AMSOIL FLOWZAIR

High Performance
Washable/Reusable
Air Filters

New Name, New Design
Better-Than-Ever Performance

• More Air Flow
• Traps More Dirt
• Improves Performance

How much dirt can your engine take?

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As you can see by the photo to right, in a filtration test the white foam blotters show the amount of dirt that passed through the different air filter brands shown. Low quality paper, such as Fram, allow better airflow than most paper type filters but let pass some visible dirt to the white blotter. Gauze filters like the K&N brand allow large amounts of dirt to pass that are harmful to your engine. How significant is the difference in the amount of dirt that passes? I have been an AMSOIL Dealer since 1983 and I can usually tell by looking at an oil analysis report on someone's used engine oil if they are using a gauze type air filter due to the elevated silicon (silica, sand, dirt) levels in the oil sample. Apparently the dirt is pushed passed the pistons into the motor oil by the force of combustion. How did I figure this out? I was using a K&N air filter when I took my first used AMSOIL sample to be analyzed just to see if it was as good as they said it was. The oil sample showed the AMSOIL in superior condition but had a warning from the lab telling me to check my air filter for problems or to check for vacuum leaks due to elevated silicon levels. I had no vacuum leaks so I changed to an AMSOIL air filter and for the next 300,000+ miles never had any kind of a warning pop up in my lube sample report on this vehicle (2.6L Mitsubishi Truck) from either the AMSOIL or my air filter. Consequently, I have never seen any lube samples excessively high in silicon on engines equipped with paper air filters such as FRAM. But I have seen many samples with elevated silicon levels using gauze air filters. The gauze air filters are much worse in filtration. Case closed.

NOTE: In this filtration test the AMSOIL FLOWZAIR and K&N air filters were oiled as per the instructions of the manufacturers. Don't even think about using either of these filters dry and not oiled!

How much air can your filter flow?

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For every gallon of gas burned by an automobile, it must draw in approximately 9,000 gallons of air (more for diesels). If your engine cannot get sufficient air flow, then it will be robbed of power and consume more fuel. If an air filter does not flow large volumes of air when it is new, then it definitely will be a poor performer as it begins to get saturated with dirt, making the pleated paper/disposable type air filters a poor choice with today's fuel prices.

In actual SAE air flow tests (chart right) conducted in labs under controlled conditions, cotton gauze type air filters, such as K&N, did not perform significantly better than paper type filters. In fact, at high air volume the gauze filters, like K&N, showed worse performance that some paper filters such as FRAM.

The AMSOIL FLOWZAIR and gauze type filters such as K&N are washable/reusable air filters saving money on replacement air filters. However, the gauze air filters are difficult to clean and re-oil compared to AMSOIL FLOWZAIR. Foam air filters like AMSOIL FLOWZAIR are "depth type" filters in that they capture contaminants through the depth of the foam media instead on on the surface like other filters enabling them to hold much more dirt before performance is affected. This means that the AMSOIL FLOWZAIR can go longer without needing service compared to other filter types.

On top of this, AMSOIL FLOWZAIR cost less as shown in the chart below.

Price Comparison

While listing of three specific vehicle types, these are popular air filter types and also fit many other models

Already the leader in effective air filtration, AMSOIL has made a number of improvements to its air filter line, now known as AMSOIL FLOWZAIR Air Filters.

The new 18-gauge metal support foundation provides improved filter rigidity and exceptional air flow.

The new advanced ALPE/EVA Base Material provides a long-term airtight seal.

NEW XLPE/EVA BASE MATERIAL

The base of an air filter must provide and maintain a positive seal within the air filter housing. A quality seal prevents unfiltered air from bypassing the air filter and reaching the intake manifold and combustion chambers. Most air filter designs use molded plastic or plastizol as the base material, which often fails to deliver an effective, long- term airtight seal.

The base material of panel-style AMSOIL FLOWZAIR Filters is now constructed of a highly advanced Cross Linked Polyethylene (XLPE) Closed-Cell Sponge material with Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA). This new material offers several key advantages:

1) Ease of installation
Minimum force is required to install the air filter and achieve positive sealing of the air filter box.

2) Resistance to flexing and vibration
Suction-flex and vibration often allow unfiltered air to sneak past an air filter's base material and into the engine. The XLPE/EVA base material of AMSOIL FLOWZAIR Air Filters resists flex and vibration and maintains its positive seal, forcing air to pass through the filter.

3) Resiliency
The new XLPE/EVA base material is highly resilient, springing back to is original shape even after months of constant compression in the air filter box. Following thorough filter cleaning and reoiling, this base material allows the filter to be reinstalled in the housing and deliver an airtight seal.

4) Long service life
The new XLPE/EVA base material effectively withstands the deteriorating effects of solvents, fuels and lubricants, providing long service life.

NEW METAL SUPPORT FOUNDATION

All AMSOIL FLOWZAIR panel configuration air filters now incorporate a heavy, rigid 18-gauge metal infrastructure with precision-formed 3,969 mm turbo perforations. This provides improved rigidity and support in service, while also allowing exceptional air flow.

NEW PACKAGING

Quality control has always been extremely important at AMSOIL. The improvements to the AMSOIL Air Filter line demonstrate the company's dedication to manufacturing top-of-the-line products. In addition to the improvements made to the air filter design, AMSOIL has taken steps to improve the packaging. AMSOIL FLOWZAIR Filters are packaged prewetted with AMSOIL Super-Tack Foam Filter Oil. New heavy-duty HDPE bags prevent prewetted foam from leaking, ensuring a clean, professional-looking box.

FOAM FILTER MEDIA

For an air filter to be truly effective, it must offer sufficient contaminant storing capacity, adequate air flow and satisfactory particle removal. However, the classic problem faced by most air filters on the market is the "air flow vs. efficiency compromise." The smaller the air filter media openings, the more efficient the filter is at removing wear-causing contaminants. However, smaller media openings reduce air flow. Increasing the media openings improves air flow, but sacrifices filtration efficiency.

AMSOIL Reusable Foam Air Filters have long been the most effective air filters on the market, providing superior performance in the areas of efficiency, capacity and air flow. AMSOIL FLOWZAIR Filters still feature two layers of flame-annealed, oil-wetted foam, offering significantly more capacity and filtering area than traditional air filters. In fact, for each square foot of filtration media, total filtration surface area exceeds 2,000 square feet. Wear particles are effectively trapped and held while the engine receives a constant flow of clean intake air.

STAGE-1 FOAM FILTER MEDIA

The first layer (stage 1) of foam on the AMSOIL FLOWZAIR Filter features 8,000 pores per cubic inch and makes use of surface screening to stop particles larger than the pore openings, much the same way as a window screen stops bugs from entering a building. The thickness of the stage 1 foam media allows additional particle removal through depth screening. As air flows through the foam media, dirt and contaminants are effectively screened out and stored.

In addition to surface and depth screening, AMSOIL FLOWZAIR Filters make use of diffusion and adsorption to remove airborne contaminants. Incoming air traveling through the foam filter media must navigate through a maze of open cell structures. As it moves from cell to cell, the air is continually changing directions, and contamination particles get diffused from the air and caught in the media. Adsorption to the AMSOIL Super-Tack Foam Filter Oil that coats the foam media effectively traps and removes contaminants from the air stream.

STAGE-2 FOAM FILTER MEDIA

Filtration via surface screening, depth screening, diffusion and adsorption continues on a finer scale in the second layer (stage 2) of foam on the AMSOIL FLOWZAIR Filter, which features 125,000 pores per cubic inch. Larger particles have already been filtered out in the stage 1 foam, so the full filtration capacity of the stage 2 foam is available for smaller particle removal and storage.

SERVICE INTERVALS

AMSOIL FLOWZAIR Filters may be cleaned, reoiled and reused for miles of trouble-free driving. Simply wash the filter with detergent and warm water, rinse, allow the filter to completely dry, reapply AMSOIL Super-Tack Foam Filter Oil and reinstall. Under normal driving conditions, AMSOIL FLOWZAIR Filters should be serviced at 25,0000-mile or one-year intervals (whichever comes first). In dusty conditions, the filter may require more frequent servicing.

SERVICE LIFE

The service life of AMSOIL air filters can be extended indefinitely when the following procedures are performed. For normal driving conditions, service AMSOIL Air Filter every 25,000 miles or one year, whichever comes first.

1. Remove AMSOIL air filter from air filter housing.
2. Wipe housing free of dirt and debris.
3. Carefully remove polyurethane foam from metal cage of AMSOIL air filter. (Note: foam is not removable on planar-style filters.)
4. Wash polyurethane foam in detergent and water (Alternate method: Wash filter in parts cleaning solution). Rinse in clean water. Allow foam to dry thoroughly.
5. Apply AMSOIL Foam Filter Oil liberally on polyurethane foam. Squeeze foam repeatedly until oil penetrates its entire thickness.
   AMSOIL Foam Filter Oil is specifically formulated for AMSOIL air filters. It is designed to trap and hold dirt effectively, even in temperature extremes.
6. Blot excess oil from polyurethane foam and reinstall foam on metal cage.
7. Reinstall AMSOIL air filter into air filter housing. Be sure the label is attached to the outside of the filter housing.

To install a deflector (if included with filter):

1. Install at either positive cranking ventilation (PCV) inlet or air inlet to filter housing (where applicable).
2. Install deflector under edge of polyurethane foam only. Do not push deflector under metal cage.