panel filters

[synthedup]

Hi all,

After a bit of advice from those in the know.

I have recently purchased a piper cross panel filter that is due to be delivered today.

Now I am not expecting any 'gains' from it but purchased it as I read they have better filtering. I have also read that they can cause issues and problems over a long period of time.

Has anyone done their own research into them and know if they do cause long terms damage to the engine?

Cheers
Simon

 

[ph001]

I'm guessing it is an oiled one that you periodically have to clean and re-oil? If so, there certainly have been reports that oil vapour can get deposited on the airflow meter element which can lead to poor running. I'm not convinced about that but I'm a long-standing advocate that a regularly changed OEM filter is the best way to go. All this nonsense about power gains and 'better filtering' is a load of snake oil imho.

 

[Zedtastic]

I'm guessing it is an oiled one that you periodically have to clean and re-oil? If so, there certainly have been reports that oil vapour can get deposited on the airflow meter element which can lead to poor running. I'm not convinced about that but I'm a long-standing advocate that a regularly changed OEM filter is the best way to go. All this nonsense about power gains and 'better filtering' is a load of snake oil imho.

Agree with everything said. The oil vapour issue is something that may have supposedly happened to someone once, then got blown out of all proportion by the forums.
As for performance gains - nothing that can be detected by human senses.

 

[Mike6]

A couple of weeks ago I purchased one of these piper cross filters as part of my annual service ritual prior to MOT. I piggybacked onto an older thread about K&N filters (about 20 or so threads below this one) and received a few replies mostly about over oiling and damage to MAF. Lets be clear the pipercross filter I purchased is not the oiled one. Its a multi layer foam type that can be washed dried and reused.
I didnt purchase it with the purpose of performance gains although I partially believed the claim that it permits more airflow. I tend to through the paper filter away every year even though it hardly has any dirt. That is just the way I do things. The pipercross filter costs about 3 or 4 times the price of paper ones so not that much of an outlay and environmentally I might be doing some good.
Took car for run after servicing and it did seem more responsive at lower revs, cannot comment about performance as I dont drive fast. Then went for cars MOT which it passed with no advisories and I noticed that on the exhaust emissions data it was way down on previous years figures. Inconclusive yes but I am happy my purchase and would recommend it to others.
Whats your view Simon, have you fitted the filter yet??

 

[Davz]

back in 2006 when I was a member of the rx8 owners club, a member who was an Aerodynamicist bought a k&n panel filter and tested it against an oem using equipment at work. His conclusion was that the oem filter was the best option as the air flow was near identical to the k&N, he found air flow was poor when the K&N had been cleaned and re-oiled as it was difficult to judge how much oil should be used. He found that particle filtration was superior with the oem and that micro particles passed through the K&N after re-oiling. He recommended the oem paper filter, since then I have always stuck with oem as I want engine longevity.

Now your sponge filter may not need oiling but can you be sure that particle filtration is as good as an oem?

You may find still find the post on the rx8 website, it was quite interesting reading.

 

[mmm-five]

Read into this what you will, but my original MAF lasted all the way until I fitted my Gruppe-M (over 100,000 miles).

Whilst I had the Gruppe-M fitted I had 3 replacement MAFs in 40,000 miles.

Since I’ve removed the Gruppe-M I’ve not needed another MAF, but due to using it less I’ve not done more than 10,000 miles since.

My external side of my paper filters have always been filthy & covered in crap when I’ve come to replace them (every year or inspection), and the air box has lots of little stones/twigs/leaves in there (when I say lots, I just mean more than one or two of each). The internal side has been discoloured, but not covered in crap.