Re-Useable filters?

[Cougar281]

Well, need a new air filter again. Went to get a new one, and the cheapest I can find one locally is about $55 for a Fram (donaldson in a fram box, most likely). I swear last time I bought one, it was somewhere around $35. I'm not too fond of K&N filters, don't really know anything about AFE, but they sure seem similar to K&N, I recall something about True Flow foam filters that APPEAR to be decent, but they don't seem to exist any more. Is there a such thing as a good washable filter? I realize that washable filters generally have zero power improvement, just looking to see of there's a more economical long term option than the PowerCore filters.

I was also toying with the idea of a Banks Ram-Air, but the filter sure looks like a K&N or similar, which again, I'm not too fond of them. Is there any good alternative to the one that comes with it?

 

[Darius6t9]

I have the banks air filter. It is an oil down style filter. Not real fond of those myself. But can't find a good dry filter replacement for the banks system. I do like the ram air system design.

 

[JoshH]

How many miles do you have on the filter? They can go a looooong time before they really need to be changed.

 

[lotsofmiles]

Oh no, stock is always best. Period. No ifs ands or butts. Stick with stock. You'd be stupid to waste your money on anything but a stock air filter.

:spit:

 

[Cougar281]

How many miles do you have on the filter? They can go a looooong time before they really need to be changed.

Well, unless I neglected to put the last filter change in my logbook, it's been 2.5 years & about 55k since the last new air filter . It's now sucking the restriction meter to 40-50% after near WOT runs.

Oh no, stock is always best. Period. No ifs ands or butts. Stick with stock. You'd be stupid to waste your money on anything but a stock air filter.

:spit:

Based on the smiley, I'm assuming you're being sarcastic? From a performance perspective, there's no reuseable filter that's better than stock, and some of them even filter worse *cough* K&N *cough*, but if there's a good reuseable filter that filters well, it would be more economical long term. If the video on Youtube about the True Flow filters is to be believed, it looks like those filters actually are really good, but they seem to have dissapeared.

 

[lotsofmiles]

I posted pics somewhere of one a guy ran at least 80,000 miles. pretty nasty

 

[MACKIN]

All the gauze style filters are about the same. I run a AFE with the 'sock'. It was proven quite some time ago the stock paper air filter flows the most and also protects the best and then I believe AFE came in second if I recall or something like that

There was a test done on the Place,real informative. I forgot the username of the guy. The foam filters (Amsoil) were pretty bad in the test.

 

[Dozerboy]

I have 85K on my power core filter and it hasn't hit 50% yet and I see a bit of dust cause of work. Have you done the PPE airbox mod? I was starting to move the filter minder 25K ago or so then did the mod and and it gave it a bit more "life".

 

[RENODMAX]

Ive had bullydog (right after I got my truck when I was even more stupid than I am now), S&B, and AEM and guess what I am back to using a stock filter. I have a built trans, stock turbo truck and I'd rather have good filtration thats easy to maintain at this point. I think my fram filter I just put in was only like $20. Just my two cents/

 

[Cougar281]

I have 85K on my power core filter and it hasn't hit 50% yet and I see a bit of dust cause of work. Have you done the PPE airbox mod? I was starting to move the filter minder 25K ago or so then did the mod and and it gave it a bit more "life".

No, I haven't modded my airbox, but I don't think that's the issue... I think it's just dirty. I've run bigger tunes that demanded more air (PPE330 for example) and I've never seen it budge before... Heck, I didn't even know if it worked! I guess for now, I'll just get a stocker. Still wouldn't mind a washable filter of some sort IF it filtered as good as the Powercore filters....

 

[JoshH]

I really like the stock filters. They have a ton of surface area, and they do a really good job of filtering. Just an FYI, there is a difference between the blue and white PowerCore filters.

 

[Cougar281]

I really like the stock filters. They have a ton of surface area, and they do a really good job of filtering. Just an FYI, there is a difference between the blue and white PowerCore filters.

Yeah, the blue ones are some kind of microfiber material, but the biggest difference is you can't get the blue ones any more .

 

[motorking]

air filters

Well, need a new air filter again. Went to get a new one, and the cheapest I can find one locally is about $55 for a Fram (donaldson in a fram box, most likely). I swear last time I bought one, it was somewhere around $35. I'm not too fond of K&N filters, don't really know anything about AFE, but they sure seem similar to K&N, I recall something about True Flow foam filters that APPEAR to be decent, but they don't seem to exist any more. Is there a such thing as a good washable filter? I realize that washable filters generally have zero power improvement, just looking to see of there's a more economical long term option than the PowerCore filters.

I was also toying with the idea of a Banks Ram-Air, but the filter sure looks like a K&N or similar, which again, I'm not too fond of them. Is there any good alternative to the one that comes with it?

Hello,
I am the technical manager at Fram filters. If you search the Diesel bombers forum, you can find a real air filter test, they paid for a lab to evaluate most of the common af's available for the D-Max. The OE filter held the most dirt by far, it also allowed the least amount of dirt to pass through. They didnt test our filter, i can tell you it very close to the OE filter in performance. What is very interesting is the "washable" brands finished dead last in both dirt trapping capacity and they also allow the most amount of dirt to pass into the engine. One famous brand allowed 7 grams of dirt to pass during the test, the best filter let less than one gram. Use your own judgement, you can buy alot of air filters for what a new dmax costs!. Do you have a restriction guage on your housing? That is the best way to tell when to change the filter. Visual inspection doesnt always tell the whole story. I can send you a add on restrcition guage if you like. we sell them and so do baldwin and donaldson. good luck.

 

[Redbowties88]

FWIW, i've had the banks intake for almost 100k now and ive never once seen my restriction gauge move even the slightest bit. and in that time i've cleaned the filter maybe 4 times.

far as i can tell from a finger swipe test in the tube's it keeps out the dirt pretty well.

 

[jc64]

Give Marquitz (GMC-Buick-Cady dealer) in Troy, M0. a call. It has been years since I bought from them, IICR I was paying around $35 for a air filter. That was the cheapest I found in the Metro area. Fuel filters were cheep too. I don't know if it was because I bought my truck from or what, but worth the call.

jc