K&N air filter

[Shiston]

Hi all,

Is anyone running a K&N air filter in there 9-5? What's it like? I'm thinking of getting one in the future for my car.

[DrBoost]

Hej !

To fit a K&N filter in the airfilter box is a waste of money.
To fit a K&N air filter as "open air", can results in increased compressor wheel wear. And sometimes much hotter intake air temperature.
The stock Saab air filter is more efficient when it comes to trap dirt.

[Lanceber]

Hej Dr Boost.

I am about to install a stage 3 upgrade with the following items:

- ECU update
- Intake pipe
- Downpipe with sport cat
- Cat back exhaust

Question: Do I use the stock airfilter, J/R drop in or the J/R open in this setup. The shop is suggesting the open air type?

Also out side of a new IC or Turbo is there anything else I can do to improve any aspect of the performance beyond what I am already doing?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks, Lance from Houston
2004 Steel Grey 95 5spM, 18" Ronal LV's, Stage-3 on its way!

[DrBoost]

Hej Lanceber !

Do you drive a B235E (185 bhp/280Nm) ?
Or ?

[BernardK]

What abt fitting the ITG filter instead?
Is it just as ineffective?

[Lanceber]

I have a 2004 95 aero and everything I see says 250hp, not sure of the engine designation.

Thanks, Lance from Houston

[DrBoost]

Hej !

Lance>>
OK, you're the owner of a B235R (Aero enine).
Next question, Stage 3, what power level are we talking about ?

[mike saunders]

Dr. Boost, can you explain why the K&N filters, when used as open-air intakes, can increase compressor wheel wear?

I'm curious about this, as I had planned to install one.

thanks!

[Lanceber]

It is a speedsparts PPC stage 3 upgrade with BSR parts. They show 289HP on the graphs! I am looking forward to installing the parts next week.

Lance

[DrBoost]

Hej !

Mike S>>
From the data that K&N supplied to me I know that small particles will pass the filter element. And we can allunderstand what happens when they hit the compressor wheel. A wheel that is spinning at some 175-200 000 rpm....

I'm not saying that this is a huge problem, but I've seen results from some tests. I'm ONLY using Saab filters in my Saabs.

Lanceber>>
OK, now I understand what you're aiming at.
May I suggest that you invest in a better I/C, A.S.A.P.
Tell you one thing, 3rd gear @ 1500 rpm, then full pedal up to 5600 rpm. Outside temp +1 C, temperature rise = 40 C.
This was done with a 9-5 Aero M/02. Bone stock.
With a Stage 3 as the one you're thinking of, the I/C is being forced to operate far beyond specs.

TuRbo is also stressed.
As a simple mod. you can swap to a 6 cm2 turbine, can be found on a 9000 Aero (manual).

Have to run, will come back.

[Matthew]

Originally Posted by DrBoost

From the data that K&N supplied to me I know that small particles will pass the filter element.

Do you know of similar style air filter that does not suffer from this problem?

[Lanceber]

What should I look for in a new IC or do you have one you can suggest?

Thanks for the insight,

Lance

[Simon]

Spearco are pretty big for performance intercoolers in the US

[kamalk]

There is no air filter on the market (including O.E Saab) that can trap 100% of the dirt. So the question is, what is the "real" relevance of "a little dirt" getting past the filter. Lab tests don't always equal realistic driving conditions. If you don't clean & re-oil the filter often enough then after the filter oil drys out I can foresee a problem. But simple solution for this is to clean & re-oil the filter at least every 20k miles or so.

[Mattlach]

Originally Posted by DrBoost

Hej !
TuRbo is also stressed.
As a simple mod. you can swap to a 6 cm2 turbine, can be found on a 9000 Aero (manual).

Hej Dr. Boost.

I am interested in this "simple" mod.

I'm just kinda curious how simple we are talking.

Despite doing some of the simpler things myself (brakes, shocks, oil etc.) I'm not the most knowledgeable when it comes to cars.

Is this some thing I could easily do myself? Can I find these parts new, or would I have to hunt junkyards for one out of a 9000 Aero (which might be hard considering how few 9000 Aeros made it over here to the U.S.)

Thanks,
Mats

[aero01]

This sound interesting. Did Dr.Boost ever come back with the details on the simple mod?

[GenSaab]

"Simple" is relative. This is a complicated job, not for the average garage / shade tree. Turbo housing swap is about 5 hours..

But why do this, the 6cm2 (vs. 5cm2 stock) is referring to the nozzle size of the exhaust flow that blows at the turbine wheel and this torque is what drives the compressor. By reducing this exhaust restriction peak flow is improved (and also peak exhaust temp) but the tradeoff is slightly more lag at low RPM when exhaust flow is not that great. Think about a garden hose. Large diameter is best for filling a bucket but you need a smaller one to blast off the dirt. The factory is going for a target HP and Torque so the stock turbo provides best drivability at that power. When we increase the output what was "ideal" no longer applies. The tricky part becomes what is "acceptable"... Probably oversimplified but it should help explain the why.

And by the way, in the USA the used exhaust housings are nearly unobtainable and the part is not available from Saab USA. If anyone knows of these let me know and we will work out a deal so we can get these to the hands of USA aero owners.
Nick Taliaferro

[jedi_master58]

Originally Posted by DrBoost

Hej !

To fit a K&N filter in the airfilter box is a waste of money.
To fit a K&N air filter as "open air", can results in increased compressor wheel wear. And sometimes much hotter intake air temperature.
The stock Saab air filter is more efficient when it comes to trap dirt.

What do you mean it results in increased compressor wheel wear, because I am running the K & N filter and totally regret getting it. I should have went for the J/R filter.

[XAAMOTTOMAAX]

Everyone relax...the end of the world is not upon us (at least not because of oiled air filters ). The air filter question is really quite simple. Are you getting any real world benefit from using a free flowing oiled filter (K&N and JR might as well be considered one in the same)? Have you dyno tested before and after? Probably not as the air filter costs about the same amount as a dyno run. So since the dyno typically is not used you have to go by seat of the pants dyno. Anyone who claims they can "feel" the difference between a stock air filter and an oiled filter is only imagining the difference. In 300+hp applications where air flow at high rpm's is much more important, the need does exist. There will be more air let through the oiled filter but there will also be more dirt allowed through. Will this cause some additional wear? Yes. Are there other factors involved that will cause additional wear? Yes. Should you worry about your turbo blowing up? Not from simply installing an oiled filter. Some claim the oil will cause the MAF to fail. Is this true? I'm not sure. Everything is relative. If you live in a dry dusty area you most likely want to leave the stock filter in place. If you are going for 300+hp an open element would probably be best. If you are like me and you already have the oiled filter because you bought it before realizing it probably isnt necessary and you live in a humid area with very little dust, might as well install the darn thing. I have no idea why an open element would cause a higher intake temp. Could you elaborate on why this would be the case Dr. Boost?

[Finn]

Wow who resurrected this old thread.. Well you pays your money you takes your choice.. Remember folks its not only Saab owners but all turbo car mod folk That go through this decision process, I know a stack of Scooby boys that all have the same conversation. Should I stay stock, open foam filter, K&N etc. Will the MAF be ok will the bearings wear. I guess that if we were track racing every weekend then the decision would be a little more important. But I don't so it wasn't, I have a highly tuned car with an oiled itg filter. My turbo is great, my car goes fast all the time in my everyday life. If the intake temp was up 1 deg well hell I will live with it, it didn't seem to slow me down any. The noise is great, huge induction noise and a great dump valve sound.