Engine Air Filter Comparison

[wakkawakka22]

Yeah, race engines are always getting rebuilt and replaced. They need filters that let the engine last a race weekend. Not one to go 175k+ miles.
Working in the commercial vehicle segment, where its not uncommon to have 1 million mile (mostly original) engines, I see no value in such porous filters.

Modern engines are designed and programmed with filter spec in mind and engine management computers have curves for that filter's conditions.

The entire point of an engine air filter is to filter out the dust and silica particulate that wear your engine's cylinder walls. Some would argue it's even more important to have a high quality air filter vs oil filter.

Reading his results, that K&N didn't filter out anything and will lead to long term damage as silica wears away at your cylinder walls before getting trapped by the oil filter (if it does).

If you're running a race car and want max hp and have tuned for it, use a K&N (or nothing) but for us mere mortals it looks like that Purolator, Bosch, and Wix are the go to's. Bosch looks to be the best value of them.

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[Tbone91]

First of all, I'm not a know it all or a scientist lol but my experience has faired well with K&N filters. I've had several cars for many years running them and seem to do well. No scientific data reports tho, but also no major or minor engine breakdowns. I'm not sure why everybody seems to take offense or has to get down on everyone that does something different? You run your vehicles your way and the rest of us will run ours the way we like easy peasy!

 

[Tbone289]

I've run a K&N air filter on one of my vehicles for 155,000 miles and my silicon counts have always been lower than universal averages on annual oil analysis reports. That engine still tests with great compression numbers and is oil tight with no noticeable drop in oil level over 8,000 mile oil change intervals.

 

[F150 2.7 TT user]

Just a comment on the "free flowing" filters. Yes the pass more air flow but also more particulates/dust. I have use K&N on NA engines and would in the future, but not on turbocharged engines. The extra dust passing to the turbocharger can form a layer on the turbine blades that can damage them.
I use a WIX on my turbocharged vehicles. May have the poorest air flow but it is in the top 3 for filtering out fine particulates.

 

[bull19541]

meh

 

[HeyBales]

I have K&N washable filter for engine and cabin. I have always ran K&N and never had any issues, but have never kept a vehicle long enough either.

A trick I use is, I wash the filters, let them dry, then I use plain ol furniture polish instead of the K&N oil for the filter. I use the endust brand from Walmart.

Since doing this, I have not had any dust at all in the intake tube. I have never had any issues at all with intake sensors either.

I bought washable foam filters for home AC and use furnish polish on the filter as well. I have had no dust or issues at all. AC tech commented how clean the ducts are.

Just sharing what works for me.

Slick idea.
Before the in-laws come over, just in case MIL likes to find fault - freshen up the spray and the place smells like you just did a good dusting!

Ok, unfair to MIL's, this would be useful for mom's too.

Question - ever compared how much quicker the filter needs replaced with this treatment?

 

[HeyBales]

When the Tbones agree - time to give pause and think about it!

And get the FX4 it appears.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

Bottom line:

Your truck does not need pure, sterile, hospital grade, or microchip clean-room grade air. It just doesn't.

 

[F150 2.7 TT user]

Bottom line:

Your truck does not need pure, sterile, hospital grade, or microchip clean-room grade air. It just doesn't.

May be fine for your vehicle, mine is turbocharged and they can be damaged by dust. I'm not talking about internal parts, but the turbine blades spinning up past 100000 RPM.

 

[BK007]

I like Project Farm but his content at the end of the day is just entertainment and drawing hard fast conclusions can leave you misinformed sometimes. It would be the same if "Wile E. Coyote" ran a test lab as none of his testing conforms to ASTM standards, especially his motor oil tests. He satisfies peoples OCD dopamine rush of racking, stacking, ranking and making lists.

Generally his tests either reinforces some peoples confirmation bias or it obliterates ones bias and generates the ensuing emotional trauma that plays out on forums like this.

#Hootbro just kidin ya lol

 

[Tbone289]

When the Tbones agree - time to give pause and think about it!

And get the FX4 it appears.

Atlas Blue FX4s of the 2024 variety specifically...

 

[inline_five]

May be fine for your vehicle, mine is turbocharged and they can be damaged by dust. I'm not talking about internal parts, but the turbine blades spinning up past 100000 RPM.

100% spot on, I operate jets for a living and dust + turbines = extremely damaging to their blades.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

100% spot on, I operate jets for a living and dust + turbines = extremely damaging to their blades.

You didn't define what "dust" is.

Can be a wide range of particle sizes.

Smaller than 4 microns = generally regarded as harmless

Larger than 40 microns = not going to get past commonly available filters. Oiled cotton filters are good down to ~30 microns. A good paper one, can stop down to ~5 microns.

So paper is better for the really really fine stuff. But in a practical world, the amount of stuff in a city/urban environment that falls between 5 and 30 microns is going to be inconsequential.

YMMV

 

[Cherokee]

All these, “I know what’s best” bla bla bla.
Most all are to build up poor self esteem.
Self worth,
Self Importance,
So sad to carry that need through life.
IDGAFF
The first F stands for Flying.
:XD

I got a Tremor AND I got a $1.62 raise last month, the whole world can kiss my grits !
Life is good.

 

[2liggett]

Slick idea.
Before the in-laws come over, just in case MIL likes to find fault - freshen up the spray and the place smells like you just did a good dusting!

Ok, unfair to MIL's, this would be useful for mom's too.

Question - ever compared how much quicker the filter needs replaced with this treatment?

The filter plugs up fairly quick. The furniture polish is like a magnet. I clean the filter and re spray every 10K miles or once a year. I take the filter box completely apart and clean everything. There is usually a layer of fine dust on the filter box on the side before the filter.

On the clean side of the filter box, I never find anything.

I showed a few people this, and they think I am crazy, but the furniture polish works!

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