Airsep question

[searay495]

Good morning all, and happy fall I was with my mechanic yesterday removing the after coolers and he removed the airsep filter. He told me that the , and excuse my ignorance for what it is called, black metal housing that the filter is held on to needed to be replaced because there is a foam filter like material on the inside of the housing that has gone past its life, thus potentially putting this gummy like black stuff in to the turbo. Anyone ever replace it. Looks like it is about a $500.00 item unless you can just replace the foam filter. Thoughts? FYI..my air filter is the round one, not the conical one.

 

[my3sons]

Yes, and your mechanic is right. Walker states that the air seps have a ten year life expectancy. That foam will break down with time and hours of use.

We were just talking about this on the 6cta thread a few weeks ago. It's not a well known issue, but you don't want to be sucking that gunky foam into your intake.
http://www.clubsearay.com/index.php...s-6cta-450c-thread.77886/page-45#post-1264578

Edit: try Fisheries supply for the housings, they were a good price when I changed mine.

 

[ZZ13]

Yes, and your mechanic is right. Walker states that the air seps have a ten year life expectancy. That foam will break down with time and hours of use.

We were just talking about this on the 6cta thread a few weeks ago. It's not a well known issue, but you don't want to be sucking that gunky foam into your intake.
http://www.clubsearay.com/index.php...s-6cta-450c-thread.77886/page-45#post-1264578

Edit: try Fisheries supply for the housings, they were a good price when I changed mine.

$790 each for 6CTA at Fisheries Supply. Dang. So I should replace my 20 year old housings regardless of what condition I think they are in?

 

[Irie308]

In need of this as well. Wondering if the housing alone is that much or does it come with the filters as well. Waiting to call them to clarify.

 

[Shaps]

That price should include new filter elements. Roughly what I spent last year on them.

 

[searay495]

Man that's a lot of sheckles!! I saw an article about Tony at SBMAR developing his own. Anyone using them?

 

[my3sons]

$790 each for 6CTA at Fisheries Supply. Dang. So I should replace my 20 year old housings regardless of what condition I think they are in?

That’s your call, your money. I noticed mine starting to deteriorate when I rubbed on the foam when servicing the filter. One side was starting to go, the other side was ok but got both of course. I think I paid 450ish each for just the housings. No filter, end cap, springs or clamps and hose. It did come with the filter minder.

 

[searay495]

Can you tell us where you got the housing? I can only find the entire kit. Thanks

 

[ZZ13]

That’s your call, your money. I noticed mine starting to deteriorate when I rubbed on the foam when servicing the filter. One side was starting to go, the other side was ok but got both of course. I think I paid 450ish each for just the housings. No filter, end cap, springs or clamps and hose. It did come with the filter minder.

Mine come off every year for a variety of reasons. I look inside at the foam layer and haven’t noticed anything wrong but never really thoroughly inspect it. Guess I will now. Is the problem only that it breaks down? Or is over saturation a problem as well?

 

[my3sons]

No oil, it’s on the air intake side of the housing. The foam breaks down.
I just looked on fisheriessupply.com
They only have 1 in stock. Figures.

Call Walker engineering in sun valley ca.
Mitchell is a guy I’ve talked to there before. Tell him you’re having trouble locating a pair and see what they will do on a price direct from them. Might be $30-$40 more but they’ll have them. That’s the Walker part number- 74003M5MGBS. Good luck.

 

[Irie308]

No oil, it’s on the air intake side of the housing. The foam breaks down.
I just looked on fisheriessupply.com
They only have 1 in stock. Figures.
View attachment 115294

Call Walker engineering in sun valley ca.
Mitchell is a guy I’ve talked to there before. Tell him you’re having trouble locating a pair and see what they will do on a price direct from them. Might be $30-$40 more but they’ll have them. That’s the Walker part number- 74003M5MGBS. Good luck.

Thanks for this as well. I called them earlier and they said they didn't sell without the filters.

 

[ZZ13]

It doesn’t seem like that thin foam should be a $500-$800 problem. Anyone know what it does? Seems one could take it out and buff the metal smooth and glue on new similar material. Or what about just running without any foam?

 

[Blueone]

It doesn’t seem like that thin foam should be a $500-$800 problem. Anyone know what it does? Seems one could take it out and buff the metal smooth and glue on new similar material. Or what about just running without any foam?

Yes ...makes no sense....they glue on foam ....why cant we ?

 

[my3sons]

I can tell you the new ones are built differently. They have steel mesh over whatever it is (foam?) that’s on there now. Maybe something else improved?
Come on now, you guys aren’t going to tell me that you spend 12 grand to replace perfectly good (albeit old) electronics with the latest and greatest when in reality all you need is a cell phone and a radar, but you’re going to superglue some pillow stuffing 5” in front of your turbo compressor cranking away at 100,000 rpm?

 

[Blueone]

I can tell you the new ones are built differently. They have steel mesh over whatever it is (foam?) that’s on there now. Maybe something else improved?
Come on now, you guys aren’t going to tell me that you spend 12 grand to replace perfectly good (albeit old) electronics with the latest and greatest when in reality all you need is a cell phone and a radar, but you’re going to superglue some pillow stuffing 5” in front of your turbo compressor cranking away at 100,000 rpm?

LOL....they arent super human....we can do it

 

[my3sons]

“We have the technology”

 

[Irie308]

I may have a crack in mine as it’s dripping oil. When I did remove it a few seasons ago it looked to be in good shape.

 

[ZZ13]

I can tell you the new ones are built differently. They have steel mesh over whatever it is (foam?) that’s on there now. Maybe something else improved?
Come on now, you guys aren’t going to tell me that you spend 12 grand to replace perfectly good (albeit old) electronics with the latest and greatest when in reality all you need is a cell phone and a radar, but you’re going to superglue some pillow stuffing 5” in front of your turbo compressor cranking away at 100,000 rpm?

I run an iPad I got for $99 as my primary navigation tool….

Seriously, though, I am mostly interested in it’s purpose. My guess is it’s simply sound deadening. But not sure.

 

[my3sons]

Yeah, I’m not sure. The old foam gets a little sticky and dirty but it doesn’t seem to be a filter of any kind. I’d believe sound deadening. I never have heard turbo whine, but then my ears are shot from working around equipment my whole life.

 

[ZZ13]

Yeah, I’m not sure. The old foam gets a little sticky and dirty but it doesn’t seem to be a filter of any kind. I’d believe sound deadening. I never have heard turbo whine, but then my ears are shot from working around equipment my whole life.

Mark, per this pdf maybe it is some kind of filtering thing. Although that may be a reference to the internals that we can't see that works on the crankcase stuff.
https://www.walkerairsep.com/pdf/tech/17.pdf

I don't hear turbo whine when I am on the bridge either.