Beware.

G'day everyone, this is my first ever post, and I needed assistance from my retired schoolteacher wife (hence MUCH more computer savvy) to even find HOW to post this....it could be easier for old codgers!
I'd like everyone on the whole Forum to read this, don't know if it's only going to appear on this mechanical thread?
Some months ago I fitted a Wesfil air filter element to my TD42 turbo intercooled for a partially caravan-towing trip to Maralinga (van stayed at Ceduna, thankfully!) I can't remember why not my usual Ryco, but.....!
On our return 10,000 Km later, removed intercooler to manifold piping to ease the pain of oil-filter change, and GRIT(dust) all the way to manifold. Oh WOE!!
Explored every possibility, and dust INSIDE the aircleaner told the story - the Wesfil was about 1/4" bigger inside diameter than the rapidly purchased new Ryco, and must've sucked past the seal, top and/or bottom.
I tried to put the Wesfil filter back in the Ryco box, and it wouldn't even go in!
SO, be warned, and very careful re choice of aftermarket parts. I've driven a couple of million miles on road in my time, changed a LOT of filters, many more added on-farm, and fortunately have never had a problem in the past.
I'm just going to keep driving it-it's been gutsing oil ever since a complete rebuild about 50,000km back, and I figure if it's glazed, the dose of top end dust might even rehone the bore for me! (ever the optimist), but at this stage, oil consumption is no different from before - a litre in 2000 Km.

I run K&N for air intake. Pods or stock-replacement in stock-box. I know a lot of people will shit on that choice, but I expect my gear to start and run every time, and my grandkids will inherit it.
Never seen anything untoward down-stream on the filters, and that's even clocking up a few hundred km/week on metal/unsealed roads here in NZ. (Blue rock, so maybe not as fine particulate as aussie "red dust" ...)

Welcome to the forum. Glad to see another far SW Vic member. Maybe a compression test will show any damage done by the dust.