Is a basic k & n air filter worth it?

[Ruger]

Other than being able to re-use it there is NO good in using one of these filters in a daily driver. They allow tons of dirt through into your engine, the stats are incredible. You might be better off just not running a filter between the oil fouling the airflow sensor and massive amount of dust it will feed your engine.

Awesome marketing, probably one of the worst things you can do to your truck though...

Exactly. I had a K&N in a previous truck and it gummed up the airflow sensor so bad that it threw a code and I had to take it to the dealer to have the whole doggone intake system purged of that fancy K&N oil. That visit to the dealer cost me three times what the filter cost.

Like the man said, "Awesome marketing."

 

[MTF]

I know what I know from cheer experience son, been around a long time.

And Ruger, I'm surprised by you, to blame K & N because you over oiled the filter. shame I say.

So you guys are all NA right, so that paper cartridge is cheap, I get that part.
The problem is, a paper filter to replace the size I would need isn't cheap.
And I would have to have the Tuner detune my truck for the lack of air flow.
This the Tuner stance not mine.
Whipple's Tuner and SVC did a bench flow test on all filters to find the best flowing one.
SVC recommends using the stock box and K & N for best performance on their NA Tune
Whipple kit uses the S & B. Both are oiled filters and both recommend using a sock when off-roading for easier maintenance.

I guess those guys fell for the media hype too. Right.........Amazing how smart people think they are.

I will add:
I have seen many years ago you guys discussed that it's easy to keep a couple of those flat filters.
I would go that route myself. If I was NA!!!! And had a stock box.
Better yet, I would get a different CAI that will have a bigger oiled filter and one you can get a sock for.

 

[Blu808]

Installed one of the k&n panel filters on my truck. Original filter had over 40k miles on it, so the difference was pretty noticeable.

 

[Ruger]

I've been around a little longer than you, @MTF, and have been oiling air filters over 40 years. The dealer tech blamed the filter, not me, and very strongly advised me to abandon oiled air filters entirely. He said that the airflow sensor could probably only tolerate two or three cleanings, and then it would have to be replaced. He also warned me that they're expensive. I went back to paper on that truck.

But you have a turbo, and that's a kettle of fish I have no experience with and want none. I wouldn't attempt to advise anyone on turbo stuff, and that's not what I was doing here.

 

[MTF]

I have a Supercharger, wouldn't want an eco boost.

Oil can only come off enough to foul a MAF if you over oiled (by a lot!!!) and didn't let it sit for a day or two before installing.
This is one of the reasons they got rid of spray on oil, now you have to use oil out of a bottle and find your amount of oil that filter needs.
fill the applicator to that amount, apply and let it weep into the cotton.

And I don't believe I've ever heard about a limit to clean a MAF, that is a new one on me.

 

[Snowsled]

I have a Supercharger, wouldn't want an eco boost.

Oil can only come off enough to foul a MAF if you over oiled (by a lot!!!) and didn't let it sit for a day or two before installing.
This is one of the reasons they got rid of spray on oil, now you have to use oil out of a bottle and find your amount of oil that filter needs.
fill the applicator to that amount, apply and let it weep into the cotton.

And I don't believe I've ever heard about a limit to clean a MAF, that is a new one on me.

Fun to watch you make someone elses thread all about you. If you look back to the beginning the question is about a basic K&N on an otherwise stock truck. It isn't about your supercharger and what is required there. You have chosen to sacrifice longevity for performance. You did that when you fitted the blower. The really funny thing here is I think you probably run an S&B which is different. I haven't been picking on oiled filters in general, just the worst of the bunch made by K&N. There are oiled filters that work, AFE and S&B are both MUCH better than K&N. I understand YOU have to run a different filter for your truck but, that isn't what this has EVER been about.

The other mistakes you have made are in some false assumptions. The first mistake is assuming the paper filter can not flow enough. That is simply false. There isn't a modern vehicle out there with an intake restriction because of the air filter, so you need to ditch the notion that a filter change is necessary.

The next problem you have is not accepting how much more dirt passes a K&N. It isn't just a little, it is a HUGE difference. So a little more air and a lot more dirt and you must clean it carefully three times more often that you would have to replace the paper filter.

I am amazed that anybody falls for that. K&N filters are a waste of money.

I am not even sure why you bothered commenting since you seem to have chosen a set up without any stock type choices for filtration. Those of us with a choice should pay attention to the facts here. Do you really need to suck up 18 times as much dirt to say you have a K&N that only morons will envy?

 

[MTF]

All about me!!!
Don't get angry, I don't mean to rain on your Kool-Aid rant your trying to have everyone drink.

If you stop for a second and read my posts instead of worrying about someone raining on a moment you think your on, with your 14 year old bias test.
I have had several vehicles with the K&N panel and round oiled air filters.
Had one in my Raptor for a year and three months before Whipple was finished with the kit.

Let me get this straight, you are saying the performance shops that did bench flow test are lying?
That's a good one kid. LMAO

Let me also make it clear, this test is all about making the GM AC Delco filter look good.
Copied from the test web page.

Note the word "our"

"Hopefully the results of this test will do 2 things. Shed some light on the misleading marketing claims of some aftermarket manufacturers and/or give us new insight on products already on the market that are superior to our OE filter. I stand for truth and will eat my words publicly if my statements prove wrong. I appreciate all of the help and support that you members have offered in this project. It would simply be impossible without your help. A huge thanks to Ken at Testand for his willingness to take on this project. I would be spinning my wheels from here to eternity without his help… SPICER”


Here's two more good point he makes:

Now I am not saying that ALL aftermarket filters are useless. A paper filter does not do well if directly wetted or muddy. It may collapse. This is why many off-road filters are foam. It is a compromise between filtering efficiency and protection from a collapsed filter. Now how many of our trucks collapse their filters from mud and water? However, if a filter is using "better airflow" as their marketing tool, remember this....Does it flow better? At very high airflow volumes, probably. BUT, Our trucks CAN'T flow that much air unless super-modified, so what is the point? The stock filter will flow MORE THAN ENOUGH AIR to give you ALL THE HORSEPOWER the engine has to give. And this remains true until the filter is dirty enough to trip the air filter life indicator. At that point performance will decline somewhat. Replace the filter and get on with it.

They never even did a high volume test. Really, this is a joke!
So in other words if you have a ************* truck and don't care about performance "their" stock filter is good enough.
But you go on trying to support your Kool-Aid stand. I do get a good laugh though, thanks!

Have a happy life.

 

[Gary E]

Dyno Results: G37 Stock vs KN Panel Filter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf2Do9dQzn4

K&N Filters - Do oiled air filters damage MAF sensors? Testing & Results

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE6moItrZNg

 

[MTF]

Hey Gary E, thanks for sharing that.
I wasn't going to spend time searching for stuff but I'm very glad you had time to do that.

I've had plenty of debates on this forum and I have stated before a couple times,
that if you search long enough you will always find something to either support your position or debunk someone's assumptions.
There is always two sides or more to everything.

 

[EricM]

I bought my truck used. It came with a nice clean K&N filter in the stock air box. I threw it in the trash and put a stock Motorcraft air filter in it's place.