What happened to K&N???
11-03-2012, 03:41 PM
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What happened to K&N??? K&N used to be such a good company with quality, innovative products. Now it seems to be just cheaply made garbage, and horrible customer service.
Anyway, here's my recent experience with K&N, and a review of the 57-3022-2;
I recently installed a FIPK2 intake that my kid bought (against my recommendation), and the first problem we had was the IAT sensor wires were too short to reach the new location for the sensor. I googled it and apparently K&N provides an extension with some of their kits, so I called K&N customer service, and they began by telling me that we installed the product wrong. After assuring them that all their excuses on their "official excuse list" didn't apply, they told me I should take my wiring harness apart, all the way to the ECU, and pull as much slack as I could, then the wires should reach......SERIOUSLY???? After a little more discussion, the customer service guy handed the phone to Vincent Pistonetti, because he supposedly knew something about the product. He was clueless though, and could only say "We've sold literally thousands of these things, and this is the first we heard of this."<<<I'll come back to this in a second. After listening to Mr. Pistonetti read the same excuses that the first guy read off, I agreed to email him some pics of our installation, showing what the problems were.
The next thing I noticed was that the "heat shield" (which doesn't really shield anything, least of all engine bay heat) was manufactured with the filter-mounting-tab off-center, which made the filter sit crooked, it looked goofy, and contributed in part, to the IAT wire situation. I sent pictures which detailed our installation, and an explanation of the issue to Mr. Pistonetti, showing him the crooked filter. He replied with; ~"Our engineer says your filter is crooked."....
..."You must have installed the heat shield wrong." 
I replied with more pics of other cars I found on the internet with exactly the same issues. All these customers must have done it wrong...? No reply.
Okay, so as crappy as the thing looks and as tight as the IAT wires are stretched, driving the car, there is absolutely zero noticeable difference in performance. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the IAT sensor eventually works it's way out of the grommet, allowing unfiltered air into the engine.
Looks- ZERO
Performance- ZERO
Customer Service- ZERO
Value- ZERO
$300.00+ down the toilet.
I find it hard to believe that this is really the first they've heard of this...? Noone but me cares, or has noticed, that this overpriced filter sits crooked in the engine bay, and the IAT wires are stretched like a guitar string? At least one of the cars in these pics has the IAT sensor barely in the grommet, obviously not fully seated. If anyone else has one of these intakes, and is not too ashamed to admit it, I'd like to hear about how yours worked out for you.
By the way, if you leave feedback on K&N’s website, anything under 4 stars apparently gets deleted.
Anyway, here's my recent experience with K&N, and a review of the 57-3022-2;
I recently installed a FIPK2 intake that my kid bought (against my recommendation), and the first problem we had was the IAT sensor wires were too short to reach the new location for the sensor. I googled it and apparently K&N provides an extension with some of their kits, so I called K&N customer service, and they began by telling me that we installed the product wrong. After assuring them that all their excuses on their "official excuse list" didn't apply, they told me I should take my wiring harness apart, all the way to the ECU, and pull as much slack as I could, then the wires should reach......SERIOUSLY???? After a little more discussion, the customer service guy handed the phone to Vincent Pistonetti, because he supposedly knew something about the product. He was clueless though, and could only say "We've sold literally thousands of these things, and this is the first we heard of this."<<<I'll come back to this in a second. After listening to Mr. Pistonetti read the same excuses that the first guy read off, I agreed to email him some pics of our installation, showing what the problems were.
The next thing I noticed was that the "heat shield" (which doesn't really shield anything, least of all engine bay heat) was manufactured with the filter-mounting-tab off-center, which made the filter sit crooked, it looked goofy, and contributed in part, to the IAT wire situation. I sent pictures which detailed our installation, and an explanation of the issue to Mr. Pistonetti, showing him the crooked filter. He replied with; ~"Our engineer says your filter is crooked."....
..."You must have installed the heat shield wrong." I replied with more pics of other cars I found on the internet with exactly the same issues. All these customers must have done it wrong...? No reply.Okay, so as crappy as the thing looks and as tight as the IAT wires are stretched, driving the car, there is absolutely zero noticeable difference in performance. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the IAT sensor eventually works it's way out of the grommet, allowing unfiltered air into the engine.
Looks- ZERO
Performance- ZERO
Customer Service- ZERO
Value- ZERO
$300.00+ down the toilet.
I find it hard to believe that this is really the first they've heard of this...? Noone but me cares, or has noticed, that this overpriced filter sits crooked in the engine bay, and the IAT wires are stretched like a guitar string? At least one of the cars in these pics has the IAT sensor barely in the grommet, obviously not fully seated. If anyone else has one of these intakes, and is not too ashamed to admit it, I'd like to hear about how yours worked out for you.
By the way, if you leave feedback on K&N’s website, anything under 4 stars apparently gets deleted.
11-03-2012, 05:45 PM
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same issues with this kit on a 01 z28 I used to own, it came on the car. wasn't a fan of it
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photo upload
11-03-2012, 08:35 PM
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My buddy's GTO had the K&N CAI on it when he bought it and he had nothing but problems with it and clearance issues.. He ditched it.
As far as my VW goes, the Euro crowd does not condone the purchase of the "typhoon" CAI either... (I got a Eurojet for mine)
I had a K&N CAI on my Colorado and all it did was make noise and the truck sounded like VEEEETAAAAK...... No power gain at all. Only reason I got it was A: no one makes parts for that POS truck (wonder why.) and B: I got it off ebay for $80.
The LS K&N kit we see, apparently only makes power on the dyno with the hood up.. When the hood is down, it just sucks in hot engine compartment air........ But it looks cool. I wanted one for a while, but found out the stock setup (Different lid) is actually the best setup.
As far as my VW goes, the Euro crowd does not condone the purchase of the "typhoon" CAI either... (I got a Eurojet for mine)
I had a K&N CAI on my Colorado and all it did was make noise and the truck sounded like VEEEETAAAAK...... No power gain at all. Only reason I got it was A: no one makes parts for that POS truck (wonder why.) and B: I got it off ebay for $80.
The LS K&N kit we see, apparently only makes power on the dyno with the hood up.. When the hood is down, it just sucks in hot engine compartment air........ But it looks cool. I wanted one for a while, but found out the stock setup (Different lid) is actually the best setup.
11-03-2012, 08:55 PM
#6
Should ask for a refund, they cant just sell you an item that doesnt directly fit on your car! I have always used Volant Col Air Intakes and I havent had any single problem with their products what so ever. I have never heard of K&N products having issues like this, hopefully its only a one product thing because they are wasting peoples times and money lol
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11-03-2012, 09:41 PM
#8
Most of these things are at best just marginally better than the stock air box. Certainly not worth the money.
I like the SLP style box, no noise reducing baffles, it looks neat and toss-away air filters flow at least as good as an oil impregnated one-without coating the MAF with crud.
I like the SLP style box, no noise reducing baffles, it looks neat and toss-away air filters flow at least as good as an oil impregnated one-without coating the MAF with crud.
11-04-2012, 08:30 AM
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Well 20 or so years ago, they at least seemed to care about the product they were putting out. I guess it's typical of a company that becomes a money making machine, to eventually cut back on quality.
11-04-2012, 08:30 AM
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My buddy's GTO had the K&N CAI on it when he bought it and he had nothing but problems with it and clearance issues.. He ditched it.
As far as my VW goes, the Euro crowd does not condone the purchase of the "typhoon" CAI either... (I got a Eurojet for mine)
I had a K&N CAI on my Colorado and all it did was make noise and the truck sounded like VEEEETAAAAK...... No power gain at all. Only reason I got it was A: no one makes parts for that POS truck (wonder why.) and B: I got it off ebay for $80.
The LS K&N kit we see, apparently only makes power on the dyno with the hood up.. When the hood is down, it just sucks in hot engine compartment air........ But it looks cool. I wanted one for a while, but found out the stock setup (Different lid) is actually the best setup.
As far as my VW goes, the Euro crowd does not condone the purchase of the "typhoon" CAI either... (I got a Eurojet for mine)
I had a K&N CAI on my Colorado and all it did was make noise and the truck sounded like VEEEETAAAAK...... No power gain at all. Only reason I got it was A: no one makes parts for that POS truck (wonder why.) and B: I got it off ebay for $80.
The LS K&N kit we see, apparently only makes power on the dyno with the hood up.. When the hood is down, it just sucks in hot engine compartment air........ But it looks cool. I wanted one for a while, but found out the stock setup (Different lid) is actually the best setup.
Cool avatar BTW.
11-04-2012, 08:30 AM
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Should ask for a refund, they cant just sell you an item that doesnt directly fit on your car! I have always used Volant Col Air Intakes and I havent had any single problem with their products what so ever. I have never heard of K&N products having issues like this, hopefully its only a one product thing because they are wasting peoples times and money lol
11-04-2012, 08:30 AM
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11-04-2012, 08:30 AM
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Most of these things are at best just marginally better than the stock air box. Certainly not worth the money.
I like the SLP style box, no noise reducing baffles, it looks neat and toss-away air filters flow at least as good as an oil impregnated one-without coating the MAF with crud.
I like the SLP style box, no noise reducing baffles, it looks neat and toss-away air filters flow at least as good as an oil impregnated one-without coating the MAF with crud.
11-04-2012, 08:31 AM
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Yeah I thought about slotting the holes at first, but slotting the heatshield to core support holes wouldn't help because the holes for the rubber radiator mounts in the heat shield have to line up with the ridges on the radiator tanks no matter what. Slotting the hole for the filter mounting tab would put the hole half on the tab and half off......idunno, am I being too picky? Seems like it should just work right out of the box for the money.
Can't argue with the SOTP dyno.
11-04-2012, 08:31 AM
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