Old air filter, thin grey foam length of baffles?!

[Hugo Stiglitz]

I've not seen this before when changing air filters. There's a circa 5mmm thin layer of grey foam backed material that's sitting the length and width of the filter baffles.

Is this usual, it's a OEM Volvo branded filter. The replacement (Crosslands) doesn't have this.


What's its purpose? Surely the foam impedes air flow to a degree but does prolong the filters life.

[richiekuk]

Strength?

[sherman]

How old ?
Asbestos?

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Post 2014 car so I doubt it'd be asbestos.... Limited info on the net only relating to full foam air filters.

[TooLateForAName]

I think crossland is now an ECP own brand.

I don't want to say that it will be cheap st, but...

[Chris32345]

I've seen it many times on filtersim assuming you mean something like this?

https://www.shop4parts.co.uk/cf/assets/images/www/...

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Yep like that. The old filter is Volvo/Mahle branded.

[bluezedd]

It's purpose is to act as a barrier for snow.

[Krikkit]

bluezedd said:

It's purpose is to act as a barrier for snow.

Specifically melted snow - otherwise you run the risk of the paper filter being damaged from being soaked with water, then ingested into the engine.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

bluezedd said:

It's purpose is to act as a barrier for snow.

Ah. Probably inhibits the air flow slightly due to the double layer.

[sherman]

bluezedd said:

It's purpose is to act as a barrier for snow.

That would make sense in a Volvo.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Noted its a nasty cheap thing, I'll run it for Summer then swap out before winter.


Car is a beast. Never thought I'd like a V70 but 215bhp helps alittle and those seats.

[bluezedd]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

Noted its a nasty cheap thing, I'll run it for Summer then swap out before winter.


Car is a beast. Never thought I'd like a V70 but 215bhp helps alittle and those seats.

It's probably fine to use. I think crosland do ones with and without the material, but I find that sometimes when you use car parts websites with your registration number then they might come up with the one without the foam.

I have in the past cut the material off an old air filter when the material is looking really dirty to get more life out of it (quite often the filter underneath looks clean). Whether or not it actually makes any difference though and whether or not the filter behind is really is clean I don't know.