AK where did you get that fitting between you're tube with the filter minder andthe BHAF itself??TIA

jim

 

Pics are in the gallery. Click on the pic, then click on it again for a big high res shot.

I think what you're talking about is the cobra head elbow. They have a much tighter turn than standard elbows. I was concerned about the elbow on top sticking up to high and hitting the hood so I used one of these. After all was done, I could have used a standard 5" elbow, which is half the cost of the cobra head, and just cut an inch or two off each end and it probably would have worked fine. Wouldn't have looked as cool though.

Parts I used:
1) Donaldson G110119 BHAF. Cost is about $110 for housing with filter. There is a sticker on the side of the housing that lists the part number for replacement filters, which run about $20.
2) The filter housing has a 5" outlet, so I attached a 5" cobra head elbow.
3) Attached to the other end of the cobra head is a standard aluminized exhaust reducer. It reduces the 5" pipe to 4" while giving me a place to mount the IAT sensor and filter minder.
4) From the 4" side of the reducer is a 4" rubber 90* elbow into a piece of 4" exhaust tubing into another 4" 90* elbow that attaches to the turbo.

All of the elbows required trimming with a pair of scissors to get everything to line up without bending/distorting them. Of course, it would be up to the individual to mount the housing in a way that prevents it from just flopping around under the hood. I attached brackets in two spots, one on top that you can see, and a small one at the bottom front using an unused bolthole. It doesn't touch the battery box or the alternator, however, it is resting on the charged air tube that runs from the turbo to the intercooler. If I could change anything, I would have tweaked the mounting location to allow the filter inlet to rotate down more. It might have been possible to get at the cool air without hacking up the housing like I did, but I already had my mounting brackets made and didn't want to change them.

Making the IAT sensor is not difficult at all. You basically need a small piece of metal....and drill three holes in it. I picked up a small piece of plate steel at Home Depot. Whatever you get needs to be at around 3/8" to 1/2" thick. Mine is right at 3/8". I cut this plate with a cut-off wheel (hand grinder) to 1.5" X 2". Drill a hole right in the center, stick the IAT sensor into this hole and mark the holes for the screws. Then drill the screw holes and tap them. When that was done, I welded this plate to the exhaust reducer and put a coat of aluminum paint over the whole thing. Entire process took about 30 minutes. Of course, I have a set of taps and a small welder in the garage.

Total cost not including IAT sensor mount:
BHAF: $110
5" 90* Elbow: $15.00
5" Constant Torque Clamps (2): $5.00 each
5" to 4" Exhaust Reducer: $10.00
4" Rubber 90* Elbow (2): $12.00
4" Constant Torque Clamps (4): $4.00 each
One foot of 4" Tubing: $10.00

Total: $195. This gets you a paper BHAF that is protected from the elements, fits under the hood, so far is flowing as well as the truck needs, and is cheaper than the oiled filter offerings. Not that the oiled filter systems are not any good mind you.

Everything that one would need is available on the following web site: http://shop.airflowonline.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv , however, this place is expensive. Buy locally if you can.

I'm tickled.

ON EDIT: Never mind the clear plastic thing sticking up on the left side of the filter. That's just to keep the automatic touchless car wash from filling my filter with water when I go through. It has a nasty habit of hitting the joint between the fender and hood in just the right place and soaking everything in its path.

 

Great JOB

 

Since we're talking about both approaches here, here is some AFE data just in: I just completed 3,000 miles on the PG-7. I'll have some oil analysis soon, but I thought I would report on the intake tube dust.

I opened the factory plastic intake tube for inspection and my eyes greeted me with nothingness. no dust. absolutely none. I even got out one of those alcohol based sungass cleanner wipes and used it on the inside of the tube. no dust. everything perfectly black in there.

anyway, keep that BHAF design going, as it looks promising. I just thought I'd share the AFE data.

 

My AFE has not left any dust whatsoever in 20k. I have only washed my prefilter and have never touched the AFE. Filter minder has not budged either...

 

Makes you wonder if the manufacturing process of the new PG7 is just inherently more difficult to produce with consistent results. There have been several other folks here and on TDR that have mentioned dust in their intake, yet plenty of folks with good reports like yours.

Don't forget the guy on TDR that averages 3 to 4 ppm silicone with his old, pre-PG7 AFE filter.

 

I checked mine last week when I changed the oil. I was fearing that I may have the "AK ram syndrome".........and.......No dust and I travel on gravel quite often. I have around 10k - 14k on this filter. It is dirty, but not ready for cleaning just yet.

I wonder if AK got a defect?? - JKE

 

I think AK may be right. They could have some defects that slip through production, but it could also be some mfg process variability that naturally causes some to be better than others. With the amount of dust @ 6,000 miles in your intake tube, AK, I'd say you had a leak somewhere or other huge defect.

 

I thought it was too cold in AK for dust?

 

AK, That is a great looking system!!! a couple of ?? Where did you acquire the parts and what is the reason for the filter housing??? On my 98.5 I had the BHAF and a OUTERWEARS cover on it .


Jim

 

Sorry....been out of town. Everything that one would need is available on the following web site: http://shop.airflowonline.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv , however, this place is expensive. Buy locally if you can. I ended up buying the filter locally, but purchased the misc. elbows and stuff from Air Flo (couldn't get them locally). Saved $50 on the filter alone by buying it locally.

Most would agree that you need some kind of heat shield if your going to use a BHAF to keep it from sucking in hot engine compartment air all the time. Also, unlike the 2nd Gens where the filter sits way up by the windshield, the 3rd Gen filter is mounted low with nothing between it and the ground, so water can be an issue from tire spray. Most of us don't have the equipment to bend sheet metal for a shield, so that presents an problem. The RadialSeal provided a suitable solution with its housing.

 

Received the results of my first oil analysis with the Donaldson BHAF. Oil change interval was 5,400 miles. Approx 2,000 of these miles was with the filter I was having problems with before I got the BHAF hooked up. Also, approx 1,500 of these miles was with the BHAF running the dirt "Haul Road" up north to Prudhoe Bay….very good test conditions.

Report comments: "We found basically zero change in wear in this sample, even though you have bumped up your oil use miles to 5,400, 2,400 more than your last interval. This is one fine Cummins engine. It apparently does not matter how long or short you run the oil; it produces about the same wear levels regardless. Insolubles (oil oxidation due to heat, use, and blow-by) were low at 0.3%, showing good oil filtration and complete combustion. Silicon dropped slightly, showing good air filtration. No obvious problems to report."

Silicone was down to 7 ppm, as compared to 12 on the last sample with all AFE. Considering the 1,500 miles of dust kicked up by the big rigs on the "Haul" Rd., I was actually surprised it was this low. I drove through some nasty stuff for hundreds of miles at a time. A couple more samples and we will have a good trend established, but so far, I'm really liking the BHAF.

Oil was Valvoline Premium Blue. Kudos for the "complete combustion" goes to the TST on 5/5 for the entire change interval, and I don't drive lightly. Kudos for the "good oil filtration" goes to the Fleetguard oil filter. This combination seems to be working well together.

 

excellent report AK! I bet your silicon level goes down on the next sample. low single digits is great territory

 

Interesting result. I picked up a Donaldson 25" H20 restriction indicator (calibrated for my BHAF) and put it in the intake tube in the same place I had the stock minder with no funky tube running inside the intake to the filter or nothing. Did several 27 psi runs today and it didn't move, at all. I guess that proves my stock minder was very weak. What happened to venturi effect?

Don't be eyeballing my welding skills. I can stick it, but it ain't purdy.

 

How do you calibrate a 25" H20 restriction meter to a BHAF? just kidding -- your BHAF is supposed to work below 25" H20 and you just chose the right gauge.

yea the venturi effect got swamped by the fact that you now have an accurate gauge. if you can tell me the effective media surface area of your BHAF I'll tell you the magnitude of the venturi effect in your install (instead of making some inferences from the stock airbox).

also, you may not be pulling 600 CFM, which was an assumption we made for understanding the venturi effect.