[updated:LAST EDITED ON 16-Jul-02 AT 09:10 PM (EST)]Anybody know anything about K & N filters ? Reason I ask is because I (like many) always thought they were good until I saw the following info at the four links shown below. I have one in my 4.0 V-6 Ranger, but, luckily, I have Twin-Air's in my bikes. I guess the 2nd chart could be biased, but the 1st chart may be legit. Note: I am not affiliated with Amsoil in any way - I have never even used an Amsoil product of any type.

After finding this stuff, I am starting to understand why the mass-air-flow sensor in my Ranger gets dirty all the time (duh) - if I don't clean the sensor frequently, it pings big time. Looks like I wasted $50 on that K&N - these filters now make me nervous.


Note about Chart 1: I have sent an e-mail to Ed H. to find out the original source.

[link:www.roadkill.com/~davet/moto/air.filters.html|Filter Chart 1] [link:www.amsoil.com/products/ts.html|Filter Chart 2]

More links about K&N - I know the 2nd link below is another Amsoil link, but what is there makes sense:

[link:www.seansa4page.com/resource/airfilter.html|K&N Test 1] [link:www.performanceoiltechnology.com/k&nbitesthedust.htm|K&N Test 2]

Note: You can e-mail in the 2nd link and he will send you more air filter test info.


I was told that K&N used foam for their bike filters, but then I looked at K & N Powersports which is their motorcycle/atv/jet-ski site and they all look like the same gauze stuff to me.

[link:www.knpowersports.com/index.html|K&N Powersports Site]

 

I have fought many hard hours of debate on this issue, and some people feel very strongly on both sides. This information-starving discussion can be accessed on the following link:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/dcforum/DCForumID30/256.html

I don't have conclusive personal results, my first oil batch that I had analyzed was DQ'd by my use of an additive of unknown composition, but my Silica content was very high, which is directly related to air filter performance. Silica is supposed to be stopped by the air filter, it rapidly accelerates engine bearing wear. I own one as well, I was looking for justification of their performance. CAR CRAFT did a dyno shootout of all major performance and some paper air filter designs. The Barry Grant Rush filter was the best on the dyno, but out of something like 360 HP, the total range of results varied less than 5 HP from paper to BG to no filter at all. the performance diffrence is obviously negligible, and there is intense debate over it's filtering ability. Check out the link, there's some very good information there on this bitter debate. -TK

'77 F100, 302 (the aftermarket Prodigy), C4
Cadet Second Lieutenant John F. Daly III
South Carolina Corps of Cadets, The Citadel
The TorqueKing

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 16-Jul-02 AT 09:33 PM (EST)]Wow, that's a bunch of stuff - thanks for the link and other info - and you're right, it looks like it could get a little nasty in there.

 

could? all this aggression and energy got carried over into the dino vs. synthetic oil debate. It's pretty serious, that thread was broken off of the original dino vs. synthetic thread that was about 8 pages of debate that would hush up a crowd of congressmen. A few of us are doing independant testing, but I'm not getting the second set of data until I hit 3000 miles on my Mobil-1 supersyn 10w-30, and I only have about 500 miles on it now, but it will resume shortly, stay in touch! -TK
The TorqueKing

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 17-Jul-02 AT 10:17 AM (EST)]Thanks for the direction - I'll look for the oil posts - I've seen(and been in those) before - it can get unbelievably involved and testy.

Have you guys ever seen this book called the Motor Oil Bible - it is an excellent reference about oils - it is very cheap ($9.80 download or $14.65 on CD). For a newer engine, I think synthetics are, by way far, superior.

[link:www.motor-oil-bible.com/index-test7.html|Motor Oil Bible]

Note: The guy who wrote this book sells Amsoil, but only 10% of the book even mentions Amsoil - it's got all kinds of stuff in it. I have never used any Amsoil stuff, but I think he did a fabulous job on this book. Talk at ya later.

Oh yea, if you want oil filter info, take a look at this site:

[link:www.minimopar.net/oilfilterstudy.html#b2|Oil Filter Study]

For the oil filter study's recommendations, click on the link at the bottom of the page.

 

Thanks for the link, I've seen and read the oil filter study, that's pretty intense. I don't know about that book, as master Yoda always said, "clouded your mind is!" anyway, I don't trust Amway dealers as far as I can throw them. I'm sure some of the stuff is true, but please don't learn from anybody who sells Amway products, except to laugh at how mistaken they are for hard working Americans. I'd read that as if it was political propoganda. It never hurts to read stuff, but I think you're already aware of what I suspected when I read the sales points, is that this book is seriously slanted and crooked, just like the company that the guy works for. -TK

The TorqueKing

 

I read the big long thread on K&N (about 73 posts) but couldn't post there for some reason, so I will post comments here.

The only thing that scares me about K&N is getting the correct amount of oil in it. Too little and dirt will get through, too much and it can mess with your engine function, at least with the mass air flow system. I did my first K&N cleaning last this week after 30,000 miles. My truck runs as good as ever in spite of 30,000 miles of K&N, and the intake tubes looked nice and clean. Also at 30000 miles and all the dirt buildup, the filter actually looked like it would run another 10000 or 20000 miles (with a little oiling). My paper filters (previous truck as I put K&N on this when I got it) never went more than about 7000 miles before they were pretty dirty. When I drained the rinse water from cleaning the K&N there was this paste of extremely fine material at the bottom that the filter had trapped--seems to have worked well, but who knows how much of that maybe got thru (or how much of that gets thru paper filters). I suspect the difference in dirt passage between K&N and paper may not differ significantly from that between higher and lower qauality paper filters. Also, when paper begings to plug up I would think the dirt would get sucked through, whereas the K&N dirt buildup is supposed to improve filtration. While I washed and re-oiled my K&N I put a paper element in my truck. Also just changed the motor oil. So maybe I should run this entire oil change interval with the paper element to see if the oil stays cleaner. As for all the silica particles supposedly getting through the K&N, what harm will it do to the combustion chamber and valves? I think the quantity is too small to have a significant effect. Also, the oil will absorb that material which is what it is supposed to do, thereby protecting your engine. If it degrades your oil sooner, you will change it sooner. Normally when your oil is looking darker you get some to roll between your thumb and finger to feel its sliperyness. If it is getting a bit tacky you change it. I guess I don't see where there would be a significant problem.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 17-Jul-02 AT 03:09 PM (EST)]Thanks for the warning, TK - hadn't ever heard that some of these Amsoil guys could be shakey. I'll be cautious from here on out towards them.

 

I've had a hard time getting factual research on what silica actually does in your engine. It seems that the general concensus is that it accelreates bearing wear in extreme quantities. My oil came back rated as Excessive silica content. Don't know what it's actually doing in there, or if it could have been a part of the Restore engine treatment. It's hard to say, but if the content stays high with this next batch of oil, then I'll throw a paper filter on there and see what it can do to reduce it. -TK