installed it on a 63 Buick station wagon, it would smoke the tires and get 80 MPG.
Chevron sends him a nice check every year to keep his mouth shut...
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 16,483
Likes: 1
From: The Only Corvette in Gila Bend, Az.
St. Jude Donor '09
Re: Fuel saving gadgets (rainman69)
So, if these designs were, say, just "rediscovered..." :smash: ;)
