Warranty Statement
FCL filters are guaranteed to be free from any defect in
workmanship and materials during the service life recommended
and if found to be defective will be replaced .Vehicle and
engine warranties cannot be voided solely due to the use
of FCL filters. This warranty does not cover failures caused
by misuse, faulty installation, alteration, or accident.
In the event of engine failure directly attributable to
a FCL filter defect ,FCL will restore the engine to a condition
equivalent to that existing just before the failure. However,
FCL is not liable for any other losses or expenses incurred
due to such defect.
Managing
Director
Deryck Norville
Filtration
Standards
Series
5
There are now two recognized standards in Filtration media.
They are:
Although
the basic construction to these elements are similar, the
performance characteristics and benefits are extremely different.
1
- Pleated Paper
These elements rely on the dust contaminant particles being
sieved through small holes in the surface of the paper.
This is known as a surface media as all filtration occurs
at one surface.
Under test facilities, an element is tested under constant
airflow and high dust concentrations, where dust will quickly
build up on the surface and become an integral part of the
filter.
However,
in real life situations the airflow is variable due to the
change in engine RPM. This will give a considerably different
set of results as dust build up is much slower and vehicle
vibration will shake dust off the surface. This gives the
effect of prolonging the low initial efficiency of the paper
media for much longer. If the filters are changed To regularly
then the engine is not being protected to the same standards
as if the filter was left in as long as possible.
Premature failure can be experienced with pleated paper
as hydrocarbons (exhaust fumes) can quickly block the surface,
causing a rapid increase in restriction on the filter.
Also damp conditions can cause the paper to swell, blocking
the pores and increasing the restriction. Continual running
in damp conditions causes the paper to swell and contract
due to the drying out effect of the airflow ,leading to
the cracking of the paper at the base and tip of the pleat.
All protection to the engine will be lost.
2
- Reticulated Polyurethane
These elements are made from 3 to 5 layers of different
porosities starting open / coarse porosity on the outside
to a virtually closed / fine porosity on the inside. The
polyurethane layers are like an ever tightening honeycomb
that grades the particles from the course to fine as the
air passes through the filter. This is known as a depth
media.
To achieve high levels of efficiency required to protect
an automotive engine, the polyurethane has to have a special
additive coated on to the surface of the strands of polyurethane.
This is so that the dust particles can stick to the polyurethane
and become part of the filter. The particle will then soak
up the additive and become wet allowing further dust particles
to stick to it. This is known as wetting.
The initial efficiency of a polyurethane element is considerably
higher than that of a paper element and will offer greater
protection for most of it's life than a paper filter.
Under test conditions of constant flow and high dust concentrations,
the polyurethane air cleaner will not achieve as much dust
holding as in real life, because the wetting process is
not achieved due to the short time scale that the test is
carried over. Vibration of the vehicle will not effect the
efficiency of the polyurethane element as the dust is permanently
bonded to the polyurethane.
Hydrocarbons will not prematurely fail a polyurethane filter
as it is easily absorbed into the matrix of the polyurethane.
Due to the plastic construction of the filter, it is totally
unaffected by water and in damp conditions will retain maximum
protection.
Checking
Filter Condition
It
has been recognized practice in the industry to check filters
visually. Although this will give a rough indication of
the filter condition, it is totally inaccurate where polyurethane
filters are concerned, as they tend to look dirty very quickly
with no increase in restriction.
The only accurate way of checking filter condition is to
measure it's ability to flow air. In the past, this has
been determined by a pop-up gauge where a clear portion
in a gauge changes to red by a plunger when a set restriction
is reached. This is not practical as it is like having a
light on the dashboard telling you when you have run out
of fuel. What is required is a graduated scale so as the
restriction increases on the filter, it can be monitored
and fitters can easily identify when the filter is reaching
the end of it's life.
FCL supplies this type of indicator / minder and it has
the added bonus of locking off at various points on the
scale so the highest restriction, (at maximum airflow) ,
is always monitored.
Using a graduated indicator will give an increase in life
on a paper filter but an outstanding increase in life of
a polyurethane cleaner.