| Pages: 1 | ||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
I installed my new Severe Duty AIS this morning, and was I shocked when I pulled the old air filter. It was unbelievable how dirty it was!  See pics at this link:http://web.tampabay.rr.com/geddes/filter.htm I had not really checked the filter with a visual inspection to this point. I had been depending on that d*mn filter minder which is absolutely useless. So my recommendation is check your air filter visually. BTW, I am really impressed with the new Severe Duty AIS and know that it will be much better than my old CLOGGED filter.  Mike |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
Welcome to the A.I.S. family how do you like it I love mine!!!! I found my stock filter was dirty to. Bad and the filter minder haden't even moved yet. 
|
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
hmmmmmm, it wasn't setting off the filter minder because it really isn't that dirty. There is cosmetic dirty then there is performance affecting dirty. You have alot of airflow area in the pleated part that is still nice and clean. When your filter gets dirty enough, the minder will do it's job. 
|
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
I agree with Wray, that filter isn't that dirty. When you start seeing dust and dirt clogged between the pletes that's when it stops filtering. However I don't trust the stupid filter minder as far a I could through it. Traildust |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
That is not a dirty air filter, it had lots of time left on it. Without the Zoodad the airfilter will look like that with just 2 tanks of fuel. |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
The filter minder, by the time it goes to 25% the filter element should be changed. Not very accurate. On the stock air box, they fit poorly, it is a good idea to check it at least evey oil change. I would be worried if it WASN'T dirty. Hopefully, my air filter sealing problems are behind me now that I have an AIS. The new filter minder looks similar to the original probably not any better. I have a Baldwin Vacume Gage that I am going to put in it's place. |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
That filter is only about 30% used. I believe there are a few post about changing the air filter too early not being a good thing.. |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
That filter is no where near the end of it's useful life. In HVAC work had you changed that filter looking like that it might have cost several thousand dollars for new filters when they could have gone several months longer. We use static pressure to tell when filters need to be changed. As the filter becomes plugged, the static pressure will raise. Depending on the filtering system at 2" over system static pressure we change filters. The mider gauge works on static pressure. They do work. How to test the gauge is to idle the engine then block off the air intake slowly. When the restriction becomes great enough then the filter minder gauge will move. The more restriction the higher the gauge reading. At the same time you have another filter gauge on your dash that works on the hot wire therory. So much cfm loss accross the hotwire changes the resistance of the wire. When restriction becomes great enough then the sensor circuit goes to lock mode thus liting up the dash lite. You have two different filter sensing gauges. Trust them.
|
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
That filter is around 14 months old with 26k+ miles on it. So if it is only at "30%" in your opinion, I should get 75-80k out of it? I don't think so. Maybe the pictures don't do it justice, it was dirty though. No way I would have put it back in my truck. I have probably wasted money on worse things. Quote: |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
Oh, and that's baloney too. Quote: |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
"I believe there are a few post about changing the air filter too early not being a good thing.." Nonsense. Last time I changed my stock air filter at 15k interval it was filthy and had 2 large moths and a pebble lodged in it. You want to run that on your $10,000.00 diesel engine go right ahead. The analogy between AC systems and diesel intake systems is invalid. |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
Mike, Your filter looks just about as grungy as mine did when I joined the AIS club with about 26,000 miles on the truck (and the OE Air Filter). After hearing all of the nightmare stories about air filter leakage and ingestion, I made a point to check the air filter, seals, and duct (to the turbo) to see if I could notice ANY signs of dust entering the engine. I never saw anything, and since I never saw any signs of leakage, and since the manual said to leave the air filter alone until the air filter minder indicated blockage, I decided to leave things be. That being said, I was always a little worried that I might have air filter problems some time in the future, but I think I was mostly worried about developing an airbox leak. I live up here in Washington State, where it is not too dusty, but I would be interested in hearing from someome who has got the most miles out of an OE Air Filter...if I had not joined the AIS Club, I probably would have left the OE FIlter in place until the filter minder showed at least some signs of movement. All of the above was typed by a guy who changes his oil every 3,000 miles just because it makes him "feel better"-wierd!! Shamish |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
Anyone have pics of this AIS system? |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
Quote: I was going to ask what part of engineering 101 did you miss but it's very apparent you missed the entire class 
|
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
Quote: I too seem to remember several posts cautioning against changing you air filter too soon 
Well if you go HERE and look under the para Maximum efficiency, mile after mile. You'll find the statement: Most Baldwin heavy-duty air filters have minimum initial efficiencies approaching 99%. Then, as dirt particles begin to accumulate in the filter media, those particles decrease the size of the media´s openings, making it more difficult still for even the smallest particles to pass through. As a result, the media´s efficiency has actually been increased. Also, if you read further down under the para Servicing your air filter: why, when, and how. it says There are operational signs that an air filter has become completely plugged. The engine begins to lose power, and fuel consumption increases. Black smoke may blow from the exhaust stack. Continued operation with a plugged air filter may very well damage the engine. It´s impossible to determine, just by looking, when air filters should be changed. An element that looks relatively clean may be almost totally plugged with ultra-fine particles from exhaust smoke or air pollutants. On the other hand, a filter that looks dirty may still have many hours of useful life. Remember that until maximum acceptable restriction is reached, the accumulation of dirt in the filter actually adds to its efficiency. Therefore, from the way I read all this it's about restriction. If you have no or acceptable restriction then you can if you change your filter too soon reduce the overall filtration efficiency of your system and can be going the wrong way in the overall filtration on your vehicle. Larry Edited by Larry M (07/04/03 05:42 PM) |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
Quote: Just sent you a pic via your e-mail! |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
Larry, Isn't it true that in some cases the "filter minder" does not work, thus not indicating restriction? It seems I have seen that reported here on a few occasions. Mike ------------------------ Quote: |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
Larry you are certainly entitled to run a dirty air filter if you like. I plan on checking the AIS by visual inspection after around 20k miles. I will let it get pretty well black-coated with few foriegn objects present before I change it. I'm work out on Rogers Dry Lake as a USAF Flight Test Engineer and so it really represents something like severe duty if the wind is kicking up the lakebed or if I have to drive on dirt roads. My windscreen is covered with bugs after a week of commuting so between the bugs and dust there is alot of stuff in the air around here. My local dealership is quick to share stories of "dusted" engines too so I suppose I'm a little 'noidal about having a clean filter. Perhaps I will market a new additive that you can spread on your new filter to make it more "efficient". I will call it Direct Induction Retardation Technology or DIRT. Maybe Bob Riley will sell it for me lol.  Scott |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
Quote: True, but I have yet to see any hard data/tests on one that is not operating properly, and checking that filter minder is something that should be very, very easy to check in less than 5 min. IMHO the best way is to install like a 0 to 50 inH20 real gauge so you can establish a trend and really tell what's going on. I haven't done either yet, but plan to do the aftermarket restriction gauge. To check the gauge in your vehicle now, remove it and suck on it ... if it moves it's probably O.K. You could also use one of these portable test things, but I would have to check on the values of what the factory system spec are. Somewhere I think the factory filter reminder is supposed to max out at around 20 to 30 inH20 which is like 2 or so inHg. I think Dale I has done some checks on what the factory filter minder registers as it's percentage vs. real vacuum, but don't have that info readily available. I'm just not quite into all this from putting a good system together. Too many projects and higher priorities. I think the real important point is a visual determination is the WRONG way to tell  I use the Amsoil 2 stage foam air filters (I also have two vice one about the size of the stock F-series filter) which I believe does a better job of initial filtering and that's why I'm using them, however I realize that I change them way too often, since for warranty purposes I follow what is in my Ford maintenace schedule which is 15Kmiles and in reality I could probably double that easily. Also, I do oil analysis at every oil change so I have that additional data to go on ... didn't notice if you're on a periodic oil analysis program and if not you might consider that as an additional piece of the puzzle in this overall filtration question. This also will help to tell if you have a air box sealing problem and catching something within 3,000 to 5,000 miles seems a reasonable window IMHO. Larry |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
Good point. I am not doing any analysis at present but it sounds like a good idea. Thanks. Mike Quote: |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
"I think the real important point is a visual determination is the WRONG way to tell" Again, I disagree. Here is my logic so that the flaw may be pointed out. 1) There is some technically perfect point to change the air filter. This point is somewhat difficult to ascertain. 2)A clean filter will not harm the engine. 3)A dirty filter may harm the engine. 4) Since it is difficult to know the perfect filter change point it then makes sense to error on the clean side since error is inevitable. Visual inspection provides more information about the condition of the stock filter than the stock filter blockage sensor. |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
Quote:Quote: Then I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree and there are no flaws in your position since it is only a personal opinion w/o any real data/facts/qualified engineering backup to it so it can never be flawed. Maybe wrong, but not flawed as a personal opinion. Quote: Also, with a good restriction gauge why change it if it starts at say 15in H20 when new and still is at 15 or maybe 16in H20 at 20K ... I'm not looking for perfection, but some reasonable point based on facts that I can measure. I don't know the exact numbers for this, but I'm sure they can be determined and then measured and used instead of simply guessing which at least one major filter manufacturer says not to do and I'm sure others would agree.Quote: But not be as efficient as a slightly dirty/used one with the same restriction as the new one. Some dirt doesn't immediately mean it's clogged ... this is something you have to determine with your particular vehicle and it's unique intake/exhaust, use, environment, etc. Quote: Yep and not something IMO you can visually tell and the experts ... or at least one say so and I'm not nor do I think you're an air filter engineer. Quote: I never want perfect, just reasonable and with some level of measurement and not simply a seat of the pants judgement. Quote: Again we just have to agree to disagree and the one expert I have quoted agrees with me ... visual determinations doesn't cut it and assuming the stock filter sensor is bad is again an assumption which is easily resolved by as I said installing a real gauge if you really want to know or testing your factory filter minder just as I would hope you would do with any other system/sensor on your vehicle which you might have a question about whether it's operating correctly or not. Larry |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
"Visual inspection provides more information about the condition of the stock filter than the stock filter blockage sensor" If I thought my filter was plugged and not setting off the filter minder, I'd be crawling around looking for a vacuum leak. I don't know how many times I've heard the saying that a k&n will do a better job of filtering as it gets dirtier. When the filter is approaching its time to change (based on being able to do its job, not whether it will win a beauty contest) the filter minder will do it's job. unless like I said above there's a monster vacuum leak. I've had my filter minder pull in after a trip down some dirt roads, even though the filter looked much much cleaner than yours. But.... you may be one of the rare instances where the filter minder went bad, I'd take it in and have it checked out... |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
Quote: You'll might want to read the following thread completely: Popperboy1's filter minder tests Also, check out Terry's bio in his profile  ... He owes me some diesel blackboard training when I'm his neck of the woods next month so that's why the plug here J/KLarry |
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
BigRig, You could go for miles on that air filter. About 3 to be exact. I would never drive on a filter that dirty. Good call with the AIS. What a NICE truck you have! Hoo boy! CP ------------------- 1995 Honda Accord, white, 4 dr. |
||||||||||
| Pages: 1 | ||||||||||
Check you air filter!
Re: Check you air filter!
