BMC air filters

290GTP · 24-04-2022, 03:26 PM

Hey guys, just went to service my, admittedly old BMC Filter, only to discover that the red silicone seal has basically self destructed. If you have a BMC I'd suggest you give it a once-over.

My main concern is that a good chunk of silicone has been sucked into the engine. I pulled the plenum and throttle body with no trace of any red silicone. Hopefully no damage has been done.

Think I'll be putting a genuine Ford Filter back in instead.

.:4:. · 24-04-2022, 03:52 PM

Wow. I thought bmc were one of the good brands. Now for my dumb question. It looks melted. Does the car ever backfire out the intake? I know thats typically if anything an issue for lpg or carby cars.
Only reason i ask is the old bloke i used to work with has a 61 studebaker hawk. It has the carby hat from a supercharged golden hawk, but no supercharger. So he has a k&n pod filter on the end of the hat. He keeps spares in the boot, and spare fire extinguishers. On the rare ocasions that thing gets driven, when it backfires through the intake the airfilter often catches fire.

290GTP · 24-04-2022, 03:57 PM

In person, it actually looks ripped, not melted. It's pretty thick silicone too.

The car never backfires, but a couple of drives ago I gave it a boot full and it cut out at stopped at around 4.5 grand. I pulled over and it restarted after a couple of goes.

I'm thinking the almighty Boss 290 tore the Filter a new one.

five 7 · 24-04-2022, 04:33 PM

What were you using to clean it with maybe that caused it to break down. Had one for a few years no problems.

290GTP · 24-04-2022, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by five 7

What were you using to clean it with maybe that caused it to break down. Had one for a few years no problems.

K&N Filter cleaner and oil. As I stated above, it's a pretty old filter and I'm not too bothered about it. But I didn't expect it to **** itself the way it has.

T3rminator · 24-04-2022, 05:35 PM

Wow. I used BMC in my BA XR8 a long time ago, they were very reputable back then.

When was the last time you took the filter out of the houing? Was it stuck to the housing when you pulled it out, and caused it to rip?

290GTP · 24-04-2022, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T3rminator

Wow. I used BMC in my BA XR8 a long time ago, they were very reputable back then.

When was the last time you took the filter out of the houing? Was it stuck to the housing when you pulled it out, and caused it to rip?

No, the Filter was sitting on the bottom of the housing. Part of the circular seal was still on the rim of the housing & the rest of the mess was on top of the filter. Pretty amazing considering the silicone is about 13mm thick

Slash · 24-04-2022, 10:30 PM

I had the same happen to my BMC panel filter. After about 10 years the silicone just fell apart as I was taking it out to clean. I would take it out once a year for a clean.

commodorenutt · 24-04-2022, 11:34 PM

Exposure to Silicone oil can cause that sort of damage. So too can the combination of over-compression, and long term compression set.

bangm001 · 26-04-2022, 09:41 AM

How hard is it to get in to the inside part/cone to re-oil on the BMC filters?

Im just running a K&N and no issues. (FG GT).

five 7 · 26-04-2022, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 290GTP

K&N Filter cleaner and oil. As I stated above, it's a pretty old filter and I'm not too bothered about it. But I didn't expect it to **** itself the way it has.

K&N was all I used as well. To be honest can't go wrong with stock paper when new and clean, they are cheap enough to replace, scares me a bit when you hold a oiled cotton filter up to the sun.