K&N Story

[edhackett]

Today at lunch I went out with a friend and we stopped in to talk to his friend who runs an auto repair shop. He invited us into the back to have pizza. One of the vehicles that they were working on was a newish Ford F150. The engine was out and apart. I ask what happened.

"K&N air filter", was the response.

Ed

 

[Pablo]

Only kidding.

What really happened?

 

[dparm]

Are you sure they weren't joking? How can they prove the filter caused a problem?

 

[edhackett]

He wasn't kidding. Top end wear from using a K&N. The truck was set up for off road. It was very well cared for, not some beater.

He said he sees a lot of work resulting from K&N filters. Both from poor filtration and the results of over-oiling.

Remember, we are in the dusty west/southwest.

Ed

 

[zloveraz]

Sounds like garbage to me, I've witnessed higher silicone readings and I don't run a K&N however to have that much dirt being passed through to damage the top end seems farfetched to me. Maybe they had a bad seal?

This article talks about MAF sensors, interesting read:

http://www.knfilters.com/news/news.aspx?ID=422

 

[punisher]

Originally Posted By: zloveraz

This article talks about MAF sensors, interesting read:

http://www.knfilters.com/news/news.aspx?ID=422



Its a [censored] ad piece put out by K&N marketing. I worked in a dealership, I saw firsthand what K&Ns did to MAF sensors. It's not a myth. Never have figured out why people defend K&N.

 

[SteveSRT8]

It's really not the K&N itself, it's more often the over-application of filter oil by the end user.

Either way, with all the nice dry designs, the question becomes...Why?

 

[ARB1977]

Ive had good luck with reuseable filters. Currently using Pro Dry in both car and truck/

 

[river_rat]

Pro Dry is a world apart from the ordinary K&N air filter.
Apples and oranges.

 

[Steve S]

K@N are a fools filter . I would throw one away if it was given to me.

 

[D Bone]

Ugh, this again.

 

[ARB1977]

Originally Posted By: river_rat
Pro Dry is a world apart from the ordinary K&N air filter.
Apples and oranges.

True...but with proper care K&N's work great just like any oil type filter. In a not so dusty enviorment install it and pretty much forget it.

 

[river_rat]

Many people have had good luck with them for a long use life.
I won't be putting one on though.

I often drive in dust, know that the air ducting is the real air flow restriction--not the filter, and don't like all the pinholes of light coming through when I hold one up to look through it.

To each his own though.

(I do like their oil filters)

 

[demarpaint]

I used one for a while, tossed it after joining Bitog.

 

[river_rat]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I used one for a while, tossed it after joining Bitog.

Yeah, I learned a lot here too. (Already didn't use the K&N air filters though)

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
K@N are a fools filter . I would throw one away if it was given to me.

I would not throw the fool filter away, I would put it on Ebay for the fools to get some not so fool money to buy AFE Pro Dry.

 

[bigmike]

I have one. Never had a problem with it. In fact, I've racked up somewhere in the range of 500,000 miles with K&N filters.

Some of you here calling people fools (or implication thereof) need to get a life.

 

[coachditka]

Yea, and PYB has wax from birthday candles.

I call shenanigans on the whole thing. If someone is using a CAI in a dusty desert setting, then they can put the pre filter bag on the cone filter.

It's not rocket surgery.

 

[widman]

They are not even close to the efficiency of a good paper filter and no more flow than the PowerCore that is available o comes on a lot of the Ford trucks.

I've seen them destroy engines. Maybe acceptable in a clean environment, but even a lot of city driving is dusty or polluted.

 

[CharBaby]

I wouldn't want any Free Flowing Filter for off-roading. Not with that huge cloud of dust in the air and engines sucking it in like a vacuum cleaner. I would want a more restrictive air filter considering lot's of off-roading is hill climbing at a slow pace and high rpm isn't the norm. Unless it highspeed autocross. No K&N for off-roading!

I do like free flowing air filters for the DD on a family vacation, out on the highway traveling out of state. Set the CC and let the engine breath!

I don't think that free flowing air filters do much if anything all by themselves but, I have done a few tweeks in a couple of vehicles along with a K&N that helped improve the throttle responce and a bit of top end power. Todays computer controlled everything...not much!