General Washable / high performance air filters
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General Washable / high performance air filters
In terms of performance gains, they're worth nothing (I've experimented with several different styles/types of filter on my elise on a rolling road and there's no noticeable gain to be had - just noise).
The only advantage of having a washable filter is that if you plan to keep the car long term and service it yourself, it saves on the cost of the std paper element.
The only advantage of having a washable filter is that if you plan to keep the car long term and service it yourself, it saves on the cost of the std paper element.
doctorchris
Established member
I also believe that these washable filters do not filter the air as efficiently as the paper element filters.
This could potentially put your engine at risk of accelerated wear.
This could potentially put your engine at risk of accelerated wear.
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I used a Pipercross Viper on my last car and it made one hell of a difference. Not sure if you can get them for the 100hp though and they are very expensive. Personally I would buy one just because they last so much longer than regular items and make more sense financially in the end.
Also look into insurance implications - all the main stream companies slap increases on for non standard filters (ie induction kits) which could rule-out any long term financial benefit from having a re-useable filter.
Might also effect any warranty you have left if you have any major engine issues (Fiat will use any excuse not to pay out!).
Might also effect any warranty you have left if you have any major engine issues (Fiat will use any excuse not to pay out!).
Induction kits usually do increase insurance, but the replacement filter elements should be ok. I personally don't want to put one on my engine for a few reasons - the potential of increased wear, and the need to re-oil some of them is a pain.
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I cant say I noticed much increase in wear to the car I fitted the Viper too. Obviously it increased the BHP a little bit but not by a massive amount. My insurance didnt increase because I used a specialist modfied insurance specialist. They allowed upto 3 modifications with no increase in the premium. The sponge filter that Pipercross use needs oiling very rarely and was no harder to do than change a regular OE air filter.
maybe you didnt notice a difference on the elise because it already has a high flowing filter as standard
on a panda however you probably will notice a very slight increase in power but more usually at the top end and it may rev quicker and be more responsive
but you also got to consider that the less restriction to the air the less restriction to bits trying to get in the engine
on a panda however you probably will notice a very slight increase in power but more usually at the top end and it may rev quicker and be more responsive
but you also got to consider that the less restriction to the air the less restriction to bits trying to get in the engine
Nope, S1 Elise used a bog standard MGF paper filter and airbox - not any higher flowing than any other manufacturer. Wasn't a question of noticing any different, it was cold, hard facts from the rolling road. A fully enclosed 'high flow' filter achieve 2bhp over the std item - completely unoticeable on the road.
Van Diemen
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In my professional experience, Jimbo is quite right. The pressure delta across a fresh paper filter is generally extremely small so replacement filters of the same ilk can't really offer anything. This has been coroborated by engine dyno and rolling road poer tests, plus real world pressure tapping. However, aftermarket filters are re-usable and they are a 'spec' item, so if you fancy it then go for it!
Things can be different if the whole system is replaced. For instance, the standard Land Rover system runs inside the front quarter panel and very restrictive. Opening this up to front intake is much better....but at the cost of taking air from lower down, and therefore water crossing capacity. Similar can be true in high power Elise installations, removing the Rover airbox. However, and a word of warning, some replacement systems can be a lot worse than the standard system, taking hot air or removing some of the trick length tuning manufacturers use.
None of this answers the original question, but may give some items to consider when selecting an option.
Things can be different if the whole system is replaced. For instance, the standard Land Rover system runs inside the front quarter panel and very restrictive. Opening this up to front intake is much better....but at the cost of taking air from lower down, and therefore water crossing capacity. Similar can be true in high power Elise installations, removing the Rover airbox. However, and a word of warning, some replacement systems can be a lot worse than the standard system, taking hot air or removing some of the trick length tuning manufacturers use.
None of this answers the original question, but may give some items to consider when selecting an option.
2.3 Elise - Assume you have the Duratec conversion? That should be quite interesting
Van Diemen
New member
2.3 Elise - Assume you have the Duratec conversion? That should be quite interesting
Yeah, a bit of fun. It looks completely standard (so reasonably stealthy given the performance) and running costs are very sensible.
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Well all I can tell you is that the Pipercross Viper made a BIG difference. I also had the car on a rolling road and the tuner said they were very good. The car was pushing out nearly 180 horses and the standard was just over 160. I had other mods though so not sure how much it added on its own. I know it sounds like a lot of hype when you read the adverts. However the Viper really did what it said on the tin. You also got a little bit of a boost when going so fast as the air pressure would build and rammed it into the engine. The car had a VRIS system that only cut in after 4500 rpm but the viper give it a little boost before that.
You won't really realise a significant difference. By that I mean at the 5% level, ie no more than a 5% increase in power which you are not going to notice. It might sound faster though.
Obviously if you have other modifications such as a big valve head etc then a high flowing air filter would compliment it and allow the most gain from the other modifications. In isolation, on it's own however I would not expect a significant gain.
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I disagree,I had the Probe for a long time and the Viper made a big difference. For a start on the Probe the OE air box was fed from a very narrow front feed pipe. It bent sharply to the right and was one of the worst designed systems ever. The Viper has a specially designed funnel which swirls air and rams it into the engine. Not only that but its wrapped in REAL carbon fiber to keep it cool. Also add to this the fact that it had an external cold air feed pipe. I bolted it under the front bumper which was way too low as water could easily get in. However it only took seconds to disconnect the pipe so I just went with it. It proved to be too low down though as I crushed the trumpet like a can when I came off a low kerb. After that I just ran it without and it wasnt as good but it was still good.
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This is a picture of a Probe 24V with the OE air feed pipe still in place. As you can see its a terrible design and one of the first things to go when modifying a Probe.
Though you might disagree, the gain in respect of power was not particularly significant I suspect.
Also I think cold air feeds are well over-rated.
Also I think cold air feeds are well over-rated.
