[Lgndryhr]

I found one online that can fit our cars, but I thought TBS were a thing of the past. Perhaps someone can enlighten me if they are worth anything or not.

 

[DrivenDaily]

Short answer: longer intake between the throttle plate and the valves will tune the engine for more power in the lower RPMs but reduces high-RPM power.

Headers do the same thing. Longer ones are more for torque at lower RPMs, shorter ones flow better at higher RPMs for more power up in that range.

A side benefit is you can drill through it from the outside and tap some threads into it, then install NOS jets! That'll give you boat loads of power!

 

[Lgndryhr]

Short answer: longer intake between the throttle plate and the valves will tune the engine for more power in the lower RPMs but reduces high-RPM power.

Headers do the same thing. Longer ones are more for torque at lower RPMs, shorter ones flow better at higher RPMs for more power up in that range.

A side benefit is you can drill through it from the outside and tap some threads into it, then install NOS jets! That'll give you boat loads of power!

Sounds like a TBS might benefit our cars then since they are programmed for low end torque it seems. Correct me if I am wrong, lol.

So we should change our headers too, lol.

 

[Silver LTZ]

Stay away from the spacers. They can lean your car out.

 

[Silver LTZ]

Headers do the same thing. Longer ones are more for torque at lower RPMs, shorter ones flow better at higher RPMs for more power up in that range.

Not really, long tube headers will give more power and torque over the full rpm range. "Shorty" headers really don't do too much. I had shorty headers on my Camaro, only gained 7 to the wheels. Went to Kooks long tubes and got a whopping 24 gain to the wheels and a minimum of 13 even at the lowest point.

 

[DrivenDaily]

I can't accurately say if our cars are programmed for low-end or what. That's a function of the cam (timing, lift, duration, etc) and the PCM (injectors, spark, etc). I don't recall seeing any dyno curves published.

If you want more torque then lengthening the intake and/or exhaust runners will aid in that endeavor. The cats are too close to the engine to make headers an easy mod.

 

[Lgndryhr]

Oh okay thanks for the replies guys. Yea I haven't seen any dyno's either, but I plan on going to the dyno this summer before I do a few of my mods to see the difference, if any afterwards.

I found someone who has used the TBS along with the crappy JET chips: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3371716/2008-chevrolet-malibu
That is even more evidence to me not to use the TBS since he uses JET.

I don't know if he is a member here or not.

 

[CJOliver90]

I have the Air raid throttle body spacer, and i did see about a 1-3 mpg increase at different speeds in similar atmospheric/ road conditions. As for the sounds wise. you wont really hear it if it is used on its own, but if used in conjuction with the cold air intake, you can here the whistle pretty well at around 3k rpm. But not so much that it gets annoying.

 

[Silver LTZ]

I have the Air raid throttle body spacer, and i did see about a 1-3 mpg increase at different speeds in similar atmospheric/ road conditions.

Sorry, but I can't believe that. There is no way that could give a 3 mpg increase with no driving habit changes.

 

[CJOliver90]

Dont know what to tell you, i didnt bilieve the idea of a tbs either, but the results are their. im trying to research information to support the facts, but its hard to find theorys that are similar to those involved with the tbs. The only thing i can think of is that if the tbs actually does cause the air to spin coming through the throttle body, it may be causing it to create a low/high pressure which in return could increase volume over a set time.

 

[DrivenDaily]

Dude, the spacer doesn't "spin" the air, it makes the path longer.

You can tune intake and/or exhaust by adjusting the lengths of the paths. In short, longer exhaust header tubes give you more torque and tend to limit top end. Shorter tubes give you more revs and higher HP.

The same holds true for intakes. Longer = torque, shorter = HP.

Back in the 90's Ford (and likely others) used this science. They had a dual-path intake that was controlled by the ECM. At rest the path was longer, but when the revs got to a certain point it was allowed to take the shorter path and let the engine rev higher.

You can test it for yourself. Take 2 straws of equal length and use them to breathe through. Breathe in and out through them and see how hard it is to get enough air. Now shorten them so they are just an inch or so and do it again. See how much easier it is? An engine is simply an air pump that uses fuel to keep it turning, producing enough excess power to move your vehicle.

If the spacer gives you more MPG then keep records and compare them to before. Then let us know how it turns out in the real world. If it actually works then your results will speak for themselves. But the science isn't turbulence, it's volumetric tuning.

 

[CJOliver90]

I'm just throwing ideas out, I don't know much about It, just got the money to waste to test what people are interested about. But if it is what you say, then what is the point of the helix bore, what is making the whistle and how does it make the path longer if it is placed inside the throttle body with less than 1cm sticking out which I would image Is for bolting purposes.

 

[DrivenDaily]

If it's a throttle body spacer then to install it, you remove the TB, attach the spacer, then bolt the TB onto the spacer. A spacer is just that: a device that moves the TB physically further away from the intake plenum. They're about an inch thick, more or less.

A helix or tornado device is only about as thick as a piece of tin gasket with little fingers sticking into the airstream. It really isn't a spacer per se, it's a turbulence producer.

Unless someone has found a way to invert years of science and several tests of devices like turbulence producers, it is generally accepted that a smooth airflow is the most efficient means of getting the air from one point to the next. The deposits that build up on a valve can cause unwanted turbulence that slows the speedy filling of the combustion chamber. I would imagine that any other turbulence, whether it's introduced by build-up or a tornado device, would do something similar.

But I'm no engineer, either. In the past I've given careful consideration to things and thought I had arrived at the correct answer, only to be proven wrong. There's no dishonor in admitting I was wrong. Many intelligent people (you see how I'm trying to get you think I might be among them? Neat trick, eh?) have used erroneous conclusions to finally get back on the track to finding the truth. The Earth used to be flat and ride on the back of a tortoise, too.

I stand before you heavily enlightened by all my past mistakes. And I'm sure I'll make more! At least I'm not sitting like a bump on a log, and neither are you. Keep experimenting. And if this tornado thing actually yields better mileage and/or power you just might have stumbled onto something. Lots of discoveries were just that: discoveries of what was already there while looking for something else. Just keep your eyes open as you do your testing to be sure you're eliminating as many variables as possible, or at least able to explain them.

 

[TheOtherMillion]

I realize this thread has been dead for awhile but there is a video on tirerack.com that explains how it works a little. I'm thinking about getting one. Anyone try one of these out?

Here is the link

http://www.tirerack.com/engine_tuni...Year=2008&AR200-630-1PA_Qty=1&autoModClar=LTZ

 

[TheSilverOne]

they're a waste of money on FI cars