C'mon Chris. What do guys with high dollar engine builds, especially those in endurance type racing, care about filtration? We all know that they really LIKE getting new engines put together.

Mexico? Nothing but nice clean freeways!

 

I'll let the pictures speak.

http://www.nx2k.com/truck/kn_filter_dirty_or_not.htm

 

Congratulations......Your filter does exactly what my paper filter does.

 

Yes, it does That's the whole point. It also costs tons less than a lifetime of paper filters.,,,,98

 

I'm sure it is. I just am a little miffed about shelling out that kind of bucks and not seeing any improvement. Sure, it cleans the air and so does my stock filter. That's not a miracle. When driving from the seat of my pants, I don't notice any power improvements. (I don't run my truck at 4200RPM's to get the so called 5-10 HP gains.) And I certainly didn't see any help at the gas pump either. About the only thing it did do for me was make my engine louder so maybe psychologically, I thought I had this miracle transformation, but no cigar. If a person is looking for pluses or minuses in the filter, they will find it. But don't be fooled into thinking it's like the second coming or anything because it's not.

 

I only went to the K&N air filters for gas mileage. On my 98 w/4.6, I noticed a 1-1.5 mpg gain in city and highway driving. On my 01 w/5.4, I noticed no increase in mileage.

I think it comes down to what engine is in the truck. As well as the different tuning involved each year.

Anyone ever dyno their truck without an air filter?

 

I just put on an airforce one kit and pulled off my K&N and it was absolutely spotless inside. All I can say about the dirty tube is there was probably a bad seal somewhere. Those factory air boxes are hard to allign properly with that clamp.

 

Geeze, the K&N filter was $34 locally. What's the big deal? If you don't drive the truck you sure aren't going to notice an improvement.

I've already cleaned mine 3 times now. You can see how I use my truck in the link I posted above. (Yes the 4WD works, it actually gets used, and I have the broken bumpers, dents, and pinstriping to prove it.) It has paid for itself already, unless a factory style filter is less than $11.50 each (I don't think they are but really have no idea).

Some of you guys sound like you were expecting to hear angels sing while you drove your truck after installing an air filter. It's an air filter, simple. It lets the engine flow more air. Easy stuff. It's reuseable, also easy stuff.

 

I agree that a drop in filter alone won't give enough change to feel a SOTP difference in most trucks. Running no filter wouldn't help at this level.

Without mods to the intake there is little to be gained in the performance department. With intake mods the difference is enough to notice.

As for mileage, I've never seen a mileage increase either...

 

Thanks Signmaster...My point exactly.

 

As others have said, the K&N debate rages on in almost all sectors of automotive and truck ownership. You either believe K&N's hype or you don't.

My personal experience was with their FIPK II for my 5.4L. My wife was driving the truck through a "rough" area of town and all of a sudden the engine died. A man thankfully stopped to help her, opened the hood, and the filter assembly had fallen off the tube of the kit. Turns out this was a pretty common problem which K&N has now supposedly addressed by adding a better rubber connector boot for the air filter. I sent mine back and got a full refund.

As for whether or not they actually work - I've got dyno tests showing a slight decrease in power after installation of the K&N filter. Maybe they add something other than noise, but on my truck the Dynojet says no.

Do they filter any better? Here's an independent scientific test that was conducted:

http://www.seansa4page.com/resource/airfilter.html

Based on my personal experiences, and after reading the test results at the link above, you can be assured a stock paper filter is in my air filter housing.

 

I personally have found a moderate gain in fuel economy and power after installing the K&N. I haven't read the previous post, but it was most likely mentioned already. I noticed when I install the filter into the round airbox, it has a hard time staying seated parallel with the airbox. The back end likes to drop down before you get the front half clamped to keep it square. I'm not sure if this the problem that you guys are encountering. There may also be a possibility of product defect. I've just previously inspected my airbox and filter, and there's a huge difference between how clean the 2 sides are. I actually don't remember seeing anything at all downstream of the filter. All I know is that K&N has been around for a long time now, and they are well recognized in the drag racing scene. It seems to me to be a little late in the game to be a hoax, not to mention how many people were fooled by the product.

 

My experiance was right after I installed the drop in, in the autoparts parking lot, I knoticed a difference. I had already done the cat back.
I think if some one is looking to get an accumulated gain, a K&N will add it's share.

Tom

 

I had the MAF fall off of the tube too, and the check engine light came on immediately. It was no big deal, though. I realized it was stupid me who didn't tighten the clamp the last time I had it off. I pushed it back on, and reset the computer, and I was off in ten minutes.,,,,,98