So I have read a lot about air filters, including the BHAF info.

One thing I find stands out is the paper element aspect in the BHAF article.

I am curious if this is just an anti oil filter thing or if someone has experience with the AEM filters not being good either.

 

I have heard a lot of good things about the dry flow washable filters.

 

I am up between spending $79 once for a dry flow reusable filter and $45 for a paper filter.

 

The AEM filter I would choose is an oval 9" long x 10.5" wide x 8" across with a 4" ID inlet.

These dimensions yeild the greatest surface are of all the AEM filters with the correct inlet.

 

Compairable surface area to the 8.5"W x 12.4"L paper alternative BHAF.

 

I like the thought of saving money on filters over time.

Heck wash it once and reuse it and it has more than paid for itself.

Especially when the Napa 6637 runs $64 dollars here.

 

The issue with the common oil filters and these trucks is the turbo and oil dirt buildup.

This eventually gets into the turbo and wears it down like sand paper.

 

So, why should I, or why shouldn't I get an AEM and go with paper filter elements?

 

Thank you for a conscious discussion.

Edited December 3, 201410 yr by eddielee

This is all good too but oil analysis is the best as you can have many other places along the intake system that will allow dirt entry into the engine other than pre-turbo.

At the Mine I work at we use an ultrasonic leak detector with a sound generator inside the intake system of engines to find intake system leaks that can never be found any other way when we get bad UOA results back and can't find any obvious places for dirt entry.

I wouldn't even attempt to argue that point. UOA is hands down the best indicator of engine condition there is.  What I should of said is a "general indication" filter performance. It's just that where I'm from when you start talking about UOA's you might as well be talking about UFO's. Down here if you can roll coal then that's all that matters. Reliability, durability, mpg, and true performance seem to be at the very end of the list when they buy a diesel.

rlane, I Know that I need to do something about the fuel pump as soon as I possibly can, until then I do not drive it too hard.

I read a lot about the fuel pump issue as well, I will be ordering an aftermarket fuel pump as soon as I have the ability.

 

Mopar man, I would not buy a washable oil filter because the amount of oil going down the drain would be rediculous.

 

I will say that the posts and further research I have done have definitely proven to me that a reusable air filter is not necessarily the best option.

The duration of the filter life with a BHAF is excellent, and the filtration is definitely better.

 

As I said before much of the consideration about choosing a washable filter was due to having to order a filter either way and the ability ro get it at a comparable price, or cheaper.

 

I am a very technical thinker, which is why I asked this question to see what others had to say about the pros and cons of reusable dryflow air filters.

 

After I do the fuel pump I get to do front springs and shocks all the way around.

 

Again, thank you everyone for your responses, I hope this helps others in the future as well.

You are very welcome. I know its a lot of money and time but you just have to go one step at a time. I started exactly where you are.

 

AFE dry elements are awesome especially with the outerware to keep the big chunks out of the pleats, AEM is junk, buddy just dusted an engine on an 03 cummins earlier this year running a washable AEM filter system.

 

 Wild and Free, I've been running an AME filter since May of 08 and have put 25k miles on it. What makes them "junk" and how did your buddy dust an engine with one?    

 Wild and Free, I've been running an AME filter since May of 08 and have put 25k miles on it. What makes them "junk" and how did your buddy dust an engine with one?    

I looked it over when he first bought it and told him not to use it as the filter was about the same quality as the K&N oiled filter elements, more of a screen door than a filter, then top that with his lack of proper maintenance of it combined to cost him 9K for a total overhaul "with extra mods at the same time" due to being dusted as a result of poor filter with lack of proper maintenance of it. This was on an early 03 third gen CR.

He went back to a brand new factory intake box with the deeper pleated filter in it.

BHAF all the way. Hard to beat 100,000 miles on an air filter. As Tom pointed out you can get them cheaper by shopping around. CPP has them for $52.23 and they sell outerwears prefilters for them too, which would probably help extend the life of the filter even longer.

CPP sells the donaldson filter too, just installed one on my truck last night.

I looked it over when he first bought it and told him not to use it as the filter was about the same quality as the K&N oiled filter elements, more of a screen door than a filter, then top that with his lack of proper maintenance of it combined to cost him 9K for a total overhaul "with extra mods at the same time" due to being dusted as a result of poor filter with lack of proper maintenance of it. This was on an early 03 third gen CR.

He went back to a brand new factory intake box with the deeper pleated filter in it.

You should keep an eye out for dust with the factory box. Pull the intake tube and check for dust inside because the factory box gets kind of distorted with time/ heat and doesn't squeeze against the rubber gasket so well. There is a way to shave the the box with a block plane so it squeezes tighter to the factory filter and not let air go around the rubber edges, but, you have to make up metal clips that you sandwich over the box hook tabs. This makes the tabs thicker so it makes the top half pull tighter to the filter.

I did this mod because the intake tube had fine dust. I just cut little rectangles out of Stainless sheet metal and folded them over each tab to make the tab thicker. Next is to bend the box holder clips so they hold tighter as well. This all works well if you shave the box lip which acts like sort of a stop and won't seal well to the filter. I forgot if you shave the top or the bottom half, so look at it closely before shaving off a 16th of an inch

Edited December 5, 201410 yr by JAG1

I had that exact issue was my stock air box was passing dust. The way I found it was spray the lid with WD40 then go out and run for a day on the dusty roads. Then when you get back home wipe the lid off with a clean paper towel if the towel is dirty then the box is shot and BHAF is suggested.

You should keep an eye out for dust with the factory box. Pull the intake tube and check for dust inside because the factory box gets kind of distorted with time/ heat and doesn't squeeze against the rubber gasket so well. There is a way to shave the the box with a block plane so it squeezes tighter to the factory filter and not let air go around the rubber edges, but, you have to make up metal clips that you sandwich over the box hook tabs. This makes the tabs thicker so it makes the top half pull tighter to the filter.

I did this mod because the intake tube had fine dust. I just cut little rectangles out of Stainless sheet metal and folded them over each tab to make the tab thicker. Next is to bend the box holder clips so they hold tighter as well. This all works well if you shave the box lip which acts like sort of a stop and won't seal well to the filter. I forgot if you shave the top or the bottom half, so look at it closely before shaving off a 16th of an inch

That is why he went with the AEM filter setup in the first place, his OEM box warped like that and he chose cheap rather than quality and then didn't service it properly and it bit him so he bought a brand new oem air box at rebuild time.

 

Has anyone ever seen a BHAF on a 3rd or 4th gen?

I don't think the 'normal' BHAF will fit a common rail. At least I have not heard of one that fits, From what I understand the third and fourth gen air boxes are an improvement over the second gens.

 

Has anyone ever seen a BHAF on a 3rd or 4th gen?

 

 Do a google search for BHAF on 3rd gen cummins.  There are a few of them out there.

I would never run one but was just wondering, I know the under hood design and space would limit the practicality of it on 3rd and 4th gens. I have had excellent luck with the double deep pleated filters in the factory air box with the cold air mod to the bottom housing on my 05.

On my old 02 the AFE stage 2 dry system was the best of the 4 different intake systems I had run over the years. Factory, K&N junk which almost cost me an engine luckily the UOA caught this one before it did, then an assembly of different things as an experiment of different types and finally on to the AFE system.

HM! I guess they do fit, but it would take a bit more than pullng the airbox and installing them. I saw one post on another site that took some rubber 90* elbows and a stainless 908 elbow and some pipe, and on another site where the battery tray needed to be notched amongst other thigs to make it fit and it took him about 90 minutes to install.