New K&N Gold Filter Design?

[duweeee]

I just bought a K&N Gold filter off of amazon but am not sure if this is a new design of a knock off? The packaging and all of the markings look very good and the filter material is yellow like usual. The main difference I see are there are more holes for flow which is good but the inner support tube is now plastic? That's the thing that makes me question is why would they switch over to a plastic center support tube? Has anyone seen this before? The manufacture markings indicates this was produced in the USA. Also the filter didnt come in plastic wrap, but I've heard this has changed over time.

 

[Donald]

Who buys K&N filters these days?

 

[ZeeOSix]

Says "Made in USA". Don't know who's making these for K&N these days - maybe Champion Labs? It seems K&N switches manufacturers quite often. I wouldn't be concerned about the nylon eCore center tube these days. I'd be more interested in it's efficiency specs.

 

[Oildudeny]

Call k&n and ask them.. next time by right from kn

 

[slacktide_bitog]

It's a Champ Ecore with a silicone ADBV. The yellow-dotted type is what Champion uses. Their factory is in Albion, IL. That base plate looks like what Fram uses. Fram used to be the same company as Champ for a few years, but they have since split apart.

 

[PimTac]

That baseplate looks like it has been exposed to the elements.

 

[CT8]

.Says NASCAR on the filter it has to be great.

 

[wemay]

Everything but the wrech-off feature and silicone ADBV looks exactly like the current Super Tech oil filters. The new Mobil1 filters share the base plate design too. On the left is Super Tech...right is M1.

 

[Bud]

Originally Posted by Donald

Who buys K&N filters these days?

Probably plenty of people. The op for one.

 

[Job]

I think if the additional base plate cover is removed from a Champ ecore this is the base plate under that.

 

[kstanf150]

Originally Posted by wemay

Everything but the wrech-off feature and silicone ADBV looks exactly like the current Super Tech oil filters. The new Mobil1 filters share the base plate design too. On the left is Super Tech...right is M1.

Hard to argue with that pic ! Those are the same filter design ! Good job sir

 

[haggler]

This is champ ecore. My PF64 ACDelco is exactly the same, and walmart supertech is also. I was gonna go Supertech I couldnt confirm if the bypass was right. My guess is Champ makes all of these. Mobil 1 switched manufacturers as I understand it (no longer champ). What kept me away from those K&Ns I have read it has leaked from the nut. Seems like an unnecessary point of failure.

 

[bullwinkle]

Originally Posted by haggler

This is champ ecore. My PF64 ACDelco is exactly the same, and walmart supertech is also. I was gonna go Supertech I couldnt confirm if the bypass was right. My guess is Champ makes all of these. Mobil 1 switched manufacturers as I understand it (no longer champ). What kept me away from those K&Ns I have read it has leaked from the nut. Seems like an unnecessary point of failure.

Yes, there have been posted leaks from the spot welds that hold the nut on, and the nut can also cause rust if moisture gets inside, there's no paint inside! I can't believe the OP's filter has the "wide window" Ecore center cage-those are the ones that caused trouble when the Ecore was first released.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by bullwinkle

I can't believe the OP's filter has the "wide window" Ecore center cage-those are the ones that caused trouble when the Ecore was first released.

That was a long time ago when eCore center tubes were first hitting the market and some had very wide windows. Seeing eCores of today, they look much better designed than they were many years ago.

 

[stanlee]

Originally Posted by Donald

Who buys K&N filters these days?

I do when the price is right on Amazon. I've cut them open with the 5k miles service internals I use and they hold up as well as all the others I've cut open (Bosch. Wix, Purolator, STP, M1). I would not pay a premium for the one shown in the original post (or buy it at all with the plastic center). Construction looks exactly like the $3 Supertech at Walmart. I only find the Pro (black, no welded bolt) for cheap but they don't look anything like that.

 

[UG_Passat]

I wouldn't worry about the e-core. It's at least 20 year old technology. I know it's been around since 1997 (maybe even earlier than that)

 

[duweeee]

Yeah, the only reason I bought the K&N was because it was a good price on Amazon. I switched from Fram Ultra because on Youtube some reviewers have been noticing rust and glue spatter over the media on recent filters.

 

[ZeeOSix]

^^^ Don't believe much of what YouTubers say or show - there are many YouTubes that don't know much about oil filters and it shows in their videos. Who knows where those filters were or how old they were, or the underlying motives of their videos. Many new Ultras cut and posted here look fine.

 

[duweeee]

I just bought a Purolator One filter for comparison and it looks to be much taller.

 

[Jackson_Slugger]

Originally Posted by Bud

Originally Posted by Donald

Who buys K&N filters these days?

Probably plenty of people. The op for one.

I have a Silver on my car now. There's nothing wrong with it, it's solidly built AFAICT. They were on Amazon for less than $5 for a while. I wouldn't go out of my way for them or pay more than that...