Ramair OR Green Filter OR K&N Air Filters, Which one is best?

[MisanthropiST]

I've had all 3...running a Ramair while I was cleaning the Green filter....k&n is flying around in my garage. Either would be A-ok to run

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I got a RamAir filter and tried to install it for a very long time. It wouldn’t sit flush in the air box no matter how many times I positioned it. I thought I had it once but there was still a large gap between the top and bottom of the air box. Defective maybe?

 

[TyphoonFiST]

I got a RamAir filter and tried to install it for a very long time. It wouldn’t sit flush in the air box no matter how many times I positioned it. I thought I had it once but there was still a large gap between the top and bottom of the air box. Defective maybe?

So there is too much space? Got any picss?

 

[MisanthropiST]

It’s almost like the rubber edges on the filter are too large. It bows in the middle once I get all the edges aligned in the air box and when tightening the screws it squeezes out the sides of the air box. No pictures unfortunately as I was busy cussing lol

So there is too much space? Got any picss?

It’s almost like the rubber edges on the filter are too large. It bows in the middle once I get all the edges aligned in the air box and when tightening the screws it squeezes out the sides of the air box. No pictures unfortunately as I was busy cussing lol

 

[TyphoonFiST]

Its ok if it squeezes out as long as the inside of the filter is still able to filter the in coming air adequately.

 

[DoomsdayMelody]

I am looking to get a drop-in panel filter to get a little more noise from the engine, and improve airflow a little. Which one is the best?

I am completely stock when it comes to my engine (other than a OCC), but I would like to hear the intake sounds a little more without having to replace any other hardware at this point. I would like to keep my warranty intact for the engine for now.

A clean stock filter is the best filter. Plenty will disagree, but I ask that you define the word filter and then define the word best.

If it’s airflow you’re after, remove the filter altogether. Although, honestly on a turbocharged car, a clean air filter is not going to offer a significant restriction that you’d have measurable gains in any type of street friendly tune, which afaik is every tune currently available.

IMHO, it’s not worth the additional particulate you introduce to your turbo for “5 horsepower”.

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[Capri to ST]

A clean stock filter is the best filter. Plenty will disagree, but I ask that you define the word filter and then define the word best.

If it’s airflow you’re after, remove the filter altogether. Although, honestly on a turbocharged car, a clean air filter is not going to offer a significant restriction that you’d have measurable gains in any type of street friendly tune, which afaik is every tune currently available.

IMHO, it’s not worth the additional particulate you introduce to your turbo for “5 horsepower”.

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I feel the same way, so what I decided to do is just buy a new stock air filter every year, which is after only about 4,000 miles for me. A new one only costs about $15, and always having a fresh one lets me know I've got really decent airflow, while maintaining significant protection.
When I bought my Mountune MP215 tune, it included a K&N type air filter with it. I wanted to make sure I was adequately protecting my engine so I talked to two longtime mechanic friends of mine. Both recommended using the stock filter instead, and said that's what they would do if it was their car. They also said they thought it would make minimal to no performance difference, and one recommended just replacing it every year to hopefully get the best of both worlds, great filtration with really decent air flow on a clean filter.

 

[M-Sport fan]

I agree with the above about the factory filter, and it's what I've been doing so far (I don't give a f**k about any DV/BOV/snail noises like others, and probably could not hear them anyway by using a thin aftermarket filter, IF I did!).

I do have an aFe Pro DRY panel filter showing up today, and I am going to try it since no oil whatsoever, almost factory paper filtration levels, and it is washable/reusable.

 

[Capri to ST]

I agree with the above about the factory filter, and it's what I've been doing so far (I don't give a f**k about any DV/BOV/snail noises like others, and probably could not hear them anyway by using a thin aftermarket filter, IF I did!).

I do have an aFe Pro DRY panel filter showing up today, and I am going to try it since no oil whatsoever, almost factory paper filtration levels, and it is washable/reusable.

Let us know how you like it after you've used it for a while if you have a chance.

 

[MisanthropiST]

Just to follow up regarding the ramair filter, the fitment was not an issue. Apparently, any aftermarket panel filter will cause the air box to have a slight gap around the sides when tightened. This doesn’t compromise the seal or filtration of the actual filter. I assumed that they would fit like stock but that is not how they are designed. The ramair sounds quite good with a symposer delete as I was only after sound in the first place and not performance. Also, it does require oiling per the manual even though every post has said otherwise. Overall, I’m glad I bought it and Ron at Whoosh is a great dude to work with!

 

[DoomsdayMelody]

Just to follow up regarding the ramair filter, the fitment was not an issue. Apparently, any aftermarket panel filter will cause the air box to have a slight gap around the sides when tightened. This doesn’t compromise the seal or filtration of the actual filter. I assumed that they would fit like stock but that is not how they are designed. The ramair sounds quite good with a symposer delete as I was only after sound in the first place and not performance. Also, it does require oiling per the manual even though every post has said otherwise. Overall, I’m glad I bought it and Ron at Whoosh is a great dude to work with!

If you were after sound, it’d be far more effective to go with a 2jr intake. I’ve swapped to aftermarket filters on a handful of cars, before I wised up on the topic, and can emphatically say that any noise difference you think your hearing is very likely a placebo effect. That said, I haven’t done it on a turbocharged car... so I guess there is a possibility it’d be different but I have a hard time seeing that especially since afaik the only part of the intake you changed was the filter. The air box location, tubing, turbo location, and intercooler are all the same from prior to the filter swap... meaning that any resonance changes would be highly unlikely, borderline impossible.


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[M-Sport fan]

^^^That's what I was thinking as well.

I don't even get how everyone claims 'sooo much' more 'sound' just from changing the pre-turbo intake tubing to an aftermarket setup from the factory stuff, with everything else staying pure factory, but then again, their hearing could be about 20x more sensitive than mine.

 

[MisanthropiST]

^^^That's what I was thinking as well.

I don't even get how everyone claims 'sooo much' more 'sound' just from changing the pre-turbo intake tubing to an aftermarket setup from the factory stuff, with everything else staying pure factory, but then again, their hearing could be about 20x more sensitive than mine.

Lolol yeah the change is pretty subtle and I do have sensitive ears. Quickly coming off throttle while in boost creates a sharper, more distinct pressure release to me but could be in my head. I just didn’t want to mess with the evap harness which seems to be important for 16-19 year cars. Strongly considered the lil Injen SP short ram but decided to save extra for Dizzy flash

 

[PunkST]

I put a stock filter in my mountune lower. With this and the whoosh crossover and coupler i get the intake sound i want and it has a heap of filter area.

 

[gtx3076]

I have a green filter in storage that fit perfect.

 

[Phishy]

Happy with my green filter and ST200 box. IMO it does introduce a bit more sound over the OEM paper filter which I like.

I also have a K&N drop in that seems and sounds identical. I prefer the non-oiled versions of the aftermarket filters.

FWIW I have seen many dynos firsthand where an open turbo, no filter, no airbox, no nothing makes 5-10hp on the first pull at least.

I won't run open on my daily because I am not an idiot and don't want 5-10hp that bad but there is good justification to minimize airflow restriction in the intake tract.

For me these performance drop-ins or open element filters do sharpen things up and add the noise I am after, at minimal or almost zero risk to engine life. Heat shielding and or protection, developed boxes etc is the other part of the equation, so whatever gain you achieve is repeatable and lasts if you are pounding on it.

The 2J IMO is a horrible option for a daily and thats why basically nobody ever has offered RAIN tray mounted intakes. That area in the scuttle is called a rain tray and designed to evacuate water. Not the ideal spot for engine induction.

Does sound crazy though.

 

[PunkST]

Happy with my green filter and ST200 box. IMO it does introduce a bit more sound over the OEM paper filter which I like.

I also have a K&N drop in that seems and sounds identical. I prefer the non-oiled versions of the aftermarket filters.

FWIW I have seen many dynos firsthand where an open turbo, no filter, no airbox, no nothing makes 5-10hp on the first pull at least.

I won't run open on my daily because I am not an idiot and don't want 5-10hp that bad but there is good justification to minimize airflow restriction in the intake tract.

For me these performance drop-ins or open element filters do sharpen things up and add the noise I am after, at minimal or almost zero risk to engine life. Heat shielding and or protection, developed boxes etc is the other part of the equation, so whatever gain you achieve is repeatable and lasts if you are pounding on it.

The 2J IMO is a horrible option for a daily and thats why basically nobody ever has offered RAIN tray mounted intakes. That area in the scuttle is called a rain tray and designed to evacuate water. Not the ideal spot for engine induction.

Does sound crazy though.

When i ran a 2j i had zero issues with water. The sound got to be too much however.

 

[GotVic]

Did quite a bit of research, ended up with the foam ITG panel filter.

 

[DoomsdayMelody]

I enjoy the multilayer foam filters from our friends in the UK
I used the RAMAIR panel in my ST200 airbox and now the large foam included with the ITG intake system on our shop car.

We offer the K&N and now, Green Filter on the site (actually in stock too) just for those US folks that love the oiled paper type filters. Nothing wrong with them and honestly you will not hurt your car with any of the choices....they are in fact just that, a choice for you.

-Ron

This is weird, I believe this is the first post you put up in which I've disagreed with your assessment.

OP, any aftermarket filter that is promising more airflow is doing so by using a less efficient filter. Considering the entire point of an air filter is to efficiently filter the air, any time you are giving up filtering efficiency you are passing more particulates into your turbo; particulates which will accelerate wear. Now, will it massively affect the wear rate on the turbo? Probably not, however, being that the turbo is going to pull as much air as it needs through a clean OE paper filter (which filters more efficiently than a K&N or any other filter that claims to increase airflow) an air filter is a worthless mod that will lower the lifespan of your turbo and engine. On the stock turbo, there is absolutely no reason to use an aftermarket air filter but there is a reason that OEMs haven't employed K&N filters from the factory, and that is because they pass too much particulate that it could have an effect on long term reliability and don't offer a significant benefit. 5 hp? That could be a difference in a few degrees of ambient temperature, fuel quality, or just plain old variance in the dyno. There's no way you could empirically prove that K&N filters, or any other aftermarket filter for that matter, actually increase horsepower, especially on our cars. There has been significant third party testing done (http://rubicon-trail.com/public/K&N filter test.html) that proves that K&N does not filter as efficiently as most other filters, and heaven forbid you live in a dusty area or drive through a construction zone because that means your turbine's finely machined surfaces are now grinding concrete powder. Honestly as far as most of the testing metrics, aside from initial flow, it's pretty lacking as filters go.

At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself WHY there is an air filter. Then you need to ask yourself if its a significant enough restriction (in our case it generally isn't) that it would be worth it to deal with the increased wear aftermarket filters introduces on your turbo.

 

[Capri to ST]

I read the test that you linked to, that was quite interesting. This sentence really caught my eye-
"Compared to the AC [OEM paper filter?], the K&N “plugged up” nearly 3 times faster, passed 18 times more dirt and captured 37% less dirt."
However, the test results also showed that the AC filter was the most restrictive, but the discussion argued that it could pass all the air through it that the GM diesel in the test could use, at least when it was clean.
As I said above, because I was concerned that it would not filter effectively enough, I did not use the Mountune branded K&N type air filter that came with my Mountune MP215 kit. I chose instead to keep using an OEM paper filter with the new air box that comes with it, and I'm just going to change it every year, which is only about 4,000 miles for me, so it will always be clean.
A lot of comments on here from knowledgeable members led me to believe that the OEM paper filter would work just fine with the new airbox. The fact that Ford used the OEM paper filter in the European Fiesta ST200, which has an identical airbox to the Mountune one except that it's plastic instead of metal, also was convincing to me.

 

[M-Sport fan]

I even find it quite amusing when tuners actually ask/consider if you have an aftermarket air filter installed or not as a factor in how they actually set up the tune for your FACTORY TURBO car.