Foam Filters Make Little Sense for Air Intake

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Probably the biggest takeaway from our report is the surprising prevalence of deteriorating foam oil filters on sailboats.

More than one-third of the sailors we surveyed had at some time in their past discovered foam air filters that had been sucked into their engine (presumably in tiny bits at a time). The engine will usually continue to operate despite this abuse, but noise and fumes will increase and longevity will surely be reduced.

    1. Someone left this foam filter untouched for years until it disintegrated. A good portion of it undoubtedly wound up in the engine.
    2. High heat from the crankcase vent melted the foam on this air filter. The burned hole renders the air filter useless.Foam Filters Make Little Sense for Air Intake
    3. Some of the participants who discovered that the foam filter had disappeared from their original air cleaner decided not to replace it. The filter shown here is common to several models of Westerbeke marine diesel engines.Foam Filters Make Little Sense for Air Intake

 

Related post: In Search of Better Filters

 

Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him at darrellnicholson.com.