Air Filter Comparison

[FirstFord]

At 25,000 miles, I randomly decided to check my air filter (among other tasks), and decided it needed to be changed. I seemed to recall that someone on this forum had noted that the Purolator One air filter was substantially thicker than the OEM Ford. This stuck in my mind, and I reasoned was beneficial. So, I began looking around the internet checking inventory of local retailers for a Purolator One. While rummaging around the internet I also ran into a number of "Best Air Filter" articles. I only looked at one or two of them because it has been my experience that these types of articles rarely agree - they frequently use different criteria yielding different results, and even when similar criteria are used it is not uncommon to see different results. Still, in reviewing these artilces as a whole, one will typically see the same brands - albeit maybe in different ranked order - in the top 3 or 4, so you get a sense of who the top players are.

Purolator One, was indeed in this grouping, as was Wix. The Purolator One was not available locally to me, but the Wix filter was, and that is what I purchased.

Differences I found:

The Wix filter is laying on top of the OEM Ford filter. The Wix is virtually twice as thick as the OEM Ford.

The Ford filter is rigid.

The Wix filter is not rigid.

I have no idea of what significance - if any - what difference it makes as to if the filter is rigid or not.

FYI

Sponsored

 

[AlexGates]

The only really valid test would be air flow and particulate.

Thicker doesn't always mean better, it may actually restrict air flow. fwiw: I used Wix and MC on my '19. HVAC people usually get on owners about using too thick of a filter, though I realize that an engine is much less forgiving of contaminates.

 

[FirstFord]

For the record, this was presented as a simple observation, not any kind of a "test" with results. It was an observation that I found interesting and passed along.

Yes, I've had household HVAC people tell me the same thing - that using too thick of a filter can be restrictive to a system. However, (at least at my house) the nature of the construction of my household HVAC filter is quite different than that of my truck's filter. I can see where thicker would be more restrictive if it were a single thick layer, or multiple layers of thinner material stacked on top of each other, but this air filter is pleated, so I don't see the restriction scenario - just more filtering material, therefore a benefit. Just my thought process....

 

[JCsTruck]

Years ago back in I think 2002 or 2003 I did dyno runs with my 2001 V8 Tundra to compared different exhaust systems and air filters. I installed a K&N drop in air filter and my truck lost a little HP, I think it was about 4 HP so not a big difference. The K&N filter flowed more air per sq inch vs the stock filter but it also let more dirt through too. I then compared the K&N filter to my stock Toyota air filter by flattening out the pleats for each one and found that the stock Toyota air filter had twice the overall surface area compared to the K&N filter. So because the Toyota filter had more surface area, it ultimately flowed more air overall compared to the K&N filter.

Lessen learned was their marketing worked well fooling so many people but the reality was the manufacturer was cost cutting and saving money and giving you less material even though it did flow more air per square inch. Remember those displays in the auto parts stores with the little balls inside the plexiglass thing with a fan blowing air through their filter next to a stock paper filter. ?

 

[JumboJVT]

Years ago back in I think 2002 or 2003 I did dyno runs with my 2001 V8 Tundra to compared different exhaust systems and air filters. I installed a K&N drop in air filter and my truck lost a little HP, I think it was about 4 HP so not a big difference. The K&N filter flowed more air per sq inch vs the stock filter but it also let more dirt through too. I then compared the K&N filter to my stock Toyota air filter by flattening out the pleats for each one and found that the stock Toyota air filter had twice the overall surface area compared to the K&N filter. So because the Toyota filter had more surface area, it ultimately flowed more air overall compared to the K&N filter.

Lessen learned was their marketing worked well fooling so many people but the reality was the manufacturer was cost cutting and saving money and giving you less material even though it did flow more air per square inch. Remember those displays in the auto parts stores with the little balls inside the plexiglass thing with a fan blowing air through their filter next to a stock paper filter. ?

I'm not following the math here. Do you mean the K&N filter material flowed more per square inch than the Toyota material? As opposed to the filter assembly flowing more through its footprint as installed in the housing? If the former, how did you determine that? K&N's claims? Surely the passing more dirt part wasn't part of K&N's claims. I can see the later being revealed by the dyno.

 

[Pcabe5]

Here is the PurolatorOne next to the factory. Pretty much the same as your Wix filter.

Purolator ONE air filter | F150gen14 -- 2021+ Ford F-150, Tremor, Raptor Forum (14th Gen) | News, Owners, Community, Discussions

 

[FirstFord]

^^^ THAT may have very well been the thread that I read as mentioned in my OP....

 

[BEW]

I have read that the same company, Hummel-Mann, makes Motorcraft, Purolator and Wix.

 

[zx6roclet]

Here is a pretty cool video further breaking them down and pretty good testing

 

[FirstFord]

Here is a pretty cool video further breaking them down and pretty good testing

Yeah, that guy has quite a few YouTube videos out covering a number of products. They all strike me as being very straightforward, fair, engineering based analysis. I was pleased to see that the two brands that I wound up gravitating towards (Wix and Purolator One) wound up being his top picks.

 

[Henfield]

I've adopted a 15k EAF and CAF change approach. At least for now. I may change to a fixed month of each year in which case mileage will change......

 

[JCsTruck]

I'm not following the math here. Do you mean the K&N filter material flowed more per square inch than the Toyota material? As opposed to the filter assembly flowing more through its footprint as installed in the housing? If the former, how did you determine that? K&N's claims? Surely the passing more dirt part wasn't part of K&N's claims. I can see the later being revealed by the dyno.

You are correct my friend. K&N claimed their filter media flowed more air and that was evidenced by the display in the auto parts store with the little balls being blown up higher with the K&N filter media vs the stock paper filter media of the same size. On the dyno my truck made more power with the stock factory Toyota filter vs the drop in K&N filter. We wanted to know why so we unfolded the pleats of each filter and compared the total surface area of the two and discovered that the factory Toyota filter had twice the surface area compared to the K&N, so we concluded that the factory Toyota filter was overall less restrictive due to the greater amount of filter surface area. ? The K&N filter was the reusable type that you needed to clean and oil and that type allowed larger particles to pass through which was a known fact at the time.

 

[AlexGates]

Yeah, that guy has quite a few YouTube videos out covering a number of products. They all strike me as being very straightforward, fair, engineering based analysis. I was pleased to see that the two brands that I wound up gravitating towards (Wix and Purolator One) wound up being his top picks.

I don't think I have ever heard anyone say anything bad about a Wix product. Though I'm sure complaints exist.

 

[JumboJVT]

You are correct my friend. K&N claimed their filter media flowed more air and that was evidenced by the display in the auto parts store with the little balls being blown up higher with the K&N filter media vs the stock paper filter media of the same size. On the dyno my truck made more power with the stock factory Toyota filter vs the drop in K&N filter. We wanted to know why so we unfolded the pleats of each filter and compared the total surface area of the two and discovered that the factory Toyota filter had twice the surface area compared to the K&N, so we concluded that the factory Toyota filter was overall less restrictive due to the greater amount of filter surface area. ? The K&N filter was the reusable type that you needed to clean and oil and that type allowed larger particles to pass through which was a known fact at the time.

Gotcha. Another meaningless marketing demonstration. The kind of thing that insults my intelligence enough that I'll not buy from that company if it can be avoided.

 

[JohnMcClane]

Interesting, the Wix I put in seemed to be similar thickness to what you’re seeing, but the framing was a much sturdier black plastic, must have changed the design recently.

Sponsored