Anything Pos/Neg about aFe Stage I/II or TAG II

[WCrawford]

Just traded my trusted '00 for an '05. Don't have the $$$ yet to invest in all the upgrades I had before. Would like to start with air flow first. I had a K&N before. I'm looking for good input on the aFe systems (OE replacement, Air Tube replacement, Stage I/II) and has anyone had any experience with the TAG II yet. Are they worth the investments and do they do what they claim?

 

[Mundgyver]

Oooooooooh, you have asked a few questions that bring out allot of opinions :-{} I would ditch the K&N for sure. They are the only filter I know of, that you can see through. If you can see throught it, then dirt can get through it.



Standard rule of thumb would be gauges first so you can see what your base line is for the truck. Thats where I would start, then go from there.

 

[Regcabguy]

My experience with the AFE Stage 1 was that it was quality built but too darn loud. It did drop EGT's and increase airflow but it drove me and my wife nuts with the turbo sound. You guys with the 3rd gens might benefit due to your airfilter placement closer to the front of the truck. I'm currently happy with the BHAF.

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

it drove me and my wife nuts with the turbo sound. .

Uhh Bob ... It's a Cummins TURBO Diesel :-laf Just in case ya missed that :-laf Just kidding



Yeah pretty much any (And I say that with quotes and loosely) upgrade to the intake will in fact produce more noise. A lot of "oiled" filters have got a bad rap from the common over oiling practice of many with the more is merrier mentality. AFE , BHAF , Scotty , Volant , K&N and many others all offer to some degree a variation in noise as well as filtration. The BHAF being probably the best in filtration being a paper filter. At least that is what I could gather from a post by someone that had fully tested the whole lot of filtration options.



They all deliver gains. EGT drops , and general better breathing being the key and as a bonus you get performance is the way I look at it. Do they give you what they claim ... well that depends on the truck , conditions , and what dyno they used to get the absolute peak HP claims that they claim to give.

 

[Regcabguy]

Uhh Bob ... It's a Cummins TURBO Diesel :-laf Just in case ya missed that :-laf Just kidding



Yeah pretty much any (And I say that with quotes and loosely) upgrade to the intake will in fact produce more noise. A lot of "oiled" filters have got a bad rap from the common over oiling practice of many with the more is merrier mentality. AFE , BHAF , Scotty , Volant , K&N and many others all offer to some degree a variation in noise as well as filtration. The BHAF being probably the best in filtration being a paper filter. At least that is what I could gather from a post by someone that had fully tested the whole lot of filtration options.



They all deliver gains. EGT drops , and general better breathing being the key and as a bonus you get performance is the way I look at it. Do they give you what they claim ... well that depends on the truck , conditions , and what dyno they used to get the absolute peak HP claims that they claim to give.

Yeah, I agree with you completely. It's funny how above stock turbo whine irritates me and yet my wife claims I never hear her when she says something!

 

[Fishin Guide]

While someone will no doubt say that I am incorrect, oiled element filters do not protect as well as paper over time.



They work great when new, but after several cleaning, rechargings, the oiled element media begins to separate.



How much? Well that's debateable too.



FWIW I used to race off road in some of the nasties silt and volcanic ash on the face of the planet. We ran oiled element filters as they were required to provide the engine with air in these conditions. Sometimes, the filters would have to be changed several times in a race.



Bottom line is, oiled filters are "looser" and provide better protection when dirty than when clean. paper does a great job when clean, but becomes restrictive when dirty. And yes, I have all the data I can handle as well as from my own experience. One word of note. The best filters we have ever tested were the UNI style filters. They still gave good flo and superior filtration.



JMO



Dave