K & N Air filter Replacement. Worth Doing?

[TroyboyRn]

Hello

Was just looking through some Can Am spyder mods on you tube and saw one on K & N depicting better airflow by a large amount. I don't plan on taking out the air box and getting that involved. Just curious if its worth the extra cost and if anyone has done it and noticed any kind of difference. i.e. performance, better gas milage etc.

thanks

[boomerkc]

for Kewlmetal and JTMachine (a site sponsor) Kewlmetal already has one avail and JT will have one very quick. If you do the search, you will be able read many people's reviews of their experience.

Jim

[mcaccamise]

I believe the op is referring to the filter only and yes it does improve air intake volume with a longer replacement life of a million miles with proper cleaning and oiling.
Though I prefer the air box removal and the kwelmetal kit installed cooler running better sound ect.

[jcthorne]

Do some research on the very poor air filtration qualities of K&N and other oiled gauze filters. Many destroyed engines with warranty denied. They improve flow by reducing filtration. There is also very little to be gained by changing the filter type in the existing housing. The filter is not the flow limiter.

Just don't if you value the longevity of your engine. I personally would not buy a used vehicle that had one installed.

[Jeriatric]

http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Upgrade/Air_filter.htm

[Spyder Tony]

I would recommend the use of an aftermarket exhaust along with the K&N air filter...making the engine’s intake AND exhaust less restrictive, limiting power losses by reducing the work the engine must perform when it draws in air and fuel and expels exhaust gases. Some add a fuel management system (JuiceBox, Power Commander, etc.), but they are not mandatory. MPG will vary from the stock configuration, but for me, the performance gain is well worth the few mpg variance from the OEM setup. It is my opinion that each Spyder ryder must decide for himself/herself which is most important...performance, mpg, or a blend of the 2.

[OldCowboy]

There is good evidence at www.bobistheoilguy.com to show that K&N and similar air filters do very little to improve performance while allowing a dramatic increase in dust, silicates and wear metals. The bottom line is that OEM paper filters provide exceptional air flow while trapping a significantly larger amount of wear producing dust and dirt. There is really no advantage to using oiled gauze filters and many disadvantages. If an engine needs 350 cu ft of air for maximum power, a filter element that can theoretically provide 850 cu ft of air provides no advantage.

[mcaccamise]

We all have an opinion and after thirty years of K&N filter replacements on new and used cars and motorcycles,besides the savings on replacement filters i for one will stick with what i belive.

K&N Response: It is incorrect. The difference between 99.2% and 98.1% (his results) is 1.1% not 224% as he states!!! (bmwE34.net: who didn't go to school, Jim was measuring the amount of dust that goes inside the engine). Furthermore, does he realize that 96% meets OEM standards? K&N has been around for over 30 years and we sell over 2,000,000 units a year. If there were any sort of problem, one would think we would know by now and so would everyone else. One Internet "expert's" opinion is not reason for concern and should be taken loosely at best. That information is 100% untrue. Don't believe all you read on the Net. Most is opinions not based on any sort of factual evidence. Our filters are tested by an outside, independent laboratory. They have been proven to stop at least 99% of particles on a SAE dust test. This test uses particles as low as the 0 - 5 micron range and goes up to 20 microns. For comparison, a paper filter also stops 99% on the same test and the OEM minimum standard is 96%. Foam is generally the worst media with a typical efficiency rating of 75 - 85%. To get higher ratings, the foam must be more dense and therefore way more restrictive. The "tack" characteristic of a K&N allows for increase filtration without loss of flow as well. The testing procedure used is SAE J-726 using ISO Test Dust. This test is the standard of the air filter industry. The test procedure consists of flowing air through the filter at a constant rate (airflow rate is determined by the application) while feeding test dust into the air stream at a rate of 1 gram per cubic meter of air. As the filter loads with dust the pressure drop across the filter is increased to maintain the prescribed airflow rate. The test is continued until the pressure drop increases 10" H2O above the initial restriction of the clean element (in this case .78" to 10.78" H2O). At this point the test is terminated. The dirty filter element is then weighed. This weight is compared to the clean element weight to determine the total Dust Capacity. The amount of dust retained by the filter is divided by the total amount of dust fed during the test to determine the Cumulative Efficiency. The K&N filter achieved the following results: - Dust Capacity: 305grams - K&N Cumulative Efficiency: 99.05 % Holding the filter to the light is useless, pin holes are normal. That is what makes a K&N filter. There are actually hundreds of microscopic fibers that cross these holes and when treated with oil, capture and hold the very fine particles. On the same hand, they allow the filter to flow more air than paper or foam. The filter is 4 ply cotton gauze unlike some competitors synthetic material filters. The synthetics do not have the very small fibers that natural cotton does. Also, the oil can be pulled off of a foam filter contaminating electronic sensors. It will absorb into cotton and stay in the media. In fact, Honda and Toyota only recommend K&N filters when using aftermarket high flow filters as K&N is the only brand of filter the oil does NOT come off of. They will not cover a failed sensor if foam filters were used. We got started over 30 years ago making filters for motorcycles and off road racers. The filters did so well that these guys wanted them for their cars and trucks. We started making filters for these applications and here we are today. If they did not work, we would not still be here and growing every year. We now make filters for Chrysler/Mopar, Ford Motorsports, Edelbrock, Rotax Engines, and Harley Davidson. We come as original equipment on the 2000 Ford Mustang Cobra-R. We even made filters for the Apache helicopters used in Desert Storm because of maintenance problems with the original paper design. If they work in these conditions they will work for you. Rick from knfilters.com (Information emailed by Martin)

[samewok]

You can order K&N filters from O'reillys. It will take 5 to 7 working days.

[Mike on a Trike]

I have seen these arguments regarding K&N for years as it relates to autos. I have never used a K&N OEM replacement. I did, however, use a K&N FIPK on a '94 Jeep Grand Cherokee for years. I finally sold it to my neighbor for his teenaged son a few months ago with 175,000 miles and running strong as ever. In that particular application, the setup from the factory was very restrictive. Allowing more air inflow as well as a more open catalytic converter and muffler helped dramatically with power, acceleration and throttle response. I never had any engine problems with all those years and miles. At one point, the rubber boot on the cone K&N filter tore after several years, and K&N quickly replaced it at no charge. My personal experience with K&N has been nothing but positive.

[crazyspyder]

I have been a strong supporter for K&N filters, royal purple, and the NRA for 30yrs with positive results as well

[bluestratos]

Frankly I have never seen any difference with their use and I have installed them in a lot of my vehicles in the hopes of improved power or fuel mileage. While on paper they make other claims, I have experience neither from their use. Additionally, I read some test data that points to less filtration than the stock filter however, again, in practice I have never had problems with them.

I paid $60 for one to install on my 2011 RT with no change after running 25,000 miles with it. Truth of the matter is that my gas mileage average over that time was 27mpg so I won't waste money on another one.