reuseable drop in air filters?

[Chris D.]

I just paid well over 20 bucks for a cheapo fram air filter..

everythings going up cost wize and I think its time for a cleanable air filter..

I'm not a fan of K&N, but I wanted to ask the collective on thoughts for reuseable or possibly cheap alternative air filters that will ensure my engines getting some clean air..

I had a hard time forking over 16 bucks for an air filter, but come on.. 20 and change?

gimme a break..

This economy is so far off balance its ridiculous.
Glad i found this site, the timing was good for me

[johnpr]

i like reusable air filters, i havent had any issues (K&N) , if you want to check out reusable filters that are not K&N summitracing.com has a decent selection.

[bhazard]

I have K&N cones on both of the cars, it really helps switching to an open element filter when your stock intake is as restrictive as mine was. It seems like you're looking for more of a drop in replacement though. Oiled filters can be a pain on mass air engines too.

Btw I wouldn't buy Fram ANYTHING.

[DifferentPointofView]

Theres a few companies that have reusable air filters. K&N is one of the more famous ones, but they all perform about the same. from testing, I believe K&N holds the most dirt before choking, but isn't the greatest on flow, or dirt filtration as other brands. Paper filter has the best filtration, but it's too costly in the long run. I'm running K&N in really dusty climates, and haven't had much trouble. Needs to be cleaned soon. I don't know of amsoil makes one or not. a few top brands make reusable air filters. The thing I like about it is less trash piling up from filters, and K&N has a 10 year/million mile warranty. If you don't like K&N, there's a few out there that make an equal or better filter. Just browse and see what you like, and then compare.

[trebuchet03]

I don't like most reusable air filters.... Check out bobistheoilguy.com

Some people use more airflow as a filter metric... But really, that's terrible. A filter's job is to filter - that's it. IIRC, K&N's tag line used to be (or still is) "Proud to Suck Dirt." Personally, I don't want my filter doing that

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/airfilter/airtest3.htm

Well there is a clear pattern on filtration ability compared to both flow and the type of filtration media used. The "high performance" cotton gauze and foam filters do not filter as well as some have claimed. I actually received an e-mail from K&N stating their filters filter within 99% of the OEM filters. This may be true, and 1% may not sound like much. I contend that 1% over many miles, may be important. Really, it is up to each individual to decide. The poorer flowing filters, remove more particles, and the better flowing filters remove less particles. If you think about it, that conclusion passes any and all common sense tests, so it is not surprising. There are many that will be shocked by the results, that should not be though. I've used high performance filters in the past, and I might again in the future. At the same time, I know that the stock OEM type filters perform very well in filtration and don't inhibit flow nearly as much as some think.

And my last point.... If you're outflowing your stock filter - you're probably not driving ecomodder style


EDIT: And holy crap - $20 for an air filter! Mine is $10.03

[DifferentPointofView]

yea, I read that before. I didn't buy the K&N much really for "improved performance" but more for the fact that I'll save money, and that's one less piece of trash I'm gonna be saving from the landfills. Plus, the AMC 242 I6 is bomb-proof, so I don't think that the dirt will ruin my engine. Now other engines.... that's totally different. I wouldn't put one in my moms Caliber.

[Lazarus]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

LOL less restriction, LOL save money...

I don't know about anyone else's filters, but I'm able to get all the filters for all my stuff for $5 or so on sale... and when they are on sale for that price I get two. OK part two of that is I don't drive on dirt roads much and so plain ol' low tech paper filters last 80,000 miles or more but by that time I change 'em just outta sheer guilt. PAPER filters save me money AND provide the best filtration AND I merely tap 'em out from time to time- no screwing with cleaning and re-oiling. All the EFI stuff downstream stays worry-free clean too.

I'm with Frank on this one. (I agree a lot with you lately) The paper filter for my car is $16 not on sale and the K&N is $36. Drive 60K look at it beat on it and press on.

[Chris D.]

I'm going to try just using my air compressor and blowing the dirt out of the paper one from the back side (clean side)..

as for leaving them in for 80K at a time.. is that 80K untouched or tapped out?
If left in, your emissions systems love that.. (sarcastic)

with restricted airflow your engine dumps more fuel in and you get less burnt
fuel which causes anything after the engine sensors, cat's, ect to clog or
fowl up not to mention more carbon buildup..

I try and replace my air filters every 3K miles because thats how I do things.
I'm pretty anal for maintenance..

[Ryland]

I bought my car with a foam air filter and run foam air filters on all my motorcycles, I used to use K&N filters on my motorcycles but they left way to much grit in the carburetor, so I made my own foam filters with bulk air filter foam from a motorcycle parts store, I use the same high tack filter oil as the K&N filters call for, my carburetor stays clean, my performance is the same as with the K&N and better then it was with the paper filter, for my car I keep a spare paper filter on hand so I can drop it in while I wash the foam filter.
I know that last time I checked amsoil was selling dry "microfiber" air filters, that they claimed caught more dirt then paper or K&N filters, and had as good if not better air flow to K&N filters, and apparently you blow them clean with compressed air, but they don't make one for the VX last I checked.

[trebuchet03]

Originally Posted by Chris D.

with restricted airflow your engine dumps more fuel in and you get less burnt
fuel which causes anything after the engine sensors, cat's, ect to clog or
fowl up not to mention more carbon buildup..

Dirty air filter doesn't mean restricted flow

http://autospeed.com/cms/A_2232/article.html

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The only filters I change frequently are:
*Oil: 10K Miles @ oil change
*Cabin Filter: 25K miles (and I spend the $30 for the factory one because it has a charcoal layer - it has worked pretty well at filtering diesel exhaust )

I change my air filters when the rubber/plastic seal falls apart.. Probably if the oil analysis shows a consistent rise in silica too.