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Pod Air filter tests .... interesting

Loki

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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.
 
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Loki

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how so ? do you think the test is wrong ???

from my experience with inducted cars this test is pretty spot on from what I've personally seen
 

Kinng

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I always thought Apexi was crap haha

Kinng
 

Immortality

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I'm sure I saw this test done years ago in a magazine.......

What this test shows is the K&N is still the best filter because it does best what the name implies, filtering the air. Airflow isn't the primary concern because you can always fit a filter to suit your flow/CFM to suit the engine. In this test according to the results the top flowing filter only flows 4% more air. Filtration is what is important.

For an extremely dusty environment with very fine dust particulate the standard paper type filter elements are still king
 

ari666

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well to begin with. those blitz steel pods are grossly affected by heat. the steel expands when it gets to running temperature and pretty much blocks off the entire pod, then to add insult to injury, the vacuum of a decent RB25 sucks them in on themselves and the collapse, blocking off your entire intake.

the rest of them are equally as ****. autosalon is a magazine for rich kids who havnt the slighest clue how to make power. they swallow all that garbage whole and buy whatever auto-salon says is the best, which is often a sponsor for the magazine.


so how come you got rid of the "power increased" bit? that bit was what i was mostly refering to. we have discussed this 1000's of times on this forum, but we will do it again.

pod filters allow your engine to rev slightly higher than a stock box/filter. doing our magical calculation (see my sig) adding extra rpm means you add KW's, without really adding any extra power. all youre doing is sacrificing low end induction vacuum for high end RPM, so really just losing power down low and adding it up top.

so in summary, pod filters are good for looks and noise. thats it.

(unless FI of course, then all that **** changes)
 

Loki

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do people with non inducted cars even bother with changing the standard CAI setup lol ... I just assume when you talk pod filters it means you're using it on an inducted model of vehical

I know I wouldn't pay an extra 100 bucks for marginally better filtration and reduced flow ... unless I lived on, or had to use dirt roads all the time ... 3A racing (1st flow, second filtration) looks like the clear winner to me and as bang for buck goes it is really the clear winner with only costing 30 bucks vs the k&n 100 bucks plus ...

the other advantage the 3A has is NO oil ... Oil can mess with your maf sensor and cause your car to run dangerously lean ... so once again 3A comes out on top money wise, flow wise, longevity wise and only has slightly less filtration.

And I don't know about you but I wouldn't be spending 4 times the dollar amount for less flow and taking the chance to lean out vs a mediocre difference in filtration
 
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Immortality

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The job of an air filter is to filter, filters protect the engine and is the primary reason for fitting said filter. Yes, an oiled filter can contaminate the MAF, but then have a look at a MAF on a 200,000km car........ Cleaning the MAF should be part of a regular service if you want peak performance regardless of the type of filter used.

pod filters allow your engine to rev slightly higher than a stock box/filter. doing our magical calculation (see my sig) adding extra rpm means you add KW's, without really adding any extra power. all youre doing is sacrificing low end induction vacuum for high end RPM, so really just losing power down low and adding it up top.

Vacuum in the intake comes from the restriction the throttle body creates when the butterfly is closed so fitting a POD filter in no way effects low rpm/low throttle performance.



do people with non inducted cars even bother with changing the standard CAI setup lol ... I just assume when you talk pod filters it means you're using it on an inducted model of vehical

Yes they do, the MACE Cold air intake system is a good example of an upgraded air filter system that outperforms the OEM air filter box for flow and reduced intake temps.

And I don't know about you but I wouldn't be spending 4 times the dollar amount for less flow and taking the chance to lean out vs a mediocre difference in filtration
.

Less flow.... there is 4% difference between the K&N and the other filter....... stuff all really and probably considerably more than a standard engine requires. Did you test flow with a dirty filter or just a clean filter? filter flow once it has done some mileage is almost more important as the filter is only clean until it's fitted.........

and to quote your article above

and it offered the highest level of protection, trapping more particles than any other filter in this test by a considerable margin. In terms of finding the middle ground between flow and filtration the K&N sets an awesome example.

Need I say more........
 

Loki

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Ok so basically what your saying is ... choice on a budget would be the 3A racing, and the choice with a higher budget would be the k&n ?

And I guess there is the point of whether the car could even intake 579.6 gcfm anyways ... which if it could not, would definitely make k&n the winner just due to the filtration.
 
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