air filter felt gasket shifted?

[Deontologist]

Is this indicative of a poor quality filter? Note how the felt gasket shifted. I have no idea if the filter came with the felt gasket glued down like that or not; this is a second-hand car. But the filter couldn't have been old at all; the filter was pretty clean and white!

 

[Chris142]

Junk! Wont seal.

 

[Deontologist]

Thanks. Anyone have any idea what brand this filter is? From my Google searches it appears to be a Champion...but the part number seems to be shared across more than one manufacturer, so I don't know if I can say it's for sure a champion.

 

[Kira]

I haven't before seen the grey plastic used in the frame.

Some recycled plastic product perhaps?
...a new recycled plastic with which glue doesn't work?

Appears to qualify as "poor".

 

[Deontologist]

I'm hoping someone can figure out the brand so we all know who to avoid! And maybe I can send their customer service a picture!

I'm really glad I replaced it with a Wix filter. At first, I was hesitant about touching the filter because the media looked pretty clean. After I read a bit on BITOG about air box sealing and debates over what kind of air filter gasket material is best, I'm really glad I tossed the old one!

 

[ecotourist]

It could have have been a careless installation.

A lot of combustion air may have been bypassing the filter.

I found a comparable situation when I bought my '65 Comet with a 289 CI V8. The gasket between the metal air filter housing and the carburettor had shifted and some combustion air had obviously been bypassing the filter. There was even a bit of dust on top of the carb as evidence of air leakage.

That engine didn't last very long. I bought it with less than 40,000 miles and the engine was toast by 80,000 miles. By then it was using quite a bit of oil and smoked on deceleration. It had new valve seals too (redid the heads part way through for a burned valve). It's possible the odo had been turned back and there were a lot more miles on it than the odo showed, or maybe the dust that got into the engine had something to do with it, or maybe it was something else entirely. Whatever the reason, that engine didn't last very long. That was in an era when you could generally expect to get 100,000 miles out of an engine, though not a lot more. Even so i always considered that poor service from one of Ford's premiere engines of the era.

 

[CR94]

Was the felt loose, or stuck to the frame out of position like that?

 

[Deontologist]

Originally Posted by CR94
Was the felt loose, or stuck to the frame out of position like that?



It was stuck, not loose.

 

[purelux]

That's by champion labs, I'd get one with activated charcoal to replace it. Cost is similar and it'll filter scents from the air the blower pulls in. The only ones I've seen are k&n cabin filters using a substantial frame, it's rubber/silicone. They're also re-useable which is rare for a CAF. Most are felt or carboard wrapped in the filter material. Not even foam like the cheapest of air intake filters use for a frame. As to which brand you can normally visually see if the construction is quality or not. I've used fram for cabin filters and been happy.

 

[madeej11]

Originally Posted by purelux
That's by champion labs, I'd get one with activated charcoal to replace it. Cost is similar and it'll filter scents from the air the blower pulls in. The only ones I've seen are k&n cabin filters using a substantial frame, it's rubber/silicone. They're also re-useable which is rare for a CAF. Most are felt or carboard wrapped in the filter material. Not even foam like the cheapest of air intake filters use for a frame. As to which brand you can normally visually see if the construction is quality or not. I've used fram for cabin filters and been happy.

This is NOT a cabin air filter! Don't think engine air filters come with activated charcoal. You're in the wrong thread section.