Air filter testing

[WarWagon]

The hood cowl seal does one very important thing for you: it keeps carbon monoxide from getting into the HVAC air intake located below the wipers. (And thus the cabin.) Even with a bad one I can smell when I get an oil leak on the turbo. So removing it may make more of a difference than a bad one, but, these are an important and often neglected seal. Our 6.5's have several possible exhaust leak areas on manifolds that are supposed to plug with soot.

The under hood air temps are always higher than through the fender. The temp increase from a under hood hot air intake gets noticeable when the engine fan kicks on. GM would rather use under hood air to keep the snow from plugging air filters. However using under hood air helps overheat Duramax engines working hard. This is interesting to follow the trade offs from cold air intakes vs. snow plugging the filters. Some plug to the point the air filter went through the turbo. (Why do you think the 2008 Duramax replacement air filter now has a "X" built into it to help stop this.) GM has forgotten the thermostatic air cleaners of yesterday. Hot air affects MPG and derates your engine power.

K&N is simply old technology that has been replaced by modern "paper" filters. To add insult to injury there are even better reusable dry filters out now. You buy a filter to protect your engine - not for extra power. If you want power only just leave the filter off... It is what K&N marketing appears to do.

 

[Husker6.5]

I thought all the fall leaves off my maple tree from the past two years jammed in the HVAC intake were to keep the carbon monoxide out! :hihi:

 

[Turbine Doc]

My progression through filters was OEM paper to the K&N that came with my Banks Stinger setup then the Amsoil oiled foam , to the Amsoil Donnelson, and finally the Heath/S&B on there now all have/has excellent results with oil sampling I learned a lot about filters when Arlen Spicers test came out still a good read though somewhat dated now.

http://www.thedieselpageforums.com/tdpforum/showthread.php?t=11674

My truck has the Heath and my burb has the Donnelson, I've not run any side by side tests yet oil sample wise as I've had significant other things last year or so on the plate that have kept me away from testing & evaluation endeavors for a while.

I'm curious about the comment of snorkle on the 98 burb, those should not be there on 96+ not saying you don't have it it is just odd, neither my 98 truck nor my 98 burb have the snorkle in the fender

 

[jrsavoie]

My 98 and 96 Suburbans both had snorkles

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

My 98 and 96 Suburbans both had snorkles

My 95 sure didn't. It had the one up by the battery box, but only a short one at the filter. The factory put a small short one in after mid year 95, but the long restrictive ones were supposed to have stopped mid year 95.

 

[Husker6.5]

The one in my '98 K2500 Burb runs between the inner and outer fender, comes out behind the battery, drops down under the battery tray and turns to mate up with a trapezoid shaped hole in the radiator support below the headlight and slightly above the back of the turn signal. The inlet opening on mine is currently blocked by the ballast for the 50W HID High Beam (another reason for running the K-47 lidless), as that was the only temporary location I could find that didn't interfere with the grille, LED turn signal housing or the ballast for the 50W HID Low Beam.

It appears to be less flattened and restrictive than the snorkel on my '94 C2500 C&C, but a snorkel none the less.