Your Next Air Filter?

With many choices of automotive air filters on the market today it can sometimes become daunting for the consumer to select a filter that represents the best protection and flow characteristics for their dollar.

But why do we really need to be concerned about air filtration in the first place?  The answer is quite simple.  It's been said that many of the contaminates found in a vehicles motor oil gets there through the air filtration system. It's also been commonly held by lubricant experts that dirt is the number one cause of premature engine failure. With this in mind, it should be of high importance to research air filters and determine what the differences are and if anything can be gained by using one type of air filter over another.

In this thread, we will mainly focus on three popular types of air filters available today; paper - otherwise known as cellulose, wet gauze, and nanofiber.

Air Filter Construction

Paper: Cellulose media

Wet Gauze: Cotton media with wire screen reinforcement

Nanofiber: Glass media and wire screen reinforcement depending on application

The Paper Filter

The paper air filter is the most universally used air filter available on the market today and has been standard issue on cars and trucks since the early 1960s .  A paper filter filters and flows relatively well, are cost effective, and are found at every auto parts store.  The down side to paper is that they have to be replaced as much as every 3-months or 12,000-miles whichever comes first. 

The Wet Gauze Filter

The wet gauze filter has been available for over 35-years and has become a popular choice among automotive and power sport enthusiasts.  This style of air filter is marketed as a better flowing alternative to paper air filters and are commonly thought to increase a vehicles horsepower.  Some manufactures back these filters with a million mile limited warranty and recommend filter cleaning every 30,000-to-50,000-miles.  These filters are serviceable with a recommended cleaning and oil  tackifier reapplication kit which are purchased additionally to the filter.  Some find that a downside to these filters are the additional cost of a cleaning and re-oiling kit.

The Nanofiber Filter

While products containing  microfibers have been available since the 1950s, the ultra-fine nanofiber technology didn't become available to the commercial market until 1981 by the Donaldson Company, Inc.  Nano or Nano-technology refers to extremely small technology at the nano-meter scale.  A nanometer is equal to one billionth of a meter.  Donalson Company, Inc,. produces both stock replacement paper type air filters and their patented Ultra-Web and Synteq air and oil filters which utilize the nanofiber technology the company perfected.  These top grade nanofiber filtration products have benefited such industries as transportation, construction, agriculture, mining, military and gas turbine.  Up until recently, nanofiber technology was not widely available to the automotive market until Amsoil, Inc. gained exclusive licensing rights in 2004 to utilize Donaldson's proprietary nanofiber technology marketing both motor oil and air filtration products under their Ea filter line.

Watch Your Next Air Filter In Action

Click on image to enlarge - Cited: Donaldson Company, Inc. 

M1 Abrams tank with pulse-jet air cleaner and Donaldson Nanofiber filter system for filtration of the turbine combustion air.

Article: Donaldson Company Selected to Develop Filtration System for U.S. Army Abrams-Crusader Common Engine Program - link

Paper and Wet Gauze now have a tough new competitor to contend with after the introduction new Amsoil/Donaldson agreement.  Availability of nanofiber air filters to the automotive market is now a reality.

 

AMSOIL Ea Air Filter media removes 5 times more dust than traditional cellulose filters and 50 times more dust than wet gauze. Cited: Amsoil, Inc. 

Amsoil, Inc., produce air filters utilizing Donaldson Nanofiber media for a wide verity of domestic and foreign cars and light trucks.

AMSOIL Ea Stock Replacment Air Filters

AMSOIL Ea Universal Air Induction Filters

 Amsoil Ea Induction Filter/K&N Cross Referance - Click on image to enlarge

AMSOIL Carbureted Racing Filters

Amsoil Racing Filter specifications and photos - pdf. link

AMSOIL/Injen Cold Air Intake Kits

Image: Injen/Acura Cold Air Intake (CAI) 

"During the 2007 SEMA show an official announcement was made launching the Co/Branded Injen/AMSOIL Power-Flow Diesel air intake systems.

Injen Technology and AMSOIL Inc. officially signed an agreement to cooperatively brand an all new diesel air intake system. Both Injen Technology and AMSOIL are established leaders within the performance industry and are known for innovation, quality and high performance products. These two highly acclaimed and successful companies came together and Co/Branded an advanced line of performance air intake systems called Diesel Power-Flow.

Representatives from both Injen and AMSOIL announced during the SEMA show, that the Power-Flow system is the only air intake system that incorporates an all new patent pending Injen Variable Induction Technology and an AMSOIL dry media Ea Nano-Fiber absolute efficiency air filter

Some of the top features and benefits will include:

Vi Technology (variable induction) will provide additional airflow and power on demand based upon the draw of the engine. There are four internal and totally independent valves designed to open and allow more air for those crucial moments when that extra power is required; passing, towing, climbing hills or track and off road racing.

AMSOIL Ea Nano-Fiber absolute efficiency custom designed air filter will filter out the finer dirt and dust particles up to 99.53% efficiency. For Diesel engines the Ea –filter removes 5 times more dust then traditional (paper) filter media and 50 times more dust then a wet gauze air filter. Injen Dyno tests show equivalent gains in horse power and torque. Incorporating the dry media allows for a simple cleaning by using a standard shop Vac.

Stainless steel pre-filters which will deflect the larger dirt particles commonly associated with immediate loss of air flow and power.

For added styling, proper air flow and that macho look, an all cast aluminum tube is included

You can anticipate seeing significant Co/Branding efforts to launch this powerful partnership in a wide variety of media and marketing materials along with a significant amount of race events, trade and consumer shows. The Injen/AMSOIL Diesel Power-Flow air intake systems will be available through all AMSOIL Dealers, most major automotive aftermarket retailers and wholesale distributors.

Injen/AMSOIL; The beginning of a New Era!" - Cited: Injen Technology

To select the correct Amsoil Ea Air Filter product for your vehicle, contact Anthony Garner via e-mail:  compsyn@live.com

Below, the comments of Certified Lubrication Specialist, George Morrison regarding air filtration.

Introduction: The late George Morrison, was a Certified Lubrication Specialist by the Society of Trobologists and Lubrication Engineers as well as the founder and CEO of AV Lubricants, one of the largest Exxon/Mobil distributors in the United States. During his 35 years in the lubricant industry, He worked with such industries as Aviation and Coal Mining assisting with their specific lubricant needs in which hundreds of Used Oil Analysis reports went through his hands a week. As a result, Mr. Morrison was an expert in lubricant and lubricant filtration.

Quotes by Mr. Morrison:

"From a lube engineer's perspective that looks at a hundred or so oil analysis results a day, I would highly recommend you or anyone running a K&N or other aftermarket air filter do an engine oil analysis to determine that the filter is indeed doing its job. I can easily spot a K&N equipped vehicle oil analysis results as in 90% of cases the filter keeps out bricks and birds very effectively but little else. The #1 cause of reduced engine life is dirt. The #1 engine oil alert I look at is dirt. One teaspoon of dirt will destroy a large V-16 CAT engine.. i.e. we need to make sure we have the best filter media, tightest induction system possible to ensure maximum engine life. If you look at a K&N filter you can see through the medium very easily. Supposedly the 'tackifier' grabs the incoming dirt particles. Visualize a dirt particle approaching the filter medium at 100+ MPH: there is NO oil, no tackifier that is going to reach out and capture that particle. Filter face impact velocity is just too great." Cited: George Morrison - link

"Regarding the "easy 10 hp increase", I would be wary of the claim. A recent VW TDI dyno day revealed that the highest horsepower developed at the rear wheels was for a TDI equipped a paper, OEM equipped VW vs. the foam/paper/K&N, snorkled VW's." Cited: George Morrison - link

"If you have single digit silicon and low wear metals with your oil analysis results, you are about as good as it gets! That is a general target for dirt: i.e. single digits. If you have this with spectro, you have excellent air filtration with no induction leaks. As for recommendations, I suggest name brand/OEM paper. If a person wants to try another, do an oil analysis with quality paper, then another oil analysis, with particle count, for the aftermarket. This will give a complete picture of exactly how the aftermarket is doing." Cited: George Morrison - link

Summary: As stated above, Used Oil Analysis is the real world test which proves OR disproves the as advertised filter efficiency claims.

Below, a picture of a K&N brand wet gauze type air filter.  If you click on the image to enlarge, look closely and notice the small pin holes of light in the cotton gauze filter media:

Click on the image to enlarge

Below, a picture of an Amsoil Ea Air filter, a optional replacement of the K&N wet gauze filter as shown above.  Note the solid construction of the nanofiber media.  
 

Click on the image to enlarge

Additional Reading 

Technical Paper: CUMMINS - DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH DUST CAPACITY, HIGH EFFICIENCY ENGINE AIR FILTER WITH NANOFIBERS


Technical Paper: Donaldson Company Selected to Develop Filtration System for U.S. Army Abrams-Crusader Common Engine Program - link

Blog Post: Air and Oil Filters With Nanofiber Technology - link

Manufacturer & Dealer Information

Donaldson Company, Inc., headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota., is a leading worldwide provider of filtration systems and replacement parts. Founded in 1915, Donaldson is a technology-driven company committed to satisfying customer needs for filtration solutions through innovative research and development. Our 10,000 employees contribute to the company's success at over 30 manufacturing locations around the world. Donaldson is a member of the S&P MidCap 400 Index and Donaldson shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DCI.



AMSOIL INC., headquartered in Superior, Wisconsin., is a recognized leader in synthetic lubricant and filtration products since 1972 producing the first 100% synthetic motor oil to be recognized by the American Petroleum Institute (API).



For more information about AMSOIL synthetic lubricants and performance filtration products contact Anthony Garner at Competition Synthetics.  Anthony is an Amsoil T-1 Certified Independent Dealer.  E-mail Anthony at compsyn@live.com, or visit http://competitionsynthetics.com

Superior Filtration Leads to Reduced Costs, Extended Equipment Life

SAE study proved direct correlation between particle size and engine wear.

A great deal of emphasis is placed on the importance of using of the most advanced high-quality lubricants, but superior filtration is often taken for granted. The general attitude displayed by many consumers is to use whatever is cheapest, even when they’ve invested in superior lubrication. While AMSOIL synthetic motor oils provide unbeatable protection, performance and economy, they require the assistance of filtration. Without filtration, by-products from the combustion process and abrasive materials ingested from the air will ultimately destroy an engine.

Some Contaminants Cause More Damage

The level of damage particles cause to an engine is directly related to the size of the particles. The oil stream within the engine flows between wear-sensitive surfaces that usually have clearances between 2 and 22 microns. It is contaminants in this size range that pose the greatest threat as they can slip between moving components, causing a great deal of wear.

To appreciate how small these particles are, one must first understand the measurements involved in their classification.

A micron, or micrometer (μ), is a very small unit of linear measurement. One micron is equal to one millionth of a meter, and 25 microns is equal to 0.001 inch. To better put this in perspective, consider that the diameter of a human hair is 50 - 70 microns.

Large particles are particles measuring 1/2” or larger. They pose little threat to engines because they are easily removed by the air filter.


Medium particles are particles measuring 25μ to 1/2”. While they are of greater concern than large particles because they are more difficult to remove, the threat they pose is diminished since they are still larger than many of the clearances within an engine. Their size will not allow them to enter the contact areas between many components to promote accelerated wear.


Small particles are particles measuring between 5 and 25μ. Small particles are of greatest concern because they can penetrate the clearances between wear-sensitive components and promote accelerated wear.And, because they are so small, they are difficult to remove from the oil stream.


SAE Testing

In the 1988 Correlating Lube Oil Filtration Efficiencies With Engine Wear technical paper published by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the relationship between filtration
levels and abrasive engine wear was established. Testing determined that wear was reduced by as much as 70 percent by switching from a 40μ filter to a 15μ filter. The SAE conducted tests on a heavy-duty diesel engine and an automotive gasoline engine, and both provided consistent
results.

New Technology Provides New Options

The SAE paper on filtration discusses the introduction of synthetic fibers into the oil filter market, which offer “the capability of achieving high levels of filtration without the traditional
sacrifice of dirt holding capacity and increased flow restriction.” Today, a new pinnacle has been reached with synthetic nanofiber technology and AMSOIL Ea Oil Filters. While today’s filters offer even greater performance, the message then was the same as it is now; removal of particles
measuring 2 to 25μ is the key to controlling engine wear, and there is a direct correlation between oil filter efficiency and engine wear.

Test Results

To establish a relationship between levels of filtration and engine wear rates, the SAE used a variety of oil filter types in its tests. Three glass filters and one traditional cellulose media filter were used in the diesel tests, while one cellulose, one glass and two glass/cellulose-blend filters were used in the gasoline engine tests. The micron rating of each oil filter was determined, and testing was conducted according to SAE guidelines. The Filter Particle Retention Curves chart on the next page shows the particle retention for each filter tested. The filters were tested at their 98 percent efficiency point and their single pass efficiency curves were determined by comparing
the number of particles upstream from the filter with the number of particles downstream. The Engine Wear Rates charts demonstrate the correlation between superior filtration and reduced engine wear. The filters that provided superior efficiency also provided superior engine protection.

Filter / Micron Rating Media@ 98% Efficiency / Composition

Diesel
(A)___40____Cellulose
(B)___15____Glass
(C)___8.5____Glass
(D)___7_____Glass

Gasoline
(E)___40___Cellulose
(F) __ 30___Glass/Cellulose
(G)___25___Glass/Cellulose
(H)___15___Glass





Conclusions

The SAE paper summarizes the test results with the following conclusions:

“Abrasive engine wear can be substantially reduced with an increase in filter single pass efficiency. Compared to a 40μ filter, engine wear was reduced by 50% with 30μ filtration. Likewise, wear was reduced by 70% with 15μ filtration. “Controlling the abrasive contaminants in the range of 2 to 22μ in the lube oil is necessary for controlling engine wear.
“The micron rating of a filter, as established in a single pass efficiency type test, does an excellent job in indicating the filter’s ability to remove abrasive particles in the engine lube oil
system.”

Today’s Most Advanced Filtration Product

Ea Oil Filters have been evaluated using today’s benchmark test, the ISO 4548-12 multi-pass test. AMSOIL Ea Oil Filters provide 98.7 percent efficiency at 15μ and up to 70 percent efficiency at 7μ. Competitive filters range from approximately 85 to 92 percent efficiency at 15μ.



When it comes to removing contaminants in the most critical size range (2 to 22μ), AMSOIL Ea Filters greatly outperform competitive filters.

Summary

Even with all of the advances in lubrication and engine technology, filtration is as important today as it ever was. The combustion process produces by-products that slip into the oil
stream, and external contaminants are introduced into the engine in a variety of ways. The challenge for filter manufacturers is balancing flow, efficiency and filter life. In order to stop
particles in the 2 to 22μ range, the pores in the cellulose media used in many filters are too small to allow adequate oil flow.

Only AMSOIL Ea Oil and Air Filters feature full-synthetic nanofiber technology. It is the nanofibers that allow Ea Filters to provide greater efficiency than any other filter available. Ea
Filters stop more particles, stop smaller particles and last longer than any other oil filter available for auto/light truck applications.

Works Cited: Amsoil, Inc., http://www.amsoil.com/comparison/oil-filters.pdf

Service Life

AMSOIL Ea Oil Filters are guaranteed for 25,000 miles or one year, whichever comes first, when used in conjunction with AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oil. AMSOIL recommends changing the oil filter at the time of oil change.

If used in conjunction with AMSOIL Motor Oil that is being changed at intervals less than 25,000 miles, the EaO Filter should be changed at the same time. AMSOIL EaO Filters are not guaranteed for 25,000 miles when used with any oil other than AMSOIL Motor Oil and should be changed according to vehicle OEM recommendations.

Welcome to Competition Synthetics

This is a blog about the 101 Answers to your most popular motor oil and oil filter questions.

See http://competitionsynthetics.com

Anthony Garner

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