Hello All, I live about 100 miles from a volcano that goes active about every 20 years or so. The city I'm in has faired well through the last 6 eruptions, but with the prospect of the darn thing going off for a few months, I figure its just a matter of time till I will be trying to save my 10.
Many around here have suggested using womens nylons over air cleaners, or air inlets,but the cone shape filter in my rig, seams a foreboding shape. Even if the nylon was placed over the filter it seems that the single layer material would need replacement often, and could become a great air restriction. If thats the case then given the need to replace the material and opening the air cleaner up to do so would possibly introduce trace amounts?
I have lots of open cell foam. The seat cushion type foam, of low density, that I have thought about placing in front of the air cleaner snorkel hole in radiator support. Maybe wrapped in nylon material first then sort of stuffed in between the grill (light area). I'm not sure if the snorkel tube extends through the rad. support, I'll have to check soon. Other wise sealing it to the support will become a issue as well.
I'm aware of a quarter size hole in the air cleaner enclosure on my rig. It seams to be a intentional breather, to release pressure or maybe provide inlet, in the event the snorkel gets partially plugged by a random grocery bag or zip lock bag like the one i found in a air cleaner once. But it doesn't seam at all large enough to really provide much relief, at any rate. I'm thinking it should be taped over till the threats subsided.
The darn dust, will be with us for along time. Some areas worse than others, but still out there. Lots of rain and just not driving the rig would be great if they were options.
Any Ideas, besides moving?

 

Went thru mt st helens in 1980 had to put up with the ash for about a year.
The foam is a good idea if soaked in motor oil and then wring out the excess. Seen everthing used. The best were the dual element filters we used the donaldson brands.
The state patrol used 3" hose from the air intake to the rear window of the patrol car thru a cardboard filler taped in, until they could get dual elements installed. Foam was a good option with oil coating. Be prepared for electrical headaches!! and don't wash the ash off no matter how tempted you are it gets heavy as concrete and conducts current. and scratches the hell out of things. Use air to clean the stuff off!! blow out your alt. regularly and electric switches for doors and windows etc. That stuff is very abrasive even on our chrome combine, mower and baler parts. so expect your brakes to wear faster. I ' d give the vehicles a good wax now just for the micro dust your going to have. ( It really did a number on my new trans. am back then) I think we still have some of them donaldson air filter setups around, if you can't find any let me know and I can send one to you. I had mine on because of some super talc. farm land we were farming and I seemed to always be pulling dead vehicles home for friends and strangers.
Sorry for the long post but I hope the information keeps you on the road.

 

Not sure about the V10, I've got the 6.0 in mine with an Airraid CAI on it. I know for sure Airraid and some of the other A/M intakes you can get a pre-filter (sort of a nylon sock) to go over the pleated filter.
Also, everyone talks about PSD turbos getting dusted using A/M CAI's. I've had mine on since last July (about 14k miles) and the intake tube is spotless, nothing getting through that filter.

 

Do a search for filter skins. They are a slip on cover used in off road. You may be able to find the material to build your own if you can't find one to fit.

 

Thanks for the quick chat back. It happened. The wind changed Saturday after about an inch of snow fell. We didn't get hit as bad as many other towns though, yet. Had the wife scoop some snow in to a clear cup for the 8yr old. We let it melt, and rinsed alittle then let it dry. Wow, I forgot how fine the stuff can be.
We have what they call trace amounts in my general area, but right after the ash fall the wind picked up to 30-40 with 75mph gust. I didn't know if the Maguires was going
to hold back the blasting.
Doug, Ill look up the Donaldson dual filters you mention. I've been wrenching some forty plus years up here, and have never run across them though. They sound great. A google search should lead me to them. I will take some of my on hand foam and oil it, for the time being. Any Idea how thick,would be to thick. I've herd tale, that the oiled filters (reusable) can tend to coat MAF sensors. I would guess real lightly oiled would be; oiled and squeezed till only a small amount ends up on, say, paper towel around it?
I've made, about 1" thick pre filters before for carbed engines with round filters. The cone shape and limited space in stock inlet don't seam real accommodating though for anything that thick or simply made, so I'll try to place something up stream for now.

Thanks for the great ideas. Sounds like we will get dusted again and again. The snow collects it some what for now, but every day its been melting and letting more into road spray and kicked up dry areas.

 

Try this link. I think it's the one you're looking for.

Engine Vehicle Air Filtration Products

 

I did go to Donaldsons web site and found a local dealer, but they only found a diesel application listing. They seam to be a great filtration company. Lots of heavy equipment apps. Still searching.

 

Sorry about that. I don't know what happened to the link I posted. It's been happening to me and others lately when trying to post links. Anyways, this may be the same thing you found. Donaldson supplies the factory 6.0 intakes / filters IIRC. I thought they had something for gas engines too though. I'll dig around in some of my stuff and see if I can find anything better.

http://www.donaldson.com/en/index.html

 

Thanks John, that is the site I found. Dual layer filters may be the way to go? The catch being that I'd be putting it in a stock enclosure and if i"m opening it to clean or replace a pre filter, It seams that the filter would be just as well replaced at that time. I don't know?
The definition of dual layer can mean acouple different things though, I suppose. One would be a supper heavy duty filter with two built in layers (donaldson?) or the more prevalent foam pre filtered units. As far as I can tell.
The foam used as pre filters seams very open celled to me though. Oiled , I guess, would be the operational factor providing supplemental filtration in my case. I'm thinking of at least switching to a well made oiled filter, and replacing often. I can clean the MAF later, and will need to at any rate.
I looked up filter skins and found chat about there use in dirt bikes. Seams that they would require getting in to the filter enclosure often, to inspect and clean. The calibration of the air fuel ratio is daunting in any fix. Plugged intake filter or combination of filtration seams something to avoid? what would be your thoughts?

Don

 

I think you're on the right track with the oiled filter but I don't have any experiences to compare to yours with the ash. Of course, I guess the biggest thing would be diligently and religiously cleaning it. I'm sure the ash would probably accumulate pretty quickly. The filter skins sound like a pretty good idea but I'm guessing you're right about getting into the filter enclosure often. At any rate, you are correct about the ratio and with too restrictive a filter, it's going to be off. Although, I would think the PCM would recalibrate if it senses a decrease in airflow and adjust the fuel. Best of luck with it. I've been doing some digging around but I don't think I've found anything you haven't yet. I'll keep checking and let you know if I find anything.

 

Your on the right track Don, the foam we used back then was the 1/2 inch rap. that went around the old circular air filters. I had one on the trans. am and had to clean it ever couple of hundred miles. Engine seemed to survive ok but I traded it off a year later just in case. The Donaldson filters are mainly used for diesel equipment, we got ones with a intake attachment made for the 4 barrel carb. and rubber flex joints and 90 degree ends to mtg. them in engine compartment. We pulled some off old combines and got rubber reducers and between metal pipe and hose mounted them on the 10 wheeler trucks with the big block 366,427 and 460 engines. Mainly the idea is the outer filter catches all the dirt and dust but that inner filter guarantees nothing getting in the engine. Todays filters are way better than they were 29 years ago and K&N filters were not heard of. I really hav'nt researched how many micron's these newer filters are good for.
On a different subject I thought we had windy weather when it hits the 30's and 40 miles per hr. but you guys really take a blasting!!!!Wow I don't think most of the roofs around here could hold up to that....Let alone the usual trees and crops.

 

You all are great support... Many thanks for being here. Yep we see some real snarly weather. I've been up here since 75, and I'm still amazed from time to time with mother natures wrath. My parents have long since moved to Florida and they call our kind of windy days here, hurricanes there. One morning the schools stayed in session, with the kids having to wait at bus stops in just that kind of wind. 80mph plus blasts and old growth spruce(pines) snapping and fences tumbling (in winter mind you). They called off school for the next two days because of icy roads,, I still can't wrap my mind around that one. The local pizza hut lost 60% of its steel roof, but its plywood stayed.
I looked for a easy path to filter, leading into the air box snorkel. Its really not an easy position to get at. The inlet, in front of the radiator support is in a semi-enclosed position, and its trumpet inlet faces a grill support panel. There is a sweet 1" or so, flush gap, but the top filler panel between radiator and grill would have to have several push pins removed to repeatably get at it. At 35 degrees or so they don't come out nice at all. So I'm looking for the best(affordable ) air filter and maybe a over shield(pre filter) that will fit in the stock air filter chamber.

 

just food for thought, looked up k&n filters they claim 97 -99% efficency down to 5.5 microns.tried looking up ratings for john deere and cat filters It will be easier to call dealer or read the rating on the filter tommorow. But the K & N might be a good simple solution with out all the mods. to your grill. Theres been some great pictures of the eruptions from your mtn. on tv. man will that thing ever shut off? Whats it been 4 or 5 big eruptions lately?

 

If memory serves, arn't Amsoil air filters supposed to filter very very fine stuff. I thought they were much better than any oiled filter.


micky

 

OK, I need to preface with the statement that I am an engineer and try to practice thinking outside the box on a regular basis....

First off, keep good name brand paper filters in the airbox itself, and rely on them to assure the engine gets clean air.

I really like oiled foam for pre-filters, and that is exactly what you need in this case - a super convenient fast to access and easy to clean pre-filter you can clean very frequently. During this time, you are far more concerned about saving the engine than getting every last hp out, right?
For pre-filter material, UNI is a company that makes oiled foam filters for motorcycles, and they make good ones. They offer a sheet of bright orange open cell bulk pre-filter media (like 10x20" or so) that is perfect for this application - it is the right density and is made of material that will withstand repeated oiling and cleaning. Any dirt bike vendor should be able to get it for you. Not commonly stocked, but very available.
And use dirt bike filter oils and cleaners. They go on pretty easy and then dry out quite a bit to become ULTRA tacky and sticky so they do not drip and make a mess, but really stop dirt. NoToil makes a great oil and cleaner system, as does UNI, and Twin-Air. I use the Twin-Air on my dirtbikes.

Here's an idea, kinda half baked at this point, but could trigger others to have better ideas to improve it.

How about:
1) Blocking off stock inlet behind grill.
2) Cut some openings in the stock airbox and covering those opening with oiled foam. I'm thinking a grid of 1" holes or squares. Use a grid of small holes so all the material left between the holes supports the foam.
3) Cut the foam to cover all the holes and overlap around edges.
4) Make some kind of "frame" to clamp the foam. I'm envisioning a piece of aluminum sheet, cut to the same size as foam, with the center cut out leaving a 3/4" frame all around. Form it to conform to airbox. secure with a few screws into the air box, or a couple big hose clamps, etc.
5) Put a "bead" of grease around the edge of foam so it seals to airbox, clamp it on, and go. Make an extra (or two) and have it pre-oiled and ready to go at moments notice. Store in big ziplock bag.

When air quality returns, replace the foam with a formable sheet of plastic, or metal, or whatever to block off all the holes and open up the original snout.