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My Foam Panel Filter Review/Comparison(ITG and Ramair filters)

Spork1569

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#1
Hi all,
When I upgraded all the bits and pieces of my intake(from airbox all the way to intake elbow) I thought it was as good a time as any to try a new panel filter as well.

For the last 4k miles or so I've been running a Ramair foam panel filter and while the induction noises are great, I wanted something that could filter dust a bit better as I live near a quite dusty hillside.

I was between the Revo and ITG panel filters and ultimately decided to flip a coin and buy this one as they were apparently designed pretty closely anyway. I could not find anything online very easily about either filter in specific, and Whoosh had no reviews yet regarding either as well. Both seem to have a good reputation on the other side of the pond as performance filter/aftermarket manufacturers so I had high hopes, especially since it costs almost twice as much as the Ramair equivalent I also had somewhat higher expectations of the ITG.

When it arrived I was definitely pleasantly surprised to see it is a lot thicker than my previous ramair filter. I would say the ITG is about 2-3 as thick as the Ramair, and about 1/3 as thick as stock. Below are some pictures where I try to show the size. It's somewhat difficult due to the curved nature of the Ramair filter.
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The material doesn't feel as dense on the ITG as the Ramair, but that was expected as it is a 3 layered foam instead of 2 layered, so I assume the lower portions are finer and the top portion is a course filter. The ITG came preoiled in a plastic bag so luckily you won't need to oil it until the first cleaning. The oil on the ITG is not excessive at all, just enough to give it a slight tackyness/stickyness it needs to capture the dust.

During the test drive I felt the same performance as the Ramair, so no loss there. I was afraid the added thickness would impede airflow but the AFR on my AP as well as all other monitored parameters stayed consistent as before.

I will update once my next oil change comes up as I recall my first oil change with the Ramair was a bit darker than usual, but nothing too excessive. I'm hoping this filter will help keep a little more dirt out and the oil clean a bit longer.

One major con that I somewhat glance over before is the fact that this filter is oiled whereas the Ramair is a dry filter. That is of no issue for me as it is worth the tradeoff for better filtration, but something to consider if you don't want to go through the hassle of oiling your foam filter. The Ramair can be cleaned with a simple rinse under soapy hot water according to the whoosh motorsports website. I did just that when I did my last oil change and it performed just as well as it did new. The Ramair definitely wins out on ease of cleaning and maintenence. Plus for the price of 2 stock filters, you can get one that last for the life of the car.

Overall I'm very happy with the filter and definitely recommend it if you live in a dusty environment, or just want a panel filter with a bit more fine dust filtration over the Ramair filter. Compared to stock I'm pretty sure the ITG and Ramair filter less, regardless of all the claims most panel filters make about filtration. Just due to the sheer size of the stock filter, I doubt the filters that are much thinner and with much less filtering medium can outperform it in terms of cleaning power. The stock filter is very thick though, so the airflow claims are believable given how large our stock filter is.

The Ramair wins in terms of bang for your buck, as it's about half the price of the ITG and there's no special cleaning process required, just a soapy wash and letting it dry.

For a performance filter for someone in a dusty environment, the ITG is a good compromise between filtration and performance for sure. It's bigger than the Ramair, and the oil helps it catch dust particles that can make it through the Ramair filter. I will make sure to update down the line to see how the motor oil looks after the first change with the ITG.

If you haven't upgraded your filter at all, there's really no wrong choice be it one of the ones above, or something like the Cobb/Green/mountune filters. You can definitely hear the difference in airflow and the butt dyno will thank you a bit. Sure you sacrifice a bit of filtration but as most of us change oil at religious intervals, it should be no issue at all

I just wanted to share my experiences with these two filters and hope someone in my position(not being able to find much about either filter) can find it useful later.
 


Last edited:

Mikey456

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#3
Nice review and comparison of the filters. I received and installed my ITG filter just recently. I’m happy with the additional intake sound I hear (I did open the base of the air box). I was not aware that the filter needed more specific maintenance then the Ramair (soap and warm water) being that it is made of similar foam material. Maybe Ron can specify what cleaning and oiling products i need to use with this filter.
 


OP
Spork1569

Spork1569

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Thread Starter #4
Nice review and comparison of the filters. I received and installed my ITG filter just recently. I’m happy with the additional intake sound I hear (I did open the base of the air box). I was not aware that the filter needed more specific maintenance then the Ramair (soap and warm water) being that it is made of similar foam material. Maybe Ron can specify what cleaning and oiling products i need to use with this filter.
I've seen some kits online that are made by ITG that include the cleaner and dust retaining oil. I haven't checked if Ron carries it as well but it'd be awesome to be able to get everything in the same place.
 


TyphoonFiST

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#5
I have the Green panel filter....K&N and a Ramair Style now that I am currently running. I hate having to wash.....Dry and re-oil the filters....Then having to wait for them to dry and you'll need a backup while it dries....total PIA. So I went with the Ramair instead....so much easier to deal with. I haven't even cleaned mine yet its been maybe 15k...But to each their own....But it would be great to get the Cleaners and oil all from the same place as I had to buy them online/Amazon. Nice review....always need more on the forum to let peeps know!
 


OP
Spork1569

Spork1569

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Thread Starter #6
I have the Green panel filter....K&N and a Ramair Style now that I am currently running. I hate having to wash.....Dry and re-oil the filters....Then having to wait for them to dry and you'll need a backup while it dries....total PIA. So I went with the Ramair instead....so much easier to deal with. I haven't even cleaned mine yet its been maybe 15k...But to each their own....But it would be great to get the Cleaners and oil all from the same place as I had to buy them online/Amazon. Nice review....always need more on the forum to let peeps know!
Yeah I'll definitely miss how easy the Ramair is to clean but luckily the st200 airbox came with a stock filter with it. When cleaning time comes I'll just have to miss my vacuum noises for a few days lol.
 


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#7
Hmmm, I just cleaned my Ramair filter this weekend for the first time (approx 6,000 miles). I used mineral spirits, then soapy water, then I dried it, and lastly I oiled it with Lucas foam filter oil. I didn't realize the only thing necessary was soap and water, no re-oiling necessary. I hope I didn't do any damage. However, the Ramair site describes their cleaning kit saying, "Ramair filters owe much of their dirt retaining properties to the unique advanced polymer treatment with which they are impregnated during manufacture. They can be given a new lease of life when they become heavily soiled by cleaning them thoroughly with Ramair polymer solvent cleaner and applying fresh Treatment to the foam filter material. Please Note: Ramair Filters Treatment is more advanced than ordinary filter oil. Using any other product may reduce the effectiveness of your filter and as a result may affect the warranty."

I took this to be mostly sales-talk and went with the generic products described, and my understanding is that most branded "kits" include mineral spirits as the cleaning agent. I hope I didn't do any damage. Yet I do have more peace of mind with an oiled filter. Maybe I should just switch to the ITG.
 


OP
Spork1569

Spork1569

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Thread Starter #8
Hmmm, I just cleaned my Ramair filter this weekend for the first time (approx 6,000 miles). I used mineral spirits, then soapy water, then I dried it, and lastly I oiled it with Lucas foam filter oil. I didn't realize the only thing necessary was soap and water, no re-oiling necessary. I hope I didn't do any damage. However, the Ramair site describes their cleaning kit saying, "Ramair filters owe much of their dirt retaining properties to the unique advanced polymer treatment with which they are impregnated during manufacture. They can be given a new lease of life when they become heavily soiled by cleaning them thoroughly with Ramair polymer solvent cleaner and applying fresh Treatment to the foam filter material. Please Note: Ramair Filters Treatment is more advanced than ordinary filter oil. Using any other product may reduce the effectiveness of your filter and as a result may affect the warranty."

I took this to be mostly sales-talk and went with the generic products described, and my understanding is that most branded "kits" include mineral spirits as the cleaning agent. I hope I didn't do any damage. Yet I do have more peace of mind with an oiled filter. Maybe I should just switch to the ITG.
I don't think it did any damage as long as it wasn't over oiled. I wonder if their panel filters are different from their cone filters as the whoosh motorsports description states no special cleaning requirements.
 


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