Thanks for everyone who requested testing air filters and please let me know which brands you want tested in the next round. Also, here's the list of the ones I tested. Thanks again! Products Tested In This Video (in no particular order): EPAuto: amzn.to/3lbyw9E WIX: amzn.to/3aQloBN Fram: amzn.to/3j1stm0 AC Delco: amzn.to/3j2J5tv Purolator: amzn.to/2Qc3pwl K&N: amzn.to/3aJlTh8 K&N Cleaning Kit and Oil: amzn.to/2Qb3Kzk
We've legitimately used this man's videos to change what kind of tools and parts etc that we use on the generators we build at my work, his videos have actually solved some issues we've been dealing with and helped make our products better. Can't give any better praise than that
I just wanted to come back and say thanks for taking the time to do this. There are so many misinformed people and I was one of them before this. I share this video at least once every three months when discussions about air filters and cold air intakes comes up.
I was an air filter engineer for many years a long time ago at one of the brands you tested. You do a great job, as always and I applaud your very logical and thoughtful approach. However, I'd like to make a few comments about this report. 1. Flour or powder do not make good test mediums. They tend to agglomerate, and in any case do not compare well with industry standard contaminants. 2. During testing, an even distribution of contamination introduction is critical. Thus, semi-random placement of the test medium can drastically affect the test outcome. A typical test set-up involves an aspirated cloud of contaminant for more consistent and even dispersal to assure a more realistic particle size distribution. 3. Industry standard contaminant particle size is inversely proportional to particle count. In fact, the number of particles increases dramatically (exponentially) as size goes down. 4. Engine wear potential is attributable to particle make-up, i.e. Is it silica or organics, etc., and quantity. Thus, engine wear risk drops dramatically with particle size. Internally moving engine parts, especially rings & valves, are not usually affected by very small particles in small quantities. Five microns is about 1/100000 inches. Concern for wear begins around 10,000 microns or below .005". 5. Flow is generally concentrated in any filter, despite shape and flow diverting techniques used. Placement of contaminant on the filter media by hand is less realistic. 6. Contamination which agglomerates will increase pressure drop and increase contamination removal efficiency giving erroneous results. As a function of actual wear potential, the K&N, though inefficient according to your test, may actually be the best protector because of its affinity for the larger silica particles seen in real life. Still, your test report is very persuasive! Thank you for reading!
Smear some petroleum jelly on the clean side of your air cleaner, run a paper filter for a week, see how much it lets through, then do the same with a K&N...the petroleum jelly will be full of gritty crap...I will never use a K&N filter again.
@@mebe2k I would say your petroleum jelly test is brilliant! We used a Coulter Counter wafer downstream of the filter to catch what passed through and this was very effective, especially in measuring particle size distribution. The really small stuff was impossible to filter without serious pressure/flow loss. But, K&N elements were never tested, way back then. Great suggestion you made!
@@baconmunchers629 My best recollection is Fram and Purelator were always top performers but I really have no idea how they compare today. When you take the physics into consideration of what is happening, it is generally true a greater pressure drop is indicative of contamination buildup, thus further suggesting your engine is being protected. Also, the number of pleats in the filter media reduces pressure drop from the outset by lowering the cfm of air per square inch, assuming no major differences in the media itself. I would elect to use the filter with the most pleats (most media) and significant pressure drop with increasing contamination. I don't believe the engine's output is noticeably compromised with one inch of water pressure increase and, in any case, I'd rather know I was protected. Cars can run without oil filters for years, as long as the oil is changed regularly. But, contamination entering the engine through a poor filter directly affects the combustion area! Air filtering is much more important than oil filtering!
This guy has a gift. And he doesn't bother us with too much talking. He just gets to the point and tells you what you need to know. I've come to this channel a few times and I haven't wasted anytime with his videos. Very nice and informative. I am grateful!
If you notice when you install a filter, there is guides made from glue sometimes (guess it keeps the pleats together). Put that side towards the intake pipe I have put it the other way and ran less efficiently because of turbulence (more noticeable with bigger air box or pipes) but they are less restrictive.
That's a low standard tho. I'm pretty sure that he isn't guilty of treason and wants steal from us while trampling on the constitution like today's politicians, from both left AND right.
Particle counter! Dude!! When I first started watching you ..you were like: Lets see how long this lawn mower engine runs on human pee! You are now outdoing Consumer Reports! God, I hope you are getting paid for this. Obviously...awesome job as usual!
@@amsb4dafunk406 he gets paid whether you press skip ad or not, just like he gets paid even though I have premium and don't see any ads, but he still gets revenue off the view.
I’ve used OEM or Wix for years in a variety of vehicles, so I am very glad the Wix did well. Really appreciate the passion and thoroughness you put into your videos. Looking forward to what’s next, take care!
I’m at 15,000 mile oil change intervals on my Toyota Corolla and I’ve had a oiled K@N filter for over 100,000 of those miles. I have seen nothing atrocious in all the oil samples that I have sent off so I would not worry too much.
@Green Monkey that's not really a good metric considering ingested air never comes in contact with motor oil. Biggest place you'll see the difference is in the intake track. Fine grit wearing on valve seats and guides. In other words, that yota will last maybe 200k? Where others might last 4-500k
I used to hang out on the TJ Wrangler forums often and the more experienced guys there would always talk trash about K&N filters being overpriced and not working well. That was before this video was uploaded. Looks like they were right.
This channel is killing me. Like this dude does the most thorough testing on youtube imo well him and gamer nexus if you're into computers. He has the tools for freaking everything and the few things he doesn't have he creates himself. Then his scientific method is damn near flawless. I'm like this guy needs a lab coat and some googles at least that's what I keep expecting.
Certainly would be nice to see a ‘verified by recognised consumer tester’ or something a kin to it. It’s how Thatcham in UK 🇬🇧 stated out, a group of car enthusiasts with their own money bought a bunch of steering locks and tested them for legitimacy against claims, they moved onto car alarms, immobilisers and then really took off. google Thatcham or check out the link th-cam.com/users/ThatchamMIRRC001
Thank you. I have been saying it for decades that K&N is great for flow but terrible on filtration. I have seen many diesels with K&Ns come in with dusted turbo wheels (saw blading) with no obvious pre turbo air leaks. I avoid them on all my vehicles.
@@vikasshelke5544because you don’t want to risk your engine ingesting sand, rocks, leaves, potato chip bags, etc. You want a filter to prevent that but you want one with low restriction. Ideally a racetrack won’t be super dusty so fine filtration isn’t really needed.
This by far has been the best channel I've ever found. I remember when it was all seafoam and epoxy and a couple thousand subs. You sir deserve an award for all your hard work and dedication. Best content from any testing channel.
Paul Stan same that’s hilarious. Already started shopping purolator so I can get the k&n out. Also Toyota oem blades on my wife’s Highlander are the best.... just took my rain-x off. You’re welcome
By far, the best TH-cam channel I've ever seen. As a head of household, father and handyman, your videos have benefited me the most and helps me to make better decisions with the products I buy. Can't thank you enough for that!
I work at an auto parts store and I usually recommend customers buying WIX, over any of the other filters, watching this makes me feel better about my recommendations that I give out.
@@ronb6182 It’s not about having a customer pay more money the most expensive filter is a K & N depending on the car make it usually is about 50 bucks, Well mycrogard is the cheapest it doesn’t last long, for five bucks difference on a wix and for better quality you can’t go wrong.
K&N are referred to rock catchers on a well known oil website, so I'm not surprised. Not surprised to know that Wix came out on top, but would have thought Fram would have done better. Their orange cans are low end, but the Ultra is a contender with some of the highest rated filters out there.
Airflow vs filtration , which do you want ? There's going to be a trade-off either way. About the only way to "gain" a little bit in both departments is to increase the size of the filter. Like an old v8, stack as many round air filter elements as you can. You'll maintain decent airflow with decent filtration for a longer period.
I've always had a suspicion he has an oil filter test in the works. But I cant be sure of course. You have to imagine running multiple brands of oil filters through the same vehicle for 3500 miles minimum takes time.
This explains much. When I crashed my Suburban through a bakery with my K&N filter, performance was notably worse. However I was able to make biscuits from the exhaust.
wisenber I was using K&N air filters when Mt Saint Helen’s erupted and ash was blowing thru the air everywhere! I knew a lot of people that weren’t able to keep their vehicles running with all the ash clogging up their filters. But my K&N never gave me one bit of problems keeping the ash out of my engine nor ever clogged either! Same goes for all my ATV’s and dirt bikes using K&N air filters in the sand or dirt/mud. Never once have I gotten any sand or dirt in my carbs or engine. But ridding in heavy blowing sand and dirt you do have to clean your filters more often!
I formerly worked for an automotive parts manufacturer that was represented in this testing. I find PF's testing approach to be VERY credible and findings very interesting. One thing to note, any engine air filter is actually MORE effective at filtering particulate with a bit of age/usage as the previously captured foreign material in the filter media increases the filter's own filtering capacity. That made sense to me during product training years ago, but would have never occurred to me beforehand. There's definitely an argument for NOT changing this filter prematurely as some of us enthusiasts are prone to do with "over maintaining" our vehicles. Just wanted to add this interesting factoid. Nice job PF, love your content!
I guess that’s why Subaru recommends you change the engine air filter every 30,000 miles on the Ascents. I was about to change I at every oil change before I noticed the manufacturers instructions.
Great job as usual! Your results echo what most of us already know. The "secret" to K&N's great breathing capability is its extremely poor filtration performance.
I won't pretend that oiled filters are great at filtration. However, I had just used one in my V8 pickup for around 50,000 miles with no cleaning and no issues. Mostly road driving without much dust, but not always. Some offroading, but not much. As far as I can tell, it ran the same or better until I totalled it a month ago. It was 21 years old, and very reliable. I mean no malice; I'm just wondering what your thoughts are about this. I'm beginning to think fine filtration isn't as important and coarse filtration.
As the comments have shown, you've helped out so many people out by doing these tests. i hope you've never doubted yourself. thank you for saving me a lot of time, worry, frustration and hard earned money. You're a hero in my book. You and ChrisFix are definitely the most important Auto-Based TH-camrs. So many of us rely on your experience. You're doing an amazing job.
Not to take money out of P/F's pocket but, look up "oil filter test" by CarsNToys… He has a few shockingly thorough and very entertaining oil filter tests.
I'm a filtration test engineer for a living and, I have to say, nice job for a DIY style setup. We use pretty stringent guidelines on contamination and particle testing, but your setup was a good idea for a general idea of how the filters perform. The only thing I'd recommend on this one is to think about the fact that a lot of filters are designed for the rated flow-rate of the engine inside the O.E. air box. Air dynamics across a plate mounted filter can do funny things to the measured restriction and cause it to spike or fall compared to when it's installed in a vehicle. You might be surprised how different the pressure loss can be in those situations. Other than that, nice job.
How would you say the idea of dumping contaminant directly onto the media works? Not sure that gives a real-world, or even valid hypothetical standard for testing...
@shankle farm respectfully, disagree. it's like when mythbusters shot frozen chickens out of an air canon to see if it would destroy a cessna.... Now in their example they found that both the frozen and thawed chicken did equal damage. But then they realized they were not using airplane grade windshield glass.... You have to test the practical application.
@@radiomantodd To be honest, the direct contaminant injection method has never been my favorite, but it can provide consistent results. However, this is only when using a proven contaminant standard. The capacities that are achieved in a lab are typically less than what you would see in the field. Dirt loading over a longer period allows for pathways to develop in the media and prolong the life of the filter.
@shankle farm Your point is half on target. They were all treated the same, which is good methodology, but it doesn't mean they will react the same on a flat plate compared to the OE air box. The airflow dynamics are completely different between the two and though one filter may stink on the flat plate it may excel in the OE air box and vice versa. As for the flow rate, it makes a big difference on how air is directed into and through the filter media. If the flow rate is too low it can actually cause turbulence around the pleats. If designed properly, the filter can act as a sort of air straightener and actually help with MAF noise.
Another cool project might be to test the integrity of wiper fluids at really cold temperatures. Right now the weather in my area is about -4°F and I have wiper fluid that’s supposedly good to -25 and that is not the case. I think a test like that would be cool with some name brands and some generic ones.
Why? They would allow about the same amount of contaminants through them as the K&N. Most are derivatives of the K&N. Why buy junk? Little gains in horsepower is no reason to trash an engine.
Working Guy I would be interested to see if some of the non oiled versions would be any better. I’m sure the increased air flow they advertise comes at a cost of filtering efficiency. I would be curious to see as how much more debris they allow through vs oiled filter.
Some companies like S&B make a supposedly high performance paper filter that you can get instead of the oiled alternative too, I’d love to see one in the test
I'd like to see that too! Always been told Bosche oil filters were very good. It will be good to see an actual test of filters to see which oil filters are the best! Good to keep cars going for a long time!
A few years ago, a friend with a 3/4ton diesel changed over to K&N from OEM. He had had oil analysis done several times prior to changing over, so he had a baseline for comparison. After installing the K&N the next oil analysis flagged "silica contamination" (dirt), and they suggested a leak in the air intake system (check hoses, clamps, etc.). No leaks or loose clamps were found. So he removed the K&N and reinstalled the OEM. The next analysis showed a reduced, but still high, silica contamination, he kept the OEM system in place. With each oil change and each analysis, the silica content went down. It took 4 or 5 oil changes to get back to the baseline he had before he installed the K&N.
@@michaelcohen9363 It is impossible to get 100% of the oil & contaminants out in one oil change. As I said it took 4 or 5 changes to get it back to normal. I'm pretty sure he used Blackstone Labs. Indications of contamination go up a lot faster than they come down.
Ordered 2 K&N filters for my car for 106 based on popular youtube car guys but after watching this i qhickly ordered the wix and will be sending the unused K&N back. I rather better protection than superior airflow. Ty for this
Fram is capable of making a good filter. Their orange ones (PH part numbers) are garbage. Their higher tiers are much better, but the build quality and filtering performance of their cheapies always gives me pause.
False. Dirty filters have increased particle capture efficiency because the small pores of the filter become plugged. The trade-off is reduced flow and increased resistance.
@You Wish Depends on what you consider best, better air flow? Or better filtration? I'll take better filtration any day and yes a filter does its best filtering when it is a little dirty.
Once again I'm impressed with the high quality comparison and easy to decipher results that you deliver. Thank you for offering the best and most dependable comparisons available on the internet today.
@@sterrshow5016 nope. Some oem manufacturers actually just use rebadged other brands that are "cheap" quality and charge a dollar more than the same filter. Not only that but purulator and wix oil filters are top tier, bosche is fairly good for the price.
Stay away from those oiled filters. It oils your mass air flow sensor and makes your hair too oily. You may find you have to wash your hair more. It is bad if you are on a date and not giving your date attention but make it all about your hair...lol
Project Farm’s testing is unlike any channel I’ve watched! I’d like to add two things: 1) K&N filters filter particles better when sprayed with the K&N oil, however it is a maintenance item, and I’ve had these run dry and ruin a Mass Air Flow Sensor before. However, they work great in the dust with oil applied. 2) Video Idea: Comparing resistance to flow through different spark plug wires, I. E. OEM, Performance wires, versus store bought/common brands.
I've actually heard that the oil on a K&N can be drawn out as fine droplets, and clog up the wires on MAF sensor. How true that is, I don't know....I have used K&N filters for over 15 years now without any issues.
This man is nothing short of Awesome! I have been watching him for years and I wish some big corporation would see his value and hire him to test products!
I'd like to see a base "model" air filters vs the premium line air filter of the companies, particularly STP vs STP Premium(which I use STP premium). Are the "better models" actually any better than their basic filter. You could use what brands autozone/o'Reillys carry.
Catch is... Does the manufacturer making house brand filters today also make those same filters 6 months from now? Some chain stores insist that their cheap house brand filters are Wix because they sell Wix as their top line. When in reality they're house filters are made by Champion. Etc.
his previous tests from using basic to premium have almost always been better the higher up it is but it would be interesting to see by how much different it is
When I bought my 2016 ram, it had a k&n filter installed. I had been running it for a while, and didn't think much of it. I recently removed the filter to clean it, and discovered the k&n had a manufacturing defect, and the pleats were not doing any filtering along one edge. I replaced it with a Napa gold filter, and I'll never look back. Not only does the truck perform better, but I picked up 2-3 mpg with the Napa. In my opinion, k&n is not worth the money on a daily driver.
I once ran my own K&N versus Donaldson test in real-time. I have a Dixie Chopper XT2800 with a 28 HP Kohler EFI engine. It uses a heavy-duty canister filter. There are actually 2 filters in the canister. An outer filter PN P281575 and an inner safety filter PN P822858. The purpose of the inner filter is to keep any loose dust and debris from getting into the intake manifold when you're checking and/or changing the main outer filter. I have quite a few hours on this mower, almost 3,000, so I've had plenty of chances to change the air filter. Normally with the Donaldson filter, you wouldn't have to change the inner safety filter because it still looked like it was brand new. I tried the K&N E4961Donaldson replacement filter. I usually check the air filter at my 100-hour oil changes. I opened the canister up and pulled out the K&N filter and it still looked good. Then I looked in at the inner safety filter and it was filthy. That told me everything that I needed to know about the filtering capabilities of K&N filters. I threw both the inner safety filter and the K&N filter into the trash. I'm using nothing but the factory filters from here on out.
@@ProjectFarm You are the only TH-camr i trust when it comes to producttesting. I would bet money that you wouldnt trick us! Also i love the the unbiased conclusions. Btw. Could you please make your graphs easier to read or nicer to look at. I mean i understand them but they are unpleasant to look at. ALSO can you please make a rating home many times which brand won in the testings??
I'm going to put in a plug for the K&N filter but not for all applications. Over the years I've seen cars come with small perforation in their paper air cleaner elements. I always passed this off to careless cleaning with an air hose. Later I noticed that a many of these cars belonged to drivers who drove 70mph on graveled roads. Most cars have a long snorkel to direct the air into the air cleaner. At high speeds at high air flow this snorkel has a cyclotron effect (actually Bernoulli's) on any small stones or sand entering the air cleaner & by the time they contact the element they have accelerated to a point that they will go right through it & into the engine. The K&N , even though it's a less efficient filter, has a filter media made up of cloth fibers & metal mesh which will stop these high speed particles..
The MAF may get dirty, true, but I've never had a dirty MAP sensor (in my experiences with Hondas). In my most recent oil analysis from Black Stone on my EM2, there were 0 (zero) insolubles in my oil, and average was 1; I've got a K&N drop-in air filter.
Have used Wix for years, but used to use Fram. Went over to Wix due to advice by knowledgeable mechanics and was told Fram was trash. Good to have confirmation in real world tests that I had received good advice. Nice video!
Wix is no longer Wix though. It got grabbed up by another filter company --- boo hoo. I also believe that the NAPA Gold line was Wix -- and if the conglomeration of them is true, then the NAPA gold is now suspect.
There are very good reasons why a filter like K&N did little for the static test. The reason it's oily is that it's using particle momentum to trap the particles. Any spongy filter like that tends to have much larger openings than a paper filter, so free-floating dust can find ways through, as we saw here. In operation, though, while the pathways are relatively large, there's no straight-line path through the filter material. Air molecules have little trouble navigating the twists and turns, but dust particles have too much momentum and end up running into strands of cotton and, because they're oily, sticking to them. I don't think having a bunch of dust poured onto an open air filter is a very realistic scenario, nor is that short burst. The only of these test results I'd take very seriously is the steady-flow test, and there, the K&N did very well, as I would expect.
Not for nothing, but I have had a K&N before and putting a light on one side of the filter and looking through the other you can see holes, even after 10K miles running. The results indicated here are not all that surprising. When I bought mine, KN claimed that the filtering gets better with time because the dirt fills the voids. PF seemed to indicate something similar . So it isnt all that good at the getgo at filtering, especially if the claim is it gets better over time. My thought was what happens in the meantime? On the board I was associated with, there was all of this fanaticism over KN filters and no one could say anything bad about them or one of the zealots would quickly come and bully a person out of the post. At first, I took their recommendations and gave it a shot for a while. I used it on a 1994.5 Ford PSD. Certainly spun the turbo up better, that there was no doubt. However, at about 10K I went to check on it and found very fine grit after the filter in the oily surfaces on the clean side (after the pcv and before the turbo). After cleaning that up I went to Walmart grabbed the Motorcraft filter and tossed the KN right into the can never saw the grit in the oily portions again. Overall if you want performance and you are only looking to run her down the track and keep any massive particles out its probably your huckleberry but if you are looking for reasonable performance and excellent particle removal, Wix or Hastings has always been a good filter product.
@@ProjectFarm I believe those raised areas in the mesh are used to add strength and essentially prevent the filter from becoming sucked in. You see these alot on turbo diesels like my Ram with 6.7 Cummins.
K&N aren't good I know of a sport car race team that used the K&N filter and noticed over the course of a few races they lost power so they changed just the filter found the power returned after and few races.
@@ProjectFarm I think your testing method for particle pass through may have been flawed. K&N is unique in that it uses oil to catch particles. If you apply several years of particles (aka dump flower on it) all at once without cleaning and reoiling the oil becomes saturated and ceases to function.
The biggest problem I've seen with oiled air filters is oil coating of the mass air flow sensor element on MAF equipped engines. It's a gradual process (and usually accelerated by someone over oiling the filter after cleaning), but can result in a fine coating of oil and dust on the sensor element. For hot wire sensors this insulates the sensor which can result in an artificially low airflow reading creating a lean and overadvanced condition. Nothing a $10 can of MAF cleaner spray won't fix, but it pays to be aware of it. Speed density cars (or non-hotwire MAFs) need not worry.
I buy a house brand maf cleaner for 3$ and for an average time of one minute to pull the sensor and blast it clean it's good cheap preventative maintenance.
Same with turbocharged or supercharged vehicles. Run enough boost and you’re liable to oil up a wheel or screw. Which then could allow particulates to cling on and score up a compressor
Church Automotive Testing Dyno Tuning 99% of the time the reason people have problems with their oiled filters is cause their over oiling their filters. I have a 95 Dodge Ram with a turbo charger and a 2018,Kia Soul with a turbo charger among many other vehicles previously with K&N air filters and have yet to ever have a problem myself. But the ones I’ve helped that has had problems have always sprayed way too much oil on their filters. K&N air filters are only supposed to have a light layer sprayed on the filter. If your sucking oil on to other parts in the engine then it’s most likely been oiled too much!
This has become my go to channel for testing consumer products. No one does testing like Project Farm! His results always surprise me. The air filter test got me again. I sure didn't think Fram would be outperformed! Thank you!
I feel like whenever walmart's supertech brand is available to compete it should. A lot of people look to use their stuff because of cost so knowing if they're junk or not would be useful
This is a great idea. I would love to see how the cheaper supertech filters compare to the fram and wix filters. I have heard that besides the top tier ultra synthetic filter, fram filters are crap. Wix has been known to be good overall, but i want to see what you are paying for.
I really appreciate your hard work and attention to detail. I would also enjoy seeing an oil filter test around the same test parameters. If you decide to do an oil filter test, can you do one based on either the ls/lq style Chevrolet engine like in your suburban or even better one based on filters for a Cummins engine? Or even better, maybe both. I'm curious to see if there are any notable filtration differences between gas burner and diesel.thank you again for all your hard work and time. I can only imagine the r and d put into some of your test fixtures. Your efforts are much appreciated.
I did a test on this for a middle school science fair project like 13 years ago. Annual Rye is an amazing strain if you're looking for both density and growth speed.
@@USA-nw7cf Possibly so. I live near Pittsburgh, and our weather is 100% unpredictable. It leans on the side of cold most months here, but the hot months have been unbearable recently.
Again you have done a great service to the general public, I dont know why you dont have a TV show on Saturday mornings! Yes I do, You are fair and unbiased! Thank you so much for what you do. I am sure there are times you ask yourself if all the money and time is worth it. All I can say is Absolutely! And we appreciate all your efforts, Thanks gain.
I live in Australia and have travelled the “outback” extensively. The finest dust we have is as fine as talcum powder. K&N filters are useless out here. Either an OEM or a WIX air filter have been the most efficient of paper filters on all of my vehicles, that l have been using since 1972. “Donaldson” brand of air filters are, in my opinion, the “Rolls Royce” of air filters, hands down.
Thanks,I switched out from K & N, TO ORIGINAL* MOPAR, FOR 2015 JOURNEY 4 CYL, AND **ACDELCO FOR GMC CANYON 2007 4 CYL: after moving to HELENA Valley MT… so far I am more comfortable, checking AIR FILTERS frequently…Interestingly, used K & N OVER MANY 100,000 miles carefully recoiling/ cleaning for three vehicles in lower DUST AREA NORTHERN Indiana..no issues, seeming some performance inceeases…? ps WHAT IS OPINIONS NOW? …..
Seeing a lot of support posts and only ~1,800 patreon patrons. This is THE most informative, results driven, unbiased, genuine channel on this platform. Support this man if you can!
![The ULTIMATE Air Filter Test [Engineer Tested]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RdbFAG5xbyY/mqdefault.jpg)
![The ULTIMATE Air Filter Test [Engineer Tested]](/img/tr.png)
Thanks for everyone who requested testing air filters and please let me know which brands you want tested in the next round. Also, here's the list of the ones I tested. Thanks again!
Products Tested In This Video (in no particular order):
EPAuto: amzn.to/3lbyw9E
WIX: amzn.to/3aQloBN
Fram: amzn.to/3j1stm0
AC Delco: amzn.to/3j2J5tv
Purolator: amzn.to/2Qc3pwl
K&N: amzn.to/3aJlTh8
K&N Cleaning Kit and Oil: amzn.to/2Qb3Kzk
Please also compare the K&N oiled filter to an AEM DryFlow. I am really curious to see the differences between an oiled and dry performance filter.
I'd love to see a donaldson powercore added to the premium filter test. big rigs use them as stock OEM equipment
Yeah I don’t know how you would test oil filters but it is good info to know and since you did Oil already.
auto1tech.com/ they seem to have good prices, and the website looks good, but I don't want to be fooled like Fram.
Amsoil and Red Line, all products across the board, please. Oil, oil filter and air filter. GREAT videos !
If TH-cam channels got awards, I would nominate yours for “Most Useful Channel”. 💯
For sure!
How do we highlight this comment
I second that motion, plus many more awards, also if he quits youtube is all but dead to me
I'd second the motion.
Definitely agree. He deserves an award for the amount of time and effort that gets put into his videos
We've legitimately used this man's videos to change what kind of tools and parts etc that we use on the generators we build at my work, his videos have actually solved some issues we've been dealing with and helped make our products better. Can't give any better praise than that
Wow, thanks so much!
True! Project Farm is AWESOME!!!
VERY IMPRESSIVE!!! 😂😂
I used his car battery recommendation yesterday over Consumer Report's evaluation and recommendation. I like how he shows you how he tests things.
Wow. Talk a bout making a difference.
If products had a stamp saying “project farm tested” I’m buying
Thanks!
Likewise.
*SUCESSFULLY PASSED Project Farm test, lol.
Hey he could do that, alot of companys charge corporations for tests on there products vs competition
Honestly though
I just wanted to come back and say thanks for taking the time to do this. There are so many misinformed people and I was one of them before this. I share this video at least once every three months when discussions about air filters and cold air intakes comes up.
Thanks so much!
I have a front ram true cold air intake with a k&n filter on my 1uz.. fight me!
Let’s just appreciate this guy helping answer these age old questions
For sure. This is literally one of only two channels to which I subscribe that I never miss a video. Really useful and valuable info.
Thanks for sharing.
No kidding on the age old questions.
Make sure you show your support by donating to his Patreon account. This guy buys a bunch of products to test.
It's amazing how many products are out there with false claims.
I was an air filter engineer for many years a long time ago at one of the brands you tested. You do a great job, as always and I applaud your very logical and thoughtful approach. However, I'd like to make a few comments about this report. 1. Flour or powder do not make good test mediums. They tend to agglomerate, and in any case do not compare well with industry standard contaminants. 2. During testing, an even distribution of contamination introduction is critical. Thus, semi-random placement of the test medium can drastically affect the test outcome. A typical test set-up involves an aspirated cloud of contaminant for more consistent and even dispersal to assure a more realistic particle size distribution. 3. Industry standard contaminant particle size is inversely proportional to particle count. In fact, the number of particles increases dramatically (exponentially) as size goes down. 4. Engine wear potential is attributable to particle make-up, i.e. Is it silica or organics, etc., and quantity. Thus, engine wear risk drops dramatically with particle size. Internally moving engine parts, especially rings & valves, are not usually affected by very small particles in small quantities. Five microns is about 1/100000 inches. Concern for wear begins around 10,000 microns or below .005". 5. Flow is generally concentrated in any filter, despite shape and flow diverting techniques used. Placement of contaminant on the filter media by hand is less realistic. 6. Contamination which agglomerates will increase pressure drop and increase contamination removal efficiency giving erroneous results. As a function of actual wear potential, the K&N, though inefficient according to your test, may actually be the best protector because of its affinity for the larger silica particles seen in real life. Still, your test report is very persuasive! Thank you for reading!
Thanks for the feedback.
Smear some petroleum jelly on the clean side of your air cleaner, run a paper filter for a week, see how much it lets through, then do the same with a K&N...the petroleum jelly will be full of gritty crap...I will never use a K&N filter again.
@@mebe2k I would say your petroleum jelly test is brilliant! We used a Coulter Counter wafer downstream of the filter to catch what passed through and this was very effective, especially in measuring particle size distribution. The really small stuff was impossible to filter without serious pressure/flow loss. But, K&N elements were never tested, way back then. Great suggestion you made!
Hey Chip D - What brand would you buy for your own vehicle?
@@baconmunchers629 My best recollection is Fram and Purelator were always top performers but I really have no idea how they compare today. When you take the physics into consideration of what is happening, it is generally true a greater pressure drop is indicative of contamination buildup, thus further suggesting your engine is being protected. Also, the number of pleats in the filter media reduces pressure drop from the outset by lowering the cfm of air per square inch, assuming no major differences in the media itself. I would elect to use the filter with the most pleats (most media) and significant pressure drop with increasing contamination. I don't believe the engine's output is noticeably compromised with one inch of water pressure increase and, in any case, I'd rather know I was protected. Cars can run without oil filters for years, as long as the oil is changed regularly. But, contamination entering the engine through a poor filter directly affects the combustion area! Air filtering is much more important than oil filtering!
After all his hard work, he still makes time to respond to every comment. Best TH-camr ever! Thank you sir!!
I try! Thanks for watching!
BJ G I don’t know how he does it. Seems like a good guy and looks like he had one heck of a farm.
@@ProjectFarm i like the way you do the tests! Great content!
I thought the same thing when I posted. Definitely didn’t think I’d get a response. But love these videos!
For real!!!
I really appreciate that I can come back and watch years later as a reference. Blessings
Thanks!
This guy has a gift. And he doesn't bother us with too much talking. He just gets to the point and tells you what you need to know. I've come to this channel a few times and I haven't wasted anytime with his videos. Very nice and informative. I am grateful!
Appreciate that!
That's why I'm here.
Maybe my gift is to appreciate others and encourage them in their tasks toward greatness. Huzzah. I found something that I'm good at!
If you notice when you install a filter, there is guides made from glue sometimes (guess it keeps the pleats together). Put that side towards the intake pipe
I have put it the other way and ran less efficiently because of turbulence (more noticeable with bigger air box or pipes) but they are less restrictive.
God gives each one of us gifts to use, this guy was given the whole bushels full!
I now consider YOUR tests more authoritative than ad's, testimonials, or endorsements. Thanks!
Let’s just respect the fact that he counted all those pleates
Thanks for the feedback.
ALLGAMING404 😂😂
Definitely more patience than I have...
@@timnelson5037.....Farm is a Retired Airman! He was taught patience, and learned quite well!
Yes lol
As others have mentioned, would love to see something similar done with cabin air filters. Keep up the great work!
Thanks, will do! Thanks for the suggestion.
Need this ❤
@@ProjectFarmI agree!
This would be great! Thanks for all of your testing!!
This guy has more credibility than anyone in our government.
Thank you very much!
I'm voting Project Farm for office
Project Farm I vote for you 2024
That's a low standard tho. I'm pretty sure that he isn't guilty of treason and wants steal from us while trampling on the constitution like today's politicians, from both left AND right.
thats not saying much.... this guy is my go to testing guy
Particle counter! Dude!!
When I first started watching you ..you were like: Lets see how long this lawn mower engine runs on human pee!
You are now outdoing Consumer Reports!
God, I hope you are getting paid for this.
Obviously...awesome job as usual!
Thanks!
He gets paid
If
The impatient mafakas don't skip the ads.
@@amsb4dafunk406 he gets paid whether you press skip ad or not, just like he gets paid even though I have premium and don't see any ads, but he still gets revenue off the view.
I would still enjoy seeing what all an engine can run on as well lol
But can a mower run on human pee? Now I need to know
This channel is more valuable than consumer reports. Seriously.
Also, my two brands coming out on top was awesome
Thank you very much!
Consumer report sucks dude.
Agree
K&N takes bronze... I can live with that!
You can never go wrong with Purolator or WIX products.
As a mechanic/ owner operator of a small shop, and a youtuber myself, I love this channel, always very through and well planned out! Stay awesome 😊
Thanks and you are welcome!
You can literally see the sun moving, hours ticking off by the effort this man is putting from 7:27-8:40
Thanks for the feedback.
And that's not including building the test fixtures. Call it days.
You really think 12 ten second pulls took hours?
I trust this guy so much that now I just hit "like" on the videos when they start. He's helped me narrow down age old questions.
Thanks for sharing!
Hah, I do the same exact thing man.
@robert retka same
@robert retka yep! That would be a test to find the most intimidating blades. 😁
I sell parts and recommend products based off your results with a recommendation that customers watch your videos. Thank you for what you do Sir.
Thanks for sharing!
I’ve used OEM or Wix for years in a variety of vehicles, so I am very glad the Wix did well. Really appreciate the passion and thoroughness you put into your videos. Looking forward to what’s next, take care!
Thank you!
Wix vs Denso would be good to know
The amount of effort and detail that goes into your experiments is top-notch
Thanks!
I have to agree 100% Thank you, Project Farm! I love all of your videos!
@@ProjectFarm nasa could take notes from your testing methods!
Sure is nice to have a friend who’s an energetic, resourceful, imaginative genius
Thanks!
This channel is honestly the most useful and fundamental source for everyday applications.
Thanks so much!
So glad I watched this. Used to swear by K&N, had no idea the potential damage it was causing.
Thanks for watching!
I’m at 15,000 mile oil change intervals on my Toyota Corolla and I’ve had a oiled K@N filter for over 100,000 of those miles. I have seen nothing atrocious in all the oil samples that I have sent off so I would not worry too much.
@Green Monkey that's not really a good metric considering ingested air never comes in contact with motor oil. Biggest place you'll see the difference is in the intake track. Fine grit wearing on valve seats and guides. In other words, that yota will last maybe 200k? Where others might last 4-500k
Well ya it is pretty much free air flow to get more power.
I used to hang out on the TJ Wrangler forums often and the more experienced guys there would always talk trash about K&N filters being overpriced and not working well. That was before this video was uploaded. Looks like they were right.
This channel is killing me. Like this dude does the most thorough testing on youtube imo well him and gamer nexus if you're into computers. He has the tools for freaking everything and the few things he doesn't have he creates himself. Then his scientific method is damn near flawless. I'm like this guy needs a lab coat and some googles at least that's what I keep expecting.
Some Bill Nye equipment!
For computer madness and facts it’s JayzTwoCents
Tech Jesus still needs to move out of his mom's basement 😂
In 2024 your comment aged really well. GN has done so much for consumer advocacy in the last two years!
Cant wait till "Project Farm approved" stickers
Thank you!
@@BruceLortzHI yes!! This is how he can stay neutral and still make cash. Check into this dude.
Certainly would be nice to see a ‘verified by recognised consumer tester’ or something a kin to it. It’s how Thatcham in UK 🇬🇧 stated out, a group of car enthusiasts with their own money bought a bunch of steering locks and tested them for legitimacy against claims, they moved onto car alarms, immobilisers and then really took off. google Thatcham or check out the link
th-cam.com/users/ThatchamMIRRC001
Take my money
Great idea! I could use some stickers for more horsepower.
Straight to the point, no wasted 2 minute intro or fluff. Outstanding!
Thanks so much!
Thank you. I have been saying it for decades that K&N is great for flow but terrible on filtration. I have seen many diesels with K&Ns come in with dusted turbo wheels (saw blading) with no obvious pre turbo air leaks. I avoid them on all my vehicles.
You are welcome! Thanks for the feedback.
Good for airflow but bad for dust filtration , why even put filter when you can let entire gush of air in for best of performance .
@@vikasshelke5544because you don’t want to risk your engine ingesting sand, rocks, leaves, potato chip bags, etc.
You want a filter to prevent that but you want one with low restriction. Ideally a racetrack won’t be super dusty so fine filtration isn’t really needed.
Lol K&N filters are good at nothing.
If someone has a diesel pickup for sale and states its had a K&N filter all its life I would RUN!
This by far has been the best channel I've ever found. I remember when it was all seafoam and epoxy and a couple thousand subs. You sir deserve an award for all your hard work and dedication. Best content from any testing channel.
Wow, thank you!
Yes agreed. Almost of his contents are similiar with my thoughts and what if
Project Farm That mower should be in a Museum.
Same here, and when he was testing all those lawnmower engines and all that, it was amazing how help he's been to us all these years
I have nothing to add other than - I am SO grateful for the time and effort you put into these videos.
I appreciate that!
I’m like a neurotic raccoon when it comes air filters, oil filters and wiper blades always wondering who cleans the best. Super interesting.
Paul Stan same that’s hilarious. Already started shopping purolator so I can get the k&n out. Also Toyota oem blades on my wife’s Highlander are the best.... just took my rain-x off. You’re welcome
lol. Nice!
@@stephenwilson9883 Same, but Wix for me. Elite filtration and second best 0-60.
Nothing worse than cheap wipers!!
Ooo wiper blades is a great idea!
This channel has no equal. It is the best at comparing products out there. Respect
Thanks!
By far, the best TH-cam channel I've ever seen. As a head of household, father and handyman, your videos have benefited me the most and helps me to make better decisions with the products I buy. Can't thank you enough for that!
Also makes your family confident in your knowledge... just don't let them know ya got the knowledge from the "farm"... lol
Yeah. Informed consumer is the feared consumer. Make the companies fear us!
I work at an auto parts store and I usually recommend customers buying WIX, over any of the other filters, watching this makes me feel better about my recommendations that I give out.
Thanks for sharing.
@@ronb6182 It’s not about having a customer pay more money the most expensive filter is a K & N depending on the car make it usually is about 50 bucks, Well mycrogard is the cheapest it doesn’t last long, for five bucks difference on a wix and for better quality you can’t go wrong.
😂
K&N are referred to rock catchers on a well known oil website, so I'm not surprised. Not surprised to know that Wix came out on top, but would have thought Fram would have done better. Their orange cans are low end, but the Ultra is a contender with some of the highest rated filters out there.
“Sizing up” is generally speaking not a good idea. There’s more that goes into a filter being “the right one” than the thread and the gasket.
Just a suggestion, but maybe add something on your graphs that just clarifies if "lower is better" or "higher is better"
Great suggestion! Thank you
@You Wish Thanks for the clarification
Airflow vs filtration , which do you want ?
There's going to be a trade-off either way.
About the only way to "gain" a little bit in both departments is to increase the size of the filter.
Like an old v8, stack as many round air filter elements as you can.
You'll maintain decent airflow with decent filtration for a longer period.
@@MrTheHillfolk To an extent. But, as some other tests have shown, design and material differences can be an improvement on both, compared to stock.
I've always had a suspicion he has an oil filter test in the works. But I cant be sure of course. You have to imagine running multiple brands of oil filters through the same vehicle for 3500 miles minimum takes time.
2 years ago I watched this but watching again because I need to replace the filter on my truck. So glad this channel is here
I always bought Fram, now changed to Wix. Thank you
Thanks for sharing.
And if the store is sold out of wix, you can get a Napa gold. Napa gold is made by wix
Old saying in regards to Fram:
Red is Dead. (As in a dead engine)
Especially don't use Fram Oil Filters.
This explains much. When I crashed my Suburban through a bakery with my K&N filter, performance was notably worse. However I was able to make biscuits from the exhaust.
lol Thanks for watching.
wisenber I was using K&N air filters when Mt Saint Helen’s erupted and ash was blowing thru the air everywhere! I knew a lot of people that weren’t able to keep their vehicles running with all the ash clogging up their filters. But my K&N never gave me one bit of problems keeping the ash out of my engine nor ever clogged either! Same goes for all my ATV’s and dirt bikes using K&N air filters in the sand or dirt/mud. Never once have I gotten any sand or dirt in my carbs or engine. But ridding in heavy blowing sand and dirt you do have to clean your filters more often!
@@galejenness7615 I've been using K&N in my Suburbans for over 20 years. No complaints.
Just threw a k&N in my burban. Very happy with the response and sound improvement
I formerly worked for an automotive parts manufacturer that was represented in this testing. I find PF's testing approach to be VERY credible and findings very interesting. One thing to note, any engine air filter is actually MORE effective at filtering particulate with a bit of age/usage as the previously captured foreign material in the filter media increases the filter's own filtering capacity. That made sense to me during product training years ago, but would have never occurred to me beforehand. There's definitely an argument for NOT changing this filter prematurely as some of us enthusiasts are prone to do with "over maintaining" our vehicles. Just wanted to add this interesting factoid. Nice job PF, love your content!
Thanks and you are welcome! Thanks for sharing.
I build just for fun an air cleaner for home uses and i used an car air filter. Do they reduce also pollen in the air?
I guess that’s why Subaru recommends you change the engine air filter every 30,000 miles on the Ascents. I was about to change I at every oil change before I noticed the manufacturers instructions.
The filtration gets better as the filter gets saturated, but it also gets harder for the air to pass through.
same thing for pool filters, in fact they had a special dust you dump into the filter that coats it so it filters better
Great job as usual! Your results echo what most of us already know. The "secret" to K&N's great breathing capability is its extremely poor filtration performance.
Well, said!
I won't pretend that oiled filters are great at filtration. However, I had just used one in my V8 pickup for around 50,000 miles with no cleaning and no issues. Mostly road driving without much dust, but not always. Some offroading, but not much. As far as I can tell, it ran the same or better until I totalled it a month ago. It was 21 years old, and very reliable. I mean no malice; I'm just wondering what your thoughts are about this. I'm beginning to think fine filtration isn't as important and coarse filtration.
@@Mannyjv The logic is undeniable. You can flow air or trap particles you can't do both
This is so true lol
@@rtflone you can get a little of both. K&N must be enough filtration for all my vehicles.
I'm not from usa. I don't even own a car. But I still watched your video without skipping once. That's how good your video was.
Thanks so much!
100% most useful channel on TH-cam, you deserve an award sir!
Thanks for the nice comment!
At least he already has a Gold Play button! Time to get that Diamond!
As the comments have shown, you've helped out so many people out by doing these tests. i hope you've never doubted yourself. thank you for saving me a lot of time, worry, frustration and hard earned money. You're a hero in my book. You and ChrisFix are definitely the most important Auto-Based TH-camrs. So many of us rely on your experience. You're doing an amazing job.
Thanks!
no Scotty Kilmer?
@@menadionnassertamtama379 Scotty kilmer used to be great but He's turned into a shill and just makes click bait now.
You are literally the best at consumer reports!!!
Thanks!
I love Project Farm for it's high moral compass and not being paid off for results, too bad our politicians can't live up to his level of integrity.
Project Farm for President,
no offence President Biden.
@@johncollins5552 a potato would be better than Beijing Biden.
Next election, we need project farm to compare all the options...
Facts! Team :VLAD!!! ®
MAKE YARD ORNAMENTS GREAT AGAIN!!!
Politician: I can't be bought
Project Farm: We're gonna test that
I second the oil filter test, we need to know!
Great suggestion! Thank you
Amsoil is rated the number ONE oil filter.
It's rated at 98.7% at 20 microns.
All ratings are presumed false until tried by project farm in his garage by a group of his lawnmowers
Not to take money out of P/F's pocket but, look up "oil filter test" by CarsNToys… He has a few shockingly thorough and very entertaining oil filter tests.
I agree that this test should occur
Not only would it be good to see what oil filter is best, but also what oil filters actually do
I'm a filtration test engineer for a living and, I have to say, nice job for a DIY style setup. We use pretty stringent guidelines on contamination and particle testing, but your setup was a good idea for a general idea of how the filters perform.
The only thing I'd recommend on this one is to think about the fact that a lot of filters are designed for the rated flow-rate of the engine inside the O.E. air box. Air dynamics across a plate mounted filter can do funny things to the measured restriction and cause it to spike or fall compared to when it's installed in a vehicle. You might be surprised how different the pressure loss can be in those situations.
Other than that, nice job.
How would you say the idea of dumping contaminant directly onto the media works? Not sure that gives a real-world, or even valid hypothetical standard for testing...
@shankle farm respectfully, disagree. it's like when mythbusters shot frozen chickens out of an air canon to see if it would destroy a cessna.... Now in their example they found that both the frozen and thawed chicken did equal damage. But then they realized they were not using airplane grade windshield glass....
You have to test the practical application.
Thanks for the feedback.
@@radiomantodd To be honest, the direct contaminant injection method has never been my favorite, but it can provide consistent results. However, this is only when using a proven contaminant standard.
The capacities that are achieved in a lab are typically less than what you would see in the field. Dirt loading over a longer period allows for pathways to develop in the media and prolong the life of the filter.
@shankle farm Your point is half on target. They were all treated the same, which is good methodology, but it doesn't mean they will react the same on a flat plate compared to the OE air box. The airflow dynamics are completely different between the two and though one filter may stink on the flat plate it may excel in the OE air box and vice versa.
As for the flow rate, it makes a big difference on how air is directed into and through the filter media. If the flow rate is too low it can actually cause turbulence around the pleats. If designed properly, the filter can act as a sort of air straightener and actually help with MAF noise.
Another cool project might be to test the integrity of wiper fluids at really cold temperatures. Right now the weather in my area is about -4°F and I have wiper fluid that’s supposedly good to -25 and that is not the case. I think a test like that would be cool with some name brands and some generic ones.
Thanks for the suggestion.
-60F is available in Canada
Would love to see an air filter test of “Performance” air filters like AEM, Air RAID, Spectra,etc. Love the channel, keep up the good work!
Same!
Why? They would allow about the same amount of contaminants through them as the K&N. Most are derivatives of the K&N. Why buy junk? Little gains in horsepower is no reason to trash an engine.
Working Guy I would be interested to see if some of the non oiled versions would be any better. I’m sure the increased air flow they advertise comes at a cost of filtering efficiency. I would be curious to see as how much more debris they allow through vs oiled filter.
Some companies like S&B make a supposedly high performance paper filter that you can get instead of the oiled alternative too, I’d love to see one in the test
Great suggestion!
Oil filter comparison would be a good “spin off” of this video
Thanks for the video idea.
Yes, please! I just finished watching your engine oil comparison video (Kirkland, Amazon, Super Tech) and this was my next interest.
@@ProjectFarm Be sure to try Motorcraft oil filters
Like to see comparisons with a Mann filters also.
I'd like to see that too! Always been told Bosche oil filters were very good. It will be good to see an actual test of filters to see which oil filters are the best! Good to keep cars going for a long time!
Just bought a Purolator before I watched this video this makes me more confident in my decision. Thank you!!!
You are welcome!
I enjoyed listening to the 0 to 60 runs, gotta love that V8 sound.
Python don Dodd When the local PD gets complaints of speeders on his road, they don’t even go out..”Project Farm must be up to something...”
Agreed!
Maybe he can borrow my 454 Suburban for the next round.
One of the best review channels on TH-cam. Don't ever sell out man! Thank you!
I appreciate that!
@@ProjectFarm You are very welcome buddy!
A few years ago, a friend with a 3/4ton diesel changed over to K&N from OEM. He had had oil analysis done several times prior to changing over, so he had a baseline for comparison. After installing the K&N the next oil analysis flagged "silica contamination" (dirt), and they suggested a leak in the air intake system (check hoses, clamps, etc.). No leaks or loose clamps were found. So he removed the K&N and reinstalled the OEM. The next analysis showed a reduced, but still high, silica contamination, he kept the OEM system in place. With each oil change and each analysis, the silica content went down. It took 4 or 5 oil changes to get back to the baseline he had before he installed the K&N.
Thanks for sharing.
that doesn't make any sense, since all the silica content would be removed with the oil change...
@@michaelcohen9363 It is impossible to get 100% of the oil & contaminants out in one oil change. As I said it took 4 or 5 changes to get it back to normal. I'm pretty sure he used Blackstone Labs. Indications of contamination go up a lot faster than they come down.
@@glenatgoogle4393 "showed a reduced, but still high, silica contamination"
That wouldn't happen after the first one or two oil changes.
@@michaelcohen9363 Yet it did. BTW the guy I was referring to -- 20+ years as a mechanic, ASE certified in all categories.
Ordered 2 K&N filters for my car for 106 based on popular youtube car guys but after watching this i qhickly ordered the wix and will be sending the unused K&N back. I rather better protection than superior airflow. Ty for this
Fixing cars for 20years, and I have always believed that Fram was quality untill i saw this and the oilfilter test. Will never buy Fram again.
Buy the cheapest version you can then condemn the entire brand name.
Right on.
Chevy's are shit cars.
My uncle had a lemon in 1995 they're all junk
@@hotrodray6802 you sound like a cry baby, is that true?
Fram is garbage, always has been. Known that since I was 16, cut apart some oil filters and realized how terrible there products are.
I have avoided Fram wherever possible. I have heard too many horror stories, especially in relation to their oil filters.
Fram is capable of making a good filter. Their orange ones (PH part numbers) are garbage. Their higher tiers are much better, but the build quality and filtering performance of their cheapies always gives me pause.
The best filters are the ones that are changed on or before their scheduled interval .
amen!
Dirty one cleans better than a clean one
Thank you
False. Dirty filters have increased particle capture efficiency because the small pores of the filter become plugged. The trade-off is reduced flow and increased resistance.
@You Wish
Depends on what you consider best, better air flow? Or better filtration? I'll take better filtration any day and yes a filter does its best filtering when it is a little dirty.
I admire your dedication to your videos! Keep up the hard work. I appreciate all the work you put in!
Thank you very much!
Once again I'm impressed with the high quality comparison and easy to decipher results that you deliver. Thank you for offering the best and most dependable comparisons available on the internet today.
Thanks and you are welcome!
Switching from Fran to Wix. 😁
I've been a Wix man for years and this test just validates my brand of choice. Thanks Project Farm !!!!
So wix wins? Thanks
@@NiNjaTurtLe697 Depends on what you want out of your filter. Watch the video :)
@@mdmyer I did now :)
And in general, wix is a good winner for the average joe.👌
@@mdmyer wix is best
Rock Auto has them for real cheap. I buy them when I do major maintenance on my vehicles.
The amount of work and effort that goes into these videos, we really appreciate it, thank you
I appreciate that!
Please do a video on oil filter🙏 you do the best comparison videos and the only person i can trust
Great recommendation! I'll see what I can do!
Always go OEM
Look up CarsNToys… he has a few that are interesting to watch and highly informative… not to Diss P/F...
@@sterrshow5016 nope. Some oem manufacturers actually just use rebadged other brands that are "cheap" quality and charge a dollar more than the same filter. Not only that but purulator and wix oil filters are top tier, bosche is fairly good for the price.
Definitely oil filters
This guy is the youtube standard. I love this channel!
Thanks!
I'd love to see an automotive wax showdown. Mothers, Meguires, Turtle Wax, Griot's Garage, Zymol, etc... maybe even paste vs liquid.
Thank you for the video idea!
@@ProjectFarm add Zaino to the list :)
Would love to see this. Anyway to test UV protection too? Not sure if wax actually helps or not.
Yes, automotive paint/body (including plastics, tires, wheels) protection products like wax, ceramic coats, tire shine, wheel cleaners
I personally love voodoo ride products
i knew my performance felt sluggish when i drove through that bakery with my k&n air filter
lol Thanks for watching.
Stay away from the "DONUTS"..... they clog everything!!!
Stay away from those oiled filters. It oils your mass air flow sensor and makes your hair too oily. You may find you have to wash your hair more. It is bad if you are on a date and not giving your date attention but make it all about your hair...lol
@@CJ-wc6lf The MAF is fine if you oil it good.
@@MauriceNL1 indeed
Project Farm’s testing is unlike any channel I’ve watched! I’d like to add two things:
1) K&N filters filter particles better when sprayed with the K&N oil, however it is a maintenance item, and I’ve had these run dry and ruin a Mass Air Flow Sensor before. However, they work great in the dust with oil applied.
2) Video Idea: Comparing resistance to flow through different spark plug wires, I. E. OEM, Performance wires, versus store bought/common brands.
Thanks for the feedback.
I've actually heard that the oil on a K&N can be drawn out as fine droplets, and clog up the wires on MAF sensor.
How true that is, I don't know....I have used K&N filters for over 15 years now without any issues.
Clean the oil off, you didn't ruin an MAF filter
The oil was already on it
Thanks for sharing.
This man is nothing short of Awesome! I have been watching him for years and I wish some big corporation would see his value and hire him to test products!
Thanks!
I'd like to see a base "model" air filters vs the premium line air filter of the companies, particularly STP vs STP Premium(which I use STP premium). Are the "better models" actually any better than their basic filter. You could use what brands autozone/o'Reillys carry.
Thanks for the video idea.
Catch is...
Does the manufacturer making house brand filters today also make those same filters 6 months from now?
Some chain stores insist that their cheap house brand filters are Wix because they sell Wix as their top line.
When in reality they're house filters are made by Champion.
Etc.
Napa gold vs Napa silver. I got Napa gold in my car.
his previous tests from using basic to premium have almost always been better the higher up it is but it would be interesting to see by how much different it is
Knecht, Mahle and Mann air filters would be great too, to see how good they are.
Every time I watch these video's I smile through the whole thing. Great comparisons. I'll stick to WIX filters.
Thanks for sharing!
When I bought my 2016 ram, it had a k&n filter installed. I had been running it for a while, and didn't think much of it. I recently removed the filter to clean it, and discovered the k&n had a manufacturing defect, and the pleats were not doing any filtering along one edge. I replaced it with a Napa gold filter, and I'll never look back. Not only does the truck perform better, but I picked up 2-3 mpg with the Napa. In my opinion, k&n is not worth the money on a daily driver.
Thanks for sharing.
And that Napa Gold is a wix!
When I used those nasty K&Ns my airbox always had a very fine coat of dust. Going back to stock paper filter that dust issue went away.
@@darylsmioth1904dont suck at applying the oil and problem solved
I once ran my own K&N versus Donaldson test in real-time. I have a Dixie Chopper XT2800 with a 28 HP Kohler EFI engine. It uses a heavy-duty canister filter. There are actually 2 filters in the canister. An outer filter PN P281575 and an inner safety filter PN P822858. The purpose of the inner filter is to keep any loose dust and debris from getting into the intake manifold when you're checking and/or changing the main outer filter. I have quite a few hours on this mower, almost 3,000, so I've had plenty of chances to change the air filter. Normally with the Donaldson filter, you wouldn't have to change the inner safety filter because it still looked like it was brand new. I tried the K&N E4961Donaldson replacement filter. I usually check the air filter at my 100-hour oil changes. I opened the canister up and pulled out the K&N filter and it still looked good. Then I looked in at the inner safety filter and it was filthy. That told me everything that I needed to know about the filtering capabilities of K&N filters. I threw both the inner safety filter and the K&N filter into the trash. I'm using nothing but the factory filters from here on out.
Thanks for the feedback.
I swear before I buy anything important, I check if you reviewed it first. You good a great job! Keep it up
Thank you!
This is gold. Let us all know when the sore loser companies start coming after you, we got your back.
Thank you very much! I greatly appreciate the support!
@@ProjectFarm You are the only TH-camr i trust when it comes to producttesting.
I would bet money that you wouldnt trick us!
Also i love the the unbiased conclusions.
Btw. Could you please make your graphs easier to read or nicer to look at. I mean i understand them but they are unpleasant to look at.
ALSO can you please make a rating home many times which brand won in the testings??
Don't the k&n filters need oiling before use? I used them in my bikes for years. I've never used them on cars.
@@Adrianyoutubing it comes pre oiled
@@Adrianyoutubing yeah after the initial use... they can be cleaned and then re-oiled.... kind of a pain actually.
I'm going to put in a plug for the K&N filter but not for all applications. Over the years I've seen cars come with small perforation in their paper air cleaner elements. I always passed this off to careless cleaning with an air hose. Later I noticed that a many of these cars belonged to drivers who drove 70mph on graveled roads. Most cars have a long snorkel to direct the air into the air cleaner. At high speeds at high air flow this snorkel has a cyclotron effect (actually Bernoulli's) on any small stones or sand entering the air cleaner & by the time they contact the element they have accelerated to a point that they will go right through it & into the engine. The K&N , even though it's a less efficient filter, has a filter media made up of cloth fibers & metal mesh which will stop these high speed particles..
Thanks for sharing.
K&N also will dirty your MAP sensor with oil and dirt if you don't take care of it. I been using WIX for years now. Great video as always!!!
True, I learned this lesson the hard way on a '98 Chevy by using a K&N and it was dusty were I lived at the time
The MAF may get dirty, true, but I've never had a dirty MAP sensor (in my experiences with Hondas).
In my most recent oil analysis from Black Stone on my EM2, there were 0 (zero) insolubles in my oil, and average was 1; I've got a K&N drop-in air filter.
@@crash_test_dummy_1 Yes you put oil in your air system it will go somewhere.
Thanks for the feedback.
Have used Wix for years, but used to use Fram. Went over to Wix due to advice by knowledgeable mechanics and was told Fram was trash. Good to have confirmation in real world tests that I had received good advice. Nice video!
Thanks!
Wix is no longer Wix though. It got grabbed up by another filter company --- boo hoo. I also believe that the NAPA Gold line was Wix -- and if the conglomeration of them is true, then the NAPA gold is now suspect.
Bryan which flows better less restrictive between the fram and wix?
I swear you do all the comparisons that I didn't know I wanted to know! Ya gotta do oil filters though!
Keep up the good work!
I believe he already did
He did. Cuts them open also.
@@donjohnson9688 I looked and very surprisingly I couldn't find an oil filter comparison video, I'm sure he's working on it now
Can you guys link it? I just scrolled through all the videos and don't see it.
There are very good reasons why a filter like K&N did little for the static test. The reason it's oily is that it's using particle momentum to trap the particles. Any spongy filter like that tends to have much larger openings than a paper filter, so free-floating dust can find ways through, as we saw here. In operation, though, while the pathways are relatively large, there's no straight-line path through the filter material. Air molecules have little trouble navigating the twists and turns, but dust particles have too much momentum and end up running into strands of cotton and, because they're oily, sticking to them.
I don't think having a bunch of dust poured onto an open air filter is a very realistic scenario, nor is that short burst. The only of these test results I'd take very seriously is the steady-flow test, and there, the K&N did very well, as I would expect.
Thanks for the feedback.
Not for nothing, but I have had a K&N before and putting a light on one side of the filter and looking through the other you can see holes, even after 10K miles running. The results indicated here are not all that surprising.
When I bought mine, KN claimed that the filtering gets better with time because the dirt fills the voids. PF seemed to indicate something similar . So it isnt all that good at the getgo at filtering, especially if the claim is it gets better over time. My thought was what happens in the meantime?
On the board I was associated with, there was all of this fanaticism over KN filters and no one could say anything bad about them or one of the zealots would quickly come and bully a person out of the post. At first, I took their recommendations and gave it a shot for a while. I used it on a 1994.5 Ford PSD. Certainly spun the turbo up better, that there was no doubt. However, at about 10K I went to check on it and found very fine grit after the filter in the oily surfaces on the clean side (after the pcv and before the turbo). After cleaning that up I went to Walmart grabbed the Motorcraft filter and tossed the KN right into the can never saw the grit in the oily portions again.
Overall if you want performance and you are only looking to run her down the track and keep any massive particles out its probably your huckleberry but if you are looking for reasonable performance and excellent particle removal, Wix or Hastings has always been a good filter product.
@@ProjectFarm I believe those raised areas in the mesh are used to add strength and essentially prevent the filter from becoming sucked in. You see these alot on turbo diesels like my Ram with 6.7 Cummins.
K&N aren't good I know of a sport car race team that used the K&N filter and noticed over the course of a few races they lost power so they changed just the filter found the power returned after and few races.
If you can see through it, it pretty much ends the debate.
And this is why I buy Wix filters for everything.
and their oil filters are good looking inside
Wix website has the absolute best application and cross reference lookup anywhere, with specs for every filter listed
Wix has always been a known quantity for me. My daily drivers usually get wix filters.
Isaak Welch Purolator for me. It’s more local in my automotive shop and don’t have problems with them even in my older 97 Camry.
@@venividivici4253 The closest auto shop to me is NAPA, and their branded filters are made by wix.
2:13 - I hear these things; we see the time you invest to bring us this content.
Thanks for the hard work, and time; as always.
You are welcome!
I dont know how you have the patience to do all this, your amazing sir. Plus I'm getting a good filter now!👍👍
Thank you very much!
@@ProjectFarm I think your testing method for particle pass through may have been flawed. K&N is unique in that it uses oil to catch particles. If you apply several years of particles (aka dump flower on it) all at once without cleaning and reoiling the oil becomes saturated and ceases to function.
Okay, you convinced me. Just ordered a WIX engine air filter for my truck.
Thanks for sharing.
The biggest problem I've seen with oiled air filters is oil coating of the mass air flow sensor element on MAF equipped engines. It's a gradual process (and usually accelerated by someone over oiling the filter after cleaning), but can result in a fine coating of oil and dust on the sensor element. For hot wire sensors this insulates the sensor which can result in an artificially low airflow reading creating a lean and overadvanced condition. Nothing a $10 can of MAF cleaner spray won't fix, but it pays to be aware of it. Speed density cars (or non-hotwire MAFs) need not worry.
Thanks for the feedback.
I buy a house brand maf cleaner for 3$ and for an average time of one minute to pull the sensor and blast it clean it's good cheap preventative maintenance.
Same with turbocharged or supercharged vehicles. Run enough boost and you’re liable to oil up a wheel or screw. Which then could allow particulates to cling on and score up a compressor
Church Automotive Testing Dyno Tuning 99% of the time the reason people have problems with their oiled filters is cause their over oiling their filters. I have a 95 Dodge Ram with a turbo charger and a 2018,Kia Soul with a turbo charger among many other vehicles previously with K&N air filters and have yet to ever have a problem myself. But the ones I’ve helped that has had problems have always sprayed way too much oil on their filters. K&N air filters are only supposed to have a light layer sprayed on the filter. If your sucking oil on to other parts in the engine then it’s most likely been oiled too much!
Fram's slogan is "Filtering out the nonsense"
I think they should give the slogan to Project Farm
Thanks for watching!
This has become my go to channel for testing consumer products. No one does testing like Project Farm! His results always surprise me. The air filter test got me again. I sure didn't think Fram would be outperformed! Thank you!
Thank you very much!
Why couldn't I have had this guy for a science teacher in high school?! Excellent content!
I love these videos. These tests have heavily influenced my purchases and I have rarely been disappointed, if ever.
Thanks for the feedback.
I feel like whenever walmart's supertech brand is available to compete it should. A lot of people look to use their stuff because of cost so knowing if they're junk or not would be useful
I'm sure the super tech brand is made by someone else for walmart. So its probably pretty comparable.
You can add stp and Spector to that test.
Don't remember the source but I heard that Supertech oil filters are made by Wix.
They used to be made by wix think its champion labs now.... which is a change for the worse if you ask me.
@@jackyleethefree That's what I heard, and their oils are made by Warren.
You should test “cabin” air filters next!
agree Plz do the cabin air filters test!! 3m and bosch
Agree. If especially like to see a comparison of the activated carbon cabin air filters with regular paper cabin air filters.
Fram has a nice one I've been using with Arm&Hammer and carbon. Very good, neutral smell.
Agreed. I cringed when I asked how much mine was at the Honda dealership. It was still really expensive from online OEM dealers.
You guys have cabin air filters 😱
I appreciate you did this. I researched filters online and decided on the WIX. I am glad to see the Purolator is also just as good.
I'd love to see an oil filter test. Also curious how other manufacturer brands compare. Motorcraft, Mopar, etc.
Great suggestion!
@@ProjectFarm your gonna pour dirt in your engine next? lol
This is a great idea. I would love to see how the cheaper supertech filters compare to the fram and wix filters. I have heard that besides the top tier ultra synthetic filter, fram filters are crap. Wix has been known to be good overall, but i want to see what you are paying for.
Wix!
I really appreciate your hard work and attention to detail. I would also enjoy seeing an oil filter test around the same test parameters. If you decide to do an oil filter test, can you do one based on either the ls/lq style Chevrolet engine like in your suburban or even better one based on filters for a Cummins engine? Or even better, maybe both. I'm curious to see if there are any notable filtration differences between gas burner and diesel.thank you again for all your hard work and time. I can only imagine the r and d put into some of your test fixtures. Your efforts are much appreciated.
I would like to see “what grass seed is best” it would probably take time but it would still be a interesting video!
I did a test on this for a middle school science fair project like 13 years ago. Annual Rye is an amazing strain if you're looking for both density and growth speed.
I think rye is good in colder climates and Bermuda for hotter
IskBo thanks for the advice, I just bought “expert gardener sun and shade” I hope this works out lol.
@@USA-nw7cf Possibly so. I live near Pittsburgh, and our weather is 100% unpredictable. It leans on the side of cold most months here, but the hot months have been unbearable recently.
@@Brandon_Jackson Hope it works well for you!
Again you have done a great service to the general public, I dont know why you dont have a TV show on Saturday mornings! Yes I do, You are fair and unbiased! Thank you so much for what you do. I am sure there are times you ask yourself if all the money and time is worth it. All I can say is Absolutely! And we appreciate all your efforts, Thanks gain.
Wow, thank you!
I love coming back to this video because thanks to you i discovered the best overall engine and cabin filters...WIX 💪💯
Thanks for sharing.
This has got to be the best channel on youtube.
Thanks so much!
Yes great info !
Project Farm and Scotty Kilmer.
Angels on Earth 💖💖💖
It truly is the best brand and product comparison channel on YT
100%
I live in Australia and have travelled the “outback” extensively. The finest dust we have is as fine as talcum powder. K&N filters are useless out here. Either an OEM or a WIX air filter have been the most efficient of paper filters on all of my vehicles, that l have been using since 1972.
“Donaldson” brand of air filters are, in my opinion, the “Rolls Royce” of air filters, hands down.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks,I switched out from K & N, TO ORIGINAL* MOPAR, FOR 2015 JOURNEY 4 CYL, AND **ACDELCO FOR GMC CANYON 2007 4 CYL: after moving to HELENA Valley MT… so far I am more comfortable, checking AIR FILTERS frequently…Interestingly, used K & N OVER MANY 100,000 miles carefully recoiling/ cleaning for three vehicles in lower DUST AREA NORTHERN Indiana..no issues, seeming some performance inceeases…? ps WHAT IS OPINIONS NOW? …..
I’ve heard Donaldson makes filters for military tanks too
how are donaldson oil filters?
@@gregwilliams2066 they make Amsoil’s bypass oil filters, but beyond that, I don’t know
Ratchet strap brands I would love to see if their is a difference in the quality of both the ratchet and the straps
Agreed. And maybe bungee cords as well.
Now this is a good one.
Very good idea
I suddenly need to know the answer now
I watch project over and over. It's like having a library at home.
Thanks for watching!
Seeing a lot of support posts and only ~1,800 patreon patrons. This is THE most informative, results driven, unbiased, genuine channel on this platform. Support this man if you can!
Thanks so much!