POLL- Those With Air Filter Restriction Gauges

[Jim Allen]

Recent discussions here on air filter restriction gauges have made me curious. Maybe some of the rest of you are also curious. For those with gauges, it would be interesting to learn the actual numbers recorded by the gauge and how that number was obtained, as well as to get an Idea how many people run restriction gauges of any type.

The generic method is to reset the gauge to zero with a new or cleaned filter, then make a full throttle, maximum-rated rpm run as a baseline and then clean/change the filter when the restriction increases by 2.5 kPa ( 10" of water). Specific engine or OEM builders may have specific recommendations.

Anyway, let's share some info by answering the following questions:

1) List your vehicle, engine size and name/brand of restriction gauge? If you have OEM info on the maximum rated restriction for your engine, please share?

2) Does your gauge show actual numbers or is it a red/yellow/green gauge? If one of the colored-only gauges, do you know what level of restriction is required to trip a red reading (many such gauges are 20-25" H20)

3) What method or standards do you use for determining baseline restriction, e.g. the full throttle run or????, and what are your recorded readings for a clean filter?

4) What was you motivation to install a restriction gauge (if your vehicle was not factory equipped with one).

My Answers:

1) '05 F150, 5.4L V8, Donaldson Informer.

2) Numbers up to 25" H20/ 6.25 kPa

3) Full throttle, 3.75 kPa (15" H20) @ 5250 rpm

4) Maximizing filter life, minimizing expense with no engine durability or longevity deficits.

 

[The motor guy]

I have one on my truck. I don't think those things work well. It shows it has a perfectly fine filter after 35,000 miles. The gauge hasn't moved at all. You can still see daylight through the filter. I just think it would have moved atleast somewhat by now.

 

[daves66nova]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
I have one on my truck. I don't think those things work well. It shows it has a perfectly fine filter after 35,000 miles. The gauge hasn't moved at all. You can still see daylight through the filter. I just think it would have moved at least somewhat by now.
If you can see daylight through it,it means A- you have an inferior filter, or B-it IS still clean.It's not really mileage that determines when to replace,it's how dirty it has gotten.Maybe you drive in an area where there's not a lot of dirt lying around.

 

[bullwinkle]

I have 2-and the only one that ever moves is the 6.0 PSD-when it fills the filter with SLUDGE! Needs a catch can or road draft tube-but it's not really my van, so the company can just keep buying $30 air filters every 12-15K.

 

[beechcraftted]

'97 Chev Silverado 1500 2 WD, 5.0 V-8, auto - owned since new.

Used for light towing + commute + sales.
Has the factory red/yellow/red indicator, pretty big filter.

I change it at 50,000 miles and it never moves the indicator. It seems it could go a VERY long time.

 

[abycat]

i dont think they are the most precise guages you can get. I also have onn eon my work truck with the t444e and i can block the air cleaner hole with my hands till it almost sucks the intake tube shut and the gauge never moves. I think the best guage would be a low vacuum guage connected to the intake tube and ran into the cab so you can see if there is any restriction when you punch it. Also if there is a measurable amount of resistance on the air filter it would have to be very dirty. On the sweepers i sometimes pull them out and get enough dirt out of them to fill a 1L oil bottle up. And those guages dont move either.

 

[JOD]

1. '05 Ford Freestyle Duratec 3.0 V6, WIX 24801/FilterMinder 133501

2. It shows numbers (2-8.7kPa) and colors

3. WO throttle showed less than 2kPa on a new Motorcraft filter, so I'll change it when it gets to 4kPa or 5 years*, whichever comes first.

4. I hate throwing stuff away unnecessarily, and Widman's thread demonstrating the frailties of the "eyeball restriction gauge" convinced me that this was a better method. I also think that it'll contribute to less wear on the engine.

5. Seattle, WA. Dust free, mossy climate, some occassional light off-roading to get to the MTB trailhead. (I think location should be included, since environmental concerns are a biggie).

*I'm probably going to end up changing my filter based on time, since I doubt I'll ever reach 4kPa of restriction. After 4 or 5 years, I'd start to worry about the gasket breaking down, and if I'm going to open the box to inspect it, I'm worried that'll also negatively affect the gasket. I'm able to inspect the dirty side on this car without opening the box, and I have to lift the box to access the transmission fill bolt--so I just inspect the dirty side when I do a yearly drain/fill.

 

[Samilcar]

1. 2008 Toyota Sienna 3.5L V6, and a 2003 Oldsmobile Alero 2.2L Ecotec. Both gauges are the same as linked to by JOD above, but the threaded version.

2. Same as JOD above, both numbers and colors. The way I have them both installed, I can view the inches of water side (not the kPa calibrated side). 8 inches of water vacuum is the minimum reading, 25 inches of water is the maximum "change by" reading.

3. Baseline is determined by doing a full throttle run immediately after installing a new filter. This set the gauge on the Toyota V6 at 12" of water vacuum, and didn't even move the gauge on the 4 cylinder Ecotec (meaning less than 8" of water vacuum). Over 38,000 miles and three years, the gauge on the Toyota has moved up from 12" to 20". The gauge on the Ecotec still hasn't budged from the minimum of 8" after 10,000 miles and 18 months of use.

4. Motivation was doing research (after first hearing about these gauges on BITOG) and finding out that not only could I save money by extending filter changes, but that by doing so LESS wear causing dirt would be entering my engines over time. Seemed like a good deal for a pair of $10 gauges.

 

[KrisZ]

I have the filter minder installed on Mazda 3, 2.0L engine.

It is a 25 or 20 inches of water version.

I installed it on a 1.5 year old air filter and the indicator did not move at all, it is still indicating no restriction.

I pulled the filter out when I was cleaning the throttle body and it did not look loaded. The filtered side of the intake piping was also clean, so I guess the minder is right.

 

[Colt45ws]

1. 2004 Crown Vic, Filterminder
2. 20" H2O
3. Does not register a vacuum. I finally broke down and replaced it after 3 years. I was worried about the gasket.
4. Intended to Extend the life of the filter and also to increase filter efficiency.

Im curious if the switch to dual exhaust will cause it to start registering a vacuum. That'll happen here in the next 2 weeks or so.

 

[AITG]

I used to run 100 Macks and Freightliners with Donaldson filters and Donaldson's Filter Minders. Donaldson always preached "Don't touch the filter unless the restriction indicator trips. You get more dirt in the system pulling the filter to 'inspect' it than leaving it alone." I followed directions - some of my filters lasted 500,000 miles.

The next visit the Donaldson man sheepishly told me that the adhesives will eventually break down. Change them after seven years.

We learned that you can check the indicater by unscrewing it, sucking in the threaded hole (MityVac if you're squeamish, mouth if you aren't) and making sure that the gauge locks in the red. Screw it back onto the fitting without resetting it, then push the reset. If the gauge doesn't reset, the fitting is restricted.

The first personal truck I had that was equipped was a 2003 GMC Yukon. At 80k the indicator was still not tripped. I followed the 7 year rule and swapped it out in 2010.

Current rides are a 2003 Chevrolet Duramax with an indicator and a 2011 Ford F-150 without. The Chev got a filter last year on the 7 year rule.

 

[Jim Allen]

Seven years... sounds reasonable but I wonder if the adhesives have improved in the intervening years. The operational tests for the gauge is good advice as well. Thanks for the anecdotal mileage and lack of restriction reports too. I am on a similar road. Good post!

 

[Colt45ws]

Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
Im curious if the switch to dual exhaust will cause it to start registering a vacuum.

Thats a big negative.

 

[Jim Allen]

Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
Im curious if the switch to dual exhaust will cause it to start registering a vacuum.

Thats a big negative.


Wow! Quoting oneself. Not a good sign, man!

Anyway, looks like you have more than enough flow capacity if it shows nothing.

 

[KrisZ]

We tries reseting the precious...

...I mean, I tried resetting the filter minder

Anyway, if the minder doesn`t move at all, I think 5 years or so time period is long enough to warrant a change.

 

[AITG]

Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
Seven years... sounds reasonable but I wonder if the adhesives have improved in the intervening years. The operational tests for the gauge is good advice as well. Thanks for the anecdotal mileage and lack of restriction reports too. I am on a similar road. Good post!


I suspect that seven years is somewhat conservative, but considering the relatively low cost of light duty filter elements I'm comfortable with it.

 

[Colt45ws]

Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
Im curious if the switch to dual exhaust will cause it to start registering a vacuum.

Thats a big negative.


Wow! Quoting oneself. Not a good sign, man!

Anyway, looks like you have more than enough flow capacity if it shows nothing.
Yeah. The restriction on these isnt at the filter or the airbox, its at the MAF. That is why police cars got a larger MAF beginning in 2004... Good for 10-12HP.

 

[widman]

I have the Donaldson ones on a dozen or so vehicles. Some the standard 25", some the informer that shows from 10" to 30". I've been known to pull one out to suck and show people how it works, but other than that, just leave them til they show restriction. Sometimes 2 hears, sometimes 6 months. Depends on the weather and how much of that time is on dirt roads.

I've got some informers on PowerCores, but with the efficiency of those little turbines in the front, it will be another 3 million miles before they fill up.

 

[rrounds]

I have a Wix filter minder on my Honda S2000 because I had one on my truck for 30 years(last one '03 KW T-2000). I like to know when the air filter gets to restrictive and this tells me when that is regardless of the miles on the air filter. The only way to use this minder is to get out on the road and go for a WOT romp. I took some pic's of where I mounted it on my car and it reads 8" of vacuum with a air filter that has about 8k miles on it. I'll change the filter when it reads 15 to 20" of vacuum, I might even modify the air cleaner box to except a longer air filter so it will have lower restriction for a longer time.

http://s188.photobucket.com/albums/z38/rodrounds/Honda Intake/

ROD

 

[edhackett]

After seeing the picture of the mouse chewed air filter, do you guys check your filter periodically? A mouse chewing a hole in your air filter will result in an "all's good" from your filter minder forever.

Ed