[DeTomaso] Air Filter Size Test

[SOBill at aol.com]

FWIW,
 
If AOL doesn't screw up the formatting (which they probably will)  here is 
some air filter test data:
 

In April, 2002, Car Craft tested various size K&N air filters on a 448 CI 
Chrysler
engine putting out ~520 hp while flowing 585cfm to the engine thru a Demon 
carb
(model unspecified):
                                                                              
_____________________________________________________K&N Filter Flow__
Filter________Filter Area___Max HP___Vac @ Max HP____Rating @ 1.5 in Hg
Size___________Sq Inches_______________________________________________       
 
 
no filter_________n/a________519________0.7 in Hg________n/a         
 
7 x 3____________49.5________520________0.8______________298.4 cfm
 
14 x 3___________99.0________518________0.5______________596.7             
 
14 x 4__________142.9________519________0.6______________861.9
 
14 x 2 ¼_________66.0________522________0.7______________397.8
w/7/8 dropped mounting  base__________________________________
 
14 x 2 ¼_________66.0________520________0.7______________397.8                
          
w/ flat  mounting base________________________________________
 
14 x 5__________186.9________520________0.6____________1,127.2                
 
 
14 x 6__________230.9________520________0.6____________1,392.4       
 
All of these readings are within the +/- 1% instrumentation tolerance of the
dyno system at Westec.
 
Some possibilities:
 
1) K&N is VERY conservative in specing the filter flow rate.
 
2) K&N filters are spec'd on the assumption they will never be cleaned.  
(Simialr to 1))
 
3) K&N filters don't filter.  (This is not so.  I used them for years on 2 
stroke
dirt bikes in real dirt and never siezed an engine.)
 
A possible conclusion: You can use a MUCH smaller than normally seen filter 
with no
impact on performance. Service it now and then.

 
Certain characteristics of the filter mounting, such as the filter  housing 
restricting the inlet to the carb, is another issue. It looks like any  size 
filter will be OK. Small ones will need to be cleaned more often than big  ones.
 
SOBill  Taylor
sobill at aol.com



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