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No gain from a K&N airfilter

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Old 10-28-2003, 11:08 PM
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Default No gain from a K&N airfilter

I was at the track last weekend made several passes with K&N filter then 3 more passes with factory paper filter and had no gains with the K&N. time slips were nearly identical. out of the 5 runs the paper filter had the 2 fastest times, but only by a very small amount
Old 10-28-2003, 11:45 PM
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It is only an airfilter...
Old 10-28-2003, 11:46 PM
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K&N filters have been track and dyno tested as well, to show NO gains for the LS1.
Old 10-29-2003, 12:11 AM
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then why do so many people use them and recommend that as one of the mods to do?
Old 10-29-2003, 12:18 AM
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They look cool and they are cleanable.

BTW, an interesting note... I dyno tested with my K&N in place and then again with no filter. The result was that I made almost identical power either way. But in track testing I pull faster trap speeds without the filter. It might have something to do with the FTRA kit when the car is in motion.
Old 10-29-2003, 12:55 AM
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WOW you run your car with the FTRA and no filter!!! I would be afraid a june bug or somthing would get picked up there. I love the SSRA system works great, but I think a filter is really important with a ram air like that.

thanks for the info! I always believed that a filter was restrictive and a K&N would make it less restrictive but I guess that is not true
Old 10-29-2003, 01:05 AM
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Originally Posted by Blue2002SS
I always believed that a filter was restrictive and a K&N would make it less restrictive but I guess that is not true
Here is where you are wrong. Those filters cost ~$50 for a reason... when they are clean, they flow about the same as a paper filter (maybe slightly better). But where the aftermarket filters really shine over a paper filter is when they get dirty. They outflow a paper filter when they are dirty. Also they are reusable after being cleaned, as to where a paper filter is not.

Blake
Old 10-29-2003, 02:01 AM
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Just take the filter out at the track, that will net the biggest gains....

The filter might collect dust a little better, but many have learned that its really not a performance mod...
Old 10-29-2003, 06:10 AM
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Hey Try Doing the Free Ram air mod WIth the K&N.
Old 10-29-2003, 06:30 AM
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I've never seen any gains running !filter at the track. No point getting debris in the motor for nothing. The track I race at is very dirty too.
Old 10-29-2003, 08:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Blue2002SS
WOW you run your car with the FTRA and no filter!!! I would be afraid a june bug or somthing would get picked up there. I love the SSRA system works great, but I think a filter is really important with a ram air like that.

thanks for the info! I always believed that a filter was restrictive and a K&N would make it less restrictive but I guess that is not true

The FTRA is the Fast Toys Ram Air setup right guys? And a filter is still applied right? Just making sure this guy is aware...
Old 10-29-2003, 08:55 AM
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The point with the K&N is just buying it once, rather than having to replace paper filters every so often. True, with the LS1 very little,if any,gains are made with one. But you can get a K&N off the for sale boards for $25 -$30, and thats not a whole lot more than a new paper filter. I would also think the K&N would make a slight difference on a bone stock motor, stock lid, etc, than a paper filter. Just my .02
Old 10-29-2003, 10:52 AM
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Originally Posted by 98DroptopSS
The point with the K&N is just buying it once, rather than having to replace paper filters every so often. True, with the LS1 very little,if any,gains are made with one. But you can get a K&N off the for sale boards for $25 -$30, and thats not a whole lot more than a new paper filter. I would also think the K&N would make a slight difference on a bone stock motor, stock lid, etc, than a paper filter. Just my .02
A paper Fram filter is like 6.88 here in Milwaukee. Flows just as well as oiled filters, and no risk of getting filter oil on the maf wires. Keep a spare, new 7 dollar filter for track passes.
Old 10-29-2003, 10:56 AM
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Yes, FTRA stands for Fast Toys Ram Air kit.

I've been running without the filter at the track with the FTRA for years with no problems. I'm not going to be the one to tell someone else to do it but I believe june bugs are highly overrated.

unit 213, are you running an LS1 with a FTRA kit? I really think that this has something to do with it. I was very surprised to see that on the dyno no power was gained without the filter. Why was I so surprised? Because I have CONSISTANTLY noted over the years I've been running LS1s with FTRAs that my MPH is always about a 1/2 MPH or a little faster without the filter.

A good point was brought out by Blake. K&Ns really shine compared to paper filters when the filters get dirty. The surface area of the F-body filter is large enough that the extra flow of the K&N doesn't really matter when they are clean...but get 'em dirty and it does.
Old 10-29-2003, 04:54 PM
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yeah, 98UltraZ dynoes w/ stock filter and w/o filter and it was the same on a H/C car
Old 10-29-2003, 05:25 PM
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Some guys use their wives/girlfriends panty hose and wrap them around the lid instead of going completely filterless. At least they tell me the panty hose belong to their wives/girlfriends, lol.
Old 10-29-2003, 05:43 PM
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dude....its an airfilter....not a supercharger. The trick is all in maintaining airflow. BlakeSS nailed it right on target...
Old 10-30-2003, 01:06 AM
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Yes i have to agree with the other.Just take out your air filter at the track.And do a free ram air mod.I picked up about 1and half mph on my ET.with the free ram air mod.And a tenth of my Et.If you have a stock Maf with the screen dot worry the screen on the Maf will act as a net.I also made my own Ram air plate out of some sheet metal and Bending.Its very similar to the those other ram air plates.
Old 10-30-2003, 04:46 PM
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unit 213, are you running an LS1 with a FTRA kit?
Nope, I was running only the !FRA and !filter. I must've missed your point. I can see how the FTRA and the !filter could yield some gains.
Old 10-30-2003, 04:56 PM
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"the FTRA and the !filter could yield some gains."

Right, that was my point.


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