K&n vs paper.

I had KN's on a couple vehicles as stock replacements. Pain in the ass. No more for me.

 

This, I bought a used trd filter for $25 and never need to buy another air filter ever again. I've put maybe 15,000 miles through it and there's no dirt past the filter and CEL's.

 

meh i just want a new and fresh oem paper filters in there everytime i do my oil change- no probs ever

 

I bought a K&N for mine....But after reading some about the filtration ..I when and Got a NAPA Gold...The K&N is just sitting in the Garage...I didn't notice any big difference in anything while running it.....and just don't want to risk harming the engine.....Paper all the way for me now.......

 

Service interval is 30K.

Here's a study that doesn't find K&N very effective at removing dirt.

http://forums.nicoclub.com/debunking-the-k-n-myth-why-oem-is-better-t180100.html

Here is the study that says intakes doesn't increase mpg, using precise tests loops.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/pdfs/Air_Filter_Effects_02_26_2009.pdf

After reading that I think 60K is fine, I'm at 40K on my current with excellent mpg.

 

if you're dead set on aftermarket (which isn't always better) go with AFE pro dry. you can wash it in dish soap and return it to completely clean in one night (mostly drying, of course).

nothing, and I mean, nothing filters better than stock paper. toyota was dead set on a long lasting, reliable filter. not a performance oriented one

 

A friend of mine took his intake off of his fj cruser because he had a cel for a vacuumed leak at the intake, he was using a k&n filter and the whole inside of his intake was full of an oily sludge due the his k&n

He had just cleaned and lightly re-oiled the filter a month prior letting it sit over night for the oil to soak into filter,his cel light came on a month after he cleaned it

 

Like every other performance Mod, if you "improve" flow going in, you have to improve going out to see a benefit. I understand our motors are so tuned that opening our exhaust drops our torque #'s and moves HP to stratosphere RPMs quickly (note I'm talkin non supercharged). Cool intakes make a difference (and nice cool fall mornings) but on the taco you have to go extreme to find cooler air (URD intake is a good example)
With all the racers over 30+ years using K&N I'm sure there was a benefit. But has paper nearly caught up in that time? Maybe so. Filtration is as much installation quality as it is about filter quality. They both can get too dirty, bent or distorted, and in gauze filters , under or over oiled.

They both are seen off road with prefilter foamies running on megabuck motors.

Ill still go gauze and oil. Saves me a part to purchase and gives me a super cool K&N sticker that wrench heads nod at.

 

I've got a K&N in mine. I've had one in almost every vehicle that I have ever owned. Yeah I bought into the hype. That said, with this truck I notice little to no difference in MPG or power over the stock OEM filter. I check it each time I change the oil and it still looks clean. The decision is up to you. If you don't drive on dirt roads all the time and in harsh environments then it won't hurt with a after market filter. If you do.... stick with OEM.

My truck rarely sees much dirt so I'm good

Engine compartment at 30000 miles






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Have been using a K&N in several vehicles and have NEVER noticed oily residue/sludge, etc. Also live in the South and spend a bit of time on dirt roads, too. Just for kicks, I did a little looking and was going to clean the intake and all behind the filter to see if all the bat shit craziness was true, and you know something? There was no oil/dirt/sludge/whatever on the charcoal filter and beyond. So just what does that say? Does it make a performance difference? Nope (have an '08 v6 and average 22 mpg), but the fact that with proper care it will last the life of the vehicle. If someone can't correctly oil a filter, then they shouldn't be attemtping it in the first place. Honestly, how hard is it to wash and re-oil properly?

The bigger question should be: if this filter let so much stuff in and was so bad, then out of the millions sold, why aren't we seeing claims of resulting engine damage/destruction? Inquiring minds want to know...

 

Napa Gold is the "best" filtration with minimal restriction. If you off road where there is alot of dust especially. There are countless threads where folks were using Cotton/synthetic element filters that just did not filter all that well and ended up with a thin coating of fine dust all through their intake tract.
Basically pulling fine dirt into the engine.

http://www.napafilters.com/do-it-yourself/goldnapafilter/

 

Right on. I have used K&N filters for years and never had any sludge or dirt behind the filter and I live on dirt roads. Bashing the product is pointless.

 

Bashing? People are posting their experience and the negative "hype busting" opinions were supported with test data and linked within the post.

If you like K&N and you use it, then cool. If not, who cares? Do you own the company? If not, relax.

I used a K&N for 3 vehicles and never had any benefit due to the filter. Does that mean K&N sucks? No. It means K&N is the same as every other filter I've used, but more expensive up front and more effort to maintain, so not worth it to me.

Am I a basher? Or can you just not handle opposing opinion?

 

I don't like your opinion! You're wrong

 

I, for one, have no problems with opposing opinions... With that said, and with all of the supposed badness that is "associated" with K&N air filters, why aren't we seeing a lot of engine damage/destruction claims associated with said product? A little more effort? Somewhat, but not much. To each their own, but to say that the product is destructive as some claim is pointless due to the millions sold and will continue to be sold. Are the performance gains snake oil? Who knows, but the reason I brought it was cost effectiveness/life of filter. I am not complaining about my truck's performance - I am satisfied getting 22 mpg. A little extra work cleaning never hurt anyone...

 

Lol

 

Don't know, though that isn't my field of interest or study. But from what people have posted in this thread, dirt leaks behind their air filter isn't going to blow the motor after 2 days, but damage still occurs (this is true regardless of filter type or brand). For that matter, I'll suggest that people using K&N filters, or even people who change their own filters, are more in tuned to their vehicle than most and if they notice a negative impact from their filter (regardless of brand) then they will address it immediately and negate any long term effects that might have resulted.

So, because filter X hasn't had a bunch of horror stories of major mechanical disasters directly linked to the filter, doesn't mean it isn't without major faults. It's job is to filter, and if it fails at that then that is a major failure, to me. If it harms other vehicle systems too, then that's a major failure on the owners part.

Performance gains, in my experience, aren't snake oil. But I think companies advertise that DROP IN FILTER X will increase mileage by 20%, +12 HP, etc,. and that isn't the case, for certain. So ironic as it is, people saying I have brand X and I still get the same MPG - it shouldn't come as a surprise.

In any event, a filter is designed to catch airborne contaminants. If they don't, then they should be replaced. K&N or NAPA, who cares.

Just odd the brand sensitivity from people who think because they own the product that it must be superior because it's what THEY use, and damn all else and others who don't have the identical experience they have.

 

I have 120,000 miles on my 05 v6. and with keeping everything stock. I'm getting 21MPG. so for MPG I would way stock paper works best.

 

I don't have that brand sensitivity, but I will say that I have been using them for years and never experienced any of the problems people claim exist. If one is better, I will use it. I have had the same filter on my truck for over five years now and no problems or anything that is associated. I do, however, take claims and all with a grain of salt and prefer to believe things when see them first hand rather than read them over wherever. Personally, I like the K&N and as I said, I got it for ease of use and cost effectiveness. So what if it is more involved than just dropping a brand new one - it's not rocket science. And I do believe that you are correct, I am more in tuned to whats going on with my truck.

As far as the system destructiveness goes, I haven't ever experienced the like, or anyone that I know of, either. Honestly, I would be interested in seeing what system failures can really be linked to the use of K&N.