One of the ways to increase the power of a car's internal combustion engine is to reduce the resistance in the air intake - exhaust system. It is known that the removal of the muffler and catalyst can increase engine power by up to 10%.
Likewise, completely removing the air filter can increase power by up to 8-10%. That is why in the 20th century, air filters were simply not installed on many racing cars. However, at the same time, the ingress of dust particles into the intake system significantly reduced the engine life.
Considering that modern racing car engines cost fabulous money, the designers were given the task of developing air filters with zero resistance to the intake air, and it was solved. Now such filters (car enthusiasts often call them “nulevik”) are affordable for ordinary car owners and their popularity is increasing.
Why you need a zero and how it works
During the operation of an internal combustion engine, it is necessary to protect the air intake duct from dust, small particles, fluff, insects and other substances that are not in a gaseous state. In principle, even gaseous water (steam) also destroys the piston group.
To protect the engine in all cars equipped with internal combustion engines, an air filter is installed. Without such a filter, the engine life can be reduced up to 10 times.
On most cars, regular filters are made of a special, as a rule, paper composition. Such material has the smallest pores (holes - micropores), which prevent the smallest particles from passing through the filter.
The more such pores, the less resistance the filter will have to the passage of air. Therefore, most air filters are made in the form of an "accordion" to increase the area and number of pores.
Video - what problems can arise when using the nulevik in various modes:
During the operation of the car, such air filters quickly become clogged, as their resistance increases.
The idea behind zero resistance filters is that the pore size in them is enlarged to slightly impede the passage of air flow. The filter material itself (usually a fabric base made of a special material) attracts dust and small particles to itself, as it were, where they settle. This "attraction" is based on the physical and chemical processes of electrization and adsorption.
There are two main types of filtering:
- Dry filtration. Filters of this type are less efficient. Studies show that the maximum increase in engine power is less than 5%.
- impregnated filters. Their efficiency is higher (up to 7% power increase). Dust and particles settle on oily impregnation.
Where to install nulevik in a car
There are three options here:
1. In an abnormal place, that is, separately from the standard air intake system.
This option allows you to install a filter of any design that will fit under the hood of an existing car.
There is a big disadvantage in this installation method. Air in the engine will come from the engine compartment, and not from the external intake.
In addition, the air will be heated by a running engine, that is, less dense, therefore, with a lower oxygen content. This minus eats up almost all the advantages of a zero resistance air filter.
2. At the regular place.
In this case, it is necessary to select a filter of a compatible design. In modern cars, air filters generally have a rectangular (trapezoidal) configuration.
The maximum efficiency of rectangular filters with zero resistance does not exceed 5% (cylindrical - about 7%).
3. Installation on a modified intake system design.
The most effective installation method, however, requires certain skills and additional costs to re-equip the standard air duct system and intakes.
Pros and cons of zero resistance air filters
First about the poles:
- increase in engine power. Specifically, it is possible to judge the power increase factor only on the basis of testing for each installation option. Do not trust advertising. Efficiency can be from 1 to 8%;
- reduction in fuel consumption. For car owners, this characteristic can be decisive when installing an emergency zero;
- for dry filters, the procedures for installing and maintaining the filter practically do not change (it should be remembered that they are less effective than serviced zero filters);
- changing the "sound" of the engine. This plus is more suitable for the younger generation of motorists.
- price. The price can be up to 10,000 rubles. An average nulevik will cost about 2,000 rubles, but this is more than the cost of an ordinary consumable.
- an abnormal installation of a zero-resistance filter may have negative efficiency if heated engine compartment air enters it;
- the need for maintenance (impregnation) of the filter of zero resistance after 2 - 3 thousand kilometers simultaneously with cleaning. The procedure takes time and additional costs;
- its installation is effective only in the complex of car tuning works. Without improving the efficiency of the exhaust system, often the installation of such a filter does not make sense at all (especially with a clogged catalyst);
- not the fact that the engine management system will adequately perceive the increase in air flow. In the air intake system of every modern car there is a flow meter (). It instantly “calculates” the change in mass air consumption and corrects the engine. That is, when installing a nulevik, it is rational to perform chip tuning of the car engine control unit. This operation is costly;
- there is no 100% proof of the effectiveness of installing zero-resistance filters in conventional cars. For racing cars, everything is clear: every additional horse is expensive there, regardless of the costs. The installers are professionals. Control and adjustment is carried out on professional equipment. At the disposal of ordinary motorists - only advertising;
- in case of abnormal installation of the Federal Tax Service, questions may arise during the inspection.
Video - does it make sense to install a zero if additional tuning work is not carried out:
How to properly serve
Zero resistance filter maintenance sequence:
- cleaning with a special brush (you can use soft clothes, you can additionally use a vacuum cleaner);
- washing the filter (it is possible with special compositions, even household “Weasel” is suitable);
- drying for 12 hours (not close to the battery);
- application of a special impregnation for the Federal Tax Service from the side of the air inlet - two times.
Do not exceed the amount of impregnation, as its excess may enter the engine. The packaging of the Federal Tax Service and care products must contain instructions for use and operation. For some filter models, the maintenance sequence may be different.
A zero resistance filter is installed instead of a standard filter element in order to increase the power of the vehicle's power unit and reduce intake resistance. We will figure out whether there is a real benefit from installing such a device.
1
The air entering the injection or carburetor engine of a car contains a lot of various chemical compounds and small mechanical particles. Getting into the cylinders, they worsen their work, and over time even disable this unit. This problem can be avoided in one way - by installing a special air filter. Its task is to carry out mechanical purification of air from various impurities. At the same time, it is worth remembering that the power indicators of power automotive units directly depend on how much air is in the working mixture.
Zero filter
And here lies the main problem. The better the filter works, the less air enters the motor after cleaning. This results in a drop in engine power. In addition, standard filter elements are made of high density paper. Such products have great air resistance. After a while, their pores become completely clogged. The filter stops passing anything at all. Due to this, the air resistance indicator increases even more. Zero resistance filter avoids all described problems . It is made from cotton fabric. Usually 3-4 layers of such material are used. A special impregnation is applied to each part of the fabric. After that, the air filter of zero resistance is placed in a special screen made of aluminum.
This design guarantees unhindered air flow into the injector or carburetor. Fine dirt particles are retained by the filter fibers. At the same time, the throughput of the device practically does not decrease over time.
The device in question guarantees high quality airflow purification. Therefore, the installation of a zero resistance filter is recommended for all sports cars without exception. But here it is necessary to take into account the fact that sports cars can boast a modernized exhaust system. It makes it possible to quickly remove large volumes of exhaust gases from the power unit. In an ordinary car, whether it is an injector or a carburetor, there is no such improved system.
2
The device we describe ideally provides a number of advantages. They are listed below:
- Nulevik does not need regular replacement. It only needs to be periodically (very rarely) cleaned using a special solution. After such processing, which is easily done by hand, the zero-resistance filter restores its initial characteristics in full. After washing the device, it must be impregnated.
- The filter device under consideration gives a small increase in power - up to a maximum of 5%. It is clear that the driver simply will not notice such an increase in the speed properties of the car. Therefore, putting a zero on a carburetor or on an injection motor does not make much sense.
- Zero filter element gives a slight increase in torque at low and medium speeds. Again, the motorist will not be able to appreciate such an increase in traction, since it will be insignificant and will not affect the comfort of driving in any way.
Setting the zero filter
As you can see, installing a zero filter instead of a standard one does not give any real operational advantages to simple cars equipped with a conventional engine (injector, carburetor). In fact, a nulevik mounted on a serial engine will only perform the function of a "cool", but useless toy under the hood of a car. No more. If you plan to achieve a real increase in engine power and traction, a zero resistance filter will have to be installed on a well-modified power unit. You will need to mount tuned, sports camshafts on a carburetor or injector, as well as make the correct and accurate bore of the cylinders.
3
It is not difficult to mount the nulevik on your own. In some cases, it is necessary to purchase special mounting pipes. But usually a zero-resistance filter is placed directly into a standard corrugation connected to the body of a standard filter device. With your own hands, the operation is elementary:
- dismantle the housing of the old filter;
- insert the null into the corrugation;
- securely tighten the new device using a clamp.
Zero filter cleaning
It is very important to choose the right filter. Its outlet section must be a couple of millimeters smaller than the diameter of the corrugation. If you comply with this condition, you will not have problems with the installation of the filter device. Now let's see how to clean the element of interest to us with our own hands. First, dismantle the nulevik and carefully remove all large contaminants from it. It is best to clean the filter with a special solution (ordinary is not suitable) and a brush with soft bristles. Then you need to apply a special impregnation compound on both sides of the device. It may be included with the filter. But most often such a solution has to be purchased separately.
The impregnation of the element is carried out for 10-15 minutes. After that, the nulevik is rinsed in a container with clean water. And then it is additionally washed under the tap. The pressure of running water should be made very small so as not to damage the filter layers of the device. The next step is to shake off the water from the filter. It does not need to be dried in any special way. Just shake the zero a couple of times. Next, inspect the device. If you see prominent light areas on it, repeat the process of impregnating the device and then washing it according to the already described scheme. You can see for yourself that cleaning the nulevik is not at all difficult. The final work is the installation of the device in its place.
When tuning the engine, a large amount of intake air is required and a zero filter is needed. Let's tell you what it is and what it gives in comparison with the filter element.
What is it needed for?
The main function of a standard air filter is to purify the air and keep dust out of the engine. But, getting effective filtration, we lose power. Paper elements offer a lot of resistance to airflow because the material is dense. The greater the resistance, the greater the power loss. It is especially noticeable when the filter is “clogged”.Zero resistance filter - a replacement for the standard one, which allows you to reduce the intake resistance without reducing the filtering capacity and increase engine power. This is due to a special material that has less air resistance. Accordingly, more air enters the engine, power is higher. So you can add "a few horses."
In most "nulevik" gives a power increase of about 3-5%. A person cannot physically feel the difference in power less than 5 hp, and the dynamic characteristics are almost imperceptible. So, more figures on paper than reality will be able to amuse pride.
Is there any sense?
It is a misconception that if you remove the air filter and its housing, the power will increase significantly. This is wrong. The fact is that engineers calculate the operation of the motor, taking into account losses in the filter. From a practical point of view, an engine that gets dust in it will not last long. An air filter barrier is required. It is possible to reduce the flow resistance by increasing the through holes, that is, slightly worsen the filtration quality.Remember: if the car does not have a sports engine, it is not advisable to spend several thousand rubles on a “nulevik”. Installing on a stock engine is just a beautiful thing under the hood.
Another thing is if you comprehensively modify the engine with the installation of sports camshafts, cylinder bore. Then the null filter is appropriate. Also, together with it, an increased throttle valve is installed, which will give the greatest effect in increasing the return on the intake system of the machine.
Advantages
Firstly, increasing power without reducing the purity of the air. The filter has a complex configuration that provides low resistance, but at the same time effective filtration, protecting the intake system from clogging and the engine from wear.Secondly eliminates the need to change the filter every 10,000 km. It is easy to clean, washed with a special composition and restores its original properties.
Third, after installation, there will be a little more unique noise and a few additional “horses”, as well as torque at medium and low revs.
To obtain a real increase in power and torque, it is necessary to dismantle the standard housing assembly with the filter insert. Next, put a cone filter of zero resistance on the mass air flow sensor or on its nozzle, which is selected according to the diameter of the seat.
How to follow?
With the purchase of a zero filter the motorist is obliged to regularly rinse and impregnate it with a special solution. Moreover, it is necessary to process it while maintaining a certain technology, which is difficult to compare with the simplicity of the “pick-and-place” operation. You can’t forget about periodic maintenance, otherwise the car will become “dull” and “gluttonous”.The filter is removed, using a soft-bristled brush, it is cleaned of large particles of dirt. Then washed with water. It does not need to dry, but you need to shake it several times to remove the remaining water. Then a cleaning agent is applied to the filter element on both sides and the "nulevik" is installed in place.
Personal experience
You have to be careful with the zero filter. The increase in power is small, but it is due to better cross-country ability, which means dust particles can get into the motor, especially if you forget to soak it. Another thing is the installation of a zero in a standard place. A huge plus is that the regular air intake system is preserved. If the nulevik "takes" air under the hood, this will not lead to anything good. The air is hot there, it is imperative to remove the air intake system away from the hot engine.It has been proven by experience that the lower the inlet air temperature, the greater the power. In the afternoon, in the heat, zero is only harmful, and in the evening you can feel the difference. It is advisable to install with an increased throttle and a cold air system. It is installed for the summer, and in the winter it is useless, if not even harmful.
Buy a good nulevik, for example, from k & n. It is of good quality, but not cheap. Damage to the motor will be minimal. And I would beware of buying Chinese analogues. It is not known how they filter the incoming air and whether they will harm.
Hello everyone, dear friends! Thanks for reading the blog posts. In previous works, we have already touched on the purpose of various filter elements, for example, an air purification filter. Their task is to make the working mixture that will burn in the cylinders as clean and suitable for the engine as possible. Today I want to touch on the question of what a zero resistance filter is, and what benefits it can bring to a modern car. We have previously talked about filter elements, namely,.
Motorists love to arrange a variety of tuning for their car, which may not necessarily concern the external design, but also affect certain characteristics of the motor itself. It is believed that it is possible to increase the power of the power unit by installing an air filter, which has zero resistance. Opinions about the effectiveness of this method are completely opposite, so you need to take into account all the pros and cons so as not to be mistaken.
The principle of operation of such an element, which affects the power supply system (whether it be a carburetor or an injector) and its operation, boils down to the following. Air cleaning with zero is carried out due to the adhesion of dirt particles, while the purified air enters the cylinders unhindered. But it cannot be said that this guarantees the separation of useless particles, and that absolutely all of them will linger on the case. Much will depend on the implementation of preventive measures to care for the zero, but drivers usually forget to adhere to this.
Advantages and disadvantages
Indeed, a regular filter element helps to reduce engine power. In contrast, Nulevik is able to increase this indicator. But let's start with what filter elements are generally installed for? That's right, in order to keep the inlets from particles of dirt, dust and everything that contains air that inevitably get into various systems. The advantages of a regular filter are obvious - it is created from several layers of very thick paper, which reliably cleans the incoming air. On the other hand, its access to the intake manifolds is difficult, but these are inevitable disadvantages. 
Let us summarize the strengths and weaknesses of such a procedure. The pluses include:
- a slight increase in power;
- changing the sound of the engine from under the bonnet space.
By cons, respectively:
- additional costs and a high level of quality requirements for nuleviks;
- dirt entering the engine through the filter;
- the need for regular care and maintenance (more on this below).
Thanks to the zero valve, the cylinders receive more air, which means that more gasoline will be burned. Thus, it is possible to increase the motor power by about 2-5%. The coefficient, in fact, is not so great as to risk the cylinders and other parts of the piston group. Therefore, it is believed that the installation of such a device makes sense if the car is sharpened for racing.
Features of operation and cleaning - comparison
Another important point is related to the care and maintenance of such protective elements. The classic filter changes every 10-15 thousand and is simply thrown away, and a new one is put in its place. Recently, the impregnation of the air filter element has become widespread. For these purposes, a special impregnating liquid is purchased, which is sold in the form of aerosol cans. Alternatively, transformer oil or the so-called "spindle" can be used. The filter is dipped into it, after which it is slightly wrung out - it should be somewhat oily as a result. After that, it is mounted in its place, and you can ride until the next routine inspection.
Impregnation with special means is necessary so that the surface of the element can attract and retain dust. In addition, it is better if it passes air well - and for this it is washed every 10 thousand km. For these purposes, you can resort to a regular detergent, and soak the dried filter again. Installing such an element in a regular place is also not particularly difficult even for novice motorists. Just throw away the old "air vent" along with its body, and instead of it, connect the nulevik directly to the air supply pipe.
In a word, there are both negative and positive reviews from such a kind of tuning on the network. We can definitely say that its use will benefit sports cars, in which dynamic qualities are one of the highest priorities when buying. In this case, it is really possible to significantly increase the power of your sports car. If we are talking about traditional family cars, then such a procedure will not give a serious increase in traction. But expect additional costs and maintenance headaches. 
As you can see, whether to set a zero filter or not is one of the individual tasks. Each driver decides for himself, taking into account which criteria are more important for him - to increase the output of the engine or to be calm about its cleanliness without any special care. Thanks for reading the blog regularly. I would be happy to hear from you in the future. See you soon!
It is far from a secret that the air filter somewhat affects the power of the car's power unit and its efficiency indicator. The more effective its filtering properties, the more it dampens the engine. In this case, a compromise is necessary: the installation of an effective filter element with less resistance. Does such a filter exist?
What is a zero resistance filter for?
There is an opinion that such a filter is a filter with zero resistance. Even despite the good performance of the filter elements of this design, the attitude towards their installation cannot be called unambiguous. Many motorists note the fact that after changing the usual element to a filter with zero resistance, no changes were noticed.
Figure 1. Zero Resistance Cone Air Filter
On one of the sites I came across an article, it is given below, which talks about all the advantages of such filters and claims their usefulness.
What does the use of a zero resistance filter give
The purpose of air filters is to prevent the ingress of various particles into the working area of the cylinder-piston group of the engine.
Greater airflow filtration efficiency inevitably leads to losses in engine power. Standard paper filters manufactured by Bosch, Mann, Champion, Fram, SCT or Hengst are characterized by a significant resistance to airflow due to the fact that the density of the filter material is very high. The stronger the resistance, the greater and more noticeable the loss of power. This is especially evident before the filter replacement period, when it is already quite dirty.
The design of the filter with zero resistance provides the ability to reduce the resistance to inlet flow without compromising the filtering properties and loss of motor power. Zero-resistance filters have become widespread in sports cars where it is important to add a few horsepower to the engine.
At the heart of the “nulevik” filter element is the use of multilayer cotton gauze impregnated with a special oil composition, which is located between pressed aluminum screens.
The standard air filter has the ability to clean the air flow with only one plane. The design of the nuleviks allows for the process of filtering the incoming air with the entire surface, which contributes to the retention of more dust. The impregnation for the zero resistance filter causes the dust particles to settle successively on each layer of cotton fibers.
The resource of standard air filters is very limited and averages about 15 thousand kilometers, after which they must be replaced. Cleaning this filter does not bring the desired effect. But filters with zero resistance have a resource exceeding 100 thousand kilometers.
The economic effect observed after installing a filter with zero resistance:
- the advantage, first of all, is that its installation allows you to save fuel up to 4%, due to the powerful air flow and increased filtration effect;
- there is also an increase in power up to 5%, while maintaining the filtering ability compared to a standard element; a more complex design of the element provides low resistance to air flow and has significant filtering properties, which protects the fuel system from contamination, and the piston group from premature wear.
Many people like the appearance of a unique inductive noise coming from the filter when the engine is running.
The owners of some SUVs quite positively characterize the installation of a “nulevik” on a car. And if we take into account the frequent movement of such cars off-road, then the use of this filter is accompanied by a quick payback.
If you are the owner of a fairly new car that has completed chip tuning and refinement of the exhaust system, then installing a filter with zero resistance will be quite effective.
As for old cars or low-power ones, for example, the classic VAZ model line, the purchase and installation of a filter with zero resistance will in no way affect the increase in power or improvement in efficiency. Such a replacement is not justified and looks like nothing more than a farce of the owner.
It should be noted that the purchase and installation of a low-quality filter will not only not improve the performance of the motor, but can also greatly harm it, since such elements filter even worse than standard filters.
It should be noted that a filter with a conical design is able to add a little more performance to the motor than a filter installed in a regular place.
Figure 2. Air filter of zero resistance in a regular place
Opinion on the inefficiency of nulls
In order not to tire you much with reading, I will not describe the disadvantages of a zero-resistance filter. I think that it will be much more interesting to watch a video test, the conclusion of which is based not on speculation and subjective opinions, but on real measurements taken by a special device. So, let's look.
To believe in the uselessness of the filters we are discussing or not is up to you. However, my opinion is that if such filters were more effective than paper or fluff filters, then car manufacturers would install them regularly, off the assembly line. In general, I am against the installation of filters with zero resistance.
Installing a zero resistance filter on a car
If, after watching the video, you still want to test the effectiveness of zero-resistance filters from your own experience, then proceed as follows. First, dismantle the filter housing itself. Then remove the section with the mass air flow sensor. After that, the filter with zero resistance is attached with clamps to the section with the mass air flow sensor, and the entire structure is attached to the air intake pipe.
The filter must be carefully secured to prevent it from dangling.
Special kits are available for sale, both for mounting the filter on any car, and for installation on a specific model.
How to maintain a zero resistance filter
Filter cleaning, as well as installation, can also be done with your own hands. The filter is dismantled and, using a brush with a soft fluffy coating, gently clean the outer surface of dirt.
Then apply Universal Cleaner to all sides of the filter. After 10 minutes after the complete impregnation of the filter element with the composition, the filter should be washed with water in a container, and then washed again under running water.
Figure 3. Zero resistance filter cleaner
It is not necessary to dry such a filter, it is enough to shake it strongly a small number of times to remove residual water. Drying with heating devices is not recommended, so as not to damage the filter element. If white spots appear on the outer or inner surface of the filter, it can be re-impregnated. After that, the filter is installed in its place.
If you drive a car frequently in very dusty conditions, the oil for the zero resistance filter is reapplied every five thousand km. Under normal operating conditions, impregnation is carried out after 10 thousand kilometers. The filter resource is able to withstand at least 20 washes.
