performance air filters - what do you think?
Discussion
What are your opinions on performance air filters? I was interested in fitting a pair of panel filters to the 360, but was advised not to, as the oil can kill the MAF sensor. I did hear that there are some "dry" synthetic air filters available that dont use oil, I guess they could be worth a try? Anyone on here running cotton gauze or foam type filters in their Ferraris? and if so did you see any improvement in power/sound/driveability?
There's lots of opinion on the internet of performance air filters, some good and some bad. If you look around there's enough people saying that they let through too much into the engine, so its increased performance at the expense of increased wear leading ultimately to early expiry of the engine - which is fine in a racing car, but not good for your road car.
Others will say they actually reduce performance as the engine simply isn't mapped to handle the non-standard breathing.
More theories will tell you that if it was so easy to get more performance from your car with no downsides the manufacturers would use them as standard.
On the other hand, companies like B&H have been in business for years and sold millions of these filters.
One thing for sure is that the oil based ones can foul the MAF if over-oiled, which sounds very easy to do.
Therefore I've steered clear - maybe low risk but the consequences (if true) are large, and I generally follow the principal that if it was that simple the car would have one as standard.
As a caveat, I recently noticed a very large hole on the wrong side of the filter on my Mrs shopping barge - reckon its been sucking any old crap into her engine for 30,000 miles and not noticed any problems yet
Others will say they actually reduce performance as the engine simply isn't mapped to handle the non-standard breathing.
More theories will tell you that if it was so easy to get more performance from your car with no downsides the manufacturers would use them as standard.
On the other hand, companies like B&H have been in business for years and sold millions of these filters.
One thing for sure is that the oil based ones can foul the MAF if over-oiled, which sounds very easy to do.
Therefore I've steered clear - maybe low risk but the consequences (if true) are large, and I generally follow the principal that if it was that simple the car would have one as standard.
As a caveat, I recently noticed a very large hole on the wrong side of the filter on my Mrs shopping barge - reckon its been sucking any old crap into her engine for 30,000 miles and not noticed any problems yet
Its quite often a case of reading the fine print on the packaging, aftermarket filters should have a guide of what PPm they will stop, likewise I would not suggest a foam filter for a non track based car / engine. paperfilters vary from K & N saying their the best high flow but personally I think they are a rip off. You will find most info you need in the demon tweeks catalogue, maybe worth having a chat with phil at QV as they look after several race cars and he will have looked into this before. 
Thanks for all your opinions on this, it seems the main issue is over oiling after the filter has been cleaned that can cause the problems, I have done some research into these "dry filters" and they seem to be the way to go, but the problem is finding one of the few companies that make them for Ferrari's.
Incidentaly, these dry flow filters, actually filter better the more dust they hold, and to clean them, you just hoover them! sounds good to me!
Incidentaly, these dry flow filters, actually filter better the more dust they hold, and to clean them, you just hoover them! sounds good to me!
Not an F car but there're probably some parallels here. The chaps in the US did a lot of work with the Ford GT trying out after market filters. Not once did the performance actually get any better (being the US this was all on dyno's), and the K&N offering actually produced less bhp.
Now, it may be that the original Ford system was very good, but it does go to show that whilst you'd like to think after market parts will improve things, it's not always the case....
Now, it may be that the original Ford system was very good, but it does go to show that whilst you'd like to think after market parts will improve things, it's not always the case....
IMHO.
None of them will really make a brass razoo worth of noticeable performance gains. Even if you managed to squeeze an extra 5hp, who on earth is going to notice?
Sure, some of them make more induction noise but (assuming you leave all the intake plumbing in situ), if you can hear more then that is generally because there is less of a barrier to sound and therefore air, so you have to wonder what you have lost in filtering properties.
Unless you want to eradicate all the intake plumbing, I'd leave well enough alone...
None of them will really make a brass razoo worth of noticeable performance gains. Even if you managed to squeeze an extra 5hp, who on earth is going to notice?
Sure, some of them make more induction noise but (assuming you leave all the intake plumbing in situ), if you can hear more then that is generally because there is less of a barrier to sound and therefore air, so you have to wonder what you have lost in filtering properties.
Unless you want to eradicate all the intake plumbing, I'd leave well enough alone...
Cactussed said:
IMHO.
None of them will really make a brass razoo worth of noticeable performance gains. Even if you managed to squeeze an extra 5hp, who on earth is going to notice?
Sure, some of them make more induction noise but (assuming you leave all the intake plumbing in situ), if you can hear more then that is generally because there is less of a barrier to sound and therefore air, so you have to wonder what you have lost in filtering properties.
Unless you want to eradicate all the intake plumbing, I'd leave well enough alone...
Spot On, IMHO, the original Ferrari ones are very reasonable anyway especially from Scuderia (Free plug Dave!). I would not bother either.None of them will really make a brass razoo worth of noticeable performance gains. Even if you managed to squeeze an extra 5hp, who on earth is going to notice?
Sure, some of them make more induction noise but (assuming you leave all the intake plumbing in situ), if you can hear more then that is generally because there is less of a barrier to sound and therefore air, so you have to wonder what you have lost in filtering properties.
Unless you want to eradicate all the intake plumbing, I'd leave well enough alone...
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