Building a better BHAF...

[Diesel Power]

what i have done in the meantime is use the stock airbox-put the cold air kit on it, put the new amsoil filter in (its made by donoldson) and ditch the silencer w/one that is straight through. ---this same combo makes 500+hp on other trucks ive built! Oo.

 

[DLeonhard]

Anything??

Has anybody heard anything new on this filter??!!

 

[PKitzman]

Hohn, that is one SERIOUS air filter. Is there any way that you can run the duct work down below the engine and mount the filter below the engine (kind of like the PSM cold air inlet mod)? That way you'd be getting cold air athough you may get some pressure drop due to the extra length of duct work.

 

[Hohn]

Not that I can tell. I don't think what you're proposing can be done without relocating the battery AND some other mods-- re-routing intercooler and A/C plumbing, among others.

The pressure drop due to the length of ductwork would be negligible.


I've had this filter on for coming up on a year.

The flow is awesome-- I have a hard time getting EGTs to really soar here at sea level. Of course, maybe that was due to a weak clutch (which is being remedied as we speak).

I'll be able to test more once my Con FE is in and I can actually load the engine.

I've got about 10K miles on this filter now, and I can say the following:

-- It filters pretty well. There's only the tiniest bit of dust on the intake tube-- which was there with both the stock filter and the BHAF. You can't see the dust on your fingers nor can you "draw" in the dust. . I'd say the filtration is probably on par with the stock filter and the BHAF, perhaps a little less. But we're talking well over DOUBLE the flow rate as well, so getting any kind of reasonable filtration at this flow is pretty good.

-- It appears to flow more than the stock HX35 can. Even wide open, the HX35 @35psi or so can't make this filter seem very restrictive. Like I said, I have lower EGT than reported by others using the stock turbo and similar fueling. This is WITHOUT the benefit of any kind of cold air intake-- it's breathing hot underhood air.


Justin

 

[DLeonhard]

Any word on if we are ever going to get this filter??!!

 

[Hohn]

Yes.

The official word is *NO*, as mentioned before.

That said, I think there were some others attempting to make Donaldson see the light, and I have no idea if they made any progress on talking sense into Donaldson.

Justin

 

[DBazley]

Yes.



The official word is *NO*, as mentioned before.



That said, I think there were some others attempting to make Donaldson see the light, and I have no idea if they made any progress on talking sense into Donaldson.



Justin

Justin, I've just read every post on this fascination thread -it's been fun to follow, even if to a 'dead end' - I'm sure there is some profit in it somehow --



I was looking at the 'a Fe' stage two system for my '97, but way too much $$$ - I'd rather put it into a new exhaust sytem.



At this point, do you think I should just do the best BHAF system I can with the NAPA filter # 2790 and call it good ?



I presume there is no further progress on this Donaldson filter just yet.



Right now, I have the Amsoil lifetime oiled foam element in the stock '97 airbox - can you or anyone comment on how it likely flows compared to this BHAF set-up ?



I am not really dissatisfied with it, but I have recently had the Governor Spring kit installed in the fuel injection pump, which I was told I should try to flow more air to accomidate the increased fueling and lower my EGT's, so doing the BHAF + 4" or larger exhaust was advised.



Love to hear any feedback on this..... take care



David B

 

[Mundgyver]

I have run both the Amsoil filter and the BHAF. I am an Amsoil dealer and the BHAF is my choice for ease of maintenance and airflow.

 

[Hohn]

It's funny that this thread comes up again, as I was going to post an update.

I was installing my manual boost controller and had occasion to remove my filter and intake tube assembly last night. Now, I have the filter semi-permanently mounted to the filter, so it comes out as one piece.

The pretty blue color of the PowerCore has become pretty nasty in appearance-- there's very little blue left, as it's become almost all dark and dirty now.

But the intake tube and the turbo fins tell the whole story-- SPOTLESS. I mean, immaculate! No dust of any kind in the intake tube! The turbo blades show no signs of pitting or wear-- they feel like a fresh Gillette razor and look the part.

So, I've satisfied myself that the unit filters VERY well-- as good as a traditional BHAF.


This testing period has now passed 15K miles, plenty of time for some kind of dusting to appear in the intake if it would happen. Same for inducer wear on the turbo.



Let's talk flow. I posted earlier in this thread the flow numbers, but I don't think people appreciate how good this unit is. This thing essentially flows as well as NO FILTER AT ALL, because the intake tube is the most restrictive portion of the assembly.


This shows up in EGTs. I'm presently running a Smarty and Mach 4s (150hp)-- and have been almost the entire time of the filter test. EGTs are much lower than you'd expect, given the severe overfueling I'm running.

For example, getting on the freeway at WOT, I'm seeing about 36-37psi (analog gauge, can't tell for sure). Yet, EGTs are just barely kissing 1100 before I have to get out of it @ 70mph.

In fact, EGTs are so much lower than I expected that I called Autometer to ask about their Pyrometer accuracy, since I have a new NV series. Autometer told me that the probe that ships with my guage is accurate to within 2% from 400° to 1600° That's 20° at 1K egt-- hardly worth considering.


I think I'll have to call Donaldson again. After all, there's just no reason for the Dodge guys not to have PowerCore technology. Ford has it for the PSD, and GM is using it on the Hummers.

Why not Dodge?

 

[Duluth Diesel]

I am still interested in getting a PowerCore setup for our trucks. Hopefully Donaldson can make this work finally! For now, the BHAF remains in place...

 

[Tomeygun]

I would commit to purchase - I wonder how many other would too



Maybe this would get Donaldson to get in gear

 

[Sled Dog]

I would commit to purchase - I wonder how many other would too



Maybe this would get Donaldson to get in gear

ME TOO!! Oo. Oo.

 

[Jeepmullet]

ME TOO!! Oo. Oo.

hello, I'm in too.

 

[DBazley]

It's funny that this thread comes up again, as I was going to post an update.



The pretty blue color of the PowerCore has become pretty nasty in appearance-- there's very little blue left, as it's become almost all dark and dirty now.



So, I've satisfied myself that the unit filters VERY well-- as good as a traditional BHAF.





Let's talk flow. I posted earlier in this thread the flow numbers, but I don't think people appreciate how good this unit is. This thing essentially flows as well as NO FILTER AT ALL, because the intake tube is the most restrictive portion of the assembly.



This shows up in EGTs. I'm presently running a Smarty and Mach 4s (150hp)-- and have been almost the entire time of the filter test. EGTs are much lower than you'd expect, given the severe overfueling I'm running.



For example, getting on the freeway at WOT, I'm seeing about 36-37psi (analog gauge, can't tell for sure). Yet, EGTs are just barely kissing 1100 before I have to get out of it @ 70mph.





I think I'll have to call Donaldson again. After all, there's just no reason for the Dodge guys not to have PowerCore technology. Ford has it for the PSD, and GM is using it on the Hummers.



Why not Dodge?

Hohn, Why not indeed ?



Maybe some day soon, but for now, I've just ordered the BHAF and requisite parts: the air filter itself - $ 42 inc shipping from fleetfilter.com, the outerwears cover & Larry B's turbo heat shield.



At these fuel prices, I need every advantage I can get. I mean the other day I get my Summit Racing catalog, and at every section I'm going - 'hey I wonder if this part would save fuel' - I wouldn't have given a hoot for a tonneau cover BEFORE $ 3 plus fuel, but now ????



Another crazy idea (deserves a new thread, I know... . ) is considering an electric cooling fan - I'm doing it right now on my Ram Van with the 318 - 1-2 mpg gain it appears, 17 more hp freed up.



Well there's the evening rant - I'll keep an eye out for any developments on this plan... take care all,



David B.

 

[I SPEED]

Another crazy idea (deserves a new thread, I know... . ) is considering an electric cooling fan - I'm doing it right now on my Ram Van with the 318 - 1-2 mpg gain it appears, 17 more hp freed up.



Well there's the evening rant - I'll keep an eye out for any developments on this plan... take care all,



David B.

Funny that the electric fan conversion comes up. Flex-a-lite offers a direct bolt in twin electric fan assy. to replace the OEM fan and clutch for the GM D-max equipped trucks. They claim 6% increase in mpg and a gain of 27HP.



Do they offer one for the Dodge?

 

[Beast2B]

I would commit to purchase - I wonder how many other would too



Maybe this would get Donaldson to get in gear

Definitely count me in. I gained ~9 hp on the dyno running no filter compared to the BHAF. It would be interesting to do another comparison of BHAF vs PowerCore vs nothing...

 

[Matt400]

Funny that the electric fan conversion comes up. Flex-a-lite offers a direct bolt in twin electric fan assy. to replace the OEM fan and clutch for the GM D-max equipped trucks. They claim 6% increase in mpg and a gain of 27HP.



Do they offer one for the Dodge?

If they did I doubt it would be any better. The OEM set up since 03 is a really sweet system that has the capability to pull way more air than any add on or replacement fans when needed and keeps drag down when its not needed for more power and economy.

 

[Hohn]

This just in...

Now, from the Donaldson Department of False Hope comes this update:

I called them again today. Basically, I'm starting all over again, sort of from square one. Only I'm starting in the right division this time. I've explained the history of what has happened thus far and what we are hoping for in a filter.

Latest word is that there is a large batch of "universal" PowerCore applications being released this summer. Many of these will be the obloid "racetrack" shape filter that would even better utilize the space we have under the hood.


You know why there's a PowerCore filter for Powerstrokes and Hummers, and now for the Vortec 6000? Because Ford and GM sponsored the development of those filters, and (presumably) paid big bucks. Thus, Donaldson doesn't have to worry about the market for the filters-- they are selling to Ford, not to a Powerstroke owner. Ford orders them by the thousands, so there's a big enough market to justify the toolup for sure. Same with the GM filters-- GM sponsored them as well.



So, the *best* way to make a PowerCore filter a reality is for me to get into the air intake business and buy a bunch of filters from Donaldson in advance, then try to sell all I ordered in hopes of breaking even. Sort of like what KORE had to do to get Weld to make the wheels he wanted for the Rams-- he had to buy ALL the wheels himself and try to resell them.

The problem is that I don't WANT to get into the air intake business. I don't WANT to compete against Scotty (whom I consider a great friend) or anyone else.

Maybe I can talk Scotty into pursuing a PowerCore filter for his intakes.

Now THAT would be cool, if you'll pardon the pun. A Scotty air system that might flow more and filter better? Sounds good!

More to come... ...


jh

 

[Diesel Freak]

Definately watching this one!!!!



I really need a decent high flow filter!!!!!!

 

[CTD12V]

Thanks for the update, Justin. Keep it up! I've been watching this thread for a while, and I sure like the idea of a free-flowing, non-oiled filter. Maybe we'll get one yet! Anybody tried retrofitting a Ford or GM Powercore filter to the 2nd Gens? Seems like someone mentioned that before in this thread, but there are now soooo many pages . . . :-laf



CTD12V