No surprise that THOR kit filter gets gunked up quickly. That's got to be the biggest pain in the *** to service.

 

A spectre kit filter dirty on the outside...







Clean on the inside...



I don't know if that really means anything. Lol.

Seems to do good enough for me though. I could see someone in a desert environment having a bit more trouble though. I'd say they could go with a paper filter but I would think it need to be a lot bigger than the one that's in there.

At that last cleaning (a few days ago) there was some dust build up on the pre filter side... Nothing post filter.

As for performance gains, I'm only running it with 784 injectors, so I'm probably not getting the full potential. I've only noticed a bit more umph on cold morning and evenings.
I could probably do some tests eventually with torque and some spare time lol.

 

I just installed the 2.5" exhaust (still got some tweaking to do to it) but haven't decided on an intake yet if one at all, I might just buy a K&N replacement filter for the stock air box and install that.

 

As far as engine mods, I've only added an AFE CAI so far to my 97. Got a good deal on it so I did it first. I have noticed a little more pep in its step(not much), and a 2mpg increase. went from 18/18.5 to 20/20.3mpg with a 70/30 backroad,city/interstate mix. Depending on how heavy my foot is.
I have a 99 intake waiting to go in, and will be bending up a new 2.5" exhaust too. Planning on adding it in stages to see the difference each one makes.

 

Pretty much how mine works. I love it. I did make one change to the TB mount though. I had issues where the rubber elbow was creeping up off the base. I took it off and with a pair of channel locks I bent 4 little tabs outward on the top edge. This has worked perfectly to keep the elbow from walking up. One the little tabs now even though not sharp bite into the rubber and two, the hose clamp can't slide past them.

 

I have a spectre in my jeep. Love it.



It sounds way cooler in person

 

I laugh every time I see these anti-K&N filter posts about how they don't filter dirt. Go to any major engine builder and see what they have to say I don't mean Joe Blow down the street. They are the standard for high flow with the most filtering of any paper filter.

Go to any off road race or Race to the Clouds, Drag cars and most every NASCAR racer has K&N on them. They must be very foolish for all these people to use them. Perhaps some of you need to inform them of how poor those filters really are.

BTY on my Jeep I use a Pre-filter on my K&N filter and I did on my dirt track late models also, on my Grand Cherokee I use a K&N in the stock location. The Jiffy Lube where I have all my cars serviced started doing K&N filter services about 3 yrs ago clean/dry/re-oil with K&N filter oil/cleaner $5. The owner told me he now buys his K&N filters cleaner and oil by the 5 gallon buckets from his supplier. He also said sales of new filters averaged 30-35 a month.

 

I laugh every time I see a pro-K&N fanboi mentiong "engine builder" or "racing", like that has anything to do with a Jeep. I've linked a couple tests in an earlier post demonstrating that oiled gauze media is not as effective as traditional paper. Look for yourself.

They don't give a **** how good the filters are. Racing has as much to do with us as aviation. Racing applications are ONLY after flow and are NOT concerned at all with reliability. Oil filters are the same way: WIX 51515R is specially designed for racing: it has ridiulously high flow and barely captures anything. If you think you're racing your Jeep I want to see periodic rebuilds. In the mean time my goal is to reach 500,000 miles with as little work as possible. Quality filtration is key.

What does Jiffy Lube or their sales have to do with anything? My local grocery store sells hundreds of thousands of dollars of tobacco every month, that doesn't mean it's good for you...

 

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f5/col...2/#post1016112

http://www.seriousoffroadproducts.com/Air-Filters/AEM

 

If you could blend your technical information with real world application you may be worth listening too.

But as it stands you are very narrow. Those filtration tests are very flawed. They only hold true in perfect text book application. In which case we are never in.

There is a reason I prefer a gauze/oil filter over paper. And that reason is reliability.

100:1 I will take quality gauze over paper. That said I currently have a paper filter. LOL

That is because I am cheap.

 

What's wrong with those tests? Air goes in, contaminants either get stopped or they don't.

 

Correct. That is why I applaud your technical aspect in the matter.

Tests are fine. But they are just tests. Application and interpretation is what is so often misrepresented.

 

Here is a good little unbiased article about filters in racing application. It touches on points that I may bring up.

http://www.stockcarracing.com/techar...n/viewall.html

But in a nutshell of the off road jeeper who experiences a large variety of terrain. I would strongly advocate a quality gauze filter to great reliability and protection from potential motor damage.

And not worrying as much about microns of particles that may or may not harm your motor at the 300,000 mile mark.

 

So how does those test differ from "real world application"? Both real world and test have dust and particles go in to the filter, both keep going pass the filter....
It's funny how you never answer directly but beat around the bush...

The only true re-usable filter I've seen to actually work would be the spectra. Guy on naxja who lives in the desert has the spectra cold air and he showed many times the dirty side where air comes In and the clean side pass the filter. That IS THE ONLY filter that does actually work and do what it's suppose to do. Hell I have the K&N cold air fipk system(came with the jeep) and I plan to change it out to a cowl intake with a spectra filter.

 

Do you really want to know? I mean a guy that already has in his mind that "IS THE ONLY". Most likely is not open to discussion.