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MG MGA - Air Filter Elements and Engine Performance

Hello.
There was a thread a few years ago concerning air filter elements and fuel consumption.
Im considering replacing paper air filter elements with a K&N filters.
Did anybody compare engine performance and fuel consumption with paper and K&N filters?
Thanks,
Nick
Nikolai Skliadnev

If the air filter makes any difference at all in power or fuel consumption, there is something else wrong with the engine that should be fixed. Any paper air filter should be better than the original MGA filter.

K&N may or may not be marginally better than other paper filters, but they are a bit of a bother to clean and re-oil periodically. I installed them in my MGA because they kind of fir with minimal modification to the original filter housings. I may have cleaned and oiled them once. Otherwise I find that they shrink and deform when in contact with a bit of oil from the valve cover breather, and I have had to change them a couple of times already. I would really like to find an alternative disposable paper filter the same size.

barneymg

Barney,
Thank you for your comments.
I use KOHLER 35116-S paper elements, which are in your cross reference list:
6" OD, 4.25" ID, 1-7/8" H, 5.5USD
I use them without original screens, also used FRAM CA77 before.
My theory is:
A few years ago I noted that the front air filer gets oil via the rocker oil breather.
I discussed this problem on the forum and some folks suggested that paper filters create more pressure drop than original air filter elements. If the suggestion is correct it means paper filters have lower air flow and you need to use not standard carburetor needles (I use GS for my standard 1500 engine) to get correct fuel mixture otherwise it’s necessary to use a filter element providing more air flow.
Nick
Nikolai Skliadnev

This thread was discussed between 31/07/2017 and 02/08/2017

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This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.