What Is the Turbonator? Definition, Meaning and Concept

The Turbonator is a small automotive device produced by the American company Turbonator, Inc. The Turbonator is advertised as a motionless vortex generating device that comes complete with fins that are said to enhance the car's combustion process, which in turn improves gas usage and increases car speed. The vortex created by the device produces a rapid burning and rotating effect in the combustion chamber which further refines the fuel. In theory, this should mean that the Turbonator improves flame spread and gives the vehicle more complete combustion. The Turbonator retails for around $69.95 United States Dollars (USD) in the United States.

The company that makes the Turbonator was established in September 2001 in Land O Lakes, Florida. The president of the company is Mrs. Nicole Markovic. High oil prices have meant that the Turbonator and similarly designed products are becoming increasingly popular. With their promise of extra gas mileage and overall fuel-saving properties, these devices are seen as a cheap and easy way to make valuable oil go that extra mile. The Turbonator is especially attractive to novices because it is easy to install and can be installed with a screwdriver in the car house quickly and painlessly. The intake hose is located between the air filter and the throttle body (the round metal tube that controls airflow from the engine).

Although the Turbonator company boasts that its device can increase a car's performance and fuel usage, several concerns have been raised regarding the actual effectiveness and safety of the device. In fact, the Turbonator has received particular censorship in the publications of motoring enthusiasts and eight complaints are understood to have been filed with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Also, in 2005, Popular Mechanics magazine tested a number of products similar to the Turbonator to verify the claims of such devices. The tests used a dynamometer to test horsepower and torque when the vortex generators were installed and when they were not. These tests on Turbonator-type vortex devices concluded that no appreciable improvements in power or fuel economy were measured. Testers also noted that most vehicles typically burn 99 percent of their fuel, and therefore these devices are virtually useless in modern vehicles.