Wix racing air filters

[pjc360]

Anyone run a wix racing air filter? I have a 14 inch air cleaner assembly on my engine and I have been running anwix 42096 paper air filter, but I seen these wix racing air filters the part number to the one I am looking at is 42096r and it says it flows 600cfm plus and the regular wix 42096 flows 345cfm.
Would I see a performance gain by running the racing filter that flows 600cfm plus? I realize I would be giving up some filtering ability but how much? The wix racing filter part number 42096r is still a paper filter and it says recommended on dirt tracks where good filtering ability is needed.

 

[oldhp]

Street car, no. Race car, yes. Buy the filter wrap also, keeps the bigger hunks off the filter media.

 

[pjc360]

It would be going on my truck, that sees the street and dirt roads. Why is it a no no on a street car? I see that it says it flows more cfm but it has to still filter better then say a k&n being that it's still a paper filter.

 

[oldhp]

Doesn't filter the smaller stuff that street cars don't need to ingest for longevity. Race engines have shorter life spans, most rebuilt after every season. A 14"x 3" Wix air filter will support at least a honest 500H.P. before being a restriction.

 

[pjc360]

So the wix 42096 standard paper filter that is 14x4 is perfectly fine for my 320hp motor and isn't causing any power loss vs a filter that flows twice as much cfm?m

 

[901Memphis]

Air filtration is very important. If you are going up in CFM, you are going down in efficiency. Without real testing on a dyno, you will likely not even see any increase in power unless the air filter is what is holding you back; which is usually never the case.

 

[oldhp]

WIX uses a different rating for CFM in their air filters. I don't know what it is or why?
Here is a old Hot Rod Magazine air filter test. Good reading for us gearheads, and note they are using 14"x 3" size. The CFM readings were measured air flow into the test engines. Enjoy!!!

Use the formula below to compute the minimum size filter required for your particular application. The usable portion of the filter is called the EFFECTIVE FILTERING AREA which is determined by multiplying the diameter of the filter times Pi (3.1416) times the height of the air filter in inches, then subtracting .75-inch. We subtract .75-inch to compensate for the rubber seals on each end of the element and the filter material near them since very little air flows through this area.
A = effective filtering area CID = cubic inch displacement RPM = revolutions per minute at maximum power
Example: A 350 CID Chevy engine with a horsepower peak at 5,500 rpm. If you are sizing a panel filter, multiply the width of the filter area (not the rubber seal) times its length. If you are sizing a round filter, use the following formula to determine the height of the filter.
A = effective filtering area H = height D = outside diameter of the filter 3.14 = pi 0.75 = the rubber end caps
Example: Referencing the K&N catalog shows the proper filter for this application would be an E-1500 which is 3.5 inches tall. Keep in mind, this is the minimum size requirement. To extend the service interval and to provide an even greater volume of air to the engine, install the largest filter that will fit in the space allotted. If the space above the engine is restrictive, perhaps a remote filter arrangement could be used to gain space.
Off-road conditions require added filter area. A filter should be sized 1-1/2 to 2 times larger than normal for any conditions that could be considered severe


Here's a dyno test done by hot rod on brands that I saved years ago. This was done in 2002

Air filter brand shootout
Hot rod
June 02

Test cars
Hot rods used 2 cars on each test, one car was tested on a chassis dyno the other engine was tested on an engine dyno

chassis dyno--- 1963 plymouth, 413 engine
engine dyno--- fresh pontiac 408, 8.8:1, 6x heads, custom comp cams hyd. flat tappet cam

The Results

Manufacturer: Advanced flow engineering
Description: AFE magnum flow 14x3 filter
Price: $59.56
Approximate airflow: 3,122 cfm
Chassis dyno: 251.1 hp @ 4,300; 307.9 lb-ft @ 4,250 rpm
Engine dyno: 365.9 hp @ 4,800; 444.8 lb-ft @ 3,900

Manufacturer: Holley
Description: Holley power shot 14x3 filter
Price: $39.99
Approximate airflow: 3,068
Chassis dyno: 250.6 hp @ 4,300; 308.7 lb-ft @ 4,250
Engine dyno: 367.2 hp @ 4,800; 444.6 lb-ft @ 3,900

Manufacturer: K&N engineering
Description: K&N filtercharger 14x3
Price: $69.93
Approximate airflow: 2,988
Chassis dyno: 249.7 hp @ 4,250; 308.6 lb-ft @ 4,250
Engine dyno: 368.7 hp @ 4,900; 444.5 lb-ft @ 3,900

Manufacturer: Purolator products
Description: Purolator 14x3 premium plus
Price: $5.99
Approximate airflow: 2,518
Chassis dyno: 246.7 hp @ 4,250; 305.6 lb-ft @ 4,250
Engine dyno: 368.7 hp @ 4,900; 443.5 lb-ft @ 3,900


Manufacturer: Barry Grant rush performance filters
Description: Rush 14x3
Price: $44.30
Approximate airflow: 2,836
Chassis dyno: 251.0 hp @ 4,250; 311.0 lb-ft @ 4,250
Engine dyno: 368.5 hp @ 4,700; 446.5 lb-ft @ 3,800

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[novadude]

My "take-away" from that test is that filters are a bunch of marketing hype, and you can run whatever 14x3 filter you want on a typical 300-400 hp engine, provided it is of reasonable quality.

There was only < 2% between the best and the worst? Isn't that within the accepted error range of dyno measurement? I get real skeptical when I see dyno results showing < 2% change, and I don't believe dynos are repeatable down to 1 or 2 hp. A minor change in engine temp could skew results by that much.

 

[pjc360]

So why does wix even make racing air filters if they don't do anything?

 

[pjc360]

I figured the wix racing air filter with the Hee media would be the best of both worlds, it's still a paper filter so your not giving up to much filtering ability, and it flows better then a stock paper filter. This is straight from the wix filters web page concerning the wix racing air filters with the hee media


High Efficiency Endurance (HEE) Air Filters use a media specifically developed to filter out harmful contaminant's while providing low restriction. With a Frazier air flow of approximately 73 CFM this is an ideal air filter for the Late Model, Sportsman and Modified racers who run primarily on dirt tracks.

 

[pjc360]

Although I really can't tell a difference in power compared to the standard wix 42096 air filter and the 42096r racing air filter with the hee media.
I was thinking maybe it would help my fuel mileage a little bit since it flows a little more and I was thinking since it's designed to be ran on dirt tracks it should filter well enough on the street and it was only 12 bucks. If it's going to do more damage then good then I will just put the standard 42096 filter back on.

 

[goodtimes]

Originally Posted By: pjc360
Although I really can't tell a difference in power compared to the standard wix 42096 air filter and the 42096r racing air filter with the hee media.
I was thinking maybe it would help my fuel mileage a little bit since it flows a little more and I was thinking since it's designed to be ran on dirt tracks it should filter well enough on the street and it was only 12 bucks. If it's going to do more damage then good then I will just put the standard 42096 filter back on.


I don't think it works that way. The fuel is metered into the air at a certain fixed ratio, the intake stroke from the pistons determines the air flow. More flow=more gas. To save gas the air flow should be as low as possible, less throttle plate opening. In gas saving modes the standard filter is more than enough to meet the intake suction I would think. If not,like if the filter is plugged up, then you just have less power.

 

[Ken2]

Quote:
I was thinking maybe it would help my fuel mileage a little bit since it flows a little more
Impossible.

The engine draws in as much air as the pistons pull in past the partly closed throttle plate (doing its job). At wide open throttle and high rpms the engine is pulling its max in, and a free flowing air filter might allow more flow--and might not; it might not be the point that's the limitation. At anything less than WOT at high rpms, the air flow is loafing as designed. All the blather about a free flowing air filter saving gas is pure B.S. intended for the free flow of money out of your wallet. Now, back with carbureted engines and a badly clogged filter, yes, the clogging might cause a rich condition and waste gas. Most of us aren't old enough to have driven a car like that.

 

[pjc360]

well from now on I will just buy the standard wix 42096 air filter. I will run this racing air filter untill it looks dirty enough to change. Right now it still looks brand new.