KandN=Bad For Engine??

4 months ago i installed a panel air filter from k and n. My main reason is to save money-and gain a miniscule amount of power. Now, after having my car at a bodyshop for a month (accident) i get her back, and check the filter cause the shop had tons of dust and crap on the floor. And as i thought, it was filthy. The filter was still reddish (oils in paper filter) but was clogged badly.

Yesterday i went to pep boys to get kn's recharge kit which is a spray cleaner, and a spray oil. 20 minutes later after lightly tapping and brushing and spray cleaning the filter, i begin to read the instructions on this kit. It says to make sure the filter is completely oiled, or else dirt and particle can pass the filter (not good). So before i spray on the oil, i hold up the newly cleaned filter (which is white now cause all the old oil and stuff is cleaned out) and i notice tiny tiny holes all over the filter's paper/soft material.

This is HOW they make the filters, and they say the oil thats on them, block the dirt and particles.... Um, i really don't see any of this coming together-honestly. So today, i go to autozone, to pick up a stock/paper air filter from fram, and ask the guys what they think of the kn's. They all said it's really not worth spending $40-50 on them, that there is a reason WHY car company's use paper/thicker filters-to catch ALL particles. I tell ya, if your thinking of getting one of these filters, just get the stock paper ones, it's the same damn thing. Plus, when i put this kn filter in, all i noticed was NOTHING, in fact, it can cause harm more then good. That oil can get on the air sensor.

Honestly, even if this filter gave lets say 5 more HP, i would rather a filter keep it stock, and NOT chance particles getting into my engine. Plus i heard that the more air you let in, it reduces your low-end torque. Unless you got a exhaust system that lets it out as fast as it gets in..

C'mon Do it...Do it..

The K&N air filters are made from cotton fibers, which threads builds up a 3 dimensional web. When oiled properly these filters will catch up to 98% of all dirt, a paper filter catch up to 99.9% of all the dirt but it increases the pressure drop and usually cause more turbulence.

The use of oil impregnated cotton gauze allows an increase of flow by 30-40% for the same size.

An aftermarket filter reduce the pressure drop but that is usually so small that there will be no difference in power.

There are also paper filters that are way worse than performance air filters.

Many brands of aftermarket filters also use the same design as K&N.

It seems to me that a good paper filter works better, but K&N filters are effective at increasing air flow. I have used them for many years.
They do wear out, after many cleanings, the cotton fibers seem to open up and have larger 'holes' between them. I have had 3 Chevy 2.8 V6 engines, and a friend had one. Using paper filters we got between 265,000 to 411,000 km with the engines running fine.
My one K&N filter equipped 2.8 V6 (since 1988) got 110,000 km before the cylinder walls showed such drastic wear, it needed a rebuild with an .80 rebore to clean up the wear. The only real difference was the air filter.

it needed a rebuild with an .80 rebore to clean up the wear. The only real difference was the air filter.

whoo wheeee.....thats one heck of an overbore....

whoo wheeee.....thats one heck of an overbore....
That it is.
Specifically, those pistons come in metric oversize measurements, .25mm, .5mm, etc.
The pistons I had to use were 1.5mm oversize, and they were difficult to find, because they were so big.

ummmm apexi...

the end.