K&N Air Filters - Worth the Money?

[GasSavers_RoadWarrior]

Originally Posted by Mr Incredible

The instructions describe in detail how much to oil the filter media. In this case it is bad to be one of the more-is-always-better crowd. Simply follow the instructions.

Too right, a MAF is a relatively inexpensive lesson for them, the results of drastically overfilling the crankcase or transmission would not have been so cheap.

[Mayhim]

Originally Posted by RoadWarrior

Too right, a MAF is a relatively inexpensive lesson for them, the results of drastically overfilling the crankcase or transmission would not have been so cheap.

I was with my Dad once when he was fixing something one of those guys had already done. It had about a million nails in a simple piece of trim work. It looked like a porkypine.

I did get away with cleaning my MAF with electronic parts cleaner. Couldn't say whether it did a lot of good, but it didn't hurt anything noticable. I sprayed the heck out of it from every angle I could get on it. Let it dry. Put it back into service. Runs great.

[VetteOwner]

i dont know what helped more, i got a CAI (dyno tests proven that on s-10's anyways that its not much less gains than the $300 K&N brand than it is the $60 ebay variety with a K&N barrel/cone filter, so lots of people have bought the ebay cheapy)

ive had it over 2 years and no problems whatsoever. i did see a slight gain maybe 1-2 but its a major improvement over the stock zig zag setup so i atribute that to mostly the smooth lined walls of the intake part.

but i dont have a maf to worry about just a temp sensor and then goes straight to the TB

...i should put the old filter stuff back on and see if it really does do anything. also heard punching holes in the airbox before the filter helps so it has multiple entry points.

[Mayhim]

There will always be somebody who only JUST heard about K&N filters and hasn't discovered the historical conversation.

So it goes with everything...

[kamesama980]

Originally Posted by Mr Incredible

I did get away with cleaning my MAF with electronic parts cleaner. Couldn't say whether it did a lot of good, but it didn't hurt anything noticable. I sprayed the heck out of it from every angle I could get on it. Let it dry. Put it back into service. Runs great.

it depends on the type of MAF: hot-wire, sonic oscillator or w/e it is (karmon sensor?) and i think there's others. and how long you leave it on there like that.

[GasSavers_RoadWarrior]

Ford Hot wire MAF element carriers jam nicely into the top of a gatorade bottle... put 1/2 inch of isopropyl alcohol in the bottom of it, jam the MAF on top and shake like hell....

[Frankenstipe]

Whether or not it gains mpg or hp is really a moot point because we all know the gains are minimal to the extreme.

The real savings comes from the ability to reuse the filter instead of having to spend money every time the filter gets dirty. It pays for itself after a couple years depending on how often you drive.

Yes it does let more air in, therefore more dirt/dust particles, the amount depending on your area though is probably very minimal.

In short...it's worth it.

[VetteOwner]

Originally Posted by theclencher

I beg to differ. Hell, I only changed the FACTORY air filter out after 80,000 miles out of sheer guilt- it wasn't even that dirty. And the replacement only cost a couple bucks on sale... there is no way in hell I'll have spent more on paper filters than I would have on K&N, especially after you figure in the price of the recharge kit and all the fooling around.

lol they dont have to look dirty to be dirty...after all since they get clogged with microparticles(and "live"(bugs)particles i doubt you can see microparticles with the naked eye

[GasSavers_ALS]

Here is an air filter test that was done with various filters.

You decide whether you really want a K&N in your air box.

airfilter/airtest

[GasSavers_RoadWarrior]

Hmmm by the way, just came to a realisation, better filter flow and cold air intakes are really just a way to cheat the fuel ratios slightly and run either a little leaner, or use less throttle angle for the same push. At the high end, performance can be improved... but efficiency wise the engine is actually less thermodynamically efficient... but!... the loss in thermodynamic efficiency is offset by the slight overall leaner ratio, the greater expansion of the air in the cylinder and a slightly lighter foot giving equivalent performance. In other words, for fuel injected, ECU controlled cars, it's a dirty hack but it works. Carburated cars may lose mpg. Anything with not very well mapped intake air temperature compensation, or not too sensitive MAP or MAF sensors could go either way.