Throttle body spacers...

[JEGIII]

I've heard a lot about these spacers being a good, quick & cheap power adder. Are they made for Subarus? I haven't had any luck looking through my usual sites. Thanks for any info.

[blitz]

I don't think I've seen anything like that offered for Subaru.

 

By what method does it add power? Thermal isolation? Extra plenum area?

[jib]

I've heard a lot about these spacers being a good, quick & cheap power adder. Are they made for Subarus? I haven't had any luck looking through my usual sites. Thanks for any info.

 

For a carb, probably yes, for a Throttle body injector system, maybe, for multi-port injection, it's a waste of money.

 

Jack

[blitz]

I think I've seen the spacers used on the GM TBI systems. Apparently there's some quirk on those that benefits a small amount from the addition of the spacer.

[blitz]

OK, just did a search.

 

http://www.airaid.com/spacers.asp

 

Aluminum spacer fits just under the T/B and has a "Tornado" spiral cut into it. According to the unbiased scientific research, the device imparts a mid-range boosting vortex action which carries on all the way to the cylinder.

 

Buy three and get a free fuel-line magnet.

[fishy]

The honda-tech clan seems to like the "Hondata" phenolic intake manifold spacer. They claim it keeps the manifold considerably cooler which keeps the incoming air charge cooler and more dense. I think the same would would on one of our 'spider' intakes but the benifit is one of those small fiddly differences and probably not worth the money unless you have loads ot tinkering money to spare. I don't think a thermal spacer would do jack sh*t on just the throttle body. and to that end an aluminum tornado one would do even less on a real fuel injected motor.

[NoahDL88]

The "vortex" generating spacers create turbulence, which reduces flow. on a subie, a straight cut might work, but the gains won't be worth the 40-70 bucks for one.

[Tiny Clark]

Just use the cow stomach magnets on the fuel line instead; they will align the molecules so it burns more efficiently...

[frag]

Just use the cow stomach magnets on the fuel line instead; they will align the molecules so it burns more efficiently...

 

Under the psychological principle that it makes molecules burn when they're forced to stand in line. Subarus are such sensitive machines!

[iteamsubaru]

I have looked all over for ones for my subaru and have had no luck finding one.

I run spacers on my 98 cheroke with the 4.0 and my 99 wrangler with the 4.0 and noticed a great increas in milage and power! on some engines they are worth it!

 

and the tornado effect (Helix-bore) does not create turbulence it atomises the air molecules and increases combustion efficiency. anyone who takes a college physics class will learn the basic principal of how it works.

 

So if anyone finds one for a WRX or a EA82 let me know!

[frag]

With these things, one always want to ask the same question: if such a simple and cheap gizmo has such an effect on mileage and performance would'nt car makers have buit it in? The sceptic in me .

[JEGIII]

Thanks for all the feedback. I was just hoping there was a source out there. I've mostly seen them used on the 4.0's in Jeeps, and can definately say there's a differance there. Well, back to the drawing board.

[blitz]

and the tornado effect (Helix-bore) does not create turbulence it atomises the air molecules and increases combustion efficiency. anyone who takes a college physics class will learn the basic principal of how it works.

I've never gone to college and as a result, it's not really making

any sense to me.

 

How about offering up a layman's version?

[cookie]

it does not usually add much for measureable power but varies from application to application. Its kind of like a CAI, if the fuel is running hot and it cools it a bit, or if it improves flow in some cases you could get a bit of help from a spacer.

On the average my guess is that it does not add enough hp for the cost and effort involved, but some folks bolt on a CAI and swear they have added 30 hp.

[98 gt]

from working on hondas the integra gsr has an intake manifold that has a butterfly valve for each runner to the head. one runner is short while the other is a bit longer. this is for maximizing performance and economy on both ends of the power band. it helps the 1.8 deliver better economy in the low rpm range using the longer runner and more power in the higher rpm range using the short runner. these valves open and close due to the vacuum the engine will be pulling on the actuater so in short, yes the length of the runner can have an effect on the economy and power of an engine will try to find a cut away pic of it here in a few minutes or so.

 

[98 gt]

dbl post

[NoahDL88]

and the tornado effect (Helix-bore) does not create turbulence it atomises the air molecules and increases combustion efficiency. anyone who takes a college physics class will learn the basic principal of how it works.

 

So if anyone finds one for a WRX or a EA82 let me know!

 

I have taken college physics, and my degree is in Auto Engineering. and i can tell you that from a design standpoint that is bunk, air is already a gas, so no atomization is necessary, and in a MPFI car, the runners are dry, so the turbulence that is added in TBI to keep the fuel in better suspension is worthless and reduces flow on a MPFI system.

 

From a more practial standpoint, if car company "A" is making 100,000 vehicles, and for 5-10 dollars can add a gizmo "B" that raises the fuel economy of a vehicle 10-20% which then raises there CAFE numbers by "X" then car company "A" pays less in fines, which number approxamately 500$ per vehicle.

 

500,000<50,000,000

 

Now let me ask you this, don't you think that company "A" would put them on from the factory, its the same story as the K&N air filter, they don't increase flow appreciably, and they let in more particulates.

 

 

 

I'm not saying that a "vortex generator" won't work in all aplications, but I will say this, the applications it works best in, are TBI and Carbed engines, because those are "wet" manifolds and are designed to keep fuel in suspension, not to maximize air flow.

[NoahDL88]

but some folks bolt on a CAI and swear they have added 30 hp.

 

Its the "Idiot quotient" nobody wants to be the only guy that didn't get 30 horse power from their modification that everyone else did too.

 

I'm pretty sure if you saw actuall real dyno numbers from an objective testing facility, 90% of the junk on the "intake" market would be put out of business.

[Tiny Clark]

Thanks Noah.

 

Maybe it works well on jeeps because the intake system wasn't designed properly to begin with. "Hell, it worked on the Neon, it outta work on this!"

[NoahDL88]

"Hell, it worked on the Neon, it outta work on this!"

 

Neon's are clearly not the halmark of quality design and engineering.

[Tiny Clark]

I know, my mom owns one.