Filter minder location

[The_Josh_Bear]

So I installed a BHAF a few weeks ago. Perfomarnce is way up from the little gasser cone filter I got just to keep it on the road.

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I put a filter minder in the 3" tube that enters the stock ATS turbo.
But I'm pulling the filter minder all the way down, and the BHAF is brand new. What gives?

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I have two thoughts:
1. BHAF doesnt flow enough for this engine at 13+lbs of boost. (There's a lot of speculation that this filter only flows about 430cfm but nobody seems to know at what pressure, which is the big question.)
2. My filter minder shouldn't be in the 3" tube. The filter comes with a 4" outlet but obviously our little turbo only has a 2.75" inlet so it has to be reduced somehow. And 3" *barely* clears the injector line in this config.

Would the filter minder have a more accurate reading if'n I moved it to the top of the filter itself? Just drill a hole in the black part at the top and jam her in there is my thought.

Point is I'm no flow-bench-geek and I want to know the most accurate space to put this thing.

Thanks all!
-Joshua

 

[bbjordan]

At its current location, the filter minder could be experiencing the Venturi effect. Try it at the end of the filter, like you were saying, and see if you get the same reading.

 

[Thewespaul]

What filter minder did you use? You want to use the stock minder for the factory turbo airbox for your readings to be pertinent since the vacuum range will be more on a larger v8 diesel than a smaller inline four with the same sized filter.

Filters are tested at sea level so your air pressure for 430 cfm is constant. That cfm rating is pretty apples to oranges with an engine airflow rating since it’s not absolute. The filter will flow 430 cfm free flow, but that’s not it’s absolute maximum cfm ratings, with the engine drawing on one side of the filter media the airflow will increase with the engine’s demand. The free flow rating is just used as a standard to compare filters with each other. As far as the pipe diameter, there’s no need to worry about that 3” is plenty. Remember the compressor wheel is around 2.5” and the inlet of the intake hat is even smaller if you haven’t ported that. Adding a larger diameter pipe just gives more surface area to pull heat in.

As for the filter being enough for the engine, it’s enough. Plenty of psd guys making lots of power the 6637 filters, and when choosing a filter you gotta remember if you want to increase airflow you either increase surface area of the filter media or decrease the filtration quality to improve airflow. You’re pretty limited with space already, so if you want more airflow you’ll need to go with less filtration to find the happy compromise. For me, I run the blue 6637 filters on my intake kits, and just a mesh screen on the shop truck. The blue 6637 is a good filter, they flow a bit better than the regular 6637, riffraff posted some good numbers awhile back with them.

 

[The_Josh_Bear]

What filter minder did you use? You want to use the stock minder for the factory turbo airbox for your readings to be pertinent since the vacuum range will be more on a larger v8 diesel than a smaller inline four with the same sized filter.

Filters are tested at sea level so your air pressure for 430 cfm is constant. That cfm rating is pretty apples to oranges with an engine airflow rating since it’s not absolute. The filter will flow 430 cfm free flow, but that’s not it’s absolute maximum cfm ratings, with the engine drawing on one side of the filter media the airflow will increase with the engine’s demand. The free flow rating is just used as a standard to compare filters with each other. As far as the pipe diameter, there’s no need to worry about that 3” is plenty. Remember the compressor wheel is around 2.5” and the inlet of the intake hat is even smaller if you haven’t ported that. Adding a larger diameter pipe just gives more surface area to pull heat in.

As for the filter being enough for the engine, it’s enough. Plenty of psd guys making lots of power the 6637 filters, and when choosing a filter you gotta remember if you want to increase airflow you either increase surface area of the filter media or decrease the filtration quality to improve airflow. You’re pretty limited with space already, so if you want more airflow you’ll need to go with less filtration to find the happy compromise. For me, I run the blue 6637 filters on my intake kits, and just a mesh screen on the shop truck. The blue 6637 is a good filter, they flow a bit better than the regular 6637, riffraff posted some good numbers awhile back with them.

(I still have the stock filter minder, it's a 25 inches H20)
The one I'm using is 30 inches H20 is pulled all the way down, hence my wonderment.
Filtration was a big reason I went this route, and knowing how many higher-output engines are running this same filter I wasnt worried about CFM...until I looked at the filter minder! Haha strange.
I guess I'll move it to the top of the filter and see what happens.

Edit: I had my units wrong...originally I wrote 25Hg and 30Hg but that's inches of mercury and would be like 390 inches of water! Haha I'm a goober.

 

[Thewespaul]

That will be interesting to see if it makes a difference in the readout. You can see how much the intake is holding you back by resetting the filter minder and replacing the filter with a mesh screen and just taking it out for one pull. If the performance is significantly different Id say look into a different placement of the filter or look into different filter options, for most trucks not out for every ounce of performance these filters seem to do just fine and filter great. Id recommend getting a filter guard for it though, it will make that filter last a lot longer and save you some money down the road.

 

[79jasper]

Also not all 6637 style filters are created equal.
While the psd guys are running them, most ditched the minder.
Guys that are really into it are running dual filters.

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[The_Josh_Bear]

It's a Donaldson Dura-lite ECB085011 if that helps any:

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It was the most affordable 6637 clone I could find that had prime shipping. And made in USA to boot!

Edit:
This is in the description:

• Rated Flow Lr: 280 Cfm (7.92 Cmm)
• Rated Flow Mr: 400 Cfm (11.32 Cmm)
• Rated Flow Hr: 470 Cfm (13.3 Cmm)

What does that mean? I know what CFM is, but that's about it...

 

[79jasper]

Actually that's the better filter, iirc. The 6637 is actually a cheaper alternative to the original Donaldson.
https://www.riffraffdiesel.com/donaldson-blue-6637-filter/

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[The_Josh_Bear]

Actually that's the better filter, iirc. The 6637 is actually a cheaper alternative to the original Donaldson.
https://www.riffraffdiesel.com/donaldson-blue-6637-filter/

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That's about what I paid for mine. The above link is about $12 shipping right now so anyone on the fence would get a good deal on the blue.
Riffraff has a little spec sheet on that link but I cant expand it to actually read anything. Maybe it's just my phone.

 

[79jasper]

I couldn't either. They've "updated" the website. I used to have a screen shot somewhere of it, cant locate it currently.

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[IDIoit]

i find it odd that its doing that right before the CDR hose.
and the angle of the CDR to the intake.
try running it with that hose off... for shats and giggles.
this is how im running mine, with the same filter.
no issues.

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[The_Josh_Bear]

i find it odd that its doing that right before the CDR hose.
and the angle of the CDR to the intake.
try running it with that hose off... for shats and giggles.
this is how im running mine, with the same filter.
no issues.

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Interesting... What PSI are you hitting?

Yes the CDR entry angle could certainly be better. It's all I could do at the time with no 1"hose around locally and I needed to get it road worthy.

 

[IDIoit]

im only hittin 8. havnt screwed with the WG much.
this IDIT still has bolts

 

[gfemling]

Regarding filterminder maxing out- I retrofitted one in my 87 6.9 w Hypermax turbo several years ago to monitor air filter and found same problem- showed max “restriction” even with freshly cleaned and oiled K&N. Tried new NAPA standard paper filter on Hypermax suggestion with no significant difference. Filterminder said they only made the standard unit- maybe got bum info there?? Concluded turbo setup just results in more vacuum in intake than filter minder was intended to monitor. Resorted to disassembling filterminder, stretching it’s spring- about half again as long as original if I remember correctly- and reassemble; this did involve cutting plastic housing as glued together - used narrow cutting tool on mototool- and gluing back together with JB Weld. Result is now minder pulls down to mid height with newly serviced filter and can get useful filter condition monitoring anyway. Just a thought if you need an alternative. Would like to hear if anyone has a source for higher rated than stock filterminder.

 

[The_Josh_Bear]

Okie dokie, second filter minder installed at the block end of the filter. Dueling filter minders!!!!

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I'll drive her into work tomorrow and see what's up.