Napa Gold VS Silver air filter.

[Charon]

I've always been a wix filter user. In the past Napa has rebranded different versions of wix filters making up the gold / silver lines. However when looking at the air filter line for our trucks the Wix part number is the same. In fact Wix only lists one filter on their website.
It appears Napa is selling the same filter at two very different price points silver being $18 and gold being $30. I suppose I'm just looking for someone to agree with my suspicions. I don't want to get a lower quality filter but I also don't want to pay more just because Napa listed it higher. It seems absurd.

 

[GerryS]

I use Napa Gold air filters on my Corvette. They are the old round air filters. With those, the Gold filter has a lot more pleats than the Silver filter, thus more filter material.

Don't know about the ones you are asking about though.
Gerry

 

[Charon]

Rock auto lists the Wix 42725 as having 9 pleats per inch.
Napa only states pleats per inch on the silver which is also 9.

Napa's pro select is also the same part number.

All napa gold listings I can find say 9 pleats per inch.

 

[iLikeTurtles]

While the air may be cleaner, I assume the additional pleats mean incoming air must enter through more area, meaning more restriction.

Is the cleaner air worth more restriction?
I feel like if I order a cheaper unit I would replace it more often so in the end I still lose.
My life is a lie...

 

[Nails]

I’d just do the silver. Only thing gained here is their profit margin

 

[GerryS]

While the air may be cleaner, I assume the additional pleats mean incoming air must enter through more area, meaning more restriction.

Is the cleaner air worth more restriction?
I feel like if I order a cheaper unit I would replace it more often so in the end I still lose.
My life is a lie...

You assume wrong. More pleats means more filter media. Suppose you have just enough filter material to cover the opening with no pleats and the material is stretched tight. It probably won't take long for the filter to get dirty enough to become restrictive to air flow.
Now take another filter and instead of using just enough filter material, you use five times as much filter material. The only way to fit that much material is to pleat it. The more pleats, the more material. Now it takes five times longer to become as restrictive to air flow as the other filter.

It's the same with oil filters.

Gerry

 

[Charon]

For the same reason your brain matter is wrinkled, pleats add surface area. Which means more media and less restriction.

 

[iLikeTurtles]

Doesn’t more filter material mean more restriction? I would think restriction number one is the air going into the air intake (area of the opening), then the air filter material area then the throttle body area.

I would think reducing any one of those restrictions is a win, it’s not that we are making the throttle body inlet area larger or smaller but less resistance for incoming air I would think is the good.

I’m not saying we should run no filter media, but I think there is a point where too many pleats just means people will run it for longer as there is more area before it “looks as bad” or it becomes clogged. I don’t think it necessarily improves air quality just because there is more pleats, just means you’re going to run it for longer. So material filtering capability outweighs surface area I guess? Area only comes into play for how long they recommend (mileage wise) running it?

more so thinking out loud always up for debate.

Edit: air going straight through the material opposed to through the angled material (means reduced velocity) which is my point here of restriction.
Edit 2: pleats restricting flow all I could find was HVAC lol. Same idea though: https://yourfilterconnection.com/blogs/help/do-pleated-air-filters-restrict-airflow

 

[Charon]

Pleats add surface area so it reduces restriction the only time it could increase restriction is if the pleats were so packed it blocked air flow.
So say your theory is right about angle reducing flow. if you have 9 pleats per inch assuming the pleats are 1" deep which seems reasonable. That's 18 inches of additional surface area, the increased restriction from an angle would have to equal 18 times a flat filter's restriction.
Now if you think about the filtration that angle helps capture materials. The media thickness would have to be far more on a flat filter. So you're adding more restriction to get the same filtration.

 

[iLikeTurtles]

How does increasing surface area reduce restriction? Maybe it reduces restriction over the lifespan at higher mileage near end of life but at that point it goes back to the comment of buying a cheaper one and replacing it more frequently.

My acknowledgement is that more pleats do not improve any characteristic other than being able to physically hold more debris.

Is the only difference between a NAPA gold and silver the increase in surface area? If so, it’s like crinkling up an N95 mask and breathing through it. More pleats do not make me feel any better, if anything makes me struggle more to inhale. Then again i am lazy at it is, I’ll just buy a synthetic neck gator and feel like I’m going commando haha.

 

[securityguy]

For the same reason your brain matter is wrinkled, pleats add surface area. Which means more media and less restriction.

After the election results...does this mean that most of the population have brains with no wrinkles

 

[Charon]

How does increasing surface area reduce restriction? Maybe it reduces restriction over the lifespan at higher mileage near end of life but at that point it goes back to the comment of buying a cheaper one and replacing it more frequently.

My acknowledgement is that more pleats do not improve any characteristic other than being able to physically hold more debris.

Is the only difference between a NAPA gold and silver the increase in surface area? If so, it’s like crinkling up an N95 mask and breathing through it. More pleats do not make me feel any better, if anything make me struggle more to inhale. Then again i am lazy at it is, I’ll just buy a synthetic neck gator and feel like I’m going commando haha.

Surface area is where the particles can cross. More surface area = more places to cross.

As far as NAPA gold vs silver, there is no difference in surface area, both 9 pleats per inch. And based on WIX part numbers I think they're exactly the same.

 

[securityguy]

I'll bet one has a different media than the other. I guarantee you that Gold and Silver are NOT the same filter.

 

[iLikeTurtles]

Surface area is where the particles can cross. More surface area = more places to cross.

As far as NAPA gold vs silver, there is no difference in surface area, both 9 pleats per inch. And based on WIX part numbers I think they're exactly the same.

The intake is a “closed system.” So flow in = flow out. Filter area will only impact velocity, and therefore flow (more area = slower velocity), and or hold more/less debris then correct?

 

[iLikeTurtles]

I'll bet one has a different media than the other. I guarantee you that Gold and Silver are NOT the same filter.

I agree with that, at least I hope this is the case if they’re charging me more.

Edit: and if there is a difference in materials for the pleated VS non pleated then everything I said above goes in the pooper and we have to go case by case

 

[securityguy]

I agree with that, at least I hope this is the case if they’re charging me more.

The Silver may be paper and the Gold a synthetic material that allows more airflow...my best guess

 

[WhiteZombie]

The Silver may be paper and the Gold a synthetic material that allows more airflow...my best guess

Napa's website states the filter media material for both the silver and gold filter is cellulose.

 

[WhiteZombie]

Doesn’t more filter material mean more restriction? I would think restriction number one is the air going into the air intake (area of the opening), then the air filter material area then the throttle body area.

I would think reducing any one of those restrictions is a win, it’s not that we are making the throttle body inlet area larger or smaller but less resistance for incoming air I would think is the good.

I’m not saying we should run no filter media, but I think there is a point where too many pleats just means people will run it for longer as there is more area before it “looks as bad” or it becomes clogged. I don’t think it necessarily improves air quality just because there is more pleats, just means you’re going to run it for longer. So material filtering capability outweighs surface area I guess? Area only comes into play for how long they recommend (mileage wise) running it?

more so thinking out loud always up for debate.

Edit: air going straight through the material opposed to through the angled material (means reduced velocity) which is my point here of restriction.
Edit 2: pleats restricting flow all I could find was HVAC lol. Same idea though: https://yourfilterconnection.com/blogs/help/do-pleated-air-filters-restrict-airflow

Flow around an angle is always increased. This is proven through physics. Flow through an angled surface ... Ill have to brush up on.

 

[Aseras]

Flow around an angle is always increased. This is proven through physics. Flow through an angled surface ... Ill have to brush up on.

More Pleats = greater surface area. so you can use a thicker or denser material without sacrificing airflow, to a point.

I personally like the Spearhead filters. They are triple layered, activated carbon, antimicrobial and dust absorption filters. Most other filters feel like cheap knockoffs.

 

[securityguy]

The Silver may be paper and the Gold a synthetic material that allows more airflow...my best guess

I know that NAPA has undergone some changes over the years. Both air filters are cellulose. The XP says it's a FIRE RETARDANT cellulose. I can tell you that the WIX standard OIL filter is cellulose. The WIX-XP OIL filter is a synthetic media. I buy WIX and not NAPA off Rockauto.

I'd say if you want a high quality dry filter that's reusable, buy this as it will easily pay for itself after two filter changes:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006OKXKA2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1