Blitz Sus Filter | |
The BLITZ
'Sus' Power air filters are made from T304 stainless steel which is
totally unique to Blitz. The entire filtration element is made from a fine
stainless steel mesh which means the filters never wear out and Blitz
claim they have substantially less restriction than any other filter. Some
of the other aftermarket filters are made from paper or foam elements, and
some do require oiling to maintain their filtration capacity. According to
Blitz, this oil gradually disperses into the inlet tracts of an engine,
and coats the walls and in particular the air flow sensor, slowly reducing
the performance of the vehicle. The Blitz air filters also have the same
fine mesh in the top of the filter, which improves the amount of air they
can flow, and because the element is 100% metallic, Blitz claim the
induction note it produces is similar to a Touring car or group 'A' rally
car. Blitz Claim: "The Blitz air filter is by far the best performing and best looking automotive air filter money can buy..." | |
HKS Mega Flow Filters | |
HKS state
that engine power is directly related to the amount of air an engine can
take in and expel. Therefore, one of the easiest and least expensive ways
to increase the horsepower of any engine is to improve the airflow into
the cylinders. However, many products in the marketplace sacrifice air
filtration capability for improved air flow characteristics. HKS claim
that their High Performance Air Filter Systems offer the ultimate in both
air filtration and air flow for maximum engine performance. The elements
use a special oil to stop unwanted dirt particles from passing through the
multi-layer polyurethane filter. Filters are thrown away when their
lifetime has expired and are replaced with new filters, which are
inexpensive and easy to replace. HKS Claim: "The ultimate in both air filtration and air flow for maximum engine performance..." | |
Apexi Power Intake Filter | |
The Apexi
dual funnel Power Intake has evolved from the Apexi Super Intake filter
with some subtle refinements in the design and filter element. According
to Apexi, this resulted in a 10% reduction in pressure drop by utilizing
an upper and lower funnel. The Power Intake reduces air turbulence within
the filter and creates smooth air flow into the throttle body. Maintenance
is kept to a minimum as this filter is a dry-type air filter and will
alleviate the problem of filter oil from "wet" air cleaners, interfering
with the air-flow meter. Apexi Claim: "Accept No Imitations..." | |
K & N Filtercharger | |
K & N
use their own unique design unlike others which use a conventional paper
or foam material. K & N state that because the dirt particles are
trapped inside the passages of foam or paper filters, that they eventually
clog, and when this occurs, airflow restriction increases dramatically.
The K & N Filtercharger uses a special cotton fabric which is
sandwiched between aluminum screen wires. K & N claim that the pleated
design provides five times more filtering surface over the element
circumference. The filter is then saturated with an air filter oil which
attracts particles of dirt and debris which build up on the outside of the
filter. K & N Claim: "...Doubles the air flow...adds up to 15 extra horsepower..." |
The filters were tested on the quality of the filtration, simulated by using a vacuum cleaner and millions of microscopic dirt particles. The particles that penetrated the air filter, were collected on a secondary paper filter, so that a fair comparison could be performed, and the results could be compared like for like. As well as the fine particle test, the performance gains were also measured using each of the induction kits in the test. Therefore, in the quest to find the ultimate induction kit, the filters must not only filter the particles out efficiently, but must maximize the amount of clean air flow, through the filter. The winner would be the induction kit that filters the most dirt particles, whilst acheiving the maxmimum power output of the vehicle. |
Filter Type | Filtration | Maintenance | Cost | BHP Gains | |
Blitz Sus | Dry Metallic Mesh Type Filter | Poor | Zero Maintenance - Lifetime Use. | £200.00 | 13.9 bhp |
HKS Mega Flow | Wet, Foam type filter. | Very Poor | Throw away. Change Filter every 10,000 Miles. Replacement filters cost around £25. | £200.00 | 13 bhp |
Apexi Power Intake | Dry, Mesh type filter. | Excellent | Zero Maintenance - Lifetime Use. | £200.00 | 14 bhp |
K & N Filtercharger | Wet, Mesh type filter. | Good | Lifetime Usage - Inspect every 30,000 Miles or 12 Months - Clean and re-oil, if appropriate. | £200.00 | 13 bhp |