Do Air Filters Use Synthetic Media/Does It Matter?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
6,056
Location
VA
Is it too broad of a question to ask which auto air filters use synthetic media? I'm just wondering of synthetic air filter would do a better job filtering than a paper air filter. It seems synthetic media works great in oil filters but air and oil are not the same. I have used those filters where you add oil to the media and I won't do that again. I always end up over oiling and making a mess.
 
Stick with OEM paper filters and you can't go wrong. Not only does over oiling make a mess, if your car has a Mass Air Flow sensor mounted in the intake snorkel the over oiled filter will coat the diodes of the MAF with micro mist of oil droplets. Over time, burn-off cycles (MAF burn-off at key-off) will carbonize the oil residue on the diodes and potentially throw off the accuracy of the MAF causing your car to run like [censored] until you pull out the MAF and hit it specifically with MAF cleaner:

http://www.crcindustries.com/products/mass-air-flow-sensor-cleaner-11-wt-oz-05110.html
 
I use the CRC cleaner for my MAF cleaning. That's exactly why I no longer oil my air filters.
 
I wondered what the benefits are from going from a napa silver to a gold or platinum for air filtration? I just bought a hastings that going in this week
 
Last edited:
I'm up on oil filters, but not knowledgeable about engine air filters. (I try to buy Fram, but OEM air filters have been used too.)
I know you can get better (smaller particles) filtering at the same pressure drop & mass flow rates with synthetic fibers vs. paper fibers.
Recently I got a HEPA Cabin Air Filter that uses a 3-ply approach to filter better while retaining proper pressure drops at given mass flow rates.
Click on the "Explore Benefits" tab at https://www.boschautoparts.com/en/auto/filters/hepa-cabin-filters
and see their 3-ply construction.--------------------
Now, can the 3-ply concept or simply using all synthetic fibers translate to engine air filters too? I would think so.
After all, remember the diameters of the individual fibers are smaller on synthetic fibers compared to cellulose paper fibers. Thicker diameter individual fibers actually block air flow more, so engineers have to space them out sufficiently enough to maintain good delta-pressures, resulting in letting bigger particles through cellulose paper media. Notice the difference in diameters of synth vs. cellulose fibers at the same magnification:
glass_vs_cellulose-resized-600.png


Also, looks like Mann-Hummel is trying to introduce all-synthetic fiber air filters:
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-658-13255-2_73

If we could just find a Mann-Hummel MicroGrade N or similar:
"Another MANN+HUMMEL innovation is the completely synthetic filter medium Micrograde N. Its distinctive feature, in comparison with conventional cellulose media, is its far higher dirt absorption capacity and a vastly improved filtration performance, which makes it possible to lengthen its service life or to reduce installation space." -- https://www.mann-hummel.com/en/mh-jp/products/air-induction-systems/
 
Last edited:
Not sure of what is meant by "synthetic media" in air filtration; and I'm certainly not going to spend $289 to buy the ebook or $29 just to buy the "paper" https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-658-13255-2_73

However, nanofiber air filtration are 100% efficient on 3 micron particles, and have 98% efficiency at 2 microns; and they are used on the M1A1 tank: https://ultimatesyntheticoil.com/ea-nanofiber-air-filters/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdnueT5_jsE

No, I'm not an Amsoil dealer, but I use their EA nanofiber air filters, and I have UOA on K&N filters showing Silicon at 999 ppm going down to 26 ppm doing NOTHING different except changing air filtration. I wouldn't use K&N if they were given to me free; and the stock OEM is, well, the stock OEM. If you value your engine interior $5-7, then use OEM.

I have a good friend who owns a Motorcycle shop, on the wall he has a 2X3' poster of a full face Bell Racing Helmet...The caption says "If you have a $10 head, wear a $10 helmet."

I value the interior of my engine enough to do UOA and to use a nanofiber air filter. Do whatever lets you sleep at night.
 
Originally Posted By: Ihatetochangeoil
Not sure of what is meant by "synthetic media" in air filtration;
Simply means "not paper cellulose media". Thats what synthetic means. Synthetic could be polymer, resin, or glass fibers.
Originally Posted By: Ihatetochangeoil
No, I'm not an Amsoil dealer, but I use their EA nanofiber air filters,
All I see Amsoil offer is air filters for old street rods and Donaldson Blue's for HD trucks that use EA nano-fiber. Anything for most passenger cars?

https://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/filters-and-by-pass-systems/air/
 
Originally Posted By: oil_film_movies
Originally Posted By: Ihatetochangeoil
Not sure of what is meant by "synthetic media" in air filtration;
Simply means "not paper cellulose media". Thats what synthetic means. Synthetic could be polymer, resin, or glass fibers.
Originally Posted By: Ihatetochangeoil
No, I'm not an Amsoil dealer, but I use their EA nanofiber air filters,
All I see Amsoil offer is air filters for old street rods and Donaldson Blue's for HD trucks that use EA nano-fiber. Anything for most passenger cars?

https://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/filters-and-by-pass-systems/air/


Not that I know of. I use an EA 4090 (4" X 9" cone). Forgot about that; I USED to purchase their OEM replacement filters; and that's where I got the Si drop on UOA. To the best of my knowledge, I concur, they quit making them for OEM replacements unless someone knows differently. Pablo?
 
OK, so Amsoil Donaldson Blue air filters are not available for most vehicles. Trucks yes, light duty vehicles, no.

FWIW, Purolator makes a "multi-fiber" air filter for light duty cars and pickup trucks. PurolatorONE. I assume their air filters don't rip/tear in service like their awful oil filters. I guess multi-fiber means a blend of cellulose or cotton fibers with polymer or glass fibers (???).

Fram offers the Extra Gaurd and the Tough Gaurd lines. I can't tell the difference between those. I guess the TG holds more dirt.

I'm not seeing any all-synthetic fiber air filters, like the big truck Donaldson Blues. Wish I could have that media.
 
Originally Posted By: oil_film_movies
OK, so Amsoil Donaldson Blue air filters are not available for most vehicles. Trucks yes, light duty vehicles, no.

FWIW, Purolator makes a "multi-fiber" air filter for light duty cars and pickup trucks. PurolatorONE. I assume their air filters don't rip/tear in service like their awful oil filters. I guess multi-fiber means a blend of cellulose or cotton fibers with polymer or glass fibers (???).

Fram offers the Extra Gaurd and the Tough Gaurd lines. I can't tell the difference between those. I guess the TG holds more dirt.

I'm not seeing any all-synthetic fiber air filters, like the big truck Donaldson Blues. Wish I could have that media.


Yeah, AMSOIL stopped making them because they just weren't selling. Sucked, because it was pretty unique to have that media in a traditional car filter application
frown.gif
 
I use a dry flow air filter. Does the job and keeps Si low. It says to wash with water and soap every 10,000 miles, but I am sure it can go much longer than that. Clean your throttle body and MAF sensor yearly with the proper cleaners.
 
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: oil_film_movies
OK, so Amsoil Donaldson Blue air filters are not available for most vehicles. Trucks yes, light duty vehicles, no.

FWIW, Purolator makes a "multi-fiber" air filter for light duty cars and pickup trucks. PurolatorONE. I assume their air filters don't rip/tear in service like their awful oil filters. I guess multi-fiber means a blend of cellulose or cotton fibers with polymer or glass fibers (???).

Fram offers the Extra Gaurd and the Tough Gaurd lines. I can't tell the difference between those. I guess the TG holds more dirt.

I'm not seeing any all-synthetic fiber air filters, like the big truck Donaldson Blues. Wish I could have that media.


Yeah, AMSOIL stopped making them because they just weren't selling. Sucked, because it was pretty unique to have that media in a traditional car filter application
frown.gif



I removed the stock air box from the Santa Fe and put in a Cone Shaped one and it was excellent. I wish they would make them again.
 
About the dearth of synthetic-fiber air filters for most passenger vehicles, I think its because the buying public doesn't know or care if there is cellulose in there or something synth that can get out smaller dust. Thats 99% of the public.
I made a similar point in another thread with regard to Fram's Ultra full-synth media oil filter, that they are not educating the typical buyer on the diff between that and similarly priced Bosch Premiums and especially the M1 Ext Perf ones which only use a synth-blend media with no wire backing. It seems there is no business case for a higher-performance air filter, which again makes me wonder why Fram has the Ultra on the oil side, which must be more expensive to make compared to a ToughGaurd oil filter.
 
M1/others don’t need wire backing … Fram Ultra does as the glass does not have structural integrity … I have played with these a while and the blended media is very tough as a stand alone.
Conversely … go look at the two MC’s and one P1 I posted in the other thread … man, those would best be called ‘paper’ … as they tear as easy as paper. New and used …
 
Originally Posted By: Gebo
Is it too broad of a question to ask which auto air filters use synthetic media? I'm just wondering of synthetic air filter would do a better job filtering than a paper air filter. It seems synthetic media works great in oil filters but air and oil are not the same. I have used those filters where you add oil to the media and I won't do that again. I always end up over oiling and making a mess.


http://i875.photobucket.com/albums/ab318/rayzazoo05/panel%20filter_6.png~original
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top