Have you had issues with the "oilyness" of K&N Air Filters?

[DaniBoy]

Have any of you ever had any issues due to the “oilyness” of K&N air filters? I’ve heard they can cause problems with the MAF sensor. Does a 2010 RS SE5 even have a MAF sensor?

[hypurone]

Not once in 40yrs of using them!! ;-) BUT, if you over oil it like a meathead or install it and run the engine before allowing the oil to spread/soak beforehand, you could have probs....

[2dogs]

Had them for many years on many vehicles. No problems. Look closely at a new one as they come already oiled and ready to use. Try and duplicate that amount of oil after you clean it and reapply the oil. Best to use the K&N kit and follow the directions for cleaning and reoiling. Good luck, you have a good product.

[Woodenfish]

As a professional new car dealership automotive technician I don’t recommend them on many modern cars. We usually throw them out in the garbage because the OEM fits better, have much more surface area and these oiled filters can be a source of contamination to the MAF sensor. If you want to use them on your motorcycle that is your prerogative but don’t expect any magic to happen. YMMV

[BajaRon]

Been using K&N oiled air filters on our Spyders and Ryker. Have installed many on customers vehicles. Zero issues. I've run them on both trucks and cars with MAF sensors as well. (All Spyders have MAF sensors as does the Ryker).

This is what K&N says about this. They have done extensive research on this subject because the 'Issue' comes up to them all the time. The link below is just an introduction. There are sub-links within this first one that will take you to all their testing, if you want to go that deep.

A K&N filter will flow more air dirty than a brand new paper filter. This is of great interest to a Ryker rider as the filter on the right side supplies air cooling to the CVT belt. There have been some with clogged paper filters which greatly shortened the life on their drive belt. Again, the same accusation exists for oil buildup on the belt causing slippage. This is not the case at all. Yet the idea persists.

https://www.knfilters.com/maf/massair.htm

[Warlock]

Been using K&N oiled air filters on our Spyders and Ryker. Have installed many on customers vehicles. Zero issues. I've run them on both trucks and cars with MAF sensors as well. (All Spyders have MAF sensors as does the Ryker).

This is what K&N says about this. They have done extensive research on this subject because the 'Issue' comes up to them all the time. The link below is just an introduction. There are sub-links within this first one that will take you to all their testing, if you want to go that deep.

A K&N filter will flow more air dirty than a brand new paper filter. This is of great interest to a Ryker rider as the filter on the right side supplies air cooling to the CVT belt. There have been some with clogged paper filters which greatly shortened the life on their drive belt. Again, the same accusation exists for oil buildup on the belt causing slippage. This is not the case at all. Yet the idea persists.

https://www.knfilters.com/maf/massair.htm

Just wondering if you could run a K&N on the belt side of the Ryker without using to oil. Clean it and install without the oil in it.

[Peter Aawen]

Just wondering if you could run a K&N on the belt side of the Ryker without using to oil. Clean it and install without the oil in it.

The 'foam' that makes up the body of a K&N filter is effectively just a substrate used to carry the oil you service the filter with, and it's the oil that does the majority of the filtering that makes them work so well. Running a K&N filter dry &/or without any oil in it would be about as safe as filtering the air intake thru an open mesh... ie. not much help at all! In fact, that's far more often a failing with K&N Filters than adding too much oil - not servicing them properly & failing to clean/replace the oil lets the foam dry out over time, and that means the filter just doesn't filter very well at all!

So NO, you really shouldn't ever run a K&N Filter without using any oil in it on the belt side of a Ryker; nor should you run one like that or let the oil dry out in a K&N filter used anywhere - if you do, you might as well not bother running any filter!

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Have any of you ever had any issues due to the “oilyness” of K&N air filters? I’ve heard they can cause problems with the MAF sensor. Does a 2010 RS SE5 even have a MAF sensor?

After I bought my 14 RT I looked for a K&N filter .... they weren't making them for the RT at that time .... so I bought one that almost fit and made some mods so it did .... ran it for 65,000 mi and never had an issue .... then re-paced it with an exact fit model .... works like it should .... JMHO .... Mike

[Cobwebs]

Independant test results v manufacturers and hearsay claims.

https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=9ef64...IuaHRtbA&ntb=1

[2dogs]

About an hour's worth of research seems to indicate that NICOclub.com has about the same ranking as they give K&N. Depending on what you choose to believe of course. What was it that Mark Twain said about statistics? Oh, yea. Well, I'm hanging with K&N in all my vehicles anyway. With oil and filter changes including air filters, coming in now with recommendations of 6k+ miles on cages and 9.300K on spyders, I'm figuring I'll be $$$ ahead with reusable air filters at the end of the game. At least that's worked for me in the past. Wishing you luck with the choices you've made in the past and for the future.

[Cobwebs]

About an hour's worth of research seems to indicate that NICOclub.com has about the same ranking as they give K&N. Depending on what you choose to believe of course. What was it that Mark Twain said about statistics? Oh, yea. Well, I'm hanging with K&N in all my vehicles anyway. With oil and filter changes including air filters, coming in now with recommendations of 6k+ miles on cages and 9.300K on spyders, I'm figuring I'll be $$$ ahead with reusable air filters at the end of the game. At least that's worked for me in the past. Wishing you luck with the choices you've made in the past and for the future.

I can see the cost benefit of the K@N but of course that depends on the environment the paper filters are subject to. If you monitor rather than just replace regardless that gap closes.
Performance gains are a doubtful claim given stock filters flow way more than required by their given application so rule that out, and that is a big perceived benefit that people get sold on.
Cleaning does degrade the K@N over time that may not be as readily visible as a stained or debris clogged paper unit.
What else..........oh yeah oil is finite, trees regrow

[troop]

Never..

[190243]

Used k&n filters on all my bikes in the passed. Never an issue.also going to use on the limited along with amsoil oil.

[2dogs]

I can see the cost benefit of the K@N but of course that depends on the environment the paper filters are subject to. If you monitor rather than just replace regardless that gap closes.
Performance gains are a doubtful claim given stock filters flow way more than required by their given application so rule that out, and that is a big perceived benefit that people get sold on.
Cleaning does degrade the K@N over time that may not be as readily visible as a stained or debris clogged paper unit.
What else..........oh yeah oil is finite, trees regrow

In today's world people hardly keep their cars, trucks, and motor toys long enough to benefit from a K&N's cleaning and reoiling option. As far as performance goes, you are spot on with that one. If you read the fine print performance comes in around 9k RPM. Who runs their daily ride at 9K? My wife and her Cherokee with a hemi under the hood have never seen 9K. Well, maybe once or twice when she trying to beat someone else to the only parking spot left at the mall parking lot. But I'm stick'n with K&N for the time being.

[Lew L]

.

K&N user for DECADS. On all vehicles except the snowblowers. Amazing how much dirt they catch.

Lew L

Just waiting for the know-it-all member to chide me about the fact that my 2 snowblowers don't have air filters.

[2dogs]

Neither one of my snowblowers have air filters. When I clean and reoil my K&N's is when I really notice the dirt and particles they actually trap. It all accumulates in the bottom of the cake pan I use to capture the mess I create when cleansing those things.

[BajaRon]

Just wondering if you could run a K&N on the belt side of the Ryker without using to oil. Clean it and install without the oil in it.

Never run an oiled air filter without proper oiling. It will cease to function as an air filter. We've been running a K&N on the belt side of our Ryker since we got it. And have installed several on customer's Rykers. Not to mention selling quite a few K&N's to Ryker owners. They work great! The oil does not come off the filter and it does not migrate to other places. Testing has proven this.

I ran K&N in my dirt bikes in the California desert. Very fine dust that would clog up a paper filter in short order. I've heard of 'Dusting'. But never experienced it on any of my bikes. All the guys I rode with used oiled air filters and they never had a problem either. Can't argue with someone who says they had issues because I wasn't there.

We did meet a guy in Pismo who had ingested sand. But it was a fitment issue, not a filter issue. That was a paper filter. But that was not the problem.

K&N will not give you a performance increase. The benefits are, for most, a one and done install. And never having to worry about running a clogged filter.

[2dogs]

"K&N will not give you a performance increase. The benefits are, for most, a one and done install. And never having to worry about running a clogged filter."

Will assist or hinder performance with stage II? Monster recommended K&N.

[BajaRon]

"K&N will not give you a performance increase. The benefits are, for most, a one and done install. And never having to worry about running a clogged filter."

Will assist or hinder performance with stage II? Monster recommended K&N.

If you make modifications that move a lot more air, the K&N has a higher CFM capability. If you need more CFM than the stock paper air filter provides. Then yes. You will see more power with the K&N. But the stock, paper air filter for the Spyder has more than adequate CFM flow through. So, with a Spyder in stock configuration, the answer would be no.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

If you make modifications that move a lot more air, the K&N has a higher CFM capability. If you need more CFM than the stock paper air filter provides. Then yes. You will see more power with the K&N. But the stock, paper air filter for the Spyder has more than adequate CFM flow through. So, with a Spyder in stock configuration, the answer would be no.

... I have pics of my " cold air intake " ( ie.ambient temp air ) on my 14 RT .. first I removed the OEM plastic intake ( too restrictive ) and added that metal tube , which is 3 in. in dia. .... then I added a 12v. 15,000 rpm " computer fan " both of these ahead of my K&N filter..... I have always said " seat of the pants " is no match for what a DYNO will tell you, and I have never put my RT on a Dyno..... JMHO .... Mike

[2dogs]

If you make modifications that move a lot more air, the K&N has a higher CFM capability. If you need more CFM than the stock paper air filter provides. Then yes. You will see more power with the K&N. But the stock, paper air filter for the Spyder has more than adequate CFM flow through. So, with a Spyder in stock configuration, the answer would be no.

Got it! Guess I'm gonna have to put a blower on it like BK did.

[Cobwebs]

Who runs their daily ride at 9K? My wife and her Cherokee with a hemi under the hood have never seen 9K. Well, maybe once or twice when she trying to beat someone else to the only parking spot left at the mall parking lot. But I'm stick'n with K&N for the time being.

Is she the one that started that toilet paper panic thing a while back ?

[2dogs]

Possibly. Our pantry/washroom is nearly taken over with the storage of kleenex, paper towels, and yes, toilet paper. God forbid we ever have a fire, they'd never get it put out. But, back to K&N, the best thing about it is you only need one!

[arkyleo]

As a professional new car dealership automotive technician I don’t recommend them on many modern cars. We usually throw them out in the garbage because the OEM fits better, have much more surface area and these oiled filters can be a source of contamination to the MAF sensor. If you want to use them on your motorcycle that is your prerogative but don’t expect any magic to happen. YMMV

A lot of dealer techs advise against the K&N--must be a good reason. Years ago a diesel blogger ran a test with paper and K&N, then did oil analysis afterwards from blackstone. More silicon with the K&N (sand). This guy lived in Texas, so probably more possibility of the grit ingestion. After reading his posts, I installed a paper instead.
Last year I purchased a K&N for the Subaru and the filter element was black and stated "do not oil". Going back to paper on everything soon.

[2dogs]

Last year I purchased a K&N for the Subaru and the filter element was black and stated "do not oil". Going back to paper on everything soon.

You don't need to oil a new one. They come already oiled and ready to go. At least all of mine did anyway. By the way, you can find all kinds of posts with all kinds of results but in the end, it's your choice. Paper filters have been around a lot longer than K&N and I wouldn't be afraid to use one if I had one. The only problem I've ever had with a K&N is the one in my wife's car. The Walmart oil change guys/girls keep trying to throw it away telling me that I need a new air filter. "Yep, no kidding but no thanks."