The official air filter thread.
 

Reusable cone vs Puralotor vs Wix.

When I first got my turbo the stock airfilter was all screwed up and for $20 I picked up a cone filter. Using the stock U tube I put the reusable filter on. Despite what anyone says it was a performance increase, specifically when I put the manual transmission on and started letting the engine spend more time in the upper RPMS.

Few weekends ago I stuck a new puralotor and the stock air filter setup back on. There was little to no difference until you started hitting upper RPMs. I could feel it bog down. So much so I was seeing ALOT more unburnt fuel in all ranges.

Yesterday I picked up a WIX, having read it was the highest flow for OEM spec'd. And let me tell you. No more bogging in the top end. 0-60 be damned I dont believe in drag racing on a diesel. Its about real world driving. The WIX is the happiest middle ground between performance and reliability.

Comparing the two side by side, the WIX weighed ATLEAST 8oz more. For every one fold in the Puralator I had 1.5-2 in the WIX. I didnt sit there and count it but visually there was clearly a difference. The WIX has the greatest surface area the number of folds was alot closer to the the cone filter. More surface area means higher CFM. The only way the cone filter could have out performed the the WIX was in less filtration.

WIX++
Puralotor--
CONE: only if you want a new engine.


WIX:
http://www.wixconnect.com/images/filters/2753_1.gif

Purolator
http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/...425_AA160_.jpg

K&N
http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/...ZZZ_AA250_.jpg

Agree

When I was young, we used to take two air filter elements and stack them on top of each other using glue to hold them together. More surface area with little holes is much better than an air filter with big holes, any size.

how much was the wix filter as opposed to the others?

i allways did like wix filters.

nice winmutt.. like that convincing middle ground.:pleased:

I have heard the same about the WIX filters. They are also the OEM for the NAPA Gold filters.

With the amount of oil saturation I get with my MB pushing the 300K miles mark, I find my K&N Filter handles the oil from the blow by better then the paper filter does.

TimK

I use Wix in all my vehicles, but then again, I sell them. As a shameless plug, my prices are a lot cheaper than your local stores.

www.fleetfilter.com

I get to walk through the wix plants pretty often, here in GASTONIA and it is LOUD! awesome watching all the machines folding elements, and gluing filters and painting cans, etc... anyway, I try to use wix when I can.
John

I did so as well, but there's no need to glue them together -- the clamping force holds them together just as it does for the filter-to-housing interface.

Find your Wix dealer here:
http://www.wixfilters.com/wheretobuy/index.asp

No OEM?
 

What about OEM or MANN? (I'm pretty sure I've bought a MANN air filter before - right?)

Wix was $13 with tax. OEM is about same. Puralator was $11? I think.

WIX is oem for NAPA, I knoe but had forgetton that. I can't compare the OEM as I havent stuck one in yet, I would expect it to be closer to WIX. WIX is the #1 in NASCAR for a reason.....

Mahle is definitely the winner. No pics but I just pulled an ancient one from our new wagon. There are atleast 2x the number of folds of the wix.

Shame, shame!
 

Please shamelessly give us some part numbers for our Benzes! I'd especially like to find one for the '85 300D-T (CA version) with its trap cat (soon to be removed) and unique filter. Gotta be a truck or tractor somewhere that uses that filter!

Jeremy

How come I can't find 42387 when I put it in your filter finder? It's for my Wanderlodge and that's a WIX number.