AFE vs K&N

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Oct 11, 2002
Messages
22,183
Location
Colorado Springs
Has anyone used both of these filters? I'm talking the AFE traditional Pro 5 R oiled cotton gauze. When you look through a K&N, you can clearly see many pinholes. Are the AFE's any better in that matter? Can you see light coming through pinholes in the gauze?

Thanks
 
I've held both brands in my hands, and the AFE always seem to be a superior product. The K&N filters have gone down in quality in the last few years, IMO. Not really ever looked closely enough to see about the pinholes though.
 
On the ISO5011 tests we reviewed, the AFE ProGuard scores significantly better than both the AFE Pro Dry S and the K&N in filtration ability. The ProGuard and the K&N are even in capacity, about 2x the capacity of the Pro Dry S.

When the filters get washed 5 times, the Proguard loses some performance in capacity and filtration. The K&N and the Pro Dry S retain the same capacity but lose some filtration ability. In the end, after 5 washes, the Proguard is still ahead in filtration, followed by the Pro Dry S, followed by the K&N. But the K&N is now ahead in capacity, followed by the ProGuard, followed by the Pro Dry S.

In the end, between the two AFEs and the K&N, based on the tests we saw I'd give the edge to the ProGuard as long as you don't mind oiling your filter: I feel that filtration is more important than capacity, and the difference in capacity (after washing) between the Proguard and the K&N is not enormous.
 
Originally Posted By: GeorgeGear
Huge differences between the two. Pro 5 R = ProGuard. See upthread.


Who would ever opt for the Dry S instead?
 
I'm in a position where the OEM Paper is close to $50, chinese paper $40, and I can get a Pro Guard 7 delivered for $80.

Would people here recommend the change ?

I've got a K and N re-oiling kit, should I buy an AFE kit too ?
 
Just for clarification, the Proguard IS NOT the same filter as the Pro 5R. The Proguard is a 7 layer oiled filter with 5 layers of gauze and 2 layers of synthetic media. It's one of the best reusable filters made and is 99.7% efficient. Likely better than most disposable filters.

Shannow, I'd for sure get a Proguard 7. It will pay for itself easily. I'd also have no problem using the K&N cleaning cit and oil for it.
 
Originally Posted By: ltslimjim
Any difference in pros/cons of the Pro Dry S or Pro 5 R? Other than one is oiled and the other is oil-free?


AFE claims the Pro Dry S is a bit more efficient. I've seen some people complain of dust past the filter for the Pro Dry S, so I dunno.

If you can get the Pro Guard 7 for your application, that's the one to get, but they mostly make them for diesel applications.
 
No, only the two I mentioned are available as "drop-in" replacements. The stock intake on the VX is optimal for FE already so I don't want an aftermarket, same goes for exhaust. Intake/exhaust systems come great for fuel efficiency already. I'm sending off a UOA today and will be noting Si levels.
 
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Shannow, I'd for sure get a Proguard 7. It will pay for itself easily. I'd also have no problem using the K&N cleaning cit and oil for it.


Just ordered it...twice the cost of an OEM paper filter...

This whole exchange rate thing is seriously confusing me.

Our dollar is up...yet yesterday just paid $100 for a tank of diesel again (might remember I paid $100 a couple of years ago)...Coke (soda) is cheap as ever..I can import 3 bottles of L67 supercharger oil for the price of a local.
 
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Just for clarification, the Proguard IS NOT the same filter as the Pro 5R. The Proguard is a 7 layer oiled filter with 5 layers of gauze and 2 layers of synthetic media. It's one of the best reusable filters made and is 99.7% efficient. Likely better than most disposable filters.

The Proguard family groups the oiled filters provided by AFE. It includes both the pro 5R and the Proguard 7. The Proguard 7 is a Pro 5R to which 2 additional synthetic layers have been added.

The best filtration of the two is provided by the Proguard7, clearly. The Proguard 7 has been tested in comparative ISO 5011 tests in the past 7 years (we could not find equivalent tests for the Pro 5R, but they should be worse than the Proguard 7) and typically shown to do significantly better than the K&N, a little better than the Airaid, and worse than the AEM.

The 99.7% number is provided by AFE, and is higher than what the tests have shown. It is also measuring *cumulative* efficiency, meaning that the initial efficiency of the filter is significantly lower, since filters filter better with a dust cake. Why is this important? Because reusable filters get washed often, which means that they are typically very clean, which means that actual filtration efficiency is significantly worse than measured cumulative efficiency - even when the cumulative efficiency number is a true one:)

All reusable filters appear to do, in general, worse than the disposable OEM filters in filtration performance. Among the reusable filters, so far we have found the AEM and the AFE Proguard 7 to get closest to the OEM filter performance, with the edge to the AEM. But this could change as we go through more test results.

Hope this helps -
 
Originally Posted By: ltslimjim
Who would ever opt for the Dry S instead?

Does not seem very rational, does it? Quite a few users do not want to deal with oiled filters, so I imagine AFE needs an offering in the segment. Many people don't quite realize how much a few % of filtration efficiency mean to engine wear.
 
How do the Amsoil EAA filters compare to the other filters mentioned here in regards to filtering efficiency.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: mitsuman47
How do the Amsoil EAA filters compare to the other filters mentioned here in regards to filtering efficiency.

It was a disappointment. According to the tests, when clean, its filtration performance is roughly equal to the Airaid (in fact, a bit worse, but it is within the test's margin of error), lower than the AFE Proguard, quite a bit lower than the AEM, and better than the AFE Pro Dry. But its capacity is much worse than all other filters - its seems to clog about 50% lower than the next lowest, the Pro Dry, as low as 50 grams, which represents less than a year of average driving according to Ford.

We did not find an ISO 5011 test for the AMSOIL after washing and drying, so no data point there. But it's unlikely to be better: All the other filters, when washed and dried 5x, got worse in either filtration or capacity.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top