Newbie question-air filter systems

[coonrod70]

Newbie question

Hello! I am in need of an experienced CTD opinion. What would the best air filter system be for my new truck? I have been using K&N on my cherokee for over a year and am very happy with the mileage gains, however I dont know if that would be good for the CTD. Also I have read about some people "swiss cheesing" (drilling) the air box to gain better flow. This kinda makes me cringe, so the question is, is there anything out there better than what Dodge is doing from the factory??

 

[msimmons]

IMHO, you will gain nothing from the addition of a K&N filter to your rig. A visit to the Cummins website will reveal that an aftermarket filter such as a K&N is NOT recommended due to the inferior filtration properties of the filters. Drilling the box will also gain you nothing.



Unless you intend on "bombing" your CTD the factory air filter will provide all the airflow you need.



Mike

 

[Casey Balvert]

What Mike said.

 

[Big MAK]

Oh Boy! This is one of those never ending debates amongst the CTD crowd.



IMO more air is needed. When I'm hard on the throttle; all stock truck; I'm leaving a vapor trail of gray unspent fuel. That's from not enough air for full combustion... again; just my opinion!



This is more pronounced with the '03 then the previous models.



... moving to 'accesories' since all owners can input on this one.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I would have agreed with you gentlemen in the past but after installing an AFE I have to :-{} . The filter minder is evidence that your your stocker is not breathing very well and I can tell you from my own experience, The drop in AFE makes a difference. I doubt it makes more power overall (maybe as much as 5 - 10 H. P. ) but the throttle response is definitely MUCH better. On Tuesday I will be installing a BullyDog intake which is supposed to make an extra 45 ponies because of the way it fools the IAT sensor. I will be dynoing it at the same time.

If anyone is in my general vicinity I would be happy to let them try my AFE out in their truck. You won't be disappointed.



Scotty

 

[Dennis Garrett]

I've had good luck with my K&N. I put it in when the truck was new, and have cleaned & re-oiled it at least 6 times. The truck & filter have about 180,000 miles on them now. I pay close attention to oily parts downstream, and have seen nothing so far. Just don't over oil it when you use the recharge kit. My HP is almost doubled since new, and at 32 lbs boost, am moving a lot of air through the filter. I've never seen the filter minder move yet, but I have 6, 1" holes drilled in the factory airbox at various places. I have a lot of gravel & dust to deal with, & I like an oiled filter for that. So far, even with some hard, heavy, high speed towing miles, I've never used any oil between 6k changes, & don't have any blowby, so rings, pistons, & cylinders are holding up with the bes of them. Make sure you have pleanty of sealing grease on the filter seals when you put it in. I think some of the K&N problems come from sucking dirty air around the filter instead of through it.

 

[DHawthorne]

206k on my sons 96 CTD with a K&N. 93k on mine with no signs of oil in the intake track. Like was said before, don't over oil. Clean every time you change your fuel filter and in my opinion you'll be fine.



Dave

 

[illflem]

Installed a aFe Magnum Force on a friend's 12 valve today and was totally unimpressed. No reduction in egts over the airbox K&N whatsoever. I felt the fit was very poor.

There was absolutely no dust or oil in the intake tube after the white rag wipe, over 20k since the last K&N service.



Needless to say if anyone wants a deal on an almost new aFe here it is.



What I'm trying to understand is how one filter can be said to flow better than another if neither moves the filter minder? Seems to me that if it isn't showing a restriction it has to be getting the full amount of air required. With a brand new stock paper filter I was pulling the minder down half way, with the airbox K&N it doesn't move. I service my airbox K&N every 100k, almost time for it's second service, no dust or oil is getting by. I'm keeping it, don't really give a hoot what Cummins says about it.