Looking at the TV programme Car SOS who were restoring a Sabaru  Impreza's turbo. Apparently the turbo engineer mentioned that the turbo had worn tips on the enducer blades. This he explained was due to an under specification air filter which allowed the particulates in the air to sand blast the tips which is a very common cause of turbo failure. So it seems a wise move is to only fit an approved air filter. 

Which parts producer of non OME equipment air filters are selling ones that do not meet the required spec?

If it has some name on the filter or box it comes  on it other than VW / Audi do you think it does not filter correctly.

 

If you fit a Foam Filter, Washable or cleanable 'Performance Filter' that supposedly allows extra 'Air Flow', then think on, or maybe there are some that strangle engines, 

but even a properly Oiled / Treated K&N should do the job, after all that is where they do perform well, in Deserts, Quarries, dry dusty environments and in the wet.

Edited 27 April, 20188 yr by Offski

Hi edbostan,

My remappers (Darkside Developments) advised me to only use OEM paper-element filter in my Tdi as they've found that the oil-coated cloth types will allow some of the oil to transfer downstream onto the exceedingly fine wires in the Mass Air Flow sensor, and this VAG part keeps its wires well hidden, unlike those in Ford's Fiesta tdci equivalent.

Cleaning the wires in the VW item is difficult, to say the least! 

And a paper air filter element is likely to be WAAAY cheaper to replace than a MAF sensor!

Richard

I would think that worn turbo blades caused by grit getting pulled through the air filter is only the start of your problems. That same contaminated air also goes past inlet valves, into the combustion chamber, past exhaust valves sandblasting, grinding and picking up metal particles to "enhance" the effect as it goes on its way and then finally (if you drive a diesel) ends up caught in the DPF as "ash" where it remains forever!