DONT buy this air filter!

xtriggerman · **Posted:** Fri Nov 18, 2011 12:31 pm

Hi folks, when I took the air box out to pull the TCM, I found the fram air filter pushed into the bottom box on one side and the rubber gasket riped loose for about 3 inches. who ever thought your air box was like a box of chocolates!!
Well any way, years ago when I had a 6.5 TD Chev Tahoe, the Diesel page did a test on air filters and oddly enough, the standard AC Delco air filter media filtered better than the other 5 or 6 brands they tested. The K&N was one of the worst as I alread knew since if you hold those filters up to the sun, you better wear sun glases. Pin hole city.
So I generaly oder them and found they are of decent quality over the years.
I ordered 2 of the AC delco A2941C for the 2.8 CRD and the china filter inside the box is about an inch too long and an inch too wide. These were odd in that they are built on a plastic frame with a seprate bead type gasket that clips onto the plastic edge loosely. Rock Auto said they will refund the cost to me on the filters and to keep them cause it wont pay to have them shipped back. So much for the AC Delco's.... Has any one used a spectra filter? they make the claim they filter 99.6 % efficent. Im not interested in all the "flow" filters since they normaly test the worst in filtering and as you may know, unlike gas jobs, our oil hammers depend on clean air to keep compression ratios up.

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Fri Nov 18, 2011 12:47 pm

I've tried several brands of air filters. If you count the pleats on the various brands you'll find they will vary and as I recall the difference was 7. Oddly Pure-One brand that I had used on other vehicles is one of those with a fewer number of pleats. Less pleats= less filtration area plain and simple.

NAPA Gold has the highter number of pleats and they can be gotten very reasonable from www.Fleetfilter.com I buy a year's supply of air and oil filters for both of my jeeps and that spreads the shipping charge over a greater number. It's a big savings for first quality WIX/NAPA Gold filters :2cents:

dirtmover · **Posted:** Fri Nov 18, 2011 2:12 pm

Joe Romas wrote:

Less pleats= less filtration area plain and simple.

Not quite, given equivalent media performance you need to compare the pleat depth also. A few extra mm can make up for these missing pleats e.g. 44 pleats of 25mm has a touch less area than 37 pleats of 30mm.

Joe Romas wrote:

NAPA Gold has the highter number of pleats and they can be gotten very reasonable from http://www.Fleetfilter.com I buy a year's supply of air and oil filters for both of my jeeps and that spreads the shipping charge over a greater number. It's a big savings for first quality WIX/NAPA Gold filters :2cents:

+1 on the WIX, this is all I've ever used for air and oil.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Fri Nov 18, 2011 2:32 pm

Ya i use the WIX air filter too.

xtriggerman · **Posted:** Fri Nov 18, 2011 4:36 pm

I hear ya, Iv counted pleats mostly on the TDI oil filters and found Hengst is by far the "1 filter in filter media quantity. The difference can be considerable with Hengst at 77 pleats and the worst (OEM) Mann at around 45 if memory serves me. All with same depth. Hengst's schtick is they use more filter media than any other filter manufacturer. They are OEM on BMW and Mercedes. For the CRD, Iv only been able to find this one outfit listing the Hengst for oil
http://dscoc.com/Products/3800611-hengst-h14w09.aspx
In the meen time Iv ordered Bosch for the engine oil filter this time around. I'll have to cut one open some day & compare to others.
Heres the air filter test I was refering to. The dirt passed in grams is something to think about.

http://www.dieselbombers.com/chevrolet- ... sting.html

ibHenry · **Posted:** Fri Nov 18, 2011 4:41 pm

I use the factory one, it isn't that much more expensive and better suited, after market ain't always better, besides most of the time you get what you pay for.
:JEEPIN:

xtriggerman · **Posted:** Fri Nov 18, 2011 5:38 pm

ibHenry wrote:

I use the factory one, it isn't that much more expensive and better suited, after market ain't always better, besides most of the time you get what you pay for.
:JEEPIN:

Manufactures are hard pressed to be market competitive. How many folks do you know bought a certain new car or truck because of the "deal" they got? Dealer mark up is HUGE on very, very average and sometimes the absolutely cheapest parts little money can buy. Thats why the Air filter media used in the ACdelco filter is/was a shocker.
Hey, the industry WANTS to have your vehicle wear out. Part replacement frustration = new vehicle for most folks. Us diesel folks generaly are after longevity & economy. I would like to "believe" my descrimination in componants will help me acheive those 2 goals. Just how true that is can be debated, but it does kinda-sorta give me the feeling im in control of SOMETHING :banghead:

yrkcrd · **Posted:** Fri Nov 18, 2011 5:40 pm

Amsoil makes a drop in replacement as well from synthetic fibers.

Washable and reusable
Filter
http://www.amsoil.com/catalog.aspx?code=EAA201-EA
Info on filter
http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/eaa.aspx

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Fri Nov 18, 2011 5:54 pm

ibHenry wrote:

besides most of the time you get what you pay for.
:JEEPIN:

Diesel engines inhale much more air then gasoline engines.

It's worth your time to compare air filters, you'll notice a big difference between the brands. I've counted pleats and found there are two different amounts amoung the 4 or 5 brands I looked at and they are the same depth :SOMBRERO:

I did and there's a BIG difference :JEEPIN:

You'll most likely need to go to NAPA to find a WIX made air filter. NAPA#2329, WIX#42329

I've not been inclined to buy oil filters just to cut them open so I "trusting" them on that. Besides I change oil at between 3k and 4 k miles (twice a year) and not 6k.

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Fri Nov 18, 2011 6:09 pm

[quote="yrkcrd"]Amsoil makes a drop in replacement as well from synthetic fibers.

Washable and reusable/quote]

Hold on a minute :dizzy:

The cleaning instructions are below. I had one and after the 4 years, the advertised life, I was not convinced they were coming clean by vacuuming or low air pressure. Soap and water is not an option! Additionally the rubber edge/frame distorted and no longer sealed well on mine. But it did have the larger number of pleats.

From the Amsoil site:
Filters can be cleaned by carefully vacuuming the filter media on the dirty side, or by holding the filter with one hand and carefully blowing the filter media at a 45-degree angle on the clean side using low-pressure shop air (15-20 lbs. psi).

yrkcrd · **Posted:** Fri Nov 18, 2011 6:38 pm

Interesting.

I'd imagine that it will stain after a while from the dirt. But they do say 4 years is the service life.

Wonder if there is a 4 year warranty?

Joe Romas wrote:

yrkcrd wrote:

Amsoil makes a drop in replacement as well from synthetic fibers.

Washable and reusable/quote]

Hold on a minute :dizzy:

The cleaning instructions are below. I had one and after the 4 years, the advertised life, I was not convinced they were coming clean by vacuuming or low air pressure. Soap and water is not an option! Additionally the rubber edge/frame distorted and no longer sealed well on mine. But it did have the larger number of pleats.

From the Amsoil site:
Filters can be cleaned by carefully vacuuming the filter media on the dirty side, or by holding the filter with one hand and carefully blowing the filter media at a 45-degree angle on the clean side using low-pressure shop air (15-20 lbs. psi).

jinstall · **Posted:** Sat Nov 19, 2011 12:07 am

Wix on everything I own.

DONT buy this air filter!

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