THE EXTREMELY STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS OF AIR FILTER GASKETS
The quality of the air filter gasket affects the entire process of filtration and the air that is sucked in by the engine. Each gasket must provide an airtight and durable connection between the filter and the housing in which the filter is installed.
The air gasket may seem to have a simple design, but its production requires extremely high technological expertise, numerous laboratory tests, and the highest production standards. FILTRON air filter gaskets are made from a unique chemical composition of polyurethane, ensuring the exact and required gasket properties. Choosing the right chemical composition of polyurethane is a trade secret and is the result of numerous studies and tests of our research and development department.
The basic requirement that the air filter gasket must meet is the appropriate deformation resistance. In the case of FILTRON filters, it meets the requirements of the Volkswagen Group specified in TL848. We verify in our laboratory whether the air filter gaskets are adequately deformed even under extreme conditions of operation of the filter by:
- measuring the elasticity of the gasket after a period of 96 hours of compressing it to 60% at 110°C
- measuring the elasticity of the gasket after 500 hours of storing the filter in a climate chamber with the air circulation set at 110°C
Another important requirement that the air filter gasket must meet is tensile strength and resistance to hydrolysis. These properties are also controlled in our laboratory using specialised measuring instruments.
The purpose of these requirements set for FILTRON air filter gaskets is to ensure perfect and reliable air tightness of the filter in the installed housing. The lack of required tightness, found in filter brands of inferior quality, can result in:
- loss of engine power and an increase in fuel consumption caused by incorrect readings from the flowmeter
- damage to pistons, bushes, cylinders, and the turbocharger caused by impure oil getting into the engine
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The FILTRON range holds more than 2700 products, and covers 97% of the European passenger-car market. Mechanics appreciate the high quality of the FILTRON-brand filters. Every year, more than 36 million FILTRON filters find their way to mechanics from all the European countries.
