Anyone using an Amsoil Air Filter?

[Toy4x4Guy]

I've noticed that everyone I've seen on this forum that has upgraded their air filter is using a K&N. I'm curious if anyone has tried an Amsoil air filter. Amsoil filters are like the K&N in that they are washable and re-usable, and are oiled. They are different in that they are a little thicker and use a sponge media rather than the cotton mesh of the K&N. They provide close to the same performance, within 2% from the dynos I did on my Tacoma, and cost 1/2 as much as a K&N.

I've checked my parts source and there is one available for V6 Xterras for about $22.00. I can get more info if anyone is interested.

Also, are the air boxes on 2001 and 2002 models the same?

[OffroadX]

Air boxes are the same, even on the SC models.

Brent

[Toy4x4Guy]

Originally posted by OffroadX
Air boxes are the same, even on the SC models.

Brent

Thanks for confirming that for me. I guess NO ONE here has used an Amsoil air filter. I find this suprising. Maybe K&N just has a better name here or something. I'm going to look into getting an Amsoil for my Xterra. I had a K&N in my Tacoma. Most of the guys in the Tacoma club used Amsoil air filters. The main reason I'm looking at the Amsoil is that it's about 1/2 the price of the K&N and my dyno tests on the Tacoma showed Amsoil and K&N virtually the same in HP increase at about 3HP.

For those interested the Amsoil air filter part number is TS-74. I'll also put this in the Part Numbers section.

[ChuckH]

I would be interested in the Amsoil filter; atleast to try and compare. I ran a Jamex foam filter in my Audi that I believe is similar in design to the Amsoil filter and really liked it. I felt that it was easier to properly oil than the K&N and worked great.

[warmonger]

One important fact about foam you should know. It is water absorbent. If you pull water in, it will become saturated and cut off air flow to the motor. Better than hydro-locking I guess, but water can still penetrate. You just lose motor power sooner in a foam filter due to that lack of air flow. I have seen them shut down a motor when splashing through a deep mud pit even though the front end wasn't submerged. The foam became saturated enough to shut down the motor, forcing a dead pull out of the mud pit. Not a good scenario if you don't have either a winch or one big SOB of a truck to make the dead pull. If you don't drive in mud or water, go for it.

[Toy4x4Guy]

Originally posted by warmonger
One important fact about foam you should know. It is water absorbent. If you pull water in, it will become saturated and cut off air flow to the motor. Better than hydro-locking I guess, but water can still penetrate. You just lose motor power sooner in a foam filter due to that lack of air flow. I have seen them shut down a motor when splashing through a deep mud pit even though the front end wasn't submerged. The foam became saturated enough to shut down the motor, forcing a dead pull out of the mud pit. Not a good scenario if you don't have either a winch or one big SOB of a truck to make the dead pull. If you don't drive in mud or water, go for it.

A K&N will just suck water straight into the engine bay, and a stock paper element will as well. If you get in water deep enough to suck it through your air box, I think you've gone somewhere you shouldn't. I wouldn't consider that a prbolem with anything but those cone filtered injection systems. One of those is what claimed a buddies Tacoma 3.4L V6 to a hydrolock to the tune of $6,000!

[warmonger]

It depends on how much water you pull in. In the case I am referring to, had he had a simple paper filter it would still have allowed air to penetrate. But the foam filter in front of the paper filter absorbed enough water to shut off air flow to the motor. It doesn't take much to soak a foam filter and make it impenetrable. If you suck water straight up the pipe, it doesn't matter what filter you have, you have dramatically increased the odds of scrapping a motor. But for light ingestion, a cone-type or round filter with a gauze or paper element will allow air to penetrate in spite of in most cases. BTW, there was no water gathered in the air system, just the foam filter cover. We had to rip it off to get the engine running again and have enough air flow to keep it running. Just an FYI from someone who has had to pull as well as be pulled for just such problems. You can do with it as you see fit. Again, if you don't drive in water, it doesn't matter.

[xoc]

Just some rambling here...

Anyone want to pour some water on an Amsoil filter ?
I would bet it could hold less than half cup of water.

The engine in the Xterra can pull in about 300 CFM of air, and I think that would be more than adequate to atomize that half cup of water instantly. Each cylinder could hold about 2 ounces of water at TDC without hydrolocking, so you're going to need more than half a cup in that filter to do some damage.

Hell, we used to clean carbon buildup out of old carbureted engines by pouring water into the intake manifold, and never damaged a motor.

[warmonger]

It wasn't on an Xterra, it was on a Jeep. But it uses the same flat style air filter which coupled with the foam cover was what caused the problem. A cone filter is unlikely to saturate on the top unless fully submerged. A flat filter only has one dimension with which to breath and it is pointed straight at the inlet hole in the l/f fender well. It will saturate very quickly due to that design. The foam does a great job of holding water. You will notice Ian that I said it takes less water to saturate them. It may only hold a cup or two of water, but that is all it takes to restrict air flow to the motor and hence makes my point. Switching to a cone type filter will help reduce that possibility by making the filter area 3 dimensional. You have more surface area for the water to saturate, hence more likelihood you will have a clear area for air to flow. The best fix is to stay away from water. But here in Florida, that is next to impossible. I stand by my assertion.

[haimeltj]

amsoil supposedly clean more dirt than k&n's.

http://www.texassynthetics.com/kandn.htm

[OffroadX]

Thanks. FYI, your reply was the first in nearly 2 years...

[Toy Man]

Well just to continue reviving this thread, I have been using an Amsoil air filter for a number of months. No noticable difference from the K&N I was using earlier.

I have not tried play submarine.

Toy Man

[Toy Man]

And a further update. I looked at my AMSoil filter after 25K and it looked like it had melted. It had pulled away at the sides and was 'wavey/distorted'. Yuck....

My K&N was in for about the same period of time and it looked like new after cleaning/re-charging it.

Toy Man

[IceChickenX]

I'm using an Amsoil Air filter...and I have no issues.

I did some research and even contacted the manufacture on both K&N and Amsoil...Both are supposed to have the same flowrate through the element...But the Amsoil is supposed to have better filtration (nominal).

IceChickenX

[Toy Man]

And here is another K&N type filter..

Green filter

Toy Man