best air filter

[simonbond]

I'm going to buy a new air filter for my e300 since the one thats in there is torn and i think its that that destroyed my MAF (its only 500 miles old but some idiot installed wrong who owned the car last).

So which filter make is best, i would have 100% gone with ITG but they don't do a filter for the e300, so its between K&N (wouldn't be my first choice), pipercross, and green filters (i'm replacing the element, not getting an induction kit). So do any of you guys have any recommendations?

Does anybody think an enclosed induction kit is worth it btw??

thanks, Simon.

 

[230K]

Hi

I would just put the MB filter in it, or if you want to save a few pennies get one from Eurocarparts.

230K

 

[Kompressor_Dude]

Yup, the oils on a lot of the aftermarket ones damage the MAF's so i'd just go original...... MB knew what they were doing

 

[timskemp]

Original MB paper one, they're cheap (for my car anyhow) so stick a new one in every service.

 

[c240yaz]

Stay away from the "claimed" performance K&N and like wise.

Stick with the MB own brand "Dry" filters or Eurocarparts "Hengst" dry paper type element.

Any other brand = trouble. Maf and Mas need clean dry air. No oil mist whatsoever.

 

[simonbond]

what about 'dry' enclosed induction?

 

[Deleted member 2227]

Try loads of them! But MB paper one!

 

[eurico]

Stay away from the "claimed" performance K&N and like wise.

Stick with the MB own brand "Dry" filters or Eurocarparts "Hengst" dry paper type element.

Any other brand = trouble. Maf and Mas need clean dry air. No oil mist whatsoever.

YAZY
You mean that dry paper non Hengst or non OEM may have oil residue from manufacture process?

 

[buellwinkle]

On a car that hasn't been modified, the stock paper filter provides plenty of airflow and I've done enough dyno testing on MB's to know. The ITG is a good filter, probably get you 1 HP which is about as good as it gets and doesn't clog up like the paper filter would. K&N won't get you anything other than another contaminated MAF. If you MAF gets dirty from improper filtration you can clean it. In the U.S. we have CRC MAF Sensor Cleaner, 3 quid in U.S. dollar equivalent, a lot less expensive that throwing the MAF away, afterall, you wouldn't throw the car away because it got dirty.

 

[television]

I have read the same answers on every other forum, keep the paper one.

Re oil filters, once again the MB is unlike any other, so stick to MB there too

 

[vijilants]

What about the Greencotton air filter ?....I thought that you could use that dry and was supposed to be quite good ?

 

[vijilants]

On a car that hasn't been modified, the stock paper filter provides plenty of airflow and I've done enough dyno testing on MB's to know. The ITG is a good filter, probably get you 1 HP which is about as good as it gets and doesn't clog up like the paper filter would. K&N won't get you anything other than another contaminated MAF. If you MAF gets dirty from improper filtration you can clean it. In the U.S. we have CRC MAF Sensor Cleaner, 3 quid in U.S. dollar equivalent, a lot less expensive that throwing the MAF away, afterall, you wouldn't throw the car away because it got dirty.

Ive had a look around and it looks like we can't get that stuff over here in the UK.

 

[simonbond]

Well Im not planning on keeping it standard for very long, I have a VNT gt25 sat in front of me right now that I'm modifying to put on the car. I know a little about turbos, but i need an expert for some advice.....

If the VNT doesn't give me enough power I think I might look at some compound or sequential twin turbocharging, is there anybody on the board with any experience with that?

 

[Parrot of Doom]

If you want a real performance increase then get the ECU chipped.

Is your car the normally aspirated one, or the turbocharged one? If the former, then you'd save a lot of time and bother by selling it and buying an e300td.

 

[DansSlk]

I used Green's in the SL's and i also use them in the SLK because the OEM does not provide sufficient airflow and they never caused any issues in the SL's and so far have behaved in the SLK, I'm a member on a board where virtually every owner is running Green's and they have been fine K&N on the other hand guarantee's problems since they dip the things in so much oil is not even funny (i have no experience with any other filter brand so can't comment on them)

I have seen one set of dyno results that saw a 10bhp gain (same dyno, same day) but then dyno's are not the most accurate of things so i don't put a load of weight behind any results obtained from them.

The only difference i can see when using aftermarkets on a stock car is they tend to give a little more induction noise, filtering capability will be the same and you wont really gain any power that you can feel.

To be honest with you i would use the OEM's and replace at every service.

I have no affiliation with Green by the way I'm just speaking from positive experience with them

 

[c240yaz]

YAZY
You mean that dry paper non Hengst or non OEM may have oil residue from manufacture process?

No

 

[simonbond]

Well I went for the Green Filter in the end, Guaranteed for 100,000km, and a snitch at £45 compared to the paper mercedes one for £14. It should pay for itself and be more reliable, also it isnt an oil based filter so should be no problems for the MAF!!

 

[Deleted member 2227]

it isnt an oil based filter so should be no problems for the MAF!!

Yes it is, you have to use Green Filter cleaner and then re oil with their oil available from their website for £8.

 

[simonbond]

Actually Im not sure, theres nothing about oil in the instruuctions and it is completely dry.. i poked it to check.

 

[simonbond]

Compared to the itg filter i had in my last car it should be classed as a desert. Those ITG Filters have a lot of oil in them...