Loki
Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2012
- Messages
- 33
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 6
- Location
- Bundaberg
- Members Ride
- Supercharged VY
From Auto Salon
Assessment
We initially toyed with the idea of doing the air filter test on a dyno by fitting them one after the other to the same car. The results however, would be worthless, as heat soak in the vehicle’s engine would tamper with the figures. Dyno testing also wouldn't offer us any insight into filtration, which is the principle role of air filters in the first place.
After a lot of discussion, we came up with a two-pronged testing procedure to uncover how the filters flowed as well as how protective they would be for an engine. The flow test was done on Smith’s Engine Research’s flow bench, which was one of the few benches in Sydney capable of maxing out an air filter. Each filter was tested straight out of their boxes at ten inches of water, so the conditions were identical for each. After this, the filters were attached to a high-powered suction device, with particles spread over a set surface area. The filters would be exposed to the same amount of particles (measured on a scale) for the same amount of time (30 seconds).
Our results are going to be controversial, and will no doubt be a shock to many, many enthusiasts. It has been a common belief that name brand filters are the best, that sponge filters flow more, and that cotton filters offer the best filtration. As our results show, none of these theories are valid.
It is worth noting that our testing methods were designed to push their filters to their maximum potential. The main goal with our testing was to create a pecking order by gauging how well these filters performed solely against one another.
Assessment
We initially toyed with the idea of doing the air filter test on a dyno by fitting them one after the other to the same car. The results however, would be worthless, as heat soak in the vehicle’s engine would tamper with the figures. Dyno testing also wouldn't offer us any insight into filtration, which is the principle role of air filters in the first place.
After a lot of discussion, we came up with a two-pronged testing procedure to uncover how the filters flowed as well as how protective they would be for an engine. The flow test was done on Smith’s Engine Research’s flow bench, which was one of the few benches in Sydney capable of maxing out an air filter. Each filter was tested straight out of their boxes at ten inches of water, so the conditions were identical for each. After this, the filters were attached to a high-powered suction device, with particles spread over a set surface area. The filters would be exposed to the same amount of particles (measured on a scale) for the same amount of time (30 seconds).
Our results are going to be controversial, and will no doubt be a shock to many, many enthusiasts. It has been a common belief that name brand filters are the best, that sponge filters flow more, and that cotton filters offer the best filtration. As our results show, none of these theories are valid.
It is worth noting that our testing methods were designed to push their filters to their maximum potential. The main goal with our testing was to create a pecking order by gauging how well these filters performed solely against one another.
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