What is airflow worth?

[oneBADDz]

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/airfilter/airtest3.htm

Have you guys seen this? I makes you wonder whether a high flow filter is worth the dirt you get passing through them, all that dirt was from a mere 500 miles of use! I want to ask though, are particles of dirt that small really a significant threat? Any filter is going to stop actual grains of dirt and anything large enough to eventually cause damage to your cylinders in my opinion. If you go back a page you can check out his airflow test, but I think his test is rather flawed, and his results are based on airflow at idle so he didn't get significant differences between filters. At higher RPM those minute differences should grow farther and farther apart.

[LS1-450]

I have yet to see any proof of trace amounts of dirt doing any harm to an engine. There is a high flow filter (probably more than one, but, one that I know of) that uses wider, denser pleats than the ones tested & flows better. Anyway, if someone is truly concerned about dirt in their engine because of less air filtration, it could be combated by changing the oil & oil filter more often.

Have had these discussions where a guy will jump in talking about a hydrostatic filtration system he installed in his car to keep it safe. What he's protecting it from, I don't know. The conversation usually ends when I bring up the fact that running an engine @ high RPM is far more damaging than some dust in the oil & no one thinks twice about raising the rev limiter in an effort to add power.

[SeVeReDiStOrTiOn]

There's always going to be dirt that gets through...even the paper filters in that test had a good amount get by. If you have more air getting through...there's going to be more dirt too. As long as it stops leafs and pebbles then i'm happy...just run cleaner throught the motor now and then.