A buddy of mine (also F150 owner) swears by the K&N air filter and absolutely insists that if I get one it will increase my Ecoboost's MPG by 1-2 mpg. I've researched it and found the main advantage of the K&N to be that it can be cleaned and reused, but that it can also give a small increase in horsepower.

I haven't been able to find anything to back-up my buddy's claim that the K&N will increase the MPG on the Ecoboost. Is he full of crap? Or am I missing something?

 

I won't say he's full of crap, but the K&N does absolutley nothing measuarable for mpg or power. I have used one for 134,000 miles and like the fact I can clean it and put it back on and forget about it for 30,000 miles. But that is all it does for my 2005 5.4.

Also, at the risk of being slammed, I will go ahead and say, keep in mind, your dealer could tell you your warranty has been voided should you have engine trouble.

 

When I went to stock to K&N I did get a small amount of power and mileage from it but I also started to notice dust in the intake that it couldn't filter. I have since switched to an amsoil dry filter. Doesn't seem to be as good power wise as compared to the K&N but I also cannot see through this one like I could the K&N. Personally I'd rather have better filtration because all that crap goes through your intake and engine.

 

S&B has a replacement drop in filter. They filter better than K&N, but apparently the part isn't available yet. #66-2385.
.. That being said, I have nothing against K&N and would run it if nobody else gets theirs out soon. My favorite is aFe, but they only have a CAI http://afepower.com/shop/details_new...icle&make=Ford Truck&model=F-150&year=2011&engine=3.5L&&brandID=52

BlueJay, I don't think the drop-in filters void warrantys? Mainly the CAI's. Just to be sure just keep the stock filter in a sealed bag and if you go in for warranty work swap them out.

 

it depends on the vehicle as to what you notice. i had a K&N drop in in my 97 2.3L ranger and noticed i didnt have to downshift up some of the hills i had to before, but nothing huge. a little better reaction time on the throttle but again, nothing huge. actaully didnt gain any mpgs at all with it. had one in my 04 f150 heritage and noticed a little more power just from it breathing better, and better throttle response and also 1 more mpg on top of my average. went from 18.9 stock to 19.9 with the K&N. then got an intake from K&N for the 04 and it went to 22.5 on the same routes. now i have my 08 and the K&N intake from the 04 is on it. it has a better power gain than the 04 got but mahybe 1mpg at most extra. it does help when driving from a low elevation to a high elevation. the truck is struggling for air as much. i lived in PA at about 1450ft above sea level, now live in CO at 6800ft above sea level. it does help it get up and go a little bit up here a little better tho. it is kinda a pain to wash and reuse because it takes about an hour from pulling it out to putting it back in. so buy 2 filters if you go that route. and clean both when the 2nd one needs it or just clean the dirty one when you pull it out and put it in a bag and save it til the other one is dirty.

 

Oiled filters also have a tendency to foul the MAF.

Agreed.

Me too.

 

none of mine have and i used to oil the crap out of the filters before i became a member of this site. so my 97 ranger and my 04 heritage would probably be most likely out of any vehicle on here to get the MAF fouled but they didnt. could just be good luck..? i donno. i seriously emptied the re-oiling aerosol can every 2 or 3 uses. i had 3 boxes of the K&N recharge kit when i cleaned them last week, and only one had the re-oil aerosol...but i still had 2.5 bottles of the cleaning solution. but i use more cleaning solution now since i have my "helper tube" for my intake so the dirt that comes up the tube is focused on one part of the filter. so i have to use more on that spot but it still comes off. i did 2 intake filters and a drop-in and still have 1 bottle of cleaner and about half of the aerosol left now. i will add for the OP that i did not notice any dust on the inside of my intake when i took the filter off.

 

[QUOTE=glc;4667058]Oiled filters also have a tendency to foul the MAF.



Agreed.



Me too.

My 2000 4.6L ran like crap with the K&N. Had to constantly clean the MAF due to oil build up issues. I was not overoiling the filter and followed the instructions to the letter. No performance gain either, I feel this is misleading. I bought the filter as I keep vehicles for a long time and felt it to be more cost effective to have one filter and to clean it than replace paper filters.

Finally scrapped it and have been using paper Motorcraft filters since with no issues.

Will never buy another K&N.

 

Yes, if you over-oil them. I've had mine for 50,000 miles ~4 yrs and I've never had that problem.

And a CAI/K&N filter on an EcoBoost WILL free up a few ponies. Turbocharged engines get more out of a mod than N/A engines. The Injen intake on a EcoBoost did 30hp/30tq increase. I'd imagine a drop-in would probably do between 2-6 hp. Nothing you will feel.

 

I ran a K&N for a little while. When I went to check how dirty it was I noticed how much dust and dirt was getting past it that a paper filter was catching. The K&N came off and a paper filter went back in. There were not noticable gains in power or MPGs with or without it.

A good quality paper filter does a better job with less hassle.

 

ive been using K&Ns for about 6 yrs on 3 vehicles with nothing but good things to say about them and ive run 51K in my 08, 22K in my 04 and about 15K in my ranger i had and the 04 and the ranger i was definitely over oiling them. never had a problem. now my drop-in i had is in my brother's 03 f150 4.2L

 

The Amsoil dry filter is cleanable with a vacuum cleaner or air hose and is guaranteed for 100k. It filters a lot better than a K&N can even dream of.

 

Is the Wix filter the Amsoil one? I go to amsoil's website, pick a filter and it links me to Wix filters? If not, which filter is the Amsoil and do you have a link or part #?

Thanks

 

amsoil hasn't come out with it yet.

 

I heard that those filters are really bad and let some dust and dirt go through and thats gonna sandblast your turbo's soo think about it.....this truck needs nothing more than what it already has and for mpg...