If the air filter is clean enough it will flow more air than the engine can use. NO air filter will truly increase HP or MPG just by switching but May show increases Over a dirty, used up filter.
So how much does a reusable filter degrade over time? An oiled cotton gauze must wear over time right? You oil it, load it with dirt, apply a cleaner then rinse it out, air dry it, repeat....... so who doesn't think that it's filtering ability and flow characteristics would change over time by being treated that way? Fabrics wear out. How about that seal around the perimeter of the filter? Sure it wears too right?
I even agree that the Amsoil Ea filters wear out over time but I also know that they were made to be cleaned only every 25K miles over the course of a 100K mile life cycle of Road use. Now add in more frequent cleanings due to exposure to off roading conditions, more dust, etc. and is Their life shortened? darn right.
So what do you do? Well, I run an Amsoil Ea series drop in air filter that is proven to flow well, filter great and be reusable. It is also a good compromise of value over throw away air filters. Even if I only get a years worth of use out of it, I would probably change a throw away every 3 months due to frequent off road use. so I get what I feel is a better filter for $45 or less and can run it all year ++ w/ out worry.
fwiw, I have a customer that did UOA on his Jeep every 5k miles or so and he noticed much better silica readings using an EA series Amsoil over an OEM type filter. Even though the readings got a little worse each time he had a UOA done the reading was still better than the readings w/ the OEM. He surmised that the Amsoil filter was a better value even if he only ran it to 50K miles since it still improved his oil analysis readings and over time was cheaper than OEM filters. Peace of mind and good value for him.
Is this info true for Every application and every user? Of course not but there is way too much evidence against oiled cotton gauze, Old technology, air filters to even consider them any more Especially for off road use when the Non-oiled filters have proven to be better.
of course, ymmv.... thats all I have to say about that.........
