Air filters

[KHarrower]

I see mention of BHAF. Is this a brand or is it referring to an aftermarket filter such as a K & N air filter. Any recommendations for other than stock air filters???

 

[Bob Wagner]

BHAF is short for "big honking air filter"



If you do a search for BHAF you will come up with several different p/n's and vendors

 

[rrausch]

My truck has run a K&N in the stock box for over 100,000 miles.

My last Silicon number was 3. I've never seen anything above 5. That is pretty darn good filtering.



If you are thinking about a K&N, you must bed the filter into a bead of grease which is run around the inside edge of the lower box. I also run another bead of grease around the sealing surface of the box, because from the factory, the airboxes do not really make that tight of a seal.



Other guys hate the K&N. But I have had nothing but good luck with mine.

 

[CumminsPower98]

I don't understand the K&N thing. Some do great and others such as mine didn't. I had a silicone count of 51 PPM. I installed my BHAF and the numbers have been coming down on each sample since. I had a drop-in and greased it up good too.

 

[midlife crisis]

I just installed a Volant cold air kit. I have seen some talk mentioning this brand, never negative except for others possibly working better, or of Volant using others innovations. I dont know if any of that is true, frankly, I dont care. I did see mpg pickup by 1. Turbo noise is a little louder, so I will put in a TAG to reduce that, as well as any other benefits it may offer. Truck runs so good, cant really tell if it made any difference powerwise, just didnt want to spend the money on a non-servicable filter. Will check for inlet FOD and silicone at 1000 klicks... .

 

[bpcasey]

I had the drop in k&n but after reading so many bad posts about them I decided to try a change. Just installed the afe stage 1 system... So far the filter is great and I did notice a drop in my egt's!

 

[RobertMiller1]

K&N

I have a K&N RE880 cone filter about 14" long.



I just removed it and put the stock air box back in with the Fleet guard filter.



The K&N was very noisy...



Fact is the K&N is a . 10 micron filter and the Fleetguard is a . 2 micron filter. . 2 is what cummins specifies.



K&N without Scotty II (another $160) sucks hot air, where the stock air box brings in cooler. I don't have pyrometer yet (this weekend) so I haven't compared, but others say outside air has an inpact on EGTs.



I do know with a clean Fleetguard, I cannot tell performance difference between them. I am running supposedly about 285 hp (50 hp increase wth superchips set at +50hp) midrange setting. I suspect stock air box is just fine for this power level. So why put up with the noise and less filtration?



Also noted, the K&N guy with bad filtration lived in Utah (desert) and the other guy was Santa monica (coast) or Missouri(moist not dusty)

 

[rrausch]

I get in the dust in Cal. too, the streets here are actually pretty dusty being as how this is a desert and all. And I drive I-40 several times a year. Mo. can get quite dusty as well as muddy, but overall probably not quite as dusty as Utah.



By the way, I don't know if the above quote about the micron filtering is a typo but . 10 microns is a lot smaller opening than . 2 microns.



K&N uses a different approach to filtering than paper filters. In a paper filter the air has to zig and zag, this way and that, as it finds its way through the paper element. As the air zigzags, the heavier particles of dirt go straight, and get caught in the paper element. With a K&N the air goes straighter and the dust is attracted to the oiled cotton fibers and naturally sticks tight to it.

 

[RobertMiller1]

it was indeed a typo. there should be no dots... . tired when i typed it... brain fade. over 50 disease... take you pick



shouldhave read 2 micron and 10 micron



I've used K&N filters serveral times.



Twin Turbo Supra

Jaguar Xj6

and now my cummins/dodge



I like them, but I live in North Texas (denton) , not nearly as dry as out west. 200 miles west of here is a whole different story.



If I had a Scotty II and could draw in cooler air, I might go back with the RE-880

Right now it is extremely noisy. Orders of magnitude noisier...



Really, Oil analysis is the best method I can think of to determine which filter works for you in your conditions. I guess my only point is that I'm not surprised that the same filte would have different results with different people and driving conditions.