Thread: Paper Filters are rubbish.

I used a paper cone filter on my race car ( lpg turbo rotary rx3) for street and circuit
For the drags I used a unifilter pod lightly sprayed with oil from the pressure can


That car used to throw me off the track quite randomly, causing dirt storms!!
I've never understood that thing about ambition and ability

Anyway reasoning was on dyno we noticed more top end with unifilter lightly oiled over paper cone, but I KNEW and UNDERSTOOD that filtration was poor
I accept that at the dragstrip which is quite clean compared to the circuit which can be quite dusty ( winton sandown )
Btw when my 200tdi air filter nears the end of its life it's sitting in an oil bath
Dc

As soon as I saw the first post in this thread last night I thought I'd just sit back and wait . . .

Originally Posted by Davo

As soon as I saw the first post in this thread last night I thought I'd just sit back and wait . . .

Like you, I had my supply of popcorn ready.

However, I am waiting for something else as well. I am waiting for someone to explain what the problem is that the photos are intended to illustrate. It looks to me as if the filter has been stained or discoloured. I am waiting for someone to point out why that is or is not a problem.

Yes, a bit of digging around just on this site would have found Ben's filter analysis from a while ago, as well as the other discussions about "ink pad" filters v. paper and so on. If a paper filter has a problem in just a short time, I'd like to know if it really is a problem and if there was anything unusual involved, such as driving behind a roadtrain on the dirt or a filter housing problem or whatever.

There's not much excuse for not doing your research these days - not even because you live up north!

Originally Posted by vnx205

Like you, I had my supply of popcorn ready.

However, I am waiting for something else as well. I am waiting for someone to explain what the problem is that the photos are intended to illustrate. It looks to me as if the filter has been stained or discoloured. I am waiting for someone to point out why that is or is not a problem.

The filter looks like it's letting dust through, the side shown is the engine side not the intake side.
Joel is stating that if the engine side is discoloured, then dust is getting through to the engine, and that a K&N oiled filter is better.
Fact is, Td5s have an appallingly bad airbox, most if not all of them let dust past the filter.
Yet, I've heard of perhaps 4 Td5s being dusted, through failure of the box itself or improper filter fitting.
They all do it, and the simple fact of the matter is that the K&N filters are NOT suitable for the task at hand.
Clear things up?

Actually, yes. I didn't know about those airboxes but I'm not surprised. I'd be inclined to put it all back together with a new filter and mark the seals with something that would show the dust getting through.

Bought a Filter for my Son's Disco (Rectangular box, flat type) correct #, it was too short and there was no way it was going to seal around it's perimeter.
So back to the parts shop and compared to another aftermarket brand (same #) and this one was almost an inch longer and it fitted perfectly, no dust got around this filter, Regards Frank.

Originally Posted by Davo

Yes, a bit of digging around just on this site would have found Ben's filter analysis from a while ago, as well as the other discussions about "ink pad" filters v. paper and so on. If a paper filter has a problem in just a short time, I'd like to know if it really is a problem and if there was anything unusual involved, such as driving behind a roadtrain on the dirt or a filter housing problem or whatever.

There's not much excuse for not doing your research these days - not even because you live up north!

Yep, I had red Ben's analysis.

I know so many people like their paper air filters.

Nothing too unusual, not following any vehicles at all actually, however I do have a bull bar and I'm a bit suspicous how the inner guard just ends in front of the front wheel. I'm wondering if the plastic extended foward toward the old plastic bumped before the bull bar was fitted (prior to my ownership).

While I see so many people saying their tests reveal K&N and the like dont filter very well. I dont see so many, if any of people claiming there K&N filter failed in any way. All I'm saying is I now have 2 paper filters that have failed back to back. I took every precaution I could after the first one failed. Now I'll use nothing but K&N because I have used them for years and I wish I had photos of the intake track of some of my previous vehicles with spotless intakes after thousands and thousands of kilometres of dirt roads.

I have red of paper filters poping because they became so dirty the engine basicly sucked the paper so hard it ripped. I'd like to see that happen to a K&N filter.

Happy Days.