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I'm a mechanic... I don't think I would waste my money on a just a filter. As for these guys saying you only buy the filter once.. I have an AEM intake on my truck, with a "re-usable" filter. I can tell you after about 5 years they don't look so great, and you will never get the fine particles out that are embedded in the paper (which also causes the most restriction). You just get the big stuff off the outside. Take a 5 year old filter and a brand new one, if you did a flow test I bet you would have lost around 50% of your flow. You wouldn't even have to do a flow test, just put a flashlight up to it and see the difference.
Also, higher flow means less restriction, how do they achieve less restriction? With filter media that is "coarser", also known as a micron rating. Which means you are letting more contamination into your engine. Especially fine dust.
Alot of filters have "oiled" filters which are supposed to use oil to catch fine particulates. There has been alot of speculation that the oil in the filter is actually drawn past the MAF sensor in some vehicles, which coats the honey-comb like sensor surface, reducing its efficiency, which throws off your engines computer.
Theres no two ways about it, an air filter, or any filter for that matter is a very simple device. It's a glorified screen, these filter companys can claim theres high technology in them, but in the end its a piece of paper, or foam. It discriminates particles, letting small ones in and keeping bigger ones out. More flow means more contamination. Oil means gummy sensors.
So there you have it, the truth about CAI/High Flow Filters.
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