Air filter!?

Lee Goodall

Lee Goodall

Registered User
Joined
Oct 22, 2007
Messages
2,273
Reaction score
4
Points
38
Location
UK - Midlands
I'm using a Pipercross foam type filter at present which repaces the bottom half of the standard air box.. still uses the standard air duct to channel the flow of air too.

The filter works well and makes a nice but not stupid induction sound, it does require oiling for dust/dirt retention and I have heard a few people going on about the oil messing up the MAF.

Is this a real problem? I have been using the filter for about a year now without any trouble but wondered if anybody has actually experienced any problems?

Surely Pipercross have enough knowledge of cars not to produce a filter which damages the users car??
 
I think the issue is when people over oil the filter when they come to clean it.

But yes, too much oil does lead to some getting sucked through and can coat the MAF sensor, causing it to fail prematurely.
 
Lee Goodall said:
I'm using a Pipercross foam type filter at present which repaces the bottom half of the standard air box.. still uses the standard air duct to channel the flow of air too.

The filter works well and makes a nice but not stupid induction sound, it does require oiling for dust/dirt retention and I have heard a few people going on about the oil messing up the MAF.

Is this a real problem? I have been using the filter for about a year now without any trouble but wondered if anybody has actually experienced any problems?

Surely Pipercross have enough knowledge of cars not to produce a filter which damages the users car??
Click to expand...
where did you get that from mate i have only seen cone ones before
 
Got it from GSF but saw one fitted on a VW Carrado before that so had a good idea of what I was looking for.. works well but I don't want to kill my MAF sensor!
 
K&N make them for the 1.8t but everyone knows they "can" kill your MAF.

check out the forums on VW Vortex, someone did a gass flow analysis of the usual suspects for proper comparison. they also did the ususal cone/CAI/RAM assemblies and the winner........

OEM airbox with smoothed internals and an OEM panel. They added a CAI to the base of the air box that led to the bumper
 
..yeah think the shaved box and CAI is going to be the way forward, probably stick to standard filter panels too.

Want to buy a pipercross filter?!? lol
 
Not too sure where the airbox is in the 1.8T, but a common 'mod' for S4 owners is to either drill holes in the bottom of the airbox, or even cut off the lower corner.

I've got an RS4 airbox in mine which were factory fitted with an extra hole in the side of the airbox which could be opened by the ECU when more air was needed.
 
I would NEVER use a foam filter, or recommend the use of one.

Apart from the MAF issues, they also shorten the life of the turbo. Foam degrades, breaks down, and mixes with the oil mist which is always present in the intake system.

This forms a lethal paste, and the turbo bearings will suffer before long. many an engine I've rebuilt, that was run with a foam filter, has had that gooey past in the turbo cold side.

Now, you don't have to take my advice, but I've given it anyway. The OEM paper filter works great, as long as it's replaced regularly, and kept clean. So far, there have been conclusive tests, that show that paper filters work better over a wider operating range, with regards to load and rpm.
 
I had a piperx one on for a year and had no problems. But my fuel consumption was a hell of a lot worse. I get about 80 more miles to a tank with the standard base.

I wonder if I put holes or a hose to the bottom of the airbox this would benifit me any?? I have an S4 wheel arch liner with the cuts in it at the moment.
 
Soupie69uk said:
I had a piperx one on for a year and had no problems. But my fuel consumption was a hell of a lot worse. I get about 80 more miles to a tank with the standard base.

I wonder if I put holes or a hose to the bottom of the airbox this would benifit me any?? I have an S4 wheel arch liner with the cuts in it at the moment.
Click to expand...

isn't that for I/C airflow?

hole in the airbox can increase hot air going in, especially at low speeds.
better to cut a hole and put a length of pipe in there down to the back of the bumper
 
There was one for the i/c flow on the passenger side arch but I also got one for the drivers side for when I had the piperx.

I may look at doing this hose then, dont want to increase the amount of hot air.
 
I'm getting rid of the pipercross, cleaning the MAF sensor and going back to the standard but totally smoothed air box with standard paper filter but..

I want to fit a CIA directly into the bottom of the airbox but can't really see anywhere that lets enough cold air through to make this beneficial.

..If anybody has done this on a 1.8t then where was it?
 
im using a k+n at mo but that it on my 1.8 t a4 ........aprt from noise didnt feel much different but im concered about maf getting damaged and come on lets be onest the air filter faces the wrong way it facing the ****** engine so i MIGHT buy one of those carbon fibre cylinder ones where in black casings and feed to the bottom of car it might reduce noise but atleast proteced from the stupid amounts of heat that the engine produces
 
BECAREFUL WHEN CLEANING MAF'S

my self and a few other people have been caught out by just how delicate these are, even when taking extreme care. They have a very fine part of the circuit board as well as the main bit. sometimes if rushing not clearly seen.

just a warning, as it would've saved me £80 for an exchange one.
 
I've got a circuit board/electrical component cleaner aerosol which I was just going to give the MAF sensor a few coats with.. wasn't planning on touching the sensor.

The aerosol should be fine shouldn't it?!??
 
..if the cleaner I've got is no good then I'll probably give the brake cleaner a go. Cheers.
 
can't comment on what cleaner to use, i used electrical contact cleaner and an ear bud type thing, though even small pressure on the sensor snapped it. if i were to do it again i will be very very careful.

to be honest i am of the opinion now that if it idels fine with std airbox attached and no error codes, then just leave it.

rough idle problems are usually due to the non standard air filter.
 
..ok now I'm scared to clean it anyway!

I'll set the old air box back up (with smoothed internals) and new paper filter and see how it goes before attempting any cleaning.
 
What do you mean by smoothed internals? When you say paper filter do you mean an aftermarket or OEM paper filter?

Brake cleaner removes the dust on contact (apparently) and then evaporates, so no need to physically touch the componant.

Anyway, did ****** all for my 200sx but it was only on 50K, people with higher mileage reported smoother running
 
Yeah the OEM paper type filter with the internal bits of the air box all cut off and smoothed down for better airflow.

Think the cleaner I've got should work in the same way as the brake cleaner does on the MAF sensor.
 
Thanks, sounds like a similar mod that I did to my civic, on the Civic it gave better top end but reduced throttle response a bit, also sounded nice.

Any walk throughs anywhere or pics? Always interested in simple and effective mods

Cheers
 
VW Vortex has some interesting bits on.. a lot of people mention about a CAI going into the base of the air box and down to behind the bumper for more cold air.

Going to have a look at the weekend to see if I can get the positioning right for a CIA but if not I'll stick with the standard inlet alone.
 
Fitted my shaved air box with a cold air intake.. had to go in through the side (tight to the bottom corner) of the air box as there's a big piece of metal directly below the box.

The CIA goes from there and down to directly behind the far left (facing) bottom air vent in the bumper, I cable tied it to the bracket used for the horn so it can't move out of position. I cut the bottom to blanked off sections of the vent out to let more air through.

Good results.. running much smoother than the Pipercross and sounds good too.

:)
 
Pics :(

Never heard of VW Vortex, is it a forum? Ill have a look
 
Thanks for the links, think I am going to leave mine totally standard
 
Yeah.. I only did it because I saw some test results somewhere on there with various different intake setups including induction kits etc.. and the shaved box with CIA came out top for all round performance!

If I were you I'd do it.. your life will be better! lol
 
It looks like its done just for noise, some parts of the air box on cars are designed to keep intake noise down, I removed the resonator box on my Civic and it made more noise but not really much in the way of performance other than right at the top end, I cant see it making it noticibly quicker myself, just the noise making you think its quicker, the back to back tests I would take with a pinch of salt
 
There's more cold air going into the air box so if you're tuning your car it'll be benefitial. Other cars have vents that open when more air is needed and more intakes into the box.

By 'sounds good' I meant better than the loud sucking sound the Pipercross filter makes and the almost dump valve like sound has gone when you come off of the throttle too.

..anyway each to their own hey.
 
I see what you mean about the cold air and I prefer the more subtle noise over an open cone too, good on you for getting it done, I just CBA! I really want some wheels :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
Air Filter Replacement
Replies
2
Views
684
THE MONSTER
T
I
what air filter?
Replies
13
Views
1K
Markey
Markey
Adam-D
air filter suggestions
Replies
5
Views
904
Adam-D
Adam-D
a4quat
ebay air filter
Replies
2
Views
670
goon
G
C
New AIr Filter
Replies
7
Views
1K
K212
K
Top
Back