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K&N air filter really that good?
03-20-2019, 02:15 AM
#81
TECH Apprentice
I always cringe anytime I hear of someone running a K&N filter. Might as well save yourself the $65 and just take your factory filter out completely, it’s practically the same thing.
Jokes aside, and this blows me away that I never see it mentioned in any filter threads, the reason K&N can claim their filters flow better is not because of a larger surface area/additional pleats of the filtration media (actually, in a lot of cases K&N has significantly less surface area. The metal mesh is also a flow restrictor.), but because the micron rating of their filtration media is several times larger than that of a paper filter. That is NOT where you want to gain airflow, it’s with additional pleats. As far as outright filtration capability goes, it’s a fact that a paper filter is the best filter you can buy.
Working at a dealer, I can attest that I would never put a K&N on anything I cared about. I can recall every instance of finding one of those filters installed on a customers rig, the intake tract always had a sheen of dirt throughout, without fail. It would range from a light dusting from filters that were maintained, to caked on from filters that weren’t. I’ve also seen many times wear on valve seats from the dirt that cause valves to lose clearance, and either piston, piston ring, or cylinder wall wear that led to oil consumption or compression issues. It’s funny watching how quickly customers want to switch back to paper filters after showing them the intake tract on their vehicle.
This is is also a very informative test showing just how poorly these types of filters perform: https://nicoclub.com/archives/kn-vs-oem-filter.html
Jokes aside, and this blows me away that I never see it mentioned in any filter threads, the reason K&N can claim their filters flow better is not because of a larger surface area/additional pleats of the filtration media (actually, in a lot of cases K&N has significantly less surface area. The metal mesh is also a flow restrictor.), but because the micron rating of their filtration media is several times larger than that of a paper filter. That is NOT where you want to gain airflow, it’s with additional pleats. As far as outright filtration capability goes, it’s a fact that a paper filter is the best filter you can buy.
Working at a dealer, I can attest that I would never put a K&N on anything I cared about. I can recall every instance of finding one of those filters installed on a customers rig, the intake tract always had a sheen of dirt throughout, without fail. It would range from a light dusting from filters that were maintained, to caked on from filters that weren’t. I’ve also seen many times wear on valve seats from the dirt that cause valves to lose clearance, and either piston, piston ring, or cylinder wall wear that led to oil consumption or compression issues. It’s funny watching how quickly customers want to switch back to paper filters after showing them the intake tract on their vehicle.
This is is also a very informative test showing just how poorly these types of filters perform: https://nicoclub.com/archives/kn-vs-oem-filter.html
Last edited by Nick_R_23; 03-20-2019 at 05:36 AM.
03-20-2019, 12:36 PM
#82
I always cringe anytime I hear of someone running a K&N filter. Might as well save yourself the $65 and just take your factory filter out completely, it’s practically the same thing.
Jokes aside, and this blows me away that I never see it mentioned in any filter threads, the reason K&N can claim their filters flow better is not because of a larger surface area/additional pleats of the filtration media (actually, in a lot of cases K&N has significantly less surface area. The metal mesh is also a flow restrictor.), but because the micron rating of their filtration media is several times larger than that of a paper filter. That is NOT where you want to gain airflow, it’s with additional pleats. As far as outright filtration capability goes, it’s a fact that a paper filter is the best filter you can buy.
Working at a dealer, I can attest that I would never put a K&N on anything I cared about. I can recall every instance of finding one of those filters installed on a customers rig, the intake tract always had a sheen of dirt throughout, without fail. It would range from a light dusting from filters that were maintained, to caked on from filters that weren’t. I’ve also seen many times wear on valve seats from the dirt that cause valves to lose clearance, and either piston, piston ring, or cylinder wall wear that led to oil consumption or compression issues. It’s funny watching how quickly customers want to switch back to paper filters after showing them the intake tract on their vehicle.
This is is also a very informative test showing just how poorly these types of filters perform: https://nicoclub.com/archives/kn-vs-oem-filter.html
Jokes aside, and this blows me away that I never see it mentioned in any filter threads, the reason K&N can claim their filters flow better is not because of a larger surface area/additional pleats of the filtration media (actually, in a lot of cases K&N has significantly less surface area. The metal mesh is also a flow restrictor.), but because the micron rating of their filtration media is several times larger than that of a paper filter. That is NOT where you want to gain airflow, it’s with additional pleats. As far as outright filtration capability goes, it’s a fact that a paper filter is the best filter you can buy.
Working at a dealer, I can attest that I would never put a K&N on anything I cared about. I can recall every instance of finding one of those filters installed on a customers rig, the intake tract always had a sheen of dirt throughout, without fail. It would range from a light dusting from filters that were maintained, to caked on from filters that weren’t. I’ve also seen many times wear on valve seats from the dirt that cause valves to lose clearance, and either piston, piston ring, or cylinder wall wear that led to oil consumption or compression issues. It’s funny watching how quickly customers want to switch back to paper filters after showing them the intake tract on their vehicle.
This is is also a very informative test showing just how poorly these types of filters perform: https://nicoclub.com/archives/kn-vs-oem-filter.html
Was going to post that same link. Despise KN crap.
I am a fan of Green filter myself for reusable. Its what i run on my offroad truck.
