Photomania

Eckler's sells a Power Now Inlet Fairing that improves air flow and supposedly increases horsepower and torque. The ad says: "Gain up to 14 additional horsepower from your 1985-96 Corvete engine with the simple-to-install Power Now inlet fairing. By improving air flow to the idle air solenoid of any tuned port injection engine, the Power Now fairing produces better throttle response and increased torque over your engine's entire RPM range. Your engine will rev easier and even sound better with this fairing in place. Intalls on any late model TPI engine in the first fold of the intake plenum, just ahead of the throttle body, without any additional hardware."

So, if my 1990 six speed Corvette (with performance exhaust) came from the factory with 250 horsepower, how much could this inlet fairing realistically increase the horsepower?

I already have a K&N air filter. How much would the K&N filter increase the horsepower? With the filter and the inlet fairing, how much might this car's horsepower wind up being?

What about the Hypertech Power Chip (Street Runner)? The ad in Eckler's says that will increase horsepower by 20.

With all three items installed, is it conceivable that the horsepower could increase from 250 to 285 or 290? -- Eric

MTVette

No. They're useless snake oil. Save your money for real mods.

Aggravated4life

Years ago,before I had the forum to ask,I tried a bunch of bolt on stuff...nothing ever really works.I later found out the only way to truly gain power is to do engine mods.It is true though,installing headers on an L98 can give you some gain,but thats about it.I wasted alot of money.Been there done that.

Until you do a better camshaft swap,cnc head porting,with a better intake set up,instead of the stock TPI,youre never really going to gain much of anything.

To help explain it better,the TPI system uses Long tube runners...the long runners make good torque,at the expense of peak HP,like say a carb engine or a LT1 manifold/miniram/super ram set up.

So adding a HI Performance chip( or ported maf sensor if equipped),larger TB or other bolt intake duct mods on stuff wont make the HP claims the catalogs tell you it can.It always says "UP to a so and so gain", the key words are Up to.In the real world,youll never feel it or see it.

Its very simple...look at the LT1 engine...look how short the intake manifold is..it makes 300 HP compared to the L98's 250 and the biggest reason is the intake manifold design.Long tube runners cant make peak HP due to its length.No add ons are going to change it much.Sure the LT1 had other mods and improvements,no doubt,but the biggest HP change was the intake manifold.

goldeneye_vet

As mentioned save your money.

vader86

its crap

Red Tornado

bingo.

most anything else is an excercise in masturbation.

runner140*

Save your money, all crap. BUT, the "air foil", "inlet fairing" makes a great paper weight and conversation peice. Everyone always asks me "what the hell is that on your desk"?

jordis

my car came with the inlet fairing thing, ive never tried to run it without it, i figure it cant hurt, but i highly doubt it helps any. spend some of that money fixing what is inevitably broken in your stereo, or save up and go cat-back


CJ

Aardwolf

I watched some turbo guys at the track testing rippled intercooler hoses verus smooth hoses, and there was no gain.

Corvette Chris

I like my TB airfoil, but it was free, so I have no reason not to.

I don't think it really adds anything, as many have mentioned. But I have noticed that upon comparison, my L98 seems stronger than some, so who knows.

94ZR1

If anything it will decrease power
It is an obstruction to airflow

I think its funny thet an airfoil does the opposite of the tornado and yet both claim added power

Neither does


Reminds me of the commercial I saw this morning for Torque Power motor oil
"No motor oil generates more torque"
What they dont say is that no motor oil generates less torque either

Red Tornado

how dare you actually employ common sense. the ad-makers
will suffer from such challenges

Wheelman

It will give you -3hp.

Rapid Fred

http://www.ws6.com/mod-4.htm

http://www.vetteweb.com/tech/vemp_06...formance_pack/

Interesting data..............One test shows small gains across the rev range -- the other says with the so-called cold air intake and airfoil there is an 8 HP gain -- which does seem a bit more than the cold air intake alone should deliver.

I disagree with the comment that it is an obstruction to airflow. I got one 2nd hand for 10 bucks and installed in 15 minutes -- kinda for fun as I had no expectations. Anyway, if you look at it it does not in any way reduce the size of the TB intake ports, and plausibly could increase velocity as the shape is more aero. It did make me wonder what was GM's logic for the original TB shape?

Obviously I noticed absolutly no SOTP difference. Too bad the vendor won't share the details of their testing to demonstrate the HP gains............

rocco16

Sounds like it can only add power at idle.....

Seriously, you can safely figure that any modification will add power at the rate of approximately 1hp/$50.

Spend $25, get half-a-horse. Spend $200, get 4hp. Generally speaking, of course.
You could also easily spend $500 on a bunch of junk and it would take 5hp AWAY!!!

You, 94ZR1, are one of few people who have learned to read between the lines of advertising. Well done and I commend you.


Larry
code5coupe

GIJoe

I have one I bought years ago. It does no noticible gains and is a waste of money.

i just keep it in because I have it already. I wish I had known about this stuff years ago before I joined the CF to find out it was all a waste (that and my throttle switch thing)

Jerris

Waste Of Money

lite blue

I have one of the original TPIS ones from way back. It has been in an LB9 TA, and '85 Vette, and is now in a '96 Impala SS. Would I buy one today? Probably not. But..... every little bit of increased flow helps. TPIS did a LOT of dyno testing, and found a consistant 5 HP. Not much, obviously. But every little bit...
As has been stated many times, the more modified engines will see more benefit from this.

jodyeastman

What amazes me is how many aftermarket "experts" sell this product. When looking at engine heads, etc suppliers; if they sell this I often move on. I think even Lingenfilter (forgive spelling) sells it. What's with that? With an excellent reputation, why sell something like this?

RRT vette

Without these three your pocket money could increase by that much x 3.