AFE s2 air cleaner cleanliness

[RSG]

Back from the frigid mid-north, and delighted in the high 30's w/sun today. Changed & sampled oil & changed fuel filter too, checked coolant SCA, and cleaned the AFE Stage 2 filter. My mind got to thinking (dangerous, I know! )

Question: do those of you with the AFE filters find that most of the dirt seems to be on the external "sock" and not in the filter itself? It surprises me how much junk I'm scraping off the sock and how relatively clean the big old filter itself appears.

'Nother question: when I push it a little, the engine wheezes on upshift. Noticeably louder since putting on the AFE. I see a dark spot on the filter, presumably some sort of oil blow-back. (Oh yeah, the intercooler boots look a tad funky). What is this noise and is it anything to be concerned about?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts, especially about my questions

 

[CSIPSD]

The oil is from Your CCV, If you have not done the CCV mod you should. It will keep the oil out of the IC, off of your boots and keep your IC tubes connected where they should be!

As far as the filter... I just clean mine every 10-20k and dont even think about it. I do throw a fresh one on for dyno events and pulls and such... A little more air cant hurt.

 

[Crumm]

When I push it a little, the engine wheezes on upshift. Noticeably louder since putting on the AFE. I see a dark spot on the filter, presumably some sort of oil blow-back. (Oh yeah, the intercooler boots look a tad funky). What is this noise and is it anything to be concerned about?

What you are hearing is called Turbo stall, flutter or surge. You can cure it by installing a Wicked Wheel® which is an original OEM 1997/early 1999 wheel.

 

[dmd]

What you are hearing is called Turbo stall, flutter or surge. You can cure it by installing a Wicked Wheel® which is an original OEM 1997/early 1999 wheel.

Forget the WW and do the real fix, ATS turbo housing.

WW is a bandaid that will not fix the real issue. With a good intake, exhaust, and chip the WW will work as long as you do not hook up a good load. I went to a ATS housing so I know the issue is gone.

If all you hear is a hiss, that is OK. If the hiss is on/off/on/off like a
pressure cooker then you need to do something. Usually need a chip or
hot programmer to get surge.

 

[RSG]

Thanks all, I don't think it is a true stall, nor a flutter. It is more of a 'hiss' as in back-pressure release, and only up-shift if I'm hammering it a bit (automatic tranny). This truck is stock, no chips.

I've been putting off the CCV for a long time (like, since I bought it!) I wonder if that is the source of all the oil I cleaned off last weekend on top and below. There is certainly oil residue on the boots for the pipe going to the intercooler...and I've seen pix here somewhere of the amount of oil that drained out of an intercooler when a 6L swap was done.

 

[Crumm]

Forget the WW and do the real fix, ATS turbo housing.

WW is a bandaid that will not fix the real issue. With a good intake, exhaust, and chip the WW will work as long as you do not hook up a good load. I went to a ATS housing so I know the issue is gone.

The wheel CURES SURGE. There are other options for this, such as the ATS Compressor Housing. We sell both and have no reason to make false statements to push you in either direction. THEY BOTH WORK. It is possible that neither cure your surge 100% under extreme conditions. The only time we hear of 100% fix on trucks towing HUGE loads over max GVW or truck pulling has been using BOTH ITEMS. One or the other will cure surge most trucks 100% of the time. The wheel is cheaper and in most cases is all it takes to do the job. The ATS housing works also, but is more expensive and offers no other benefits over the wheel. PERSONAL CHOICE HERE. Choose one or the other. Only a small percentage of trucks will need both.

The WW works fine for most guys. The ATS housing will also work.