What the *$#!@ is this??

It only has two wires out of it, how complicated could it be?

My best guess is it a resistor for lying to the Computers about how warm the engine is. If the computer always thought the engine was warm, you could get better power and economy during the first 5 minutes, but the pollution would go through the roof. Very unethical to defeat the pollution controls.

 

Yep, definitely just a resistor in a plastic case. Wired to the mass airflow sensor, or IAT (Intake Air Temperature) sensor to fool the engine computer into thinking the engine is taking in cooler, denser air.

SCH-I535

 

Looks like a classic wallet:money separator.

 

How dare you be so cynical lol. You mean Toyota are deliberately ignoring using a $1 part that would significantly improve performance and fuel economy?

I can't believe they're still selling these. If people have too much money in their pockets they're more than welcome to give it to me rather than spend it on this sort of nonsense.

Come on, chequebooks out. I'd be really grateful.

 

I just watched the Top Gear episode that test several fuel saving gadgets which include the magnetic type and the electronic devices. They used the indoor garage with dyno machine and run the car with each device attached for 20 minutes each. The first test was stock form with no such device was used as the base line and the rest test with each device installed. The base line turned out the best mpg. All devices gave LESS mpg!!!

 

Funny that

They just give the fitter a warm feeling that they'll be getting increased economy. They probably drive slower for the first few times as they check to see if the 'claims' are true and low and behold they do get better mpg. Not because of the device, but because they just drove slower. Then a few fillups later they forget all about the device and drive the car as before - a car that is running richer/leaner now and which may suffer unprovable problems down the line.

If Toyota could improve economy and performance by 15% for $1 that WOULDN'T cause long term issues with the engine or emissions, you think they wouldn't be doing it?

And on the subject of having ones leg lifted. I got an email saying I've won $5,000,000 on Nigerian Lottery, despite having no recollection of entering it. All I have to do is send a $5,000 tax payment to a PO Box in Lagos first before they send me the winnings. It sounds too good to be true, but do you think I should pay up?

 

No, they drove the car on the spinning drums at the same constant speed (I think it was 60 mph) for all the tests to eliminate other factors.

 

You can only fool the ECU for a short period of time. Most car ECUs are self learning and the O2 sensor will tell the ECU that the MAF is lying and compensate for the resistance, then all harmony is restored in the dilithium chamber.

 

I wonder how many Priuses have one of those gizzywhoppers grafted into their electrical system?
Better yet...
I wonder how many Prius owners swear that this device "saves them a few mpg" or (my personal favorite!) gives them "slightly improved throttle response....especially in PWR mode."

To the OP:
Yes.
It's a resistor....and yes.
It's a scam.
You did well to ask about this little box before hand!
If you spend about $40 on a REALLY GOOD one, it will include 2 connectors so that you don't have to hack into your wiring harness. THAT might actually save you some money!!!!
No...the device doesn't work any better than the $18 model, but you can remove it before you take your car into a Toyota Dealership.
You see...any Service manager that sees stuff like green valve step caps, drop in K$N air filters, or one of these Resist-O-rama power modules will automatically surmise that the owner is a little on the gullible side, and they're meat on the table for the old "Throttle Body Cleaning Scam" or the "A/C Refreshorizer"....or maybe a little unneeded brake work.

I suspect that there is more than one Prius driver out there that is doing the "DOH!" forehead slap right about now....

 

I actually use a K&N filter but my reasoning for getting one is for better engine response and never having to replace my filter again except cleaning it every 50,000 miles. If you really want to get better mpg reduce vehicle weight and drive slower.