Exactly how bad is it? I took out the filter tonite just to see how the car sounded and if there was any extra power. There was definitely a nice snarl to it, and I could feel an extra boost at high rpms.

But is it really that bad for your car if youre just driving on normal roads for an extended period of time? I drove for like an hour or so without it tonight.

I think its really bad. There is a lot of stuff in the air that you don't see. I would not recommend doing this again. Its just not worth it.

Not a good idea long term to run without a filter as allready said there is dust around road level which turns into grinding paste!If you should see the state of an old filter !!
Also the fuel injection mixture is set up to run with an air filter,
Why not look for a performance filter (cone?) to replace the standard one it should give you more HP then have injection settings adjusted to suit

We had a rally car which had webber carbs with trumpets, all we had on the end was mesh stone guards to stop small boulders!! But then we were nearly rebuilding the negine after a couple of events 300-400mls

I had a Fiat Uno turbo which I drove 6 months without an airfilter. In the end I had to rebuild the whole engine. Don't drive your car for a long period without an air filter


Joreto
190e 2.5-16
BMW E30 320i

ok...maybe i'm gonna sound a little condescending, but do you REALLY think that a air filter would be commonplace on pretty much every car that is sold, if there were no need for one?

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'94 W124.036 249/040 leder; 8.25x17 EvoIIs
'93 W124.036 199/040 leder; 8.25x17 EvoIIs, up in flames...LITERALLY!
'93 W124.036 481/040 leder; euro delivery; 8.25x17 EvoIIs
'88 R107.048 441/409 leder; Euro lights
'87 W201.034 199/040 leder; Euro lights; EvoII brakes; 8x16 EvoIs - soon: 500E rear brakes
'70 R113.044 050/526; factory alloys; Euro lights

Try a K & N air filter. High air flow, lifetime filter. Expensive, but it's as close as you'll get to running without. I put one in this week, and sense the engine breathing better. Still on the first tank of fuel, but the gauge seems higher after 280 miles. If it increases efficiency by 1mpg, payback time will be about 6 months. I'll report after a few tanks.

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Earl McLain
'02 C230 Kompressor
'89 560 SEL "Frau BlueCar" (retired April 2004)

yeah, you don't want to do that, a better performance option would be a high-performance filter, such as k+n or other, if they make them for the benz. Also, somewhere I saw a site about putting a ram air on a mercedes, you should check that out.

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He won't .......not too long, anyway...

Its comparable to drinking raw sewage...

The S10 has no air filter because the firebird uses a diffrent set up. it has a nylon stalking on the end and it has had 200,000 miles on it right now.

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The 68 vette my dad had, ran with no air filter either, just the open Holley carb and no filter.

Its not that we didn't want one, we just gouldn't get one to fit unless we put on the hood that was raised up more over the air cleaner, and well we decided not to bother.

The raised weiand manifold with the holley carb made for a mean 327 engine.

That car never had issues with running with no air filter, but then again, we're talking 1968 chevy engine and all vs highly sophisticated german machinery.

I wouldn't run a benz without the airfilter.

Alon

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'92 300CE - Sold
2004 C240 - 744 - C7 Wheels - Android Radio
2002 C320 - 816 - Sport Wagon

There is no difference in HP with or without air filter...and those K&N filters didn't make any difference....have you seen how big the air intake is on most MBs? Far better to change your stock filters often.

Running without the filter was just an experimental thing I did for about an hour to see what it would be like. Its not something I planned on doing for a longer period of time.

I had it out when I raced my friend's 94 Accord with intake and exhaust and everything in this straightaway near my house the other day. We were even till about 20-30 and then I just blew him away. He still can't believe what happened.

But the car just sounds awesome when the filter is out and you hit about 4k rpms. It definitely turns heads. Im gona do the ram air this week too.

Hey, talking about air filters i have a 86,300e and i'm looking @ a K&N , but i'm no really looking for HP , more sound any recommended ideas for sound threw the airfilter that will stop not screw up my enigine it has about 147,000 miles and is in pretty good condidtion. just want it to have some noise compaired to my friends new intake and exhaust. Does that nylon thing really work if i lined it around the oval shape would it sound better/take out dirt and paste ect. ?

http://www.knfilters.com/universal/X-stream.htm ,
WOULD THIS ADD SOME NEW SOUND IF I got a new K&N and some how got the right X-stream or is this for not a 86 300e?