Air filter upgrade

phrozen

phrozen

New Member
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81
Hi guys, while the car is up for sale im thinking of upgrading the air filter for two reasons:

1) Its lying around doing nothing
2) I cant help but enjoy a bit of induction roar :love4:

I have a custom stainless steel filter which is universal and I had on my 645ci..question is how much room is there to install one and has anyone done it before?? I found a guide on changing the regular filter over and it looked quite cramped down there!!

phrozen
 
2b1ask1

2b1ask1

Special case
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20,315
I too am a fan of induction roar even over loud exhausts! and it is on my list of 'improvements' I've promised myself... I think it is a bit stiffled at the moment and the box looks quite restrictive I wonder about sticking a big K&N type down there without the full box but I'd be worried about ingesting water if you encountered a large puddle?
 
phrozen

phrozen

New Member
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81
Glad to see I'm not seen as ruining the car! I think with the 4200 maserati made it a bit TOO understated! I already have the filter so a new one is only an option if the one I have doesn't fit!
 
BennyD

BennyD

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15,008
Generally, more air in gives more power out, and I think we are all up for that, I know I am, I have a BMC filter on order!
 
conaero

conaero

Forum Owner
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34,688
Leave well alone. The OEM filter does a fantastic job of filtering the muck, aftermarket filters tend not to fit and the muck gets in round the side.

If you want more power, induction roar and dont care what goes into your engine, your better off removing the filter and putting the old ladies tights over the intake pipe it will do the same job and be just as reliable as the aftermarket filters!
 
Emtee

Emtee

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8,446
Hmm... Though I agree the OEM filter is quite sufficient, it is paper and needs replacing regularly, at no small cost either. Eurospares quotes knocking on for £60.00. The BMC is a high-flow sport filter made of cotton that is 'lubricated' with oil. The gauze sits within full rubber mouldings so that there are no exposed metal surfaces to rust. Yes it still needs to be cleaned regularly, but it doesn't need replacing. I've been running the same BMC filter since March 2009 and have been delighted with it. Though I've got used to it now, the performance improvement is noticeable also.

Em.
 
phrozen

phrozen

New Member
Messages
81
Ive used stainless steel filters for years with no need to lubricate it/worry about it rusting! so the filter isnt the issue..the issue is the space available! I think im going to have to whip out the old one and have a look! i'll keep you guys posted!
 
conaero

conaero

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34,688
Emtee said:
Hmm... Though I agree the OEM filter is quite sufficient, it is paper and needs replacing regularly, at no small cost either. Eurospares quotes knocking on for £60.00. The BMC is a high-flow sport filter made of cotton that is 'lubricated' with oil. The gauze sits within full rubber mouldings so that there are no exposed metal surfaces to rust. Yes it still needs to be cleaned regularly, but it doesn't need replacing. I've been running the same BMC filter since March 2009 and have been delighted with it. Though I've got used to it now, the performance improvement is noticeable also.

Em.
Click to expand...

Miles remind me, have you had any engine issues since running the aftermarket filter????
 
BennyD

BennyD

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Conaero said:
Miles remind me, have you had any engine issues since running the aftermarket filter????
Click to expand...

Cheap shot!! If an aftermarket air filter causes lubrication failure what will an engine remap do!!? I really do hope the answer is..... nothing!
 
conaero

conaero

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34,688
I did not mean offence, Miles knows me better than that, but its worth a thought.
 
Emtee

Emtee

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8,446
Conaero said:
I did not mean offence, Miles knows me better than that, but its worth a thought.
Click to expand...

None taken Matt and you're right that we should monitor / review the alternative parts that we suggest, as proof of their effectiveness often only clarifies itself with time.

I won't re-iterate the oil pressure problem that I've had with my car, as it's covered in detail on another thread for anyone that's interested, but I can't see how this could be related to swapping out the air filter?

Though I didn't buy it from them, I was comforted by the fact that Formula Dynamics had been offering the filter for some time without issue, as both they and now Performance Italia still do.

At the end of the day, OEM parts have to be regarded as the safe choice, they're the parts the car was designed to use after all, but I do think that the BMC is a viable alternative with the additional benefits of cost and performance.

Only right that it should be the subject of discussion though.

Cheers, Em.
 
Parisien

Parisien

Moderator
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34,927
How are things with the car at the moment Miles, don't think a long standing OEM replacement like the BMC filter mentioned would cause any difficulties.

P
 
Ton3200

Ton3200

New Member
Messages
61
Hi all,

I am new to this forum and I am reading the different threads with a lot of interest.
What is your experience with BMC filters? Do they improve the intake roar?
Will they improve the power output? And maybe most important will they kill my engine?

Ton
 
conaero

conaero

Forum Owner
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34,688
Ton I have no direct experiance but here are my thoughts:

All I can say is yes it will allow more air in, yes it will give you a degree of induction roar, but as to it's effectiveness of filtration I am not so sure either way. If it does not do it's job then it will wreck the engine over time as grit will find it's way into the cylinders. These performance filters are oiled and this oil is there to catch the dirt. Also not being the oem filter it may not fit correctly and grit can find it's way round the sides.

Of course it may work just as well as the oem filter. I only know of one premature engine failure on a 4200 and said person was using an aftermarket filter, not conclusive but food for thought.

I considered it, asked a few people and formed an opinion that the performance gain was so small it was not worth the risk.
 
Ton3200

Ton3200

New Member
Messages
61
I noticed that, but I was wondering if people could share their experiences with the filters? I am curious to hear if it really makes a "noticeable" difference?

:)
 
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