bluspikez Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Yesterday I was outside cleaning up the car as it was a beautiful day (sunny and probably 35F) and she was incredibly filthy (the salt in SE MI is cruel). Part of my cleaning was to check things under the hood, and this time I popped the air box to check the air filter out. To my surprise, the OEM filter is not just your average paper one - it's braced by some plastic cross members, and even has cotton batting on the underside of it. Up until seeing that filter, all of the OEM or OE replacement filters I had seen were just plain old paper ones. It's nice to see that Ford opted to use a higher quality filter on our cars. It makes me wonder: do you think this addition of cotton batting is more restrictive than a plain old paper/ribbed filter? Most of the "performance" drop in filters you see don't have this. Maybe it's a sound dampening addition to help keep turbo noise down? I can post a photo later when I'm on my PC if anyone is interested in seeing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MineralstangGT Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I'd like to see it. Sounds interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boogs Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I know I could go down and pop open the airbox, but it's cold and I'm lazy. Let's see the pic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluspikez Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 Sorry for the delay in posting - my phone just couldn't quite figure out how to do anything with photos on the forum last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluspikez Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 I was looking at the different air intake setups on the various 2L EcoBoost platforms as well (you can see lots of interesting exploded part views on www.fordparts.com), and noticed something quite interesting. The Escape and the Focus ST share almost identical intake setups that use a cylindrical filter and two feed pipes into the airbox. The Edge/Explorer/Taurus also share almost identical intake setups, with a normal flat filter and one feed pipe into the airbox. The Fusion's setup is quite similar to the Edge/Explorer/Taurus setup, but uses a slightly different form factor. The filter used in the Fusion is the same base part number as the Edge/Explorer/Taurus one (I'm assuming that means the same size), but has a different suffix - I'm guessing that is the cotton batting that doesn't appear to be present on the Edge/Explorer/Taurus. From this, I assume the difference is because of form factor, as the Escape/Focus share a platform and the Explorer/Taurus and Edge/Fusion share platforms. From a performance standpoint, though, it doesn't make sense to me, as the engine/turbo in the ST is more similar to the Fusion than it is to the Escape (the turbo used in the ST and the Fusion is actually a different alloy that can withstand higher temperatures). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bucky919 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I would imagine its just to keep the turbo noise down, or I like to call it "Turbo Fart" when the turbo blows off air back into the air box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expresspotato Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Does anyone want to take a look at their Hybrid and see if it has the same style of filter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluspikez Posted February 9, 2013 Author Share Posted February 9, 2013 www.fordparts.com shows the hybrid is quite a bit different on the intake: For what it's worth, it looks like the 1.6L EcoBoost uses the same airbox/filter as the 2.0L EB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisdh79 Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 I'm hoping k&n will make a filter for our cars. I check their website every week for an update. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sterlinggray Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Just curious, has anyone mod their intake or blowout valve? Just curious since I still havent seen any after market mods for the 13 ff. Also, does anyone know if the 13 FF have blowout valves? I was told that some cars that come stock with a turbo do not often come with bovs. Sorry if this deviates from the original thread topic. Just thought this might be sort of relevant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camride Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 Most factory turbo cars don't have a blowoff valve because of the noise. Most use a recirc valve (Audi calls it a diverter valve, I'm sure manufacturers have slightly different names) and the pressurized air that's vented is done so back into the intake (typically after the Mass Airflow Sensor but before the turbo) because it's already "metered" air (the MAF has already calculated it). This keeps the noise down and also the ECU counts on that air making it into the engine. Fitting a blow off valve on a car with a factory recirc valve usually causes a rich condition when you let off the gas (because the ECU was counting on that air to make it into the engine, but it was vented out instead). You can get better recirc valves, but they're only necessary when you're running more boost than factory. Also, from my limited turbo experience, air filters just don't help that much in terms of performance until you start running a bigger turbo. The stock airbox is typically more than adequate for any hp that the stock turbo can support. Getting a new intake is for 2 reasons: looks and sound. If you're expecting any real performance gain you're likely going to be disappointed (or you'll make up a SOTP difference for yourself). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expresspotato Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 I can confirm the Hybrid one is like the one in the picture - not the ecoboost one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bailey151 Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 On other turbo charged cars I've had the cotton batting is for cold weather - to prevent icing (or moisture from getting into the turbo/engine). Depending on where you live it may or may not be necessary (not that I'd skip it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluspikez Posted March 19, 2013 Author Share Posted March 19, 2013 On other turbo charged cars I've had the cotton batting is for cold weather - to prevent icing (or moisture from getting into the turbo/engine). Depending on where you live it may or may not be necessary (not that I'd skip it). Interesting - I haven't heard this explanation before. Thanks! BTW - I don't have any plans of changing it, I was just curious when I removed it and didn't see a plain old paper filter like I had expected. I'm in MI, so if the batting even remotely helps with icing it's staying in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bailey151 Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Interesting - I haven't heard this explanation before. Thanks! BTW - I don't have any plans of changing it, I was just curious when I removed it and didn't see a plain old paper filter like I had expected. I'm in MI, so if the batting even remotely helps with icing it's staying in. Well I can't really say for our cars..........no idea, all I know is that's what the batting was for on other cars I've owned. I'm hoping k&n will make a filter for our cars. I check their website every week for an update. I'll pass, no MAF killers in my car thank you very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 I'll pass, no MAF killers in my car thank you very much. Only way a washable filter like a K&N will "kill" your MAF is if you use it wrong (either over or under oil it). I've had washable filters in my Cobra since almost day one (16 years for those counting) and have never had any MAF sensor issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bailey151 Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Only way a washable filter like a K&N will "kill" your MAF is if you use it wrong (either over or under oil it). I've had washable filters in my Cobra since almost day one (16 years for those counting) and have never had any MAF sensor issues. And on the reverse I can't even begin to count the stories I've heard about MAF issues when using them.............from mechanics to consumers. Given that it's "teats on a boar hog" for a turbo engine? Nah, no reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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