best performance panel filter for FR tdi ?

[Gizza]

Evening all, im servicing my fr tdi 06 plate this weekend. Im gonna replace all of thr filters as this is the first service I've done on the car since u got it a couple of months ago. I was thinking of upgrading the panel filter for a uprated panel filter can anyone advise me on which filter is good and what to avoid. I don't spose there is much performance gain ?

Thanks
.
Matt

 

[CraigFrTsi]

Your right there won't be much power gain but the ones I'd choose are either K&N(obvious choice) or next best (I think anyway) pipercross.

 

[discostued]

asked the same question today and advised Jetex. Personally never heard of them, but came recommended.

Was looking on Ebay and found K&N & PIPERCROSS under £40 BARGIN!!

 

[CraigFrTsi]

I've heard of them and yes they are good but never knew they did panel filters thought they only did the normal cone filters

 

[abbotsmike]

Take this as you will, and I can't remember the details, but I remember seeing a youtube vid showing a leon fr tdi (PD150) with various filters fitted. They came to the conclusion that the stock VAG paper filter flows just as much, if not more air than any aftermarket part, and even running with no filter (HIGHLY INADVISABLE) didn't provide any real gains.

Put the money into a piggy bank for a remap, some better brake pads or even a tank of v-power/diesel additive will probably do more for the car!

 

[lil3520]

have used pipercross on both my leon and Ibiza, no problems.

 

[CraigFrTsi]

From personal experience, my dads 1.4tdi is normally getting about 400 miles to the tank but when I replaced the panel filter with a k&n one I was able to get the range out to 500 so even though you don't get much power from the they can prove very economical

 

[Lowe]

I was under the impression on the 1.9 they make no difference at all unless you're running over 300bhp? May as well use a normal paper one.

 

[discostued]

I've heard of them and yes they are good but never knew they did panel filters thought they only did the normal cone filters

Thought the same until I checked out the site today.

 

[discostued]

I've heard they don't make much difference in power, just allow better air increase.

 

[abbotsmike]

I don't buy the economy claims either. More air allows more fuel to burn which gives more power. My point was that the aftermarket filters don't flow any more air. On a turbocharged diesel you're going to see even less, the marginal differences in flow are going to be far outweighed by a massive turbine spinning at 100,000rpm sucking the air in!!

With the 1.4tdi, do you usually drive it when it's getting 400 to a tank?? Also, based on the fact that my fr gets 400 to a tank, and the 1.4's are/should be much better on fuel, is it possible that the old filter was just old and clogged, and the new filter bought it back to 'normal'?

 

[CraigFrTsi]

I don't buy the economy claims either. More air allows more fuel to burn which gives more power. My point was that the aftermarket filters don't flow any more air. On a turbocharged diesel you're going to see even less, the marginal differences in flow are going to be far outweighed by a massive turbine spinning at 100,000rpm sucking the air in!!

With the 1.4tdi, do you usually drive it when it's getting 400 to a tank?? Also, based on the fact that my fr gets 400 to a tank, and the 1.4's are/should be much better on fuel, is it possible that the old filter was just old and clogged, and the new filter bought it back to 'normal'?

I used to drive it all the time till I got my Tsi FR and yes I used to get 400 to a tank on avg. but when I used to travel any great distance like to my mate in Norfolk (for example) I was getting a range of 500 which ill admit was the best I got but on avg I was getting over 450 range. But as you say if this was due to the oem being clogged and crap I don't know.

 

[CraigFrTsi]

And it was mainly back roads too, if it was motorways it'd probably more than likely be a different story lol

 

[Lowe]

Take this as you will, and I can't remember the details, but I remember seeing a youtube vid showing a leon fr tdi (PD150) with various filters fitted. They came to the conclusion that the stock VAG paper filter flows just as much, if not more air than any aftermarket part, and even running with no filter (HIGHLY INADVISABLE) didn't provide any real gains.

Put the money into a piggy bank for a remap, some better brake pads or even a tank of v-power/diesel additive will probably do more for the car!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMmIqOXxjQU

 

[BrettBlade]

There may be a placebo effect at play, I will admit, but the throttle response seems much better on the Green Panel filter I have.

Maximum flow is no doubt neither here nor there, but it wouldn't surprise me if the cotton filters are able to reach the maximum flow rate quicker (hence improving throttle response).

 

[lil3520]

Has anybody done a test on a rolling road, to find out if there is a difference in bhp BETWEEN A STANDARD PANEL FILTER AND A K & N / PIPERCROSS FILTER ?

 

[Curtiz]

I went for Green panel filter after people on here saying the k&n oil can affect the maf or egr or something (cant remember now)

 

[BrettBlade]

Has anybody done a test on a rolling road, to find out if there is a difference in bhp BETWEEN A STANDARD PANEL FILTER AND A K & N / PIPERCROSS FILTER ?

Watch the video above, if there is no difference in BHP between standard and NO air filter, then no air filter in the world will increase BHP.

 

[lil3520]

watch the video above, if there is no difference in bhp between standard and no air filter, then no air filter in the world will increase bhp.

very interesting video. Tks for the info.

 

[James_R]

A good filter = the standard one
Things to avoid = spending circa £40 on a filter that'll benefit you no more than the £5 standard one!