Do you need an air filter?

[DavidF]

I got in my car the other day after warm up I took off only to have the car bucking and jerking all over the place. So I pull over and after a few minutes of checking everything out I look in my fender and see that my air filter had fallen off and was down in my bumper. I put it back on and viola it was back to normal. What’s the deal? I thought I have seen cars run on the track with out an air filter.

 

[Black Stampede]

youve seen carbed cars run with no filters....

 

[NEEDA5.0]

I've run at the track like that and never had any trouble. Theres no way a missing air filter would cause those problems.

 

[NEEDA5.0]

So what his car is getting too much air???

 

[cb18201]

its not that its getting to much air , its getting all kinds of crap into your manifolds which is bad, cars have an air filter for a reason....to filter the air because it is dirty....i never thought it would cause a car to go as far as bucking but ive never ran without one so i dont know but your best bet would be to leave it on there

 

[Killer95Stang]

Turbo cars, and track only supercharged cars run all the time without a filter. Probably the main reason your car ran like crap is the lack of turbulence... The screen of the filter, or that screen that was in the stock air box acts to create turbulence, so the MAF sensor can get a proper reading... That is why some meters don't work with CAI kits, because the sharp bend near the MAF, makes the air hug the wall of the elbow, and it misses the sample tube for the meter... causing a lean condition....

 

[mr_woodster]

ah, i love speed density. I would have to say lack of airfilter wasnt your problem, rather air not being read by the mass air , either it was out of place, or air was getting by it on the back side (i.e. loose tubing)

 

[DavidF]

Turbo cars, and track only supercharged cars run all the time without a filter. Probably the main reason your car ran like crap is the lack of turbulence... The screen of the filter, or that screen that was in the stock air box acts to create turbulence, so the MAF sensor can get a proper reading... That is why some meters don't work with CAI kits, because the sharp bend near the MAF, makes the air hug the wall of the elbow, and it misses the sample tube for the meter... causing a lean condition....

O.k. I get it. I have an 75mm bullit Maf. so I dont have any screen. And with out the filter I my be getting like a "swirl" effect and its causing the meter to get an inconsistent reading.