Fuzzy synthetic air filters (longish rant)....

[scottw]

Greetings all,

First post. Been researching air filters for use in a recently acquired '99 Honda Accord 4 cyl. Used this forum to good effect when selecting oil and oil filter for same!

Was unimpressed with Purolator, standard Fram and Wix found locally, all were the new white fuzzy synthetic types and iffy gaskets. The Wix did seem to have a little better sealing gasket, maybe.

After reading many posts here, ran across a link to this interesting test on another forum:

http://www.dieselbombers.com/chevrolet-diesel-tech-articles/16611-duramax-air-filter-testing.html

After reading this I was sold on finding an old school "paper" filter for my application; my car does see some dusty gravel roads.

Found the ACDelco (a1611c) online at Amazon, the picture showed a high pleat count paper element, but alas what arrived were fuzzy white synthetic. But, made in USA and gasket looked good.

The fuzzy Delco has been on for only 1000 miles and there is an even film of fine dust in the downstream part of the filter housing (which was cleaned). I'm not happy. I think the gasket/filter is sealing well; if it was a gasket/fitment problem you would see the dust concentrated near where the leak was occurring.

Holding the filter up to a light source I can see what appear to be tiny pin holes in the media and I think this is just the nature of this filter media. I don't want to wait 'till the filter is dirty before it starts filtering better. I've heard this suggested for some media types and I think it is faulty logic.

Another thought, I didn't hear much fanfare about the new fuzzy media type and don't think there was a price increase over the old school paper filters. If it was a better filter media wouldn't manufacturers be bragging them up and charging you more for them? Sure the fuzzy media is thicker, but with a far reduced pleat count the surface area of the filter is also greatly reduced, so it must be less restrictive to flow per area and more porous, and may be letting more fine particles pass through.

So, I want to try a paper media air filter. Are there any manufacturers of quality air filters that are staying with paper media, or is the paper media being phased out and will no longer be available?


Thanks,

Scott

 

[NHGUY]

AC Delco filters are made by Champion Labs,never liked them.You could have paid less and bought a Champ brand and would have probably been identical.My guess is paper media is on the way out.Maybe try to find NOS old ones (Ebay)??

 

[kozanoglu]

What is meant by 'fuzzy synthetic air filters'?

I am very happy with Denso air filters I have been using on my 3 vehicles.They are fuzzy, I do not know if the element is 'synthetic'.They do a way better job of filtering than my previous K&N filter.At least I can not see light through them.

 

[OldCowboy]

The Amsoil air filters are synthetic, but really filter well while allowing good air flow.

 

[scottw]

Thanks for the replies so far.

Well, by fuzzy, I just mean they are looser woven material than the traditional paper media, looks kind of fuzzy to me. Though one side is smoother and more tightly woven.

And as for synthetic, as I think of it, the fuzzy media is made of some kind of petroleum based polymer (like polyester) instead of a natural fiber like cotton, wool or plant fiber.

These are the ubiquitous white (occasionally colored) thicker media with lower pleat count that are now permeating(pun?) the market.

I may look into the Fram Toughguard that are pre-oiled (non-reusable) and may have better filtration if I cannot find a good paper?

Scott

 

[scottw]

And I checked Amsoil and they only list a Wix air filter for my application.

Scott

 

[HTSS_TR]

The Lexus LS400 air filter has a thick fuzzy media, after 40+k miles the dirty side was very black but the clean side was very clean without any sign of dirt passed through. It's depend on the material is used, it can be good and it can be bad.

 

[Jim Allen]

You are connecting a lot of widely spaced dots, Scott.

You might have a bad or defective filter and it could be as simple as that. The FACT that a dirty filter filters better is not faulty logic but reality. But it has to start at some reasonably efficient level and get better, not be lousy and get better. If you are getting dust thru the filter, then you haven't reached a minimum level of efficiency at the start.

There are many "fuzzy synthetic filters" out there that are highly efficient so don't throw them all under the bus.

By the way, are you sure you didn't get a "fake" AC Delco filter? There are Chinese knockoffs on the market that come packaged in copied boxes (just like the fake Gucci purses). I would go to a parts store and compare an AC Delco filter of the same part number. If it looks completely different, maybe you got a fake. You might also compare other details to see if maybe what you have is defective. Go tot eh AC Delco website and write a note. You may get some useful specific guidance. Maybe even a new filter.

The air filter test you referred to (by Arlen Spicer) is a good test, but it's a few years old now, so the products mentioned in it may have changed since then. Hopefully they changed for the better but it's possible they did not. Plus, just because an AC Delco filter spec'ed for a Duramax did well, that doesn't mean a filter for a Honda will do as well. Different applications often use different media and construction technique... one better than another. They may even be made by different manufacturers. One AC Delso may come from Champ Labs but another might be from somewhere else.

 

[scottw]

Jim,

I have a tendency to connect dots.

I don't think I disagree with anything you wrote.

I don't doubt that an air filter that has been in use and holding some dust particles will filter more efficiently. What I considered faulty logic was accepting a break-in period for an air filter before it's efficiency improves. I believe this is why a lot of people are moving away from performance type oiled gauze air filters. I "think" this is less of an issue with paper media.

I guess I'm questioning/doubting whether this synthetic media has, as you say, a minimum level of efficiency at the start. That said, perhaps the OEM synthetic filters are better made and filter better at the start and something to look into. I'll keep researching it as I have not found much testing specific to the synthetic media. Can you point me to any testing or comparisons?

I'm leery of Chinese knockoffs, and my ACDelco look like the real deal. Made the rounds today locally and took a close look at all the filters I could find for my application (No ACDelco locally). My ACDelco "looks" like a far better made filter than either Fram or Putolator, but all have some small pinholes when held up to the light. And the ACDelco has a better gasket that stays attached to the filter.

Think I'll clean the box out and try it again.

Scott