Air filters with foam facing?

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Air filters for our vehicles come either way. With foam facing and without. Which one is better? I'm thinking the ones with foam may filter the air better but may restrict air flow?

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AFAIK, the ones with foam are for northern climates - it's supposed to help prevent snow/slush from getting into the actual filter media.
 
Years ago, a company called "Lee Filters" sold air filters with a removable green foam cover over the main part of the filter. Would catch all the larger crud. I used to remove the green outer filter when dirty, wash it, spray filter oil on it, then put it back on the main part of the filter. Worked out great.

To this day, I cut a piece of foam filter material (thin enough that you can breath through) spray filter oil on it and place it over the stock filter. Saved me whenever I drive through a Dust Storm in AZ or NM. One time ion I-40 I drove through two in one day. Entire engine bay covered with red dust. Got to my place in Roswell and used a coin power washer to clean the red dust out. Pulled the air filter. Washed the foam filter. Stock filter was still clean. Still do this on one of my cars. Other car has a fiberglass filter over the regular filter, so I don't cover it with the foam filter.

BTW, the foam I use is the same thin foam that is sold in hardware stores for window air conditioning units.
 
A good "pre-screener" is a great idea when you are fending off any debris

Do any of y'all remember "outerwears"??

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Originally Posted by ctrcbob
Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
AFAIK, the ones with foam are for northern climates - it's supposed to help prevent snow/slush from getting into the actual filter media.




And you know this because??????????

Back when I had a VW (15 years ago) that was the story then too. I don't remember now, just that I heard it then.

Not sure how it is supposed to do anything. What might be nice to have a layer that would deter rodents, that's probably better thing to have.
 
Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
AFAIK, the ones with foam are for northern climates - it's supposed to help prevent snow/slush from getting into the actual filter media

Up here, back in the day of round filters and less than ideal filter housings, you could often buy a filter wrap for that purpose, and many made their own. They were also helpful for straw and other large contaminants you'd see at harvest time in the rural areas.
 
Foam stabilizes the filter media and provides a little more filtering.

For example with my vehicle the foam layer is present on models which are set up for high-speed driving/light track duty.
 
Normally I'd thought foam pre filtering was for dust that's certainly what loaded up on my friend 17 hd2500 here in the ne. The advantage to foam is supposed to be it can load up and not really restrict as much or quickly vs paper. The paper part should be filtering finer than the foam so without it the filter may fill up to quickly. I'm not sure if this has to do with the regen mode and the extra air it pulls while running.
 
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