I have used K&N air filters on my cars since they came out. 1987 Ford Mustang GT, 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC and 2003 Ford Escape V6. I was watching some videos on www.flatratetech.com and now I'm wondering if I shouldn't just use a high quality paper filter now. I've never had any driveability problems in the other cars, but now I'm reconsidering. Any thoughts?

I'm wondering if I should order one for a newly (to me) purchased 2004 F-150 FX4 SuperCab 5.4L.

 

very good, use it.

 

I kinda thought if they let more air in, dirt will come too.. and if you oil it more to keep dirt out, it will foul the MAF sensor......

 

Maybe I read one of your posts and that's what gave me the idea of more air = more dirt too. But is that founded by any evidence? Thanks.

I wonder what endurance racers use. Paper or Oil impregnated filters....

 

K/n filters are great if you keep up the maintenace and don't over oil.
A light coating is all it takes. never have anything more than a light mist and it will catch as much dirt as paper without causing intake restrcition like paper
I use paper simply for conveniance

 

Don't do it, not worth it. At least not with OEM K&N filters.

To make a long story short, I installed two K&N drop-ins on F150 and Jeep. The oil got really dark and dirty much earlier than before, and I found dirt past the filter in the intake tube in both vehicles!!!

Blackstone Labs oil analysis proved that the filters were letting in way too much particulate (dirt) into the engine. I essentially had 10,000 miles worth of dirt in my oil at just 3,000 miles of driving!

I think part of it is because the filter seal was a little thin on both filters, and maybe this allowed non-filtered air to enter the engine.

 

Thanks for your input. My thought is that if aftermarket oil saturated air filters were all that great then manufacturers would be using them to increase gas mileage and horsepower. I have a buddy who was trying to buy TORNADOS for his cars....because they "accelerate the airflow into the engine and increase power." I told him to do no such thing....I said, "If TORNADOS were all that, then vehicle manufacturers would be using them to increase horespower and mileage." Maybe the same thing applies here with K&N air filters?

Then again I've been using K&N air filters for years with no ill effects.

 

I just had a thought (so look out). Why haven't home air conditioner filter manufacturers moved to an oil saturated air filter? I use Filtrete 1200's for their ability to filter pollen. Maybe I've answered my own question.

I do know that oil saturated air filters were used in automobiles way before I was born...maybe there's a reason the manufacturers went to paper? Cost? Ease? Sell more air filters instead of renewing them?

 

It's because they can still filter large particles and increase air into the engine for more hp. That's why race cars and high performance vehicles run K&N type filters.

But for competitive vehicles, it's about extracting the most hp, not longevity. So you have to balance it out.

I won't use K&N for my street vehicle, but if I had a track only race vehicle, I would probably use a K&N filter.

 

weither or not they let more air in or not...


you never have to change them, just clean them every 10k miles or so.

40$ for one filter and never pay for another filter

or

20$ every other oil change?


you decide, the cleaning kit costs 10$

 

Not sure it'd be a great idea to blow air filtered through petroleum distillates into peoples lungs, but that may just be me...

 

well if k&n filters arent the best at stopping dirt then what are? the balance idea between more air and less dirt is right but does anyone know what filter has the best balance to stop dirt and increase performance

 

Does that also mean that your oil filter was not doing its job? Wouldnt the oil filter trap those particles?

 

You have to remember, especially on the F150, which is the best selling vehicle in the Ford line up, that every extra dollar saved in manufacturing/assembly is money in their pocket (fords that is). Im sure they get their OEM filters they get for very cheap. So you figure that a million trucks built, and now they have to put in a filter that cost 3x the amount of the OEM, thats an extra $10million in production cost. It would never happen... even if it did add 2-5hp.

 

I figure that Ford goes with the paper filter for two reasons, One is cost, a paper filter has gotta be cheaper than cotton, and two, your average owner rather just swap out a filter than go through cleaning and cotton filter, letting it dry over night, and then oiling it, making sure you haven't used too much or not enough oil. I use a K&N clean it regularly and run a pre-filter over it, I inspect my intake everytime it comes off and never noticed any dust.