Factory Outlander PHEV 2.0 air filter element half blanked off?

[ckracer76]

Does anybody know why the Mitsubishi Outlander 2.0 PHEV factory air filter is only half the size of the available air box space?

It appears half blanked off?

Is this to restrict the volume of air hold into the engine?

I always thought the more air flow the better.

Any thoughts or suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

[kpetrov]

I was wondering the same first time when I saw it!? WHY... to save some filter paper!?

 

[littlescrote]

Doesn't need the full area as it doesn't rev high.

 

[yardbird]

Plastic is cheaper than paper.

 

[YYZ2018GT]

I was wondering if there is a filter that fits that is not half blocked off. Anyone found it yet?

 

[littlescrote]

I was wondering if there is a filter that fits that is not half blocked off. Anyone found it yet?

Why? What do you think it'll gain? I'll tell you - absolutely nothing.

 

[ckracer76]

Maybe so, but still interesting to know what the reason behind the design is?

 

[AndyInOz]

It's probably worth looking to see if that air box suits other Mitsubishi models.

In manufacturing, if you can use one component to suit multiple models, then you do so, because it reduces your overheads.

In this case, I'm prepared to guess that the same box is used on different models, and different air filters are put into the box depending on the airflow requirements of the specific engines.

 

[MiPHEV]

Both the air cleaner housing 1500A731 and air inlet cover 1500A701 do not seem to cross over to other models, at least not US Mitsubishi models - but a crossover part to another model was my first thought too.

It is quite possible that the size of the box and the filter shape was engineered as part of the air intake muffler system - a significant portion of engine noise that makes it into the cabin comes from the intake; this is why there are all those plastic blobs/empty air chambers attached to intake snorkels on most OEM vehicles in order to eliminate noise, resonance, or droning at specific RPM and engine loads. These are usually added and/or modified during vehicle NVH testing in pre-production as well as simulated in the design stage https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noise,_vibration,_and_harshness

 

[YYZ2018GT]

Why? What do you think it'll gain? I'll tell you - absolutely nothing.

Better airflow and longer filter replacement interval?

 

[YYZ2018GT]

Both the air cleaner housing 1500A731 and air inlet cover 1500A701 do not seem to cross over to other models, at least not US Mitsubishi models - but a crossover part to another model was my first thought too.

It is quite possible that the size of the box and the filter shape was engineered as part of the air intake muffler system - a significant portion of engine noise that makes it into the cabin comes from the intake; this is why there are all those plastic blobs/empty air chambers attached to intake snorkels on most OEM vehicles in order to eliminate noise, resonance, or droning at specific RPM and engine loads. These are usually added and/or modified during vehicle NVH testing in pre-production as well as simulated in the design stage https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noise,_vibration,_and_harshness

The filter design doesn't seem to be a huge engineering work, though I do see from your article that the intake housing and cover does have sound level/noise in mind at times.

I am gonna see if the air filter housing can be swapped out.

 

[littlescrote]

Better airflow and longer filter replacement interval?

You won't get better airflow, if you did then Mitsubishi would have done it.

Yep, if you have twice as much filter area, it will take twice as long to get dirty (provided airflow is evenly distributed, which it won't be), but probably at twice the cost. If you can get a bigger area filter for cheaper, then it's worth doing.