I totally plagarized the title.

For all those with K&Ns, check out the following link of K&N filters (along with other 'performance' filters) tested under ISO 5011 laboratory standards:

http://www.nicoclub.com/articles.php?id=180100

There's cool charts and ****!!!

 

For years (as in decades) magazines have tested K&N filters and nearly always showed an increase in HP. I guess they were all wrong...eh?

 

I guess he also just confirmed the myth that dynos consistantly lie when showing mod gains.. interesting.. lol

 

A couple of hp!!! An air filter is meant specifically to catch dirt; an excerpt (because you most likely have not read the article):

Compared to the AC, the K&N “plugged up” nearly 3 times faster, passed 18 times more dirt and captured 37% less dirt. See the data tables for a complete summary of these comparisons.

AC = AC Delco stock replacement paper filters

 

lol.. wow.. I'm not seriously going to argue over airflow and horsepower gains shown on a dyno with you my man.. Especially on a forced induction car.. (putting the whole learn down thing aside that is)

Oh, and yes I did read the article.. I was completely enlightened.. lol

 

I just read thru the whole thing...all it really shows is what most people already know.

A clean K&N will let the engine breathe easier as compared to a clean stock filter (look at the last graph). However, the K&N lets more dirt into the engine to make this happen and once the K&N gets even slightly dirty it's effectiveness falls off the face of the planet.

I don't use my K&N drop-in anymore for a reason.

I suppose if you wanted to clean the thing every oil change and don't mind a little extra dirt in your engine it may be worth it.

 

It only takes 5 minutes to clean, as opposed to buying a new filter... it's all good.. I could care less either way to be honest.. was just throwing my 2 cents in there

 

An air filter is meant to catch dirt!

Most likely the dynos you refer to were for intakes in conjunction with a K&N? I'm talking filter, staight up.

 

I take it with a grain of salt...these test are just like the supposed third party test w/ all oil brands. Oil "A" is better according to this test and so on and so forth. Just my 2 cents

 

I am refering to a drop in.. I'm not saying you'll make gobbs of power, but it does show up on a dyno as a gain.. Not to mention, if paper filters were far superior then why aren't CAI manufacturers using them? I'm not contesting that a paper filter might filter a little bit better, but people who are popping in a k&n are usually doing it for gains really..

wait, didn't I say I wasn't going to argue this one? lol.. god damnit!

 

The following from another member, Metroplex:

My experience with K&N filters and K&N-style filters showed they have severe quality deficiencies with the polyurethane seals. The air pockets and mold defects can lead to holes developing by the mesh and gauze, which allow debris to enter the engine directly. I had one that did that, and most of the other filters just had chunks of polyurethane missing right out of the sealed bag. That's in addition to the fact that K&N filters (when properly oiled) do not filter nearly as well as paper filters. Excess oil can contaminate MAF sampling wires, but that is the least of the problems since you can clean the wires using electric contact cleaner. The problem is if you don't use enough oil - the cotton gauze is insufficient for filtration since it relies on the oil. Not enough oil = bad, too much oil = bad. The easiest solution is to stick with paper filters.

Hehe, ur a good sport!

 

i knew this was gonna happen u guys got me worried and makin a good point but what got me was us havin the di which i knew i just never thought of this filter becoming a problem but i put the kn right when i bought the car new and only got 5000 miles im just gonna go buy a paper one tomorrow. safety first threw out the oem tho im thinkin a fram would be about the best paper one to buy

 

Oh crap! Did you just say "Fram"??? Better head into your bunker my friend. Lots of Fram haters of all kinds on our boards!

 

idk man i think im just gonna buy a new kn every 5000 miles im a little ocd with the car i rather just pay 50 bucks every 5000 and have no worries but thats just me

 

I dunno i saw the graphs say the K&N was less restrictive but let in more dirt which is a no brainer really.

 

What if I'm willing to give up a little dirt for more flow?

Also, it doesn't just take 10 minutes to clean the filter. You have to spray it with soap, wash it, let it dry, spray it with oil, let it dry, then reinstall. You need two just to make the process faster.

 

this is one of the dumbest posts ever. if you're gonna buy a cotton filter then you clean it every oil change and re-oil. it's not rocket science, and it's not hard. it has a 'million mile warranty'. if something ever goes wrong with it, go get a freaking free one. to shell out $50 every 5000 miles for something that is free is just plain stupid.

 

Let's see if I get this straight...the K&N filter passes 18 times more dirt yet gets "dirtier" 3 times faster. Are we seeing some failed logic here yet...

If it lets in more dirt but gets plugged by dirt easier...I'm sensing that someone doesn't like K&N filters...how can that be? If it lets more dirt through then there should be less dirt to accumulate on the filter....is there a magic to the paper elements that allows them to trap three times more dirt but stll not get clogged?

Somebody be smokin sumping...

 

don't EVER buy a fram filter EVER do you understand?? lol just tryin to help

or... you could just buy a recharge kit instead of wasting your money

i was thinking the same thing i thought "so... it is seeing more dirt?? did you guys take a handfull of potting soil and throw it into the intake"

 

calm down everyone im keeping the kn and to the guy that called my post the dumbest post ever i change oil every 3gs not 5 but i think i can handle getting a new one every 10, 5 might be a bit extreme. thats 40 bucks every two years with me storing the car in the winters, big deal. its not because i cant clean it its just simpler

 

haha i'm just trying to help if you would have heard the horror stories i heard about fram filters... wow is all i have to say

 

Study the following, then get back:

 

Its not hard to fathom. The paper filters have a much larger surface area than the K&N. Look at the charts again until you understand.

There are better filters out there that bridge the gap between K&N and paper (Dryflow anyone?). Its not necessary to let lots of dirt into your engine to get better flow.

However I am suspect of those tests - I find it hard to believe the AC Delco filter is that much better than EVERYTHING else in just about every test.

 

Same thing has always applied to the AC-Delco oil filter

And yes there are better things...but sadly we do not have those as drop-in's. I would rather run stock filter vs putting all the crap into my engine right now....especially a DI setup.

 

K&N's aren't myths IMO and the data shows it. You add an oil-based filter to increase airflow by reducing restriction in the intake tract. K&N's obviously do that. See graph...



With that being said, you do lose some of the filtering efficiency going to an oil-based filter. But, it's by no means a myth for improving performance.