That saying about how in the future everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes seems to be coming true. I was checking out YouTube the other day and it is insane how many people put up videos!
One video especially got me thinking. It was a song called ‘chocolate rain’ sung by a guy named Tay Zonday. It really seemed to summarize the way this quick fame system works.
The actual video is of Tay – a young Michael Jackson impersonator made of wax-
standing in front of a mic and singing to a piano beat. Lyrically, the song consists of one line, then the words “chocolate rain” repeated nonstop for 5 straight minutes. The main standout is Tay’s incongruous voice, which is frighteningly deep for his puny frame. As the song progresses, he occasionally turns his head aside to breathe, adding more unintended humor.
Most people who watch the video think it is some kind of bizarre joke, although the lyrics are supposedly profound. After its upload, the video received millions of views and spawned several parodies. But the main point in all this is that an ordinary person can reach the masses overnight, possibly get a recording contract, and quickly cash in before everyone wakes up and asks “what were we thinking?”
So I started to wonder, why shouldn’t I get in on this? All that’s required is a camera and way too much spare time. I finally came up with an idea involving my main interest – cars and car accessories—a way for my car to get the worldwide recognition it deserves.
I will film my car Roberto’s life over the course of a week. The opening will take place in Roberto’s home— the garage— early in the morning when he wakes up. He’ll drink a cup of oil, cough and slowly start up. He’ll then swerve his way down the highway— just another bleary head lighted Ford Escort joining the morning commute. And that’s when the action will start. Out of the corner of his headlight he’ll see a curvy Asian Camry bat her wipers at him. He will respond by enthusiastically belching exhaust from his tailpipe. But then when all is going well, a beefy Hummer will suddenly appear from nowhere, flanking Roberto and splashing him with mud.
Blinded, Roberto will spin out of control and fly off a cliff. A huge explosion will result and the scene will fade out. The next scene will begin a week later in the hospital (pep boys), where Roberto awakens and is gazing sadly at his twisted and scarred body feeling like he’ll never be restored to his old form.
But all hope is not lost. A skilled surgeon (my mechanic Al) will put Roberto back together. He’ll get all awesome add-ons, car side vents and a new air filter, which will him into a sleek, well-oiled machine. In the end, he won’t even recognize himself. I think that song from Rocky should be playing as Roberto gets a new lease on life and makes his comeback.
And if my video should get more than a million views? That would be great. Once Roberto gets his well deserved recognition, he will become an instant celebrity, honked at wherever he goes. Maybe he’ll even get his own reality TV show….
The author is interested in car related topics and accessories such as Air Filters and Car Side Vents.
Showing posts with label air filters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label air filters. Show all posts
Monday, January 21, 2008
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Which Air Filter Really Makes the Best Coffee Filter?
An ill-produced TV commercial recently hit the airwaves, feature a mechanic who uses a paper air filter as a coffee filter. The ad is—you guessed it—for a performance air filter company stating that “paper is for coffee filters.” It got out crack team to think, “which air filter really is the best for using as a coffee filter?” Play along and see.
OK, so K&N now has a commercial with a mechanic who puts a paper air filter in its place: inside the coffee machine. Apparently, K&N hasn’t heard of idiots who go and do exactly what your far-fetched commercial shows. Do they care about the children? Anyway, it’s not a very well-done commercial (not to get all Siskel and Eggbert on you guys), but it did get us thinking about, well, being those idiots who do what the far-fetched commercial says. This should be very fun, but in very poor taste…literally.
First up, the paper air filter, which we pulled out of my buddy’s Dodge just for fun. It’s been about, oh, 20,000 miles since it was last changed, during which time there were two gnat swarms and one huge wildfire—like snowing ashes and hard to breathe wildfire. The dingy paper was hard to tear out of the urethane frame, but we got it stuffed into place with even a couple of bee carcasses. We fired up the machine, scooped a couple of Yuban clumps in, and let ‘er rip. The results: terrible. Let’s just move on. We can’t tell if the solid bits are poorly filtered grounds or fire leavings.
K&N is next. We figured that if they’re going to brag about being a better air filter than a paper air filter when actually installed on a car, then it’s fair to compare the two in the coffee machine test. Cutting an acceptable piece out of a fresh K&N is a little tough, given the wire mesh and all. But, some tin snips helped us get the right shape filter. Of course, we had quite a bit of trouble getting coffee out of the machine. Since it’s pre-oiled, the filter tended to repel the coffee that should have been seeping down into the pot. Once we finally got a cupful, it was terrible. I spat it all over the guys and gagged, then threw up in my mouth a little bit.
The last one for the test is an AFE Pro-Guard 7 air filter. That’s 7 full layers of filter to stop little bits of coffee grinds from getting into the carafe. But, will the coffee even get past the thick cotton-gauze with the slick oiled coating? It did…through the top of the filter container. Sure, a few drops came out through the nozzle, but much more spilled out the top. It was a complete mess. But, it did make the best coffee of the three, given that it tasted like French roast with three pumps of Torani WD40 syrup. Yuck.
In other words, we’ve figured out that mimicking bad commercials due to summer boredom leads to puking, and to bad coffee. And some pissed-off parents when their morning brew reeks of automotive oil. But, we now know why K&N didn’t show their filters as the supreme coffee filter, though they tout themselves as the peak in filtration technology. Their coffee lost, and so did the paper filter’s. The AFE filter won, but, if it wouldn’t let coffee past, how’s it going to let more air past than a paper filter or K&N? We don’t really know—we’re not into testing things in their actual use.
Air filters like AFE filters don’t really make good non-automotive filters. Buyer beware.
OK, so K&N now has a commercial with a mechanic who puts a paper air filter in its place: inside the coffee machine. Apparently, K&N hasn’t heard of idiots who go and do exactly what your far-fetched commercial shows. Do they care about the children? Anyway, it’s not a very well-done commercial (not to get all Siskel and Eggbert on you guys), but it did get us thinking about, well, being those idiots who do what the far-fetched commercial says. This should be very fun, but in very poor taste…literally.
First up, the paper air filter, which we pulled out of my buddy’s Dodge just for fun. It’s been about, oh, 20,000 miles since it was last changed, during which time there were two gnat swarms and one huge wildfire—like snowing ashes and hard to breathe wildfire. The dingy paper was hard to tear out of the urethane frame, but we got it stuffed into place with even a couple of bee carcasses. We fired up the machine, scooped a couple of Yuban clumps in, and let ‘er rip. The results: terrible. Let’s just move on. We can’t tell if the solid bits are poorly filtered grounds or fire leavings.
K&N is next. We figured that if they’re going to brag about being a better air filter than a paper air filter when actually installed on a car, then it’s fair to compare the two in the coffee machine test. Cutting an acceptable piece out of a fresh K&N is a little tough, given the wire mesh and all. But, some tin snips helped us get the right shape filter. Of course, we had quite a bit of trouble getting coffee out of the machine. Since it’s pre-oiled, the filter tended to repel the coffee that should have been seeping down into the pot. Once we finally got a cupful, it was terrible. I spat it all over the guys and gagged, then threw up in my mouth a little bit.
The last one for the test is an AFE Pro-Guard 7 air filter. That’s 7 full layers of filter to stop little bits of coffee grinds from getting into the carafe. But, will the coffee even get past the thick cotton-gauze with the slick oiled coating? It did…through the top of the filter container. Sure, a few drops came out through the nozzle, but much more spilled out the top. It was a complete mess. But, it did make the best coffee of the three, given that it tasted like French roast with three pumps of Torani WD40 syrup. Yuck.
In other words, we’ve figured out that mimicking bad commercials due to summer boredom leads to puking, and to bad coffee. And some pissed-off parents when their morning brew reeks of automotive oil. But, we now know why K&N didn’t show their filters as the supreme coffee filter, though they tout themselves as the peak in filtration technology. Their coffee lost, and so did the paper filter’s. The AFE filter won, but, if it wouldn’t let coffee past, how’s it going to let more air past than a paper filter or K&N? We don’t really know—we’re not into testing things in their actual use.
Air filters like AFE filters don’t really make good non-automotive filters. Buyer beware.
Breathing New Life into my 5.0 With AFE Filters And AFE Intakes
I don’t care what people say: I’m a Vanilla Ice fan through and through. I even went so far as buying a 1992 Ford Mustang GT with the 5.0L V8 so I could roll like Ice rolls. However, after fifteen years of putting the pedal to the metal, my ‘Stang started running a little rough. That’s why I added in an AFE intake with a fast-flowing AFE filter. Now, the old girl screams
No one’s a bigger Vanilla Ice Fan than me. I’ve got every album that this musical, lyrical god has ever released, starting with Hooked in 1989 and ending with his 2006 Best of compilation. When To the Extreme hit the scene, I almost lost my mind from excitement. Everywhere I turned, there was The Ice. On the radio. On TV. On the silver screen. I’m not ashamed to admit it, but I’ve watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II every Saturday night since it was released on video. Much to the amazement of my friends and family, I even quit my job for a year to follow his North American tour. Those were some of the happiest days of my life. When the tour ended, I was stone broke and had to hitchhike my way back home to Pensacola. But I have no regrets.
After I returned from my Vanilla pilgrimage, I got a job at a local record shop. I tried applying for more lucrative positions, but Spinner’s Vinyl was the only place in town that would hire me with all those lines shaved into the side of my head. I didn’t mind, though. It gave me the perfect opportunity to introduce everyone to Vanilla’s B-sides and the bootlegs that I recorded at a few of his shows. You should have seen the looks on people’s faces when they walked in and heard my acoustic version of Roll ‘Em Up blasting through the overhead. After a while, my boss forbade me from playing my idol, so I had to enjoy it by myself through my headphones.
It took a long time, but I finally saved up enough dough to buy my dream car: a white 1992 Ford Mustang GT with the 5.0L motor. I was rolling with the ragtop down so my hair could blow. I even added in a bumping sound system to catch the attention of the girlies on stand by. They never really waved or even said “hi,” but I did catch more than a few looks. Those were glorious times. I had cash, a deluxe car, and an endless well of premium tunes to satisfy my ears.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. My GT started choking a little about the time that ol’ Van Winkle stared in the first Surreal Life. Not exactly a high point for his career or my car, but revitalization was just around the corner. I hunted around on the internet to find some parts to boost my performance. I ran into some sites with great reviews for AFE air filters and AFE intakes. Because this is an Ice ride, I went with the full-blown cold air intake. As soon as I bolted that bad boy into place, my Mustang drove like a brand new invention. The oxygen was flowing like a harpoon right into my cylinders, delivering huge horsepower gains to wax all the chumps at the red lights like a candle. Word to your mother.
Whether you choose AFE air filters or AFE intakes, you can't go wrong.
No one’s a bigger Vanilla Ice Fan than me. I’ve got every album that this musical, lyrical god has ever released, starting with Hooked in 1989 and ending with his 2006 Best of compilation. When To the Extreme hit the scene, I almost lost my mind from excitement. Everywhere I turned, there was The Ice. On the radio. On TV. On the silver screen. I’m not ashamed to admit it, but I’ve watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II every Saturday night since it was released on video. Much to the amazement of my friends and family, I even quit my job for a year to follow his North American tour. Those were some of the happiest days of my life. When the tour ended, I was stone broke and had to hitchhike my way back home to Pensacola. But I have no regrets.
After I returned from my Vanilla pilgrimage, I got a job at a local record shop. I tried applying for more lucrative positions, but Spinner’s Vinyl was the only place in town that would hire me with all those lines shaved into the side of my head. I didn’t mind, though. It gave me the perfect opportunity to introduce everyone to Vanilla’s B-sides and the bootlegs that I recorded at a few of his shows. You should have seen the looks on people’s faces when they walked in and heard my acoustic version of Roll ‘Em Up blasting through the overhead. After a while, my boss forbade me from playing my idol, so I had to enjoy it by myself through my headphones.
It took a long time, but I finally saved up enough dough to buy my dream car: a white 1992 Ford Mustang GT with the 5.0L motor. I was rolling with the ragtop down so my hair could blow. I even added in a bumping sound system to catch the attention of the girlies on stand by. They never really waved or even said “hi,” but I did catch more than a few looks. Those were glorious times. I had cash, a deluxe car, and an endless well of premium tunes to satisfy my ears.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. My GT started choking a little about the time that ol’ Van Winkle stared in the first Surreal Life. Not exactly a high point for his career or my car, but revitalization was just around the corner. I hunted around on the internet to find some parts to boost my performance. I ran into some sites with great reviews for AFE air filters and AFE intakes. Because this is an Ice ride, I went with the full-blown cold air intake. As soon as I bolted that bad boy into place, my Mustang drove like a brand new invention. The oxygen was flowing like a harpoon right into my cylinders, delivering huge horsepower gains to wax all the chumps at the red lights like a candle. Word to your mother.
Whether you choose AFE air filters or AFE intakes, you can't go wrong.
Demystifying The Myths Of Cold Air Intakes
Cold air intakes are one of the most popular modifications for car enthusiasts. But how effective are cold air intake really? I personally prefer regular or short ram air intakes over cold air intakes.
I recently put of few thousand miles on my car driving across the country. So I went over to the local Jiffy Lube to get my oil changed. The mechanic tried sell me a new air filter, but I chose to hold off. They weren’t giving me a great deal, so I figured I would at least check out a few performance air filters if I was going to be spending the money anyway. I started doing some research and discovered that there are two types of aftermarket intakes that people like: either short rams or cold air intakes. The two names pretty much are self explanatory. The short ram intake has a shorter pipe. The cold air intake has a longer pipe that allows the intake to breathe in cooler air because it is further from the engine. Sounds logical enough, but then I my inquisitive mind got the best of me. I’m a little unclear about the abilities of cold air intakes. If you have ever popped your hood after a long drive, you know that everything under the hood is scorching hot. Would it really matter if the intake head was a foot further from the engine? Moving the intake is like putting a pan in the oven; it is going to be hot no matter where it is because it is in a confined area with limited air flow. Secondly, cold air intakes have longer pipes, which mean that air has to travel a longer distance to reach the engine. I’m not a car expert, but I do know the general principle behind turbo engines and increasing horsepower. Horsepower is derived from an equation where the major factors are the amount of air flow to the engine and the density of that air. If a cold air intake is longer and is bent in order to reach a different part of the engine bay, then it will take air longer to reach the engine. Also, the bends in the cold air’s pipe prohibits maximum air flow; a short straight pipe would be ideal. Now even though the short ram intake is breathing warmer air because of its location, it will simply start sucking in cooler air as your car accelerates. Sure, it may not give you as much horsepower when you are at a stop sign, but then again, who cares? The weather should also be taken into account. If you live in Florida and it’s 94 degrees out, it doesn’t matter where your intake is; you’re not going to be getting cold air. And even if you are in premium driving conditions, how much cooler would the air be that is a foot away? Would you really miss or even be able to feel if you had 1 Hp less? I could see if you are Vin Diesel in the Fast and the Furious, racing for pink slips, then you might want to get the most out of your car. But until that day, I think regular air filters and short ram air filters are the better choice because they are cheaper.
Also, upgrading to an aftermarket AEM Cold Air Intake or a short ram Air Intake can add a throaty growl to your car’s sound. Both types of intakes have their pros and cons, so you should evaluate your priorities when shopping for one.
I recently put of few thousand miles on my car driving across the country. So I went over to the local Jiffy Lube to get my oil changed. The mechanic tried sell me a new air filter, but I chose to hold off. They weren’t giving me a great deal, so I figured I would at least check out a few performance air filters if I was going to be spending the money anyway. I started doing some research and discovered that there are two types of aftermarket intakes that people like: either short rams or cold air intakes. The two names pretty much are self explanatory. The short ram intake has a shorter pipe. The cold air intake has a longer pipe that allows the intake to breathe in cooler air because it is further from the engine. Sounds logical enough, but then I my inquisitive mind got the best of me. I’m a little unclear about the abilities of cold air intakes. If you have ever popped your hood after a long drive, you know that everything under the hood is scorching hot. Would it really matter if the intake head was a foot further from the engine? Moving the intake is like putting a pan in the oven; it is going to be hot no matter where it is because it is in a confined area with limited air flow. Secondly, cold air intakes have longer pipes, which mean that air has to travel a longer distance to reach the engine. I’m not a car expert, but I do know the general principle behind turbo engines and increasing horsepower. Horsepower is derived from an equation where the major factors are the amount of air flow to the engine and the density of that air. If a cold air intake is longer and is bent in order to reach a different part of the engine bay, then it will take air longer to reach the engine. Also, the bends in the cold air’s pipe prohibits maximum air flow; a short straight pipe would be ideal. Now even though the short ram intake is breathing warmer air because of its location, it will simply start sucking in cooler air as your car accelerates. Sure, it may not give you as much horsepower when you are at a stop sign, but then again, who cares? The weather should also be taken into account. If you live in Florida and it’s 94 degrees out, it doesn’t matter where your intake is; you’re not going to be getting cold air. And even if you are in premium driving conditions, how much cooler would the air be that is a foot away? Would you really miss or even be able to feel if you had 1 Hp less? I could see if you are Vin Diesel in the Fast and the Furious, racing for pink slips, then you might want to get the most out of your car. But until that day, I think regular air filters and short ram air filters are the better choice because they are cheaper.
Also, upgrading to an aftermarket AEM Cold Air Intake or a short ram Air Intake can add a throaty growl to your car’s sound. Both types of intakes have their pros and cons, so you should evaluate your priorities when shopping for one.
Performance Air Filters—Turn Your Competition Green with Envy
Whether you’re looking to beat the IROC guy at the light or the prices at the pump, don’t underestimate the power of a performance air filter. What may be the easiest modification you can perform on your car just happens to be one of the most effective.
Adding performance modifications to your car can be a pretty daunting exercise. With so many parts available and so many levels of performance on the market, it’s hard to even define what people consider performance. For instance, a Corvette pretty much screams performance right out of the box. Then again, squeezing 10 extra horsepower out of 120-horse Honda motor can also be seen as major performance boost.
Some folks are after the ultimate performance, Ferrari and Lamborghini style; others simply want to improve their existing performance, Hyundai and Saturn style. And of course, performance is relative. What 155 MPH means to one man could very well be another man’s nightmare; and while one man considers 55 MPG a benchmark for performance, it’s a total waste of time to another.
The one product that all performance seekers can agree on is the aftermarket air filter. It’s a fact that engines are basically glorified air pumps. Air gets drawn into the engine where it’s heated, exploded and shot out the exhaust. Simple physics dictates that if you can get more air in, you’ll get more air out; which makes more power in the process. This extra power can be used to improve performance—speed, mileage or otherwise.
A more powerful engine not only runs stronger, it runs more efficiently. So if the mileage miser keeps his foot out of the throttle, the power will translate to increased mileage. This is due to the fact that the more powerful engine has an easier time of moving the car. And of course, any extra power gives the speed freak what he’s after—quickness.
There are many performance air filters to choose from, but most use the same basic design. About 30 years ago, K&N developed the cotton-gauze filter media which revolutionized the industry. This material lets more air pass, traps more dirt and lasts much longer than traditional paper media. Since then, most companies have taken K&N’s basic design and tweaked it a bit to gain a market foothold.
The major difference between air filter brands is going to be their list of vehicles. Large companies like K&N and Green Filters have extensive application lists that include nearly every vehicle you can think of. They also produce universal fit options as well as race-specific filters for everything from Indy cars to go-carts.
So, when you’re looking for that performance edge, whether it’s speed, torque or mileage, a performance air filter should be your first stop. Your engine will run better, you’ll experience results instantly and installation takes only minutes. You’ll feel good about the upgrade and your car will thank you for it.
There are many air filter companies out there specializing in performance filters. For the average vehicle, it’s best to stay with the big guys like K&N, green air filters and S&B. They’re more likely to have the filter you need, no matter what you drive. - Tim Saunier
Adding performance modifications to your car can be a pretty daunting exercise. With so many parts available and so many levels of performance on the market, it’s hard to even define what people consider performance. For instance, a Corvette pretty much screams performance right out of the box. Then again, squeezing 10 extra horsepower out of 120-horse Honda motor can also be seen as major performance boost.
Some folks are after the ultimate performance, Ferrari and Lamborghini style; others simply want to improve their existing performance, Hyundai and Saturn style. And of course, performance is relative. What 155 MPH means to one man could very well be another man’s nightmare; and while one man considers 55 MPG a benchmark for performance, it’s a total waste of time to another.
The one product that all performance seekers can agree on is the aftermarket air filter. It’s a fact that engines are basically glorified air pumps. Air gets drawn into the engine where it’s heated, exploded and shot out the exhaust. Simple physics dictates that if you can get more air in, you’ll get more air out; which makes more power in the process. This extra power can be used to improve performance—speed, mileage or otherwise.
A more powerful engine not only runs stronger, it runs more efficiently. So if the mileage miser keeps his foot out of the throttle, the power will translate to increased mileage. This is due to the fact that the more powerful engine has an easier time of moving the car. And of course, any extra power gives the speed freak what he’s after—quickness.
There are many performance air filters to choose from, but most use the same basic design. About 30 years ago, K&N developed the cotton-gauze filter media which revolutionized the industry. This material lets more air pass, traps more dirt and lasts much longer than traditional paper media. Since then, most companies have taken K&N’s basic design and tweaked it a bit to gain a market foothold.
The major difference between air filter brands is going to be their list of vehicles. Large companies like K&N and Green Filters have extensive application lists that include nearly every vehicle you can think of. They also produce universal fit options as well as race-specific filters for everything from Indy cars to go-carts.
So, when you’re looking for that performance edge, whether it’s speed, torque or mileage, a performance air filter should be your first stop. Your engine will run better, you’ll experience results instantly and installation takes only minutes. You’ll feel good about the upgrade and your car will thank you for it.
There are many air filter companies out there specializing in performance filters. For the average vehicle, it’s best to stay with the big guys like K&N, green air filters and S&B. They’re more likely to have the filter you need, no matter what you drive. - Tim Saunier
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