Are you familiar with this air filter?
08-19-2003, 01:16 PM
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95 E420 (124)
Are you familiar with this air filter?
It’s called RamFX air filter and used to be called RamAir filter. Is it any good? See link below for their link (RamAir). How does this compare to K&N filters? Anyone?
http://www.ramair-filters.com/frames.html
http://www.ramair-filters.com/frames.html
Last edited by Joseph_H; 08-19-2003 at 05:22 PM.
08-19-2003, 04:14 PM
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SL 500 AMG
actually I have those on my car, so do two of my other buddies on a S500 and C43 AMG, and we all like it. and half the price of k&N and yes we all felt a bit of difference. I think for $30.00 it's a good deal, by the way your link doesn't work...
08-19-2003, 05:25 PM
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95 E420 (124)
Good news..
I read somewhere that the polymer (oil) they use on the filter can get into the MAS air sensor and cause problems.. have you noticed if the polymer they use drips out to the air housing or not? Sorry about the link.. I changed it to another website (RamAir as i was told they are the same product with different names). Thanks.
08-20-2003, 04:31 PM
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95 E420 (124)
After more investigations....
Here is my findings and conclusions on the after market air filter issue:
By the way, I am not a proponent NOR an opponent to modifications of your MB, but here is my own findings when it came to after market Air filters. I also feel that there is no difference when it comes to the oil/polymer or whatever “sticky” stuff they use on these filters.. the concept is the same. This concept somewhat remind me with the“fly catcher” tape that folks out in the country use to hang from the ceiling to catch flies.. no disrespect intended!
After reading the good and bad of after-market air filters... and knowing i had my OEM filters replaced with RamFX filters (formerly RamAir filters) about 4 months ago. RamFX or RamAir claim to be twice better than K&N and 4 times better than OEM paper filters. I decided when i got home to take a peak inside my air box to see how is the filter doing. I took the air cleaner housing and removed the two RamFx filters... Luckily for me, both filters sit inside the housing on each side and not directly on top of the MAF. There was about 1 tablespoon worth of the polymer "gooey" stuff setting in the corners of each of the filter housing directly underneath where filters are… that’s 1 TB from each filter! Should the filter(s) be sitting on top of the MAF, then I would have a "sticky MAF and possibly serious performance problems... and big $$$ to shell out!
I live in Texas and the heat along with engine heat all allows the polymer (oil) to melt and drip down... basic physics/chemistry folks!
The filters themselves seem to have trapped quite a bit of dust and sand and I think their 3-layer structure helped "filter" out much of the dirty air coming through. That i give them credit for... but I also saw same amount of dirt with paper filters... I don't think paper will have big pores enough to let dirt to pass through... you can hold water with paper for God's sake why can't it hold dirt??! If it is small enough to make it though the paper, then it will make it through the foam/cotton or whatever! This stands the same for the amount of air it will pass through.
I have decided to install new fresh OEM filters that i bought few months ago and i did just that... After driving the car "again" with the stock OEM filters, I couldn't tell you I gained or lost power (same feeling when I first installed the RamFX filters) and I somehow became convinced that the aftermarket filters are not quite the thing for me. The fact that the oily, gooey stuff drips downward (Gravity!) tells me that by design these things pose reliability problems that outweigh the performance gains (which again I honestly couldn't tell if i got any or not). My car "feels" to drive the same "or even" maybe slightly better than with the "performance" dirt trapping filters... maybe it was my imagination since i was thinking of all that sticky stuff... so here is my story with these filters and I know that some of you out there have different -maybe more positive things to say about these foamy, oily, gooey filters than I did, but this is my "real-life" findings and was worth for me to have installed them to see for myself. I am back to OEM now more than ever a true believer that MB would not be still installing paper filters if they were any bad for their "reputable" cars.. One other side note: My second car is a Nissan Pathfinder. 1993 with 150k. bought it brand new with 3 miles on it. Kept up the maintenance on it as recommended and always used paper filters for it... the thing still goes like it did 10 years ago... once in a while i open its air box and vacuum the dirt that is held there by the paper filter... no gooey sticky stuff to tangle with.
It is very true that RamFX filters are used on race cars etc… etc… as they claim on their website. I also think there are so many upgrades and things get put on race cars that may not be the “right” thing for your “everyday” driving “pleasure” car. Race cars go through engine tune ups and parts swaps like there is no tomorrow. I doubt that the professional race car drivers let an Air filter sit in their car for 50k like the after market filters claim to do… etc.. etc.. If I was to race a car, sure I’ll do whatever it takes to win even if I blow an engine or two…. I am strictly talking about your Hard-earning money you put in your car and no “staff” of 12 mechanics waiting on the sideline to fix, replace and do things for you… think about the last time you visited your local friendly service adviser at your MB dealer or your independent mechanic who is always happy to see you how much of a smile you put on their face when you singe the repair voucher accepting the work and cost of repairs…
My Conclusion:
For me, and when it comes to Air filters, OEM is more than satisfying.
By the way, I am not a proponent NOR an opponent to modifications of your MB, but here is my own findings when it came to after market Air filters. I also feel that there is no difference when it comes to the oil/polymer or whatever “sticky” stuff they use on these filters.. the concept is the same. This concept somewhat remind me with the“fly catcher” tape that folks out in the country use to hang from the ceiling to catch flies.. no disrespect intended!
After reading the good and bad of after-market air filters... and knowing i had my OEM filters replaced with RamFX filters (formerly RamAir filters) about 4 months ago. RamFX or RamAir claim to be twice better than K&N and 4 times better than OEM paper filters. I decided when i got home to take a peak inside my air box to see how is the filter doing. I took the air cleaner housing and removed the two RamFx filters... Luckily for me, both filters sit inside the housing on each side and not directly on top of the MAF. There was about 1 tablespoon worth of the polymer "gooey" stuff setting in the corners of each of the filter housing directly underneath where filters are… that’s 1 TB from each filter! Should the filter(s) be sitting on top of the MAF, then I would have a "sticky MAF and possibly serious performance problems... and big $$$ to shell out!
I live in Texas and the heat along with engine heat all allows the polymer (oil) to melt and drip down... basic physics/chemistry folks!
The filters themselves seem to have trapped quite a bit of dust and sand and I think their 3-layer structure helped "filter" out much of the dirty air coming through. That i give them credit for... but I also saw same amount of dirt with paper filters... I don't think paper will have big pores enough to let dirt to pass through... you can hold water with paper for God's sake why can't it hold dirt??! If it is small enough to make it though the paper, then it will make it through the foam/cotton or whatever! This stands the same for the amount of air it will pass through.
I have decided to install new fresh OEM filters that i bought few months ago and i did just that... After driving the car "again" with the stock OEM filters, I couldn't tell you I gained or lost power (same feeling when I first installed the RamFX filters) and I somehow became convinced that the aftermarket filters are not quite the thing for me. The fact that the oily, gooey stuff drips downward (Gravity!) tells me that by design these things pose reliability problems that outweigh the performance gains (which again I honestly couldn't tell if i got any or not). My car "feels" to drive the same "or even" maybe slightly better than with the "performance" dirt trapping filters... maybe it was my imagination since i was thinking of all that sticky stuff... so here is my story with these filters and I know that some of you out there have different -maybe more positive things to say about these foamy, oily, gooey filters than I did, but this is my "real-life" findings and was worth for me to have installed them to see for myself. I am back to OEM now more than ever a true believer that MB would not be still installing paper filters if they were any bad for their "reputable" cars.. One other side note: My second car is a Nissan Pathfinder. 1993 with 150k. bought it brand new with 3 miles on it. Kept up the maintenance on it as recommended and always used paper filters for it... the thing still goes like it did 10 years ago... once in a while i open its air box and vacuum the dirt that is held there by the paper filter... no gooey sticky stuff to tangle with.
It is very true that RamFX filters are used on race cars etc… etc… as they claim on their website. I also think there are so many upgrades and things get put on race cars that may not be the “right” thing for your “everyday” driving “pleasure” car. Race cars go through engine tune ups and parts swaps like there is no tomorrow. I doubt that the professional race car drivers let an Air filter sit in their car for 50k like the after market filters claim to do… etc.. etc.. If I was to race a car, sure I’ll do whatever it takes to win even if I blow an engine or two…. I am strictly talking about your Hard-earning money you put in your car and no “staff” of 12 mechanics waiting on the sideline to fix, replace and do things for you… think about the last time you visited your local friendly service adviser at your MB dealer or your independent mechanic who is always happy to see you how much of a smile you put on their face when you singe the repair voucher accepting the work and cost of repairs…
My Conclusion:
For me, and when it comes to Air filters, OEM is more than satisfying.
