BX22xx - Can U really wash those air filters?

[kbota]

I have to ask, what gets an oil change for over $9K?

Cooper Bessemer Z-330 (twin)turbocharged, v-16 cylinder, 330 rpm, 10,000 horsepower. Crankshaft is about 18" in diameter. Don't remember exact cylinder size or stroke but cylinders are aprox 22" diameter, and stroke is around 26". Each cylinder produces over 600 hp. flywheel is about 10' in diameter. Oh yeah, it's 2 cycle.

Designed to drive integral natural gas compressors. The Z is not one of Cooper's better engines, although it's huge. Very sensitive to speed/load; tends to self destruct. One of their best engines is a GMW-8. These will run forever with basic maintenance.
Here's a couple of pictures - Fix #8 I believe the second picture is a Z.

 

[Marcussen]

I checked with the Filter minder people and they recomended a restrictor indicator with a 25" pull down. My question is about the air filter housing, on my housing it has a threaded plug/cap which I assume is for a filter minder type installation does anybody know the intended use for this fitting?

 

[Soundguy]

Maybee it is for a vacume gauge for troubleshooting? ( WAG )

Soundguy

 

[Volfandt]

My BX23's Fleetguard air filter housing also has a threaded mounting oriffice thats capped w/a red cap. When I removed the cap to see what was going on with it, there was the end of a spring down in the oriffice that extended out to the end of the externally threaded hole. I didn't pull the spring out to see anymore but I suspect it's for a restrictor gauge as it's located in the intake portion of the plenum.
Unfortunately, the way the housing is turned, I can't mount a guage there as it would interfere with the hood closing. A remote guage would work tho..
Course it could be a test port.....

 

[Marcussen]

I was thinking a test port or restrictor gauge mount, it is not open all the way through, it looks like it has a plug inside it or maybe the plastic does not have a hole in it yet, but it also have an external cap on it.

 

[cp1969]

My L3000 had a plastic boss that I was able to drill and tap 1/8" pipe threads in.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a6/chazp/DSCF0037.jpg

 

[Marcussen]

It looks similar, I ordered the filter minder and will install when it hets here.

 

[cp1969]

When you install it, be sure to test it to satisfy yourself that it works. You can do this with the engine idling, slowly cover up more and more of the air intake with something that won't get sucked in. Don't cover it all the way, but gradually close off more and more of the intake opening and you will see the restriction indicator respond. Then reset it to zero and you are good to go.

I don't know how many times I've read posts by people stating "Mine didn't work, etc, so I no longer trust them." I don't know how they came to that conclusion because it is easy to test. I suspect what happens is they see what they consider to be a "dirty" filter yet the restriction indicator says it is still good. So, their intuition and eyeball overrules the indicator as they don't believe an air filter that "looks like that" can still have life in it.

You will be surprised at how long an air filter element will last. And if at any time you have doubts that it's working, perform the above test.

 

[Marcussen]

Thanks for the advice, sounds like an easy way to check things out.

 

[Marcussen]

When you install it, be sure to test it to satisfy yourself that it works. You can do this with the engine idling, slowly cover up more and more of the air intake with something that won't get sucked in. Don't cover it all the way, but gradually close off more and more of the intake opening and you will see the restriction indicator respond. Then reset it to zero and you are good to go.

I don't know how many times I've read posts by people stating "Mine didn't work, etc, so I no longer trust them." I don't know how they came to that conclusion because it is easy to test. I suspect what happens is they see what they consider to be a "dirty" filter yet the restriction indicator says it is still good. So, their intuition and eyeball overrules the indicator as they don't believe an air filter that "looks like that" can still have life in it.

You will be surprised at how long an air filter element will last. And if at any time you have doubts that it's working, perform the above test.

I got the 3905161S FLEETGUARD AIR FILTER MINDER GAUGE, after removing the cap on my filter housing I discovered that there is a screen/filter pressed into the opening behind the cap and the fleetguard screwed right on with no drilling or tapping, I then checked to make sure it workes by blocking the air intake, I was surprised how much blocking it took before it moved.
For a small engine it has a large filter plus I added the optional inner filter.