K&N Filters Truth...

[enrikerace]

Hello

I really never believed about oil going into MAF sensors. Today I found this:

K&N Response to Mass Air Flow Sensor Concerns

Ive been using K&N Filters for 60,000 kms with no problems.

Check the VIDEOS in there...

 

[Edition507]

Good to know however most dealers will always look for a way to void your warranty if you have changed anything to non OEM

 

[Sp!ke]

What is good to know exactly?

Its good to know that a company acknowleges existance of a problem and simply denies it without scientific evidence?

Im happy with disposable filters that I can regularly swap out for nice clean new ones. I dont know why you would want to leave one in for the life of an engine.

 

[Spinal]

I think the good to know part is this:

K&N pledges to our customers that they will not be taken advantage of and charged for a repair due to a dealership warranty denial blamed on the presence of a K&N product.
- Steven Rogers, CE

...
We will use our resources to make the consumer whole and challenge the dealership. See warranty page for details.

In a nutshell, if a dealer blames the K&N filter for a maf replacement, they'll fight it for you... I'm hoping that applies to their oil filters too; as I tend to use k&n oil filters simply because they have a socket attachment on top...

 

[Edition507]

Because you can wash them out quite simple really and it is good to know that they make an effort to back you if the situation should arise

 

[markjay]

I used to have K&Ns (in the era before MAFs), and they are very good. And I doubt they cause any dsmage.

Said that, why would a manufacturer or dealer need to know all this? I can fully understand that they would only warrant the use of original service items, they can't really be expected to learn and test every aftermarket product.

After the original warranty period is over, owners can do with their vehicles whatever they want.

 

[Edition507]

Of course this is on the basis of the owner risking a void warranty if they choose not to wait for the period to end, however dealers can be quick to blame non OEM parts for a reason to not pay for it themselves but I guess all this just gives the owner another leg to stand on if they find themselves in a dispute

 

[Lee C63]

I have the K&N's fitted to mine with a Carbinio intake system and have had no issues apart from a bit more "induction roar" I dare say if you soak the filters in oil and re-fit them then your going to have issues. But if you do what it "says on the tin" then no problems.

 

[flango]

Never had a problem in 33 years of using them, just don't over oil them and they work just fine, all this talk of them ruining MAF's is complete nonsense to put it mildly. Same with the other manufacturers Pipercross etc.. Follow the Instructions and you won't come to any grief

 

[Dieselman]

K&N filters do offer less filtration, so your engine WILL be ingesting more dust.

The pressure drop across a paper filter is the least restrictive part of the intake system, so it's a waste of time changing the filter for a less restrictive one.

 

[John Jones Jr]

When the likes of Dave Visard states they do increase air flow and he has independently tested them, well how can anybody argue against that.. My K&N is staying.

 

[Dieselman]

When the likes of Dave Visard states they do increase air flow and he has independently tested them, well how can anybody argue against that.. My K&N is staying.

There is some fantastic logic there, I'm sure.

Dave Visard would be ensuring the rest of the intake system was at it's peak performance and the air filter was actually the pressure drop area left.

Most cars have about 20-in/h2o of drop. The filter will be about 3-in/h20. A change of filter will make no difference as the majority of the restriction is elsewhere.

 

[flango]

I agree it won't make a massive difference as the design of the intake system is paramount but if you have optimised that then where you are looking to squeeze every drop of power out of a race car, the extra 2-3 bhp a high flow air filter will give you might mean the difference between winning and losing which is why all race cars including F1 use them

 

[John Jones Jr]

There is some fantastic logic there, I'm sure.

 

[John Jones Jr]

f1, the bottom line for me is very simple. The design has been proven, my 2.5-16 has a shielded cone one fitted on a cut & shut a/filter housing straight (all of 350mm) to the T/B, all the engine can do is gain power and the nice bonus is the induction roar. As for the C230K, there's no disadvantages to having one fitted and at modest cost and along with the opened out air box I might have a nominal gain too. On top of which they are endorsed by professionals. Win, win.

 

[V12]

I know these 2 are a couple of clowns with little technical knowledge, but it's interesting viewing :
Cold Air Intakes Mythbusted - YouTube

For me, OEM all the way. Does the potential 0.1% gain outweigh the hassle of potential MAF damage?

Mercedes surely spends millions researching and developing the air intake system and an appropriate filter to go with them, why change that?

 

[flango]

Mine is also a 230k M111 engine but I didn't fit the cone type as when I tried it the air intake temperatures were far higher than with the standard airbox on, no matter how I shielded it or run fresh air intake hoses to it directly from the front of the car I couldn't get the temperatures to match that of the standard airbox arrangement. So I just used a Pipercross panel filter in the existing airbox which seems to do the job nicely

 

[BenzedUP]

I had K&N's on my 320 and I can defiantly say they don't filter very well, Oil was on the MAF and I once saw an insect on the MAF!

I agree it does provide better air flow but at a compromise.

 

[Dieselman]

f1, the bottom line for me is very simple. The design has been proven, my 2.5-16 has a shielded cone one fitted on a cut & shut a/filter housing straight (all of 350mm) to the T/B, all the engine can do is gain power and the nice bonus is the induction roar. As for the C230K, there's no disadvantages to having one fitted and at modest cost and along with the opened out air box I might have a nominal gain too. On top of which they are endorsed by professionals. Win, win.

That says it all about your approach. Doesn't Carol Vordaman endorse Log book Loans. She's a mathematician, so they must be good...

Can you please share your development testing with us.

I am assuming you monitored the air intake temperatures, the EGT, the pressure drop and the performance change from each step.

Did you?

 

[Dieselman]

I agree it does provide better air flow but at a compromise.

The compromise bit I can agree with, better airflow, probably not.

It will provide better airflow through the filter, but that is almost certainly not the restriction in the system. Manufacturers oversize filters to accommodate dirt soiling.