I'm looking for opinions from those who have replaced their OEM paper filter with an after market performance filter, which is the best to go for? prices range from £28 for 'Ramair' to £60 for 'K&N', is it worth paying extra for the K&N? or is something like 'Green Cotton' or 'Pipercross' just as good from a quality perspective?

 

 

 

Edited 22 February, 20188 yr by JohnnyType2

Have you got a diesel?

 

I’d choose none standard filters are supppsed to be best

(as in the avatar) yes i've fitted a CRDT 3+ unit as well so a little hotter than stock. Im due a filter change and want opinions especially of those who have fitted an after market one. good or bad experiences ofc, noise performance increase etc.

Don't think there is any performance benefit fitting one to a diesel and negligible benefit fitting to the TSI.

Ive got a k&n air filter on the car. Had one on the last octivia as well and haven't had any problems with it so far.

 

1 hour ago, Tim1631 said:

Have you got a diesel?

 

I’d choose none standard filters are supppsed to be best

 

Exactly this. Complete waste of time and effort on a TDI, IMHO.

 

(I had a K&N panel filter on my Mk2 TDI vRS  )

Had a K&N panel filter on my previos 3.2 Vectra, made no difference at all.

If you're feeling flush I can attest that the APR Carbon Fibre induction kit does make a considerable difference (EDIT: to a petrol). But it does cost 10 x more than the K&N so...

 

Swings and roundabouts.

Edited 22 February, 20188 yr by Ads230

I think you need to be looking at replacement intakes to see any noticeable difference in performance or noise.

 

Panel filter replacements don't seem worth the cost compared to an OEM or Mann equivalent for about £10.

Just standard on tdi but on my Saab I drilled the airbox on the cooler side and underneath then fitted a k and n filter and the difference in nice was very noticeable! 

I have a K&N in my 1.6 TD! 2013 - it breathes better and is a bit more responsive - it doesn't feel like its trying to breath through a straw anymore. plus it has a 10 year warranty and 1,000,000 miles

Not warrantied to stay clean / unclogged and not costing you lost performance and economy unless you clean it correctly and treat it.

They are performance on Off-roaders, Plant etc and good if you do not want paper filters disintegrating if you get them wet.

As for performance enhancing then yes on some applications, not on a standard TDI in a standard Airbox.

Its not standard though, im running an extra 50 ponies.

Which everone you go for you will be able to tell us the gain after you dyno it again since you have had it done already.

I noticed improvements whilst using a clean KN panel filter on remapped Mk5 and Mk6 diesel Golfs.

could noticeably hear induction roar too.

 

however I did lose a panel whilst it was in for service at VW, had to retrieve it and clean it thoroughly as they just followed protocol and replaced with a new oem filter. 

I have got a Pipercross one fitted and only because I got it for a decent price...

 

Can I see or hear any difference?... well no not really to be honest but it was cheaper than its OEM counterpart and can be cleaned and reused. 

A tuner here in Australia published the various tests he performed to assess the efficacy of various after market filters in terms of air flow and reckoned that any improvements were only minimal at best. Standard filters were best value and best performing (airflow and filtering),  just change them more frequently if they are doing their job well. You can get lots of dust and bugs in them (here in Aus) over a short time if the conditions are right.

IF making changes to an engine that required a greater volume of air then he was not opposed to installing plumbing and filters from a higher spec model as the cheapest and best option.

Just increasing air flow potential by itself did not necessarily lead to increased power/improved performance, in fact it was often worse because the ECU map was tuned for the original installed  equipment. 

Any airflow changes should be made prior to a custom remap to make the best of any non-standard equipment.

I have no personal experience but his testing  methodology seemed sound and his conclusions logical.

Edited 23 February, 20188 yr by Gerrycan

Had a K&N filter fitted into at MK3 Superb TDI 190. The effect was a noticable drop on low-end torque. Switched back to original paper filter and the torque was back..

 

If You do a ECU reset (power off for 30 minutes) You may put the ECU in a "learning" mode again to have it pick up the torque, but I really didn't bother.

 

Will give it a try in my 245 Hp Octavia when it arrives in April....

VAG OEM Air Filter is made by Mann and Hummel - a very reputable brand.

On my 2.0 tdi Scout I've got a Pipercross panel filter and the differences are amazing ......... amazingly non existent.  Don't think I noticed any difference and actually forgot I had fitted it other than the fact the car seemed a little noisier underload (and not a good sound, more tractorish!)

Put a Green Cotton panel filter on my standard Mk1 LCR. Didn’t notice any gains but did notice the intake hose slowly turn a hint of green on the outside along its length as the oils from the filter we’re being drawn into the engine. Never bothered on the next car with a 2.8 V6T and 300+bhp, just tuned it instead, much better improvement. 

On 2/22/2018 at 23:38, AwaoffSki said:

Which everone you go for you will be able to tell us the gain after you dyno it again since you have had it done already.

 

ill dyno once ive fitted the twin cat back for the TDI which will be a month or two away. I wont change the filter until then,

 

so far the only useful benefit is its reusability.

Edited 24 February, 20188 yr by JohnnyType2

On ‎23‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 01:52, Pittsy said:

I have got a Pipercross one fitted and only because I got it for a decent price...

 

Can I see or hear any difference?... well no not really to be honest but it was cheaper than its OEM counterpart and can be cleaned and reused. 

Had a Pipercross filter fitted at same time on a re-map of 63plate 2.0Tdi Octavia and combined effect was power up from 147bhp to 186bhp and torque up rom 246lb/ft to 317lb/ft on rolling road.

5 minutes ago, shyVRS245 said:

Had a Pipercross filter fitted at same time on a re-map of 63plate 2.0Tdi Octavia and combined effect was power up from 147bhp to 186bhp and torque up rom 246lb/ft to 317lb/ft on rolling road.

 

You would have needed before and after Dyno runs with only the filter changing to prove any benefit otherwise who is to say your remap figures wouldn't have been higher if you had stuck with the OEM paper filter.

1 minute ago, Kahunajb said:

 

You would have needed before and after Dyno runs with only the filter changing to prove any benefit otherwise who is to say your remap figures wouldn't have been higher if you had stuck with the OEM paper filter.

I did not say the filter gave any improvement but in the past BMW316 with backbox and filter change saw only 13bhp increase including re-map and finally BMW325 with same mods gave only 16bhp increase with re-map, so this suggests air filter makes very little difference.