K & N air filters, are they what they say they are?

cjgallen

Diamond Member
Jan 20, 2003
6,419
0
0
Paper filters are inexpensive and filter better than gauze/cotton filters. Filters don't make horsepower.

Keep in mind that you need to buy a recharge kit for the K&N filters when they get dirty, you could probably buy another paper filter for around the same amount.

Unless you're getting a whole intake system, I wouldn't bother.
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
They do flow better than stock filters.

They do not filter better than stock filters.

They can be cleaned and can last many more miles than a stock filter.

Your filters (air and oil) are perhaps the single most important aspect of engine longenvity. I personally do not recommend K&N air filters if you care about the longevity of your car.

If you're only going to have it for a few years, you can pretty much do whatever you want.
 

Safeway

Lifer
Jun 22, 2004
12,074
9
81
I would say that K&N filters are worth it. Our 96 Grand Sport Corvette got K&N when we added an intercooler and Flowmasters, amoung other things. My mom's 96 Impala SS also got K&N when we added Borla exhaust and a turbocharger, among other goodies.
 

rhino56

Platinum Member
Oct 6, 2004
2,325
1
0
i love my k&n, a recharge kit? its a can of oil you respray it is all after cleaning with dish soap. lifetime warranty.
much better airflow.
 

rhino56

Platinum Member
Oct 6, 2004
2,325
1
0
Originally posted by: Eli
They do flow better than stock filters.

They do not filter better than stock filters.

They can be cleaned and can last many more miles than a stock filter.

Your filters (air and oil) are perhaps the single most important aspect of engine longenvity. I personally do not recommend K&N air filters if you care about the longevity of your car.

If you're only going to have it for a few years, you can pretty much do whatever you want.
i got 106,000 miles on mine now and still runs like brand new.

 

GalvanizedYankee

Diamond Member
Oct 27, 2003
6,986
0
0
Originally posted by: holden j caufield
or is it a farce? Seems to good to be true for $40


Bobtheoilguy.com doesn't think so. A NAPA Gold is better for the first 10k or so but after that the K&N filters just as well as a Gold does new with less restiction after about 10K.
I use them in the Camaro and Dakota. I also used them on all my dirtbikes in the late 70's and early 80's. Never had signs of scoring on the bores of my two-stokes. I say yah! They are good. But someone will tell you much different. The Dakota filter has 40K> on it and I haven't even looked at it. I might if I keep that POS another 3 years...:p
 

Zanix

Diamond Member
Feb 11, 2003
5,568
12
81
Originally posted by: dug777
IIRC the filtering isn't that hawt, but the flow is hawt...

"It aint chip off the flows mang!" /bubbrubb
 

ViperVin2

Senior member
Mar 9, 2001
876
0
0
A better filter can boost HP by a bit because it does allow for better airflow. K&N filters supposedly can last a car's life time if you clean and recharge it with the kit ($10 kit) every year or something. I haven't had any problems with my K&N filter. I did get big gains in HP, but that was with a new intake system, not really sure how much the filter had to do with it.
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Originally posted by: ViperVin2
A better filter can boost HP by a bit because it does allow for better airflow. K&N filters supposedly can last a car's life time if you clean and recharge it with the kit ($10 kit) every year or something. I haven't had any problems with my K&N filter. I did get big gains in HP, but that was with a new intake system, not really sure how much the filter had to do with it.

do tell about these 'big HP gains'
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: rhino56
Originally posted by: Eli
They do flow better than stock filters.

They do not filter better than stock filters.

They can be cleaned and can last many more miles than a stock filter.

Your filters (air and oil) are perhaps the single most important aspect of engine longenvity. I personally do not recommend K&N air filters if you care about the longevity of your car.

If you're only going to have it for a few years, you can pretty much do whatever you want.
i got 106,000 miles on mine now and still runs like brand new.
Come back in 150,000. ;)

It's probably not that big of a deal in the real world. But I'm a paper monkey. ;)

I want the best. I don't want any dirt in my crankcase. Even if my oil filter is going to take care of it.

Therefor, K&N is not for me.
 

ViperVin2

Senior member
Mar 9, 2001
876
0
0
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: ViperVin2
A better filter can boost HP by a bit because it does allow for better airflow. K&N filters supposedly can last a car's life time if you clean and recharge it with the kit ($10 kit) every year or something. I haven't had any problems with my K&N filter. I did get big gains in HP, but that was with a new intake system, not really sure how much the filter had to do with it.

do tell about these 'big HP gains'

AEM Intake on my 04' Hyundai Tiburon GT. Somewhere between 10-15 extra HP because the stock air system chokes the engine.
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Originally posted by: ViperVin2
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: ViperVin2
A better filter can boost HP by a bit because it does allow for better airflow. K&N filters supposedly can last a car's life time if you clean and recharge it with the kit ($10 kit) every year or something. I haven't had any problems with my K&N filter. I did get big gains in HP, but that was with a new intake system, not really sure how much the filter had to do with it.

do tell about these 'big HP gains'

AEM Intake on my 04' Hyundai Tiburon GT. Somewhere between 10-15 extra HP because the stock air system chokes the engine.

Measured how?

Not by what you read on the intarweb, but how you measured said gains on your car?
 

cjgallen

Diamond Member
Jan 20, 2003
6,419
0
0
Originally posted by: ViperVin2
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: ViperVin2
A better filter can boost HP by a bit because it does allow for better airflow. K&N filters supposedly can last a car's life time if you clean and recharge it with the kit ($10 kit) every year or something. I haven't had any problems with my K&N filter. I did get big gains in HP, but that was with a new intake system, not really sure how much the filter had to do with it.

do tell about these 'big HP gains'

AEM Intake on my 04' Hyundai Tiburon GT. Somewhere between 10-15 extra HP because the stock air system chokes the engine.

Nothing to do with the filter, everything to do with the new intake system.
 
Jan 31, 2002
40,819
2
0
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: ViperVin2
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: ViperVin2
A better filter can boost HP by a bit because it does allow for better airflow. K&N filters supposedly can last a car's life time if you clean and recharge it with the kit ($10 kit) every year or something. I haven't had any problems with my K&N filter. I did get big gains in HP, but that was with a new intake system, not really sure how much the filter had to do with it.

do tell about these 'big HP gains'

AEM Intake on my 04' Hyundai Tiburon GT. Somewhere between 10-15 extra HP because the stock air system chokes the engine.

Measured how?

Not by what you read on the intarweb, but how you measured said gains on your car?

Benchmark Utility Temporal Thrust dyno?

- M4H
 

Shawn

Lifer
Apr 20, 2003
32,236
53
91
I went with a K&N because I needed to make a new intake for my supercharger. It's also nice that it's reusable.
 
Aug 27, 2002
10,043
2
0
read thier web site, they are very truthfull about thier performance.

They do filter better than slightly used paper filters (first 2-3k miles paper is actually a better performer in most climates) the absorbant oil they use with the cotton fiber mesh also removes particulates better, this is why the us army uses them.
 

MrYAK

Senior member
Aug 19, 2004
826
0
0
you will get better throttle response and a few more HP. i've had mine on my 2001 S10 CrewCab since i got it. i now have >65k miles on it with the same filter(yes, i do clean it also)
 

laurenlex

Platinum Member
Feb 26, 2004
2,370
1
0
K&N filters are great.
1 They are a great way to spend extra money over a stock filter.
2. They are a great way to introduce extra dirt into the precision machined internals of your engine.
3. They are a great way to spend needless time oiling and maintaining.
4. They are a great way to start a conservation with your buddy how you get 23% more horsepower and 18% better fuel economy.
5. ??????????????????
6. Lose money
 

ViperVin2

Senior member
Mar 9, 2001
876
0
0
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: ViperVin2
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: ViperVin2
A better filter can boost HP by a bit because it does allow for better airflow. K&N filters supposedly can last a car's life time if you clean and recharge it with the kit ($10 kit) every year or something. I haven't had any problems with my K&N filter. I did get big gains in HP, but that was with a new intake system, not really sure how much the filter had to do with it.

do tell about these 'big HP gains'

AEM Intake on my 04' Hyundai Tiburon GT. Somewhere between 10-15 extra HP because the stock air system chokes the engine.

Measured how?

Not by what you read on the intarweb, but how you measured said gains on your car?


I personally haven't measured it, but I definitely felt the power difference. There is a dyno result on AEM's site, but obviously that can be slightly biased. However, there are plenty more dyno results by other Tiburon owners and they are all 10+ HP gains.