300tdi Air Filters
 

Eve Gents

Just wondering what the more extensively travelled folk thought of Air filtration and if the standard system was enough.

In my little experience of Morocco and the dusty mountain tracks of the Alps I would have thought no. quite simply because the filter was dirty after some 2-3000 miles of use even with a raised air intake.

I have the option of the military twin filter canister and was wondering if others use this and what their thoughts were with regards to replacement, effectiveness etc.

Any other options? We will be heading across central asia/mongolia/siberia in 2 years time so will be putting plenty of miles on the clock over dusty roads.

Cheers,

G

I put in a K&N filter in my 300Tdi before traveling RTW and I've just cleaned it for the third time (didn't really need it but I was doing a clean up of all the rest of the intake system) since getting it in 2002. I last cleaned it in 2005 before going into Australia (again not needed but required by AQUIS), and it's seen lots of dust roads since then, red Aussie dust and all through south and cenral America. When I fitted it I noticed that it seemed to reverse the slightlt drop in power I noticed when I fitted the raised intake with "cyclone top". The Cleaner and oil kit available are enough to clean it at least twice and take up a lot less space than 1 replacement filter. I did keep a very regular check on its condition and removed any flies that got in there but that was pretty much it. I'm sure there are other brands just as good, pipercross etc. but that worked for me and I cant see myself changing it..

Mal

I think Discovery filters are good, cheap as chips and light....so take a couple of spares, and have the old one cleaned with an air compessor when you get the chance.

Not sure how the military cannister works....sorry

Hello. I would recommend the standard factory fit air filters. Get an OE (origional equipment) one and I think that's about as good as you're going to get.
The reason your filter needed cleaning was because it was doing it's job. Although, like you say, another pre filter would help this.
The K&N filter won't need cleaning as much as it's letting more air through (gives a little more power - cool) but it also lets more dust through (no so cool!)

If you've got a raised air intake then the cyclone pre filters are pretty good, like they have on tractors.

Byee

thanks for that, yes my 90 has original engine and filter etc. Suppose your right, it is doing its job! dont fancy the K&N really.

The 300tdi military ones are more or less the same, but they are slightly larger in diameter and length. They also have a smaller cylindrical filter that slots inside which I have been told the MOD only fit for operations in Iraq and Afgan. I was thinking I could run the internal filter for the duration of my trip whilst only replaceing the outer one over a longer period... maybe.

maybe im thinking about it too much! :oops2:

G

Unless you have found a supplier Griff you can't ge hold of either filter very easily. The second pre-filters are especially difficult to find.

Why add more complication? If you are worried about it fit an agricultural pre filter to the snorkel top and carry a spare paper filter.

the small internal filter wont need changing out as often as the outer which is readily available from various LR suppliers. there are 2 currently listed on ebay along with 1 smaller internal one.

In its current form I will need to change the air filter out 3-4times by the time I reach Vladivostok. upgrade system or carry 4 spare filters? :thumbdown:

pre filter on snorkel top will happen anyway :thumbup1:

G

I have a donaldson truck filter on top of front of roof rack with pipe going down to intake of standard LR filter (so acts as snorkel) The donaldson is way oversize for my 4ltr engine , but filters are available anywhere , as used on constrction machinery. They are also designed to be compressed air cleaned (a lot of car filters are not) . Have done 10s of thousands of miles in sand/bulldust eg Outback australia . The LR is as good as new ,and the donaldson has been blown out once . The initial set up is a little bit more cost but pays divedends in the long run . JMHO

so you have yet to replace the filter elements?

sounds like just what Im trying to achieve. Once we get to Aus we will cover quite a few outback miles also. I want to try and keep my 300 in top condition.

G

Air filters - What we used on our trip
 

Hi folks,

We just completed 1 year in Europe & Africa - west coast / central Africa route. We have a 300 tdi (97 plate). We did a lot of off road and some of the roads in Central Africa are very dusty.

We used standard air filters and a raised snorkel with no pre-filter. We did find that dust and a few small stones did make its way to the paper filter but we stopped and used an air line to de-dust them.

One problem we found was that when you are on a busy track and get stuck behind a vehicle a lot of dust and small stones can be thrown up.

We met a few folk who put on a small tractor cyclone on the top of the snorkel and I was surprised to see how well they worked and how much they took out of the air flow. We are going to put one on ours and will hunt one down in SA. Looks like this supplier in the UK sells the same thing.

Washable filters are an option but the ones I saw were expensive and they do get damaged. So in summary - basic factory fit / after market paper filters with snorkel and cyclone should be bomb proof.

HTH

Nick

Fitted cyclone
 

Hi folks

An update to last post - we have now fitted a dust cyclone to the top of the snorkel and even with just "on-road" use we have taken out a fair bit of sand and grit that would have normally made its way into the main filter.

We got ours at a farm machinery place in SA just outside Cape Town. £15 new!! and comes with bracket and rubber seal. Defo worth fitting !!

HTH

Nick

this is what you need, donaldson pre filter with clear bowl...period!

I have seen these do miracles in mining industry where visibility can be only 3 feet...and the machines run constantly in dust....oh, I have one of these in my RRC and now 3rd. year on the dusty roads, and the filter is still clean! :thumbup1:

Donaldson 7" Cyclonic Pre-Filter - Expedition Portal