Reuse my K&N or go back to clean paper?

[Audi Junkie]

MY head spins when I try to read all the K&N posts. My car HAS a heated wire MAF, but I can clean it with electronics cleaner and have done so in the past. I never had a problem with a MAF (knock on wood) and don't want one. I have seen URS4's analysis where he put a microscope on previously cleaned MAFs after low miles with both a K&N and paper filter. The K&N was immediately covered with soot. What to do? My car runs great with the K&N, but I am willing to trade a wisper of hp for better filteration and no MAF damage.

 

[SSDude]

Keep the K&N unless it affects your oil analysis. "If it ain't broke don't fix it."

 

[Eddie]

OEM. The wisper of a HP may be imagination or at the redline. Save your engine.

 

[sgtgeek]

Your forgetting the purpose of any performance filter or Cold Air Intake system (modification)...that is to allow more cold air into the intake thus producing more RWHP.....I fail to recall any performance filter manufacturer claiming they filter better than a paper filter....paper filters are more restrictive thus performance falls off.....foam/cotton oiled filters allow more air flow thus producing more RWHP...simple ain't it?!!
So the trade off is of course....more air allowed through=more small particles of dirt in the engine (my argument for performance engines and the folks who scream I change oil to often).....so....Clean and lightly oil your KN more often than you would change your paper filter.....keep your oil change OCI's to shorter intervals and your high performance engine will last as long as a grocery getter........yes....high performance engines have a higher cost of maintenance.....yup...no argument there....but sho' nuff is fun going sideways down the street banging gears with smoke pouring off your back tires sucking down $2.50 a gallon 93 octane to the tune of 6 miles to the gallon Childish...bet your *** it's childish and fun too!

 

[Audi Junkie]

My car already has quite a large filter and am advised that it should flow well enough for my basicly stock engine. I looked at a few newer threads and probally will go paper. Thanks.

 

[ruking77]

I would definitely stay or go back to paper. In the air filter, I would stay with OEM unless you have a good aftermarket source (like AC Delco equivalent, etc) Paper air filters are just plain not that restrictive!!! For sure it filters better!!! The less silicon (and other gunk) that gets into the intake and oil systems the better!!! This is true whether one changes at a relatively short interval like 2-3k OCI's or for me a more normal 15,000 to the TDI diesel change of 25,000 OCI's.

Of 5 vehicles I have, 2 have so called "restrictive" covers to meet snow prophalactic purposes. So all you need to get so called "max flow" of air is to just remove or modify them. (you do this in effect when you buy the so called "improved air intakes and air filters) VW Jetta TDI has a snorkle type system. It is a plastic piece that is very easy to just remove or not put back on. The part that is restrictive to some models is a meshed screen at the throat of the snorkle (to keep out snow). So all you have to do is clean it and you are good to go again. Or if lack of snow prophalatics does not bother you just remove the screen itself or the snorkle assembly, and you have literally FULL air flow, NO restriction and the best oem paper filter. The Corvette Z06 also has a snow prophalatic and the cheapest and easiest solution is just to tie rap the filter to the intake and remove the air box top. Or if you want to keep the air box top just drill one in round holes in the thin plastic cover!! COST for both ZERO!!!

Keep in mind that these so called intakes and "improved" filter sell up to 500 dollars; for results that you can get for ZERO dollars, AND the most important is: cleaner filtering with oem paper filters. These are not only cheaper but really most can go 40-50k before the need to replace. They are a usually a simple R/R.

As you have noted with the oiled media filters you have to apply a "special" oil. This oil if it gets on the MAF or sensors is NOT GOOD for them and in fact may cause premature failure. This stuff is common refined mineral oil sold for a much higher price and don't forget they are probably selling you a "special" degreaser.

Also you have to clean and oil the media "just so" the aftermarket manufacturer will tell you that if you do not it can cause problems.

[ April 02, 2005, 02:12 PM: Message edited by: ruking77 ]

 

[TallPaul]

It probably would work better if you could go to Autozone and drop off your used K&N and then pick a freshly re-oiled used K&N that was reoiled by factory trained people and inspected to ensure the filter was not defective. Suppose a fee of $5?

Worth it to me if I were running K&N, but I notice I have the same size filter element for both a 460 V8 and a 300 straight 6, so I suspect the straight 6 is fine with the paper, but maybe the 460 would benefit from K&N, though it never revs over 4100 and usually is in the 2000 to 3000 range.

 

[Audi Junkie]

Now I remember why I bought a K&N. Paper filter is $15.

 

[Drew99GT]

There's a bunch of fellas on the various LS1 message boards that gain hp when going from a K&N back to paper.

seems like a no brainer. The air filter on most cars isn't gonna restrict the airflow that significantly. The various 270 degree bends in the plastic intake ducting up to the airbox will!

 

[jsharp]

quote:

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Originally posted by TallPaul:
It probably would work better if you could go to Autozone and drop off your used K&N and then pick a freshly re-oiled used K&N that was reoiled by factory trained people and inspected to ensure the filter was not defective. Suppose a fee of $5?

---

This is why I've gone back to paper. It's easier. With the K&N you have to clean it, let it dry, oil it, wait, reoil any spots that look light on oil, etc. It's not a process you can do in a few minutes and be done with it...

 

[T-Keith]

quote:

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Originally posted by Audi Junkie:
Now I remember why I bought a K&N. Paper filter is $15.

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You'd still have to change it quite a few times to equal the K&Ns price. My K&Ns seal gave out before it paid for itself.

-T

 

[moribundman]

AJ, if this is about your Audi, I can tell you the following: the stock airbox on my A4 with the 12v motor is oversized, and so is the filter. In fact, a 5 Series BMW uses the exact same size filter, and the BMW has what, maybe 300 hp? The airbox and filter on your Audi are most likely oversized and they are in any case far from being the largest restriction in the intake tract. I used a K&N for tens of thousand of miles. I went back to paper and have never noticed any loss of power or decreased gas mileage with the paper filter. In some cars, depending on the design of the intake, a K&N may very well provide gains. In case of your Audi, I don't see any advantage if you use a K&N.

I also agree on the point made regarding the seal on the K&N possibly going bad. Mine developed a small crack after about 30k miles.

 

[Eiron]

quote:

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Originally posted by Audi Junkie:
Now I remember why I bought a K&N. Paper filter is $15.

---

Same price as paper filters for my '90 Saab. And that's the same reason why I switched to a K&N 50k miles ago. I've had it cleaned once (after 20k miles of use), but I won't clean it a second time for a while still. If you're afraid of over-oiling, just go a little on the light side & check it after a month to see if any dry spots show up.

 

[Uneasy Rider]

[/QUOTE]You'd still have to change it quite a few times to equal the K&Ns price. My K&Ns seal gave out before it paid for itself.[/QUOTE]


They have a 1,000,000 mile warranty, why didn't you just return it?
I feel the money I save from not replacing a paper filter & the extra mpg I get are well worth it. My vote is for the K&N.

 

[cousincletus]

quote:

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Originally posted by Uneasy Rider:

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You'd still have to change it quite a few times to equal the K&Ns price. My K&Ns seal gave out before it paid for itself.[/QUOTE]


They have a 1,000,000 mile warranty, why didn't you just return it?
I feel the money I save from not replacing a paper filter & the extra mpg I get are well worth it. My vote is for the K&N. [/QUOTE]
Good point. Who would you return the defective filter to?

 

[Bobio]

I too am seriously considering swapping out the K&N in my 2001 Mustang GT for the stock paper filter. One of the main reasons I went to the K&N is that the Motorcraft paper filter is about $35 from the local Ford dealers. I have found it for $21 online. Are there any other brand filters that are the equivalent or better than the stock Motorcraft? I have heard good things about the NAPA Gold filters and have seen them from NAPA online for $17. Any other brands I should consider?

Thanks

 

[Steve S]

A thought I have posted this before .There are no semi trucks or earthmoving equipment that have K@N filters ,these engines cost more than our cars, more HP or sounds louder.

 

[TooSlick]

I went back to the OEM paper filter in my 1995 Tacoma and my Fe and Cr levels dropped significantly. I'll probably try the new Amsoil "Flowzair", oiled foam filters in the near future, but for now I'm using OEM paper filters in my Audi 100 and TT roadster. Silicon levels are < 10 ppm after 10k-12k of oil use - that's hard to beat!

I get all my audi parts from Blauparts.com - it's a big Independent Audi place up in WI. They have excellent parts and the service is great! I can't recommend them enough....

Ted

 

[GT Mike]

quote:

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Originally posted by Bobio:
I have heard good things about the NAPA Gold filters and have seen them from NAPA online for $17. Any other brands I should consider?

Thanks

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If you have a Carquest store nearby, the best bang for the buck is their "red" line of air and oil filters. Made by Wix, but not as expensive as the "blue" premium line which is also Wix.
I've looked at both the red and blue air filters for my car, and both would be recommended. I bought the blue before I realized the red would have been good enough. There was very little difference between them, except the blue was almost double in price.

 

[GT Mike]

quote:

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Originally posted by Drew99GT:
There's a bunch of fellas on the various LS1 message boards that gain hp when going from a K&N back to paper.

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More ClubGP members should visit this site. As one car club, we probably consume more K&N filters than any other club specific to one model. Some people have claimed up to .4 second improvements in 1/4 mile times just by changing to one of the various "cone in a box" cold air intakes available for our cars. (yeah, sure he did...How plugged was the OEM filter? Were the runs done on the same day at the same track?)
We're also very anal retentive about cleanliness so they're always being washed and re-oiled...The worst thing that can be done to one that doesn't need it.

All I know is my 1/4 mile times and/or MPG have remained unaffected even though I ditched my SLP cold air intake for a modified version (made it work with my aftermarket ram air hood) of a stock airbox with a Carquest filter inside.
Here's a pic of the finished product:
http://www.wicgp.com/mwatkins/ramair1.jpg
I think it looks pretty slick, and it functions perfectly.