TPI Air Foils

[jdenn47]

Has anyone bought these TPI Air Foils from Mid America or Ecklers and has anyone noticed any difference in performance ? Are they a waste of $40 ?

 

[Hrtbeat1]

Not me but its all part of the system. Whatever you can do to let these motors breathe can only help. If its worth it is up to you. Most likely not the true gain the MFG claims.

 

[vetteboy86]

If you love your car, and have the money then do it. It gives you a chance to learn about the intake system a bit, and it certainly cant hurt. On the other other hand does it help? I am sure people will have different opinions. What it comes down to is that it is your car, and if you want to do it, I say go for it.


Craig

 

[nyernga]

I have had it on my vette for about 3 years + now. No noticable difference but no bad news either. Whatever you do though, do not get the "smooth" air intake tube. It won't hold up to the heat generated and will split down the middle giving you a MAF code.....


Len

 

[Justardnck]

I have asked the exact same question on other forums and every single reply post said they did absolutly nothing but waste money. I never bought it or installed it so I speak using the words of others but I thought I would share that with you. I was told that if I had MAJOR mods then it may help but as far as stock or slightly mod'd then no it would do nothing.

 

[G Winter]

I think the money would be better spent on opening up the exhaust sytem or for a free flowing air cleaner. I have seen those spinners advertised for carberated systems too. Never heard anyone say they helped. Wildest thing I ever heard was the cow magnets taped to the fuel line .

 

[Justardnck]

Wildest thing I ever heard was the cow magnets taped to the fuel line .

YA... what is the deal with those, how would that do anything? How did they test that item. What is it supposed to do anyway?

 

[G Winter]

Not sure what it was supposed to actually do . Magnitize the feul ?
Was supposed to help feul milage. Was such a hot thing around here you couldn't get ahold of cow magnets if you wanted to . If you don't know , cow magnets are used in cows. Put them in the cows stomach to hold any metal they might swallow. Kept it out of the digestive track, which could kill them.

 

[Vettefan87]

They are molded into the 52mm TB's right? For forty dollars I say it is worth it, every little bit helps, but don't expect the gains they say.


Justin

 

[Ken]

:L Again?? Geez, search around and you'll find a lot of discussion involving those items.

Spend the money on something else.

 

[Vettefan87]

True but hey there are no stupid questions, anything is welcomed.

 

[Ken]

I didn't say it was a dumb question, just that it's been talked about so much here before, that a search turns up lots o' results for the air foil question: http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/search.php?searchid=146513

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/search.php?searchid=146510 (116 in the C4 section alone).

 

[Bruce Huey]

NuerngaII....you have it right! I tried the "improved" smooth TPI intake hose on my '86 and within a month, after removing it a few times, it split down the middle. Didn't wait for a code before trashing it.

B.Huey

 

[vetteboy86]

I think alot of people dont realize how helpful the search feature can be. However I have been on that same end, tried to find something, and couldn't so just made a post. Here is the bottom line I think, if the 29.99 sends you to the poor house dont do it. If you have the extra money I say why not. What could it hurt. At the least you get to spend a half hour with your car.

Craig

 

[Tim Scales]

I put the Air Foil on the 88 I had and the 91. I could notice a very slight difference in the torque at high end. I have the newer design on my 92 I now own. I could tell it made a very minute difference after I added OTHER mods ... IE, MSD ignition, Ported heads, HP chip and a few other "tricks" I came up with on my own. The purpose is to supposedly provide more "Swirl" to the intake air and create a more even fuel/air mix which I believe it does. If you want to try it go for it. On your model I would get the one that bolts directly onto the throttle body. The 52mm and 58 mm bodies have a factory air foil cast into the body so it is a good idea or these companies would not spend the extra money in design for this.

 

[vetteboy86]

I would see that a swirl effect of incoming air would have a greater advantage in a carb application, however I dont know how much it would do on a FI system. The fuel is added directly to the combustion chamber, so would swirled air make that much of a difference?


Craig

 

[WhalePirot]

Ummm, exactly what is "extra money"?

It's not what you make; it's what you keep.

 

[Tim Scales]

so would swirled air make that much of a difference?

Yes I do believe that the "Swirl" effect does make a difference in the proper fuel air mix ratio even if it is a SPFI. I aalso have a Modified 262 CI Chevy V-6 that I have added a "swirl" device too, it along with other mods such as MSD ignition, HP Coil, HP Wires, Platinum Plugs modified Distributor, ported heads Larger injectors, free flowing exhuast WITH CATS will make a difference.
It is not one single thing that makes "Seat of The Pants" Torque difference but a combination of things. In my opinion. Merry Christmas to all.
Tim

 

[Vettefan87]

Ummm, exactly what is "extra money"?

It's not what you make; it's what you keep.

Extra money for me is like when I find money in pairs of pants or stuff I have not worn for a long period of time, or move something like my tv and find some money hidden underneath. Man that is a great feeling.

 

[Hrtbeat1]

Extra money for me is like when I find money in pairs of pants or stuff I have not worn for a long period of time, or move something like my tv and find some money hidden underneath. Man that is a great feeling.

Like the $20 I found in my jacket pocket. It finally got cold enough down here to wear it. Wooo hooo $20 and a pack of gum. :L I must have been feeling good when I hung that up.