"How much are you paying for gas?"

Have you noticed this is now the No. 1 question Americans from different parts of the country ask each other when they meet these days?

Skyrocketing prices have shocked Americans – not just because of what it means to their pocketbooks, but also because for some it means putting more money into the hands of the country's enemies.

J.A. Tosti, publisher of the Bio/Tech News, would like to do something about that. He doesn't want to just save Americans money on their trips to the filling station, he also wants to move the country toward energy independence – away from reliance on foreign oil.

That's why he's so passionate about a new invention he believes could accomplish both objectives – saving Americans money at the gas pump and cutting into the profits of members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC.

It's called the "VortexValve?" – manufactured in the USA by Air Synergy Labs and patented in both the U.S. and Canada.

According to an article published in the Bio/Tech News, this ingenious, low-cost device modifies the way air enters an engine, thereby increasing the engine's ability to burn fuel more efficiently. Increasing fuel combustion increases engine performance -- which means you don't have to press as far down on the gas pedal to get the same kind of results (speed, acceleration, etc.).

It also means your gas mileage increases – and that means big savings at the pump. And, for those concerned more about the environment rather than their own pocketbooks and the future of the American republic, there's also good news: By increasing engine performance and efficiency, you not only save on fuel costs but an important, extra bonus is that you also reduce the amount of emissions going out the exhaust pipe, so there is less pollution.

"Everybody wins," says Tosti, except perhaps Saudi Arabia or Venezuela. .

What makes the "VortexValve?" so remarkable is its simplicity of design. It has no moving parts. To look at it, you would never guess all the hundreds, even thousands, of hours that have gone into its design and production. The unit fits either in the air intake pipe located just before the engine on newer vehicles or sits neatly inside the air-filter pan on older cars and trucks. It is easily installed by any reasonably competent do-it-yourselfer in a matter of 5-10 minutes.

But don't let its ease of installation and simplicity of design fool you. The "VortexValve?" is a carefully calibrated, precision manufactured (made in the USA), high-grade stainless steel air-handling unit that has the capability of transforming an essentially linear but somewhat chaotic airflow into an organized, powerful, vortex-like configuration that literally crams more air into the engine.

Cramming more air into an engine for better combustion is also the idea behind the expensive, high-maintenance "turbochargers." Depending on the kind of vehicle you drive, a turbo will cost anywhere between about $2,500 and $5,000, installed. Turbos not only have moving parts, but they have fan blades which spin unbelievably fast at thousands of rpms, which eventually means burned out bearings and costly repairs.

By comparison, the VortexValve? costs less than $70 (plus shipping and handling), has no moving parts, requires zero maintenance and will last virtually forever.

In one independent test, a couple of 1997 Saturns were each equipped with a VortexValve?. The sedans belong to a security company in the Los Angeles area. The vehicles are just about as "identical" as you can make them. And, they are driven on routes which are pretty consistent. The main variable for the test was the drivers. One Saturn got a 52 percent increase and the other one got a 43 percent increase in gas mileage.

Another test was done with the Santa Monica Municipal Bus Company (known as "Big Blue Bus," the company was voted the nation's #1 bus line in 1987, 1992, 1997 and 2000). VortexValves? were installed in two of their buses (#4802 and #4820), both of which are 1995 models having Series 50 Detroit Diesel, 8.5 liter, 4 cylinder engines. The buses were evaluated after three months, comparing the new monthly data after installation with prior monthly data history. The two buses averaged more than a 13 percent increase in mileage (#4802 did 13.58 percent better and #4820 improved 13.79 percent) which was the equivalent of an average fuel savings of more than 100 gallons per bus, per month. Now, if you were to "do the math" ? assuming the remainder of the company's 200 buses would perform in a similar fashion when equipped with VortexValves? and assuming a conservative, diesel fuel cost of $2.50 per gallon ? then the approximate savings to the company would be more than $500,000 per year.

A major safety consideration for buses is how quickly they can re-enter the flow of traffic after having pulled over to the side of the road to load or unload passengers. Buses need to be able to accelerate from 0-20mph in 10-15 seconds. Accelerometers were mounted on buses #4802 and #4820 and it was discovered that they could now get up to 20mph in less than seven seconds thanks to the VortexValves?.

As an important aside, the buses were also tested for emissions, since diesel engines will be coming under more and more scrutiny in the days ahead. "Fuel soot samples" were periodically taken from the crankcase oil of both buses. This measurement is often used to help determine the amount of particulate that will ultimately be belched out of the exhaust pipe. Although both buses showed marked improvement, #4802 had a whopping reduction of more than 60 percent, which should make anyone who is in charge of a fleet of diesel trucks or buses sit up and take notice.

"This is much larger than simply selling a product or owning stock in the company," says Tosti. "This has become a real cause for me since I see it in terms of National Security. The VortexValve? could very well be part of the answer to reducing our dependence on foreign oil. This simple invention could help put a serious dent in OPEC literally overnight. Which is why I hope lots of folks will join with me and do what they can to help spread the word."

The manufacturer is so confident in their product that they make this unusually bold offer: Install the VortexValve? in your vehicle and drive it for at least 30 days. If you aren't 100 percent satisfied in every way, return it for a prompt refund in the amount of 110 percent of your purchase price.

Related offer:

Find out more about VortexValves?.