AEM

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I ran a Mazdaspeed-a re-badged AEM-cold air intake with a Dryflow filter element on my 2007 MS3 for over 115,000 miles. According to Mazda it added @25 hp; in my testing it chopped 0.60 seconds off the 30-70 mph times in third gear. Here's what Blackstone Labs had to say about the last UOA before I traded it for the 2er(at 153,000 miles with a 7,100 OCI on 5W-30 M1 EP):

Here's another great one! Really, our only complaint about your Mazdaspeed 3 is that we never
have anything to discuss, since its received eleventy-billion excellent reports, and you've heard everything
there is to say about this venerable engine. Wear remains steady as a rock once again, and metals are all
well balanced and at appropriate levels for your interval. There's no contamination to speak of, air and oil
filtration still look good
, and the TBN was nice and strong at 4.7. As usual, our suggestion for you is - don't
change a thing! You're obviously doing a great job.
 
Originally Posted By: MCompact
I ran a Mazdaspeed-a re-badged AEM-cold air intake with a Dryflow filter element on my 2007 MS3 for over 115,000 miles. According to Mazda it added @25 hp; in my testing it chopped 0.60 seconds off the 30-70 mph times in third gear. Here's what Blackstone Labs had to say about the last UOA before I traded it for the 2er(at 153,000 miles with a 7,100 OCI on 5W-30 M1 EP):

Here's another great one! Really, our only complaint about your Mazdaspeed 3 is that we never
have anything to discuss, since its received eleventy-billion excellent reports, and you've heard everything
there is to say about this venerable engine. Wear remains steady as a rock once again, and metals are all
well balanced and at appropriate levels for your interval. There's no contamination to speak of, air and oil
filtration still look good
, and the TBN was nice and strong at 4.7. As usual, our suggestion for you is - don't
change a thing! You're obviously doing a great job.




UOA doesn't detect all particle sizes. How do you know that the filter wasn't letting through something that Blackstone isn't testing for and/or can't detect?

I'm not saying they're wrong, but you should be looking at the UOA results with the right lens.
 
Originally Posted By: dparm

UOA doesn't detect all particle sizes. How do you know that the filter wasn't letting through something that Blackstone isn't testing for and/or can't detect?

I'm not saying they're wrong, but you should be looking at the UOA results with the right lens.


Well, silicon was measured at 6 ppm- which was identical to the universal average for the 2.3L 4-cyl Turbo DISI motor. Insolubles were at 0.4%; Blackstone considers anything under 0.6% to be acceptable.
What else should Blackstone be testing for? What are the undetectable harmful substances that I need to be be aware of?
 
I installed an AEM Dryflow a/f on my 2014 Focus when I deleted the 'snorkel' (factory installed plastic tube with holes that was restricting airflow to the engine.) Removing the snorkel improved drivability tremendously.
I plan on washing the AEM approx. every 15 or 20K.
 
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Besides giving up the quality of filtering and exposing your fuel injection system to potential problems what are you expecting?


If he installed an AEM dryflow their filtration rating is better than many paper filters.
 
AEM Dry Flow filters are not one of the filters that lets in a ton of dirt. I've been running mine for almost 40k miles, and:

*My Si levels remain super low

*My restriction gauge has yet to trigger anything (stock new filter pulled halfway when new)

*Found exactly no dust residue after the filter when disassembled

I feel confident I'll make 80k miles without needing a cleaning, and quite possibly a full 100k.

This filter is not one you need to look at funny at all.
 
One of the first things I did to my '01 Civic was install a short ram intake and an AEM Dryflow. Not for the HP gains (there were none), but because the factory airbox and intake silencer altogether are bigger than the engine. Almost any work you do to the car, you have to remove the stock airbox and it's a pain. It might've improved my gas mileage very slightly, but it's impossible to tell.

I've had it on there for 70,000 miles and I haven't lost any sleep over it. I have never gotten an oil analysis (shame on me). I'll clean it when it looks dirty, but the longer I leave it on, the more efficient it gets.
 
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Besides giving up the quality of filtering and exposing your fuel injection system to potential problems what are you expecting?


AEM is one of the best, perhaps the best, aftermarket filter that outperforms the filtering ability of many OEM paper filters. This is not a K&N filter that sacrifices filtering for airflow.
 
Originally Posted By: pbm

I plan on washing the AEM approx. every 15 or 20K.


You do realize that a slightly loaded filter is actually going to catch more dirt and dust than a clean one, correct? Also, unless 15 or 20k is the recommended cleaning frequency, you're just going to be shortening the life of your filter with no advantage to your engine. AEM have extensively tested their media, follow their lead IMHO.
 
I'm doing it because I have no factory filter. I went from non turbo, to a turbo and have been running a cheap cone filter. Now that it is all figured out, I can buy better.
 
Originally Posted By: rrounds
Originally Posted By: pbm

I plan on washing the AEM approx. every 15 or 20K.

You need to get one of these and know when to clean your filter
https://www.amazon.com/WIX-Filters-24801...s=filter+minder
Clean the filter when the filter gets 11" to 15" of restriction. You might be surprised at how many miles you can go before you have to clean it.

ROD


Thanks, I just ordered one and will follow it's recommendations.
In the past I usually changed my A/F approx. every 30K but in all honesty I'm much less anal about it than my oil and oil filter, ATF fluid etc...I've never had a bad UOA (of the few that I've done) so I must be doing something right.
I will definitely heed the advice of you guys who are more knowledgeable about this subject...THANKS.

PS: I usually leave my air filter alone (don't check it too often) because I'm concerned about the compartment not sealing well after checking it...my theory is to not disturb it often and just change it every 30K or so....
 
It's all installed. I'm having an issue with my filter indicator showing a restriction every time I get into the turbo. I'll try removing the water "sock" next.
 
Originally Posted By: Corelokt
It's all installed. I'm having an issue with my filter indicator showing a restriction every time I get into the turbo. I'll try removing the water "sock" next.

This is where I have mine on my S2000
http://photobucket.com/gallery/user/rodr...LmpwZw==/?ref=1
At WOT you can have a little restriction, mine had 8" with the lid of the air cleaner attached but none with it off. So I fixed my air box to get more air and now I get no restriction until my filter starts to load up. If you look at the other pic's, that air filter had 90k miles when I took it off due to time NOT restriction.

ROD
 
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