drop in K&N panel airfilter benefits?

[Reddog99]

The benefits of extra flow from the K&N filter is only going to happen at Wide Open Throttle. How often are you at WOT? On the other hand, the K&N gets it's extra flow from less efficient filtering, which is going to happen all the time. Trading a tiny bit of extra power for some extra engine wear doesn't seem like a good trade-off for someone who doesn't race all the time.

[ccryder]

Hmm less efficient filtering, now that's a less efficient statement that doen't hold any water, much less air. If your statement were truly accurate then why would millions of people risk their engines on expensive hardware.

IMHO I've driven/ridden over 500,000 miles in the last 10 years with no filtration issues. I had an F-150 with 200,000+ miles, a K-1500 with 200,000+ miles, Honda ST1300 with 90,000+ miles, Buell 1125 with 48,000+ miles and oh yeah, my Fiesta that's 16 months old with 52,000+ miles all with K&N filters. Zero issues, Zero dust or any material down wind of the filter. Just a little personal experience.

Time2Drive
Neil S.

[Arthurdent510]

ccryder, I'm curious as to how you figure that no dust or materials have gotten past any of your filters? Have you pulled apart the motors and inspected the rings and cylinders? Not that I'm trying to challenge you, I'm just curious as to if you've done scientific testing, rather then the "I never had problems so it must be fine" attitude that is often the case with these types of things. The biggest issues I've ever seen with k&n filters has been on bikes, as I have pulled apart a few bike engines. K&N's will pass more particles, and dust and contaminates will wear/scratch your cylinder walls resulting in oil leakage past the rings. Will it kill your motor? No... will it increase the rate at which your motor will burn oil? Most likely if you run long enough.

Then again, I do live in the desert, and sand gets everywhere. K&N's just don't work well enough against that... your mileage may vary!

oh, and dino oil is far superior to synthetic oil! ;-) or the other way around, if you run dino... air filters are just one of those things like oil....

[ccryder]

Arthur you one funny guy. You are right in one respect, desert sand is worse than areas with good old soil, for any filters.

Usually the first indication of wear to rings or cylinder walls is................................................ .................................................. .............. lost in power or burning oil. Yes I have seen my share of the insides of engines during tear downs. You and I both know that if the down wind side of the air box has contaminates it typically means that either your filter didn't seal or your filter didn't filter.

Most drivers and especially riders don't see 90,000+ miles. My weekly commute is 800+ s'miles of two-lane TN back roads, almost too much fun but, it's a job and I can't find one closer. The vehicles I mentioned have all had compression checks early on their life and after 50,000 miles and they still meet factory specs.

As far as Dino versus Syn, I hedge my bets using the Ford blended oil. For $20.00 I can get the "Works" done and that keeps my Fiesta purring.

Later

Neil S.

p.s. What kind of tires do you like? (just to pull your chain)

[deadlast]

I prefer slicks. Or maybe drag radials. But they have to Flare out from the fenders at least an inch or else there's no game.


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[Srowan]

I just recently dropped in the K&N. For me it smoothed out the sluggish shift from third to fourth and added more noticeable power than I have experienced before with a drop in. That said, it killed my GPM, or GPK here. I switched the filter back out to see if it was just my driving because I was a bit more aggressive but my economy went from 8.2/100kl to 9.1/100kl in two days! If a little more boost is what you are looking for without the big bucks, I highly recommend it. That sluggy shifting was starting to piss me off.

[ccryder]

I can hear more intake growl but no real change in MPG. My OEM NEEDED replacement bad. I think my fender flares had more impact ;-)

[Iceracer]

My air filter is due for replacement, so I will go with the K&N.
I have used K&N filters in my other vehicles for many miles with no problems.
As for performance, problem netx to none. The advantage is never to have to buy anothe filter