Anyone familiar with my postings knows I despise washable cotton fiber air intake filters. They do not filter well by any certified filter tests as are utilized in the Filter Industry. I have been in the filter industry for decades I despise those in my industry who take advantage of the public's lack of filtration knowledge by using catch phrases such as: Filters down to ...., Removes 99% of dirt. etc.. The automotive washable filters in particular seem to be sold on pure bullshit advertising and lot$ of it.
Today I was reading the April, Engine Builder magazine and had to chuckle on a statement from the featured cover article on Sprint Car Engines: "Scott Gressmen, Gressman Powersports, after five or six races, the engines get a lot of dirt through them and could loose as much as 50 Horsepower." Yes I know, the "Up To 50HP" sounds like the BS phrases above, it's from an engine builder that may want to do a rebuild, but again chances are good he's witnessed lost power from dirt ingestion in short order.
Personally I'd think a significant amount of ingested dirt could go right past the intake valves, do a quick trip or two around the chambers/cylinders and get shot out the exhaust w/o contacting any of the engines critical internal parts that could be harmed by being ground on or blasted by dirt. So think about it: How much dirt does an engine need to ingest to loose 50HP? ..............Granted it's a Sprint Car, you expect dirt - because they live in it, but still five or six races. Far as I'm concerned any power loss from ingestion of dirt is not exactly indicative of a good filter system. Here the engine builder himself is stating up to 50HP in a few races. Imagine a $35,-45,000 Sprint Car engine on a dyno and some clown starts pouring dirt in it until it loses fifty horsepower.. I'm thinking the most effected components would be rings, valve seats and cylinder walls?.............
