Seeking banal opinions on engine air filter replacement

[AlphaOmega]

Both filters are about 2 years old with about 20,000-25,000 miles on them. It's understood that replacing them is cheap insurance. But I also know that some dirt improves filtration. You can see that there's some sediment in between the pleats, but not that much (hopefully it's visible in the last 2 pictures). What you think, are these at the peak of the filtering capability or beyond and should be replaced?

 

[WobblyElvis]

Unless you are seeking performance, go at least as long as the owner's manual suggests.

 

[Imp4]

What you think, are these at the peak of the filtering capability or beyond and should be replaced?

No one can determine peak filtering capability by visual observation. That just isnt a thing.
The only real way to tell is with a differential pressure gage and a spec from the OEM.
Are you buying air filters that are substandard quality at installation and thus require loaded media to perform correctly?

I'd speculate that you're not.
So given that a new filter will perform per the OEM requirement, just shove a new one in there and worry about other things that actually matter.

 

[Malo83]

REPLACE

 

[blufeb95]

Is there any real citeable source that says a dirty filter is more efficient? Or is that one of those poorly thought out ideas that people think works in theory but fails to acknoledge that a dirty filter creates less effective surface area for the air to move through which with the same flow rate means more pressure is being applied on the remaining clean spots on the filter thus causing more particles to be forced through the filter that may not have been if the filter was new.

 

[AlphaOmega]

No one can determine peak filtering capability by visual observation.

You're kidding, right? How about in this case?

So given that a new filter will perform per the OEM requirement, just shove a new one in there and worry about other things that actually matter.

While I agree with your view, I also would, ideally, want to "be smart" about this banal maintenance item. Changing early is too easy and inefficient and a filter with some dirt DOES filter better. I'd think that changing an air filter - arbitrarily - every 5k miles is detrimental to the be engine's health over a longer term, even though it'd be on a new filter throughout its life.

 

[AlphaOmega]

Is there any real citeable source that says a dirty filter is more efficient?

That's a good question! I don't know for sure

 

[Rand]

i'd still run them. Where I live 60k+ is fine. Now on dirt road you might need to change it every 10k

Now if you are chasing every last fractional bit of a HP a fresh one now might make sense.

 

[JohnnyG]

Do what you want.
Is that banal enough?

 

[DriveHard]

If I had it that far apart, and already disturbed the system, I would replace them so I would not have to disturb it again for a longer time.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Is there any real citeable source that says a dirty filter is more efficient? Or is that one of those poorly thought out ideas that people think works in theory but fails to acknoledge that a dirty filter creates less effective surface area for the air to move through which with the same flow rate means more pressure is being applied on the remaining clean spots on the filter thus causing more particles to be forced through the filter that may not have been if the filter was new.

Some of the fans of oiled filters (in place of paper) make the claim that a filter with some dirt is more efficient and oiled filters get better as they get dirty. Not debating it one way or another, just sayin'. Plenty of old threads here discuss the point.

 

[Zee09]

Keep the filters.
Replace the cars.

 

[Hermann]

After tapping gently with the input side down, hold them up to the sun. That will tell you if they are passing air efficiently.

 

[AlphaOmega]

Do what you want.
Is that banal enough?

Is that how you navigate life? I want to consume a bottle of sparkling wine in the early morning, just when I wake up on a weekday. Technically I can. I'm self employed and work from my house. But is it smart? Perhaps I should wait till the evening?

 

[Hermann]

I'm glad I Googled "Banal", all kinds of things a lot worst than that went through my mind.

It can be a scary place.

 

[PimTac]

 

[Chris Meutsch]

(goes to look up what banal means)

 

[Kira]

Ranger FX4 4.0l had <48K when I bought it.
Volvo V70 base had <70K when I bought it.
FULL records on both and not one air filter element change.
Sandy dirt fell freely from both as I removed them.
So, based on those and other filters, I recommend 30K. Irrefutable and almost universal.

Have a nice day. <<<Now THAT's banal.

 

[Imp4]

No one can determine peak filtering capability by visual observation. That just isnt a thing.
The only real way to tell is with a differential pressure gage and a spec from the OEM.

You're kidding, right? How about in this case?
View attachment 99616

My post was in the context of your original statement, pictures, and subsequent question.

A follow up picture of an abused and gunked up filter that is obviously way past its prime is completely out of context with the original example and question.

Adding a red herring example doesn't really expand the content of the conversation nor does it advance the discussion but it does enable you to have a 'gotcha' moment. So congratulations for that.

 

[Passport1]

some dirt improves filtration

a priori and faulty thinking w/o actually measuring the Δ as Imp4 suggested. Just get one/two of these and fuggetaboutit.