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The metal covered air filter project for the Briggs Intek finally went on today.


I am sure a canister system is probably much better, but this project is designed to work with standard inexpensive automotive filters. Besides, it brings back fond memories of my Kohler round air filters .

For the changes made to the Intek 44's intake system see this thread: http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/showthread.php/38437-Off-With-the-Intek-Plastic

On top of the EC Carburetors 4040 air elbow I have an aluminum 2.5 round adapter made by Al at Performance V-twins (http://www.performancevtwins.com/)
I ran an AEM brute-force dry clamp-on filter for most of the summer, but I wanted the finer filtration and the inexpensive round automotive paper filters when possible.

EMPI makes a nice spun-aluminum covered air cleaner (EMPI 9001) intended for VW bugs with a 2 5/8 round outlet. The cover looks like it would do a good job of protecting the air filter from brush when mowing.


I used a standard 2.5 inch rubber coupler hose and two #44 line clamps to adapt the round adapter on the elbow to the EMPI air cleaner. The non-reinforced rubber coupler is flexible enough to stretch over the 2 5/8 outlet of the air cleaner and also fits the 2.5 inch adapter well.


The EMPI 9001 air cleaner comes with a cotton gauze filter element. My preference is a good automotive paper filter. I spent some time looking through air filter catalogs. The WIX 42055 is a nice fit, it is rated at much more flow than the Intek will need.


A foam wrap is available, the WIX 24708. I put one on, but with the K&N filter wrap on the outside, I am not sure how much benefit is gained with the foam pre-cleaner.


Here is another photo of the whole assembly, the air cleaner does not block the air going into the blower at all -- it's edge is about 1/2 outside that area. Also, the back of the air cleaner is just inside the rear bumper on the SCAG - hopefully protected from bumps unless I back under something...


One final shot with the K&N 22-8001PK Air Filter Wrap to prolong the filter life. They really help keep the larger particles out of the filter.


Maybe someone else can use this combination on another application.

ken_clifton

First thought is IAT's are going to go up. Maybe it wont be too much but I just see problems with all black metal.

Ken, very clean. Hmmmm. I wonder if I could run a longer 2.5 coupler to put the AC above the rider hood (locomotive look). I know you probably told us, but the 260F is achieved without a fan?

motoman said:

Ken, very clean. Hmmmm. I wonder if I could run a longer 2.5 coupler to put the AC above the rider hood (locomotive look). I know you probably told us, but the 260F is achieved without a fan?

Click to expand...

Plenty of flow can happen through that 2.5 inch intake tubing. That would be an interesting locomotive look .
The 260F oil temp is without any fans on the oil cooler. I go back and forth on whether to fit a couple of 120mm computer fans onto that Tru-Cool B7B cooler. They make some aluminium frame 120mm fans that look real good.

BlazNT said:

First thought is IAT's are going to go up. Maybe it wont be too much but I just see problems with all black metal.

Click to expand...

BlazNT, my Kohler was dark green with about the same size heavy metal air cleaner. It ran fine for many years. So far I am really pleased with the performance of the Briggs Intek. The original black plastic air cleaner cover was flush with the engine. The EMPI air cleaner comes in bright spun aluminium, but that was a lot of glare trying to back up the ZTR.

We'll see how it goes.

ken_clifton

In my continued search for coolers and fans I see a lot of mainland China , import direct units. They are appealing in the ads, but I do not go direct. I also have found some stateside 12V , small fans suitable for pulling or pushing hot air from a cooler. Some have cfm specs. I even found a site where the Northern Hurricaine cooler/fan combo is separated and about half price (pretty sure,anyway). All the fans appear to be China sourced.

Ken,
Very nice set up there. I use a remote mounted airfilter on my "brush cutter from hell" based on the idea that bertsmobile gave me as to the way they set them up down under. I do a lot of mowing in dusty conditions and by getting the filter above the general dust level it stay cleaner a lot longer. I think that fabric outer wrap will keep the main filter a whole lot cleaner.
Tom

Pumper54 said:

Ken,
Very nice set up there. I use a remote mounted airfilter on my "brush cutter from hell" based on the idea that bertsmobile gave me as to the way they set them up down under. I do a lot of mowing in dusty conditions and by getting the filter above the general dust level it stay cleaner a lot longer. Tom

Click to expand...

Thanks Tom. Getting the intake up higher out of all the dust is a good idea.

A lot of the Briggs air cleaners seem to have what I would call "pressurized dirt injection." They take some of the blower air and force it into the air cleaner. I suppose their idea is to create some swirl around the filter and cause the dust to drop out. But, often the blower is chopping grass clippings, seeds, etc. and ingesting dust, then forcing it right into the air cleaner, and of course the air filter has lower pressure inside of it. Sounds like a great idea -- what could possibly go wrong?

ken_clifton

Motoman,
Have you looked at cooling fans from old desk top computers? Pretty sure they are 12 volt and seem to move a bit of air. You could most likely find a few for free on trash day.
Tom

Pumper, Thanks, I used to scrounge stuff and still do. Did not know such fans ran at 12V. The Chinese fans stateside are down in the area of $25.

Motoman,

Here is a link to the aluminium frame 120mm fans I am looking at. They are just the right width for our oil coolers:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835119032

As Pumper says, the fans run off 12 volts. The extra lead in the wire is for a tachometer feed. The specs are: 2000 RPM 79.14 CFM

Best,
ken_clifton

Those are not outdoor fans. They will not last long.

Ken, Thanks, I will look at the site. Pumper too!(meanwhile I'm updating the Husqy thread if you are interested)

BlazNT said:

Those are not outdoor fans. They will not last long.

Click to expand...

Maybe, but the fan I mention is not your normal computer fan. It is an alumnium case fan, here is a photo (click to enlarge for more detail):



Not sure if the link I provided in the earlier post is working (sorry), but you can google evercool aluminum fan and it should come up.

I am tempted to try one out. My use case would be a good test -- earlier this week I got caught out in a downpour about 1/8 mile from the barn. The SCAG got a real good washing, and I never do that... I always blow it clean with compressed air.

ken_clifton

BlazNT said:

Those are not outdoor fans. They will not last long.

Click to expand...

If you find them for free then you only spend time rewiring the new one.
Tom

If you use the computer wiring harness then you wont have to rewire.

ken_clifton said:

Maybe, but the fan I mention is not your normal computer fan. It is an alumnium case fan, here is a photo (click to enlarge for more detail):

View attachment 29671

Not sure if the link I provided in the earlier post is working (sorry), but you can google evercool aluminum fan and it should come up.

I am tempted to try one out. My use case would be a good test -- earlier this week I got caught out in a downpour about 1/8 mile from the barn. The SCAG got a real good washing, and I never do that... I always blow it clean with compressed air.

ken_clifton

Click to expand...

If you use the plastic ones they are much cheaper and you do not have to worry about dissimilar metal problem.

BlazNT said:

If you use the computer wiring harness then you wont have to rewire.

Click to expand...

I just meant hooking up the new one. Minimum rewiring. Have a great weekend.
Tom

Nice work on the air cleaner. Looks great! I've been looking into some way to build a better mousetrap myself. You might have read my post concerning air cleaners clogging up and wanting to come up with something besides replacing the filter @ $15 a pop several times a season. Even though I don't but really should.

http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/showthread.php/38991-Washing-paper-filter-in-kerosene

I must have missed something but what does the air cleaner have to do with the oil cooler and fans as mentioned in some replies?

If you are looking for a good quality fan, check out SPAL. If you can live with them being made in Italy. I guess anything is better than China.

https://www.spalusa.com/

I mounted one on my Fiat Spider and one on my Yugo. The original fan (especially on the Spider) was getting old, was smaller and pulled too much current. The SPAL fans are so quiet I can't hear them run. Of course on a lawnmower powered by a Briggs and Stratton engine, the engine would drown at any fan!

My Fiat 124 Spider:





My Yugo:







Of course you could go to a junkyard and pull one off a Hyundai or KIA. I'm sure there are plenty of those in junkyards! Yes, that comment was made by a person who owns a Fiat Spider, a Yugo, a Trabant 601 and now a Citroen 2CV!

Just an update on this modification. I was very interested in how the round automotive filter, the foam prefilter and the K&N filter wrap would handle all the dust -- and I do mow a lot of dusty areas!

The only way I know to really tell is to do an oil analysis. So, here is the proof of the air filter performance. Check out the silicon numbers. I wonder if the folks with the Donaldson canister air filters can get down to 9 on the silicon? Probably so, the Donaldson canisters are really good. The first 10 hours on this oil were with an AEM dryflow brute-force filter, the last 15 are the paper setup shown in this thread. With all paper filter hours I hope to see the silicon even lower on the next test. The sodium mentioned is likely from the Oil Extreme Concentrate EP additive that I use in all my equipment.