K&N High Performance Air Filter, Enough performance improvement to justify the cost? Options

[JawjaPorsche]

I was reading K&N's website about their air filters:

High flow air filters designed to improve engine performance
Designed to increase horsepower, torque, and acceleration

Has anyone put these on their stock FI Teeners and experience any of the above?

I am talking about the filters that go in our stock air filter boxes. Not external modification filters. I noticed Pelican Parts sells then as an option.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/...76%29%2C%20Each

[scotty b]

Oh boy. Now you've done it. It's like saying Beetlejuice 3 times. Crusty should be here any minute now (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[JawjaPorsche]

Oh No! Sounds like I have said "Niagara Falls" without thinking!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yJBhzMWJCc

[Mark Henry]

If you put the sticker on your back window it adds 15HP. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Woody]

If you put the sticker on your back window it adds 15HP. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[Woody]

If properly maintained, yes they will filter oot some contaminates. If properly maintained on any car with a hot film air flow sensor they will eventually ruin said sensor.

[CG-914]

you wont feel a power increase because it is too minimal (if at all)!
But you feel a better throttle response due to an actual increase of the air flow
or to be exact: it is less of an air block than an paper through away filter.

I personally like the feeling and you can keep your filter a lot longer...

[Cap'n Krusty]

I'm here! Sorry I'm late, I was sleeping, or maybe having a life, or something ............. If you're measuring HP using intake noise levels, the increase is huge. If you're measuring engine life resulting from the increase in contaminants being drawn in through the intake, the drop is likely to be significant. Put plainly, the square inches of filter material is often reduced from that of the OE filter by 2 or 3 (or more) times. How do they get higher flow through a smaller area? They make the pores larger, allowing more and larger particles to pass through, along with the air. Coating the filter with oil helps a little, but what about the particles that don't touch the coating?

Think about the initial cost. Think about the cost of the service kit, and the time it takes to do the service, including the drying time after you wash the filter. Sound like something you want to do? Finally, think about that grit you've allowed inside your cylinders, grit that would have been stopped by your "antiquated" but very efficient paper air filter. You know, the one the factory specified when they designed the engine?

The Cap'n

[Luke M]

Years ago when I owned a 93 Mustang Cobra I replaced the factory air filter with a K&N unit. It sounds cool with all the intake noise but then I started to have an acceleration problem several months later. I looked at everything from ignition to fuel delivery. I did a search on the web on a mustang forum and found what may have caused my problem. I removed the mass air flow sensor and sure as heck the sensor was coated with oil. I got out some carb cleaner and sprayed the sensor clean and re installed. I drove the car and found the problem was fixed.. I later replaced the k&n with a Motorcraft filter and called it a day. I never had the same problem while I owned the car. The oil from the filter got sucked into the intake and all over the sensor causing my problem.

Like stated by others, save your money and buy a factory replacement filter.

[JawjaPorsche]

Good Advice from people who know. Thank you so much for saving me money as well as grief! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[biosurfer1]

"If you're measuring HP using intake noise levels, the increase is huge."

Quote of the Year so far

[Elliot Cannon]

K&N filters suck. That's why nobody uses them. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

[SirAndy]

"If you're measuring HP using intake noise levels, the increase is huge."

Quote of the Year so far

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[Randal]

Here is another data point.

When we were dyno-ing my race engine in LA at Roger Crawford's place both Roger and Neil Harvey asked Paul and I to take off the K&N air filters and see the HP difference.

We took them off and did a pull and it made no difference in HP or torque whatsoever.

So what this told me is that a K&N filter doesn't really filter much; protection is likely compromised. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[somd914]

I've replaced some filthy filters in the past and never felt a sizeable change with a fresh filter.

If your curious, pick a dustless day such as after a rain, remove the filter (can put screen over the intake to keep from sucking in something large like a bug) then go for a short spin and see if you feel a difference.

Now I do believe a complete intake replacement with a cone filter could make a difference, but not a drop in filter replacement IMO.

[Elliot Cannon]

Does anyone really believe changing your brand of air cleaner will truly increase horse power? It might increase horse power if your current filter hasn't been changed since you bought the car. It will increase horse power if your current filter is hopelessly clogged. Advertizing is decieving as hell. Many of K&N adds say their product is "designed" to increase horse power but does it? Probably not. I've had K&N air filters on my car for 25000 miles. They do a great job of filtering the air. Any increas in horse power (if any) is hardly noticeable.

[DBCooper]

Krusty is like a national resource, isn't he? Dude is SO consistent... and right more often than not... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

[JawjaPorsche]

Krusty is like a national resource, isn't he? Dude is SO consistent... and right more often than not... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

Krusty knows 914's. We are lucky to have him on this forum. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[ellisor3]

I added up all the horsepower increases all of my bolt-ons claimed and I have a 534 hp 3.2 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

[charliew]

Every hot rod I have had has had a k&n filter but I always kept them clean and they are all low mileage motors. I have decided that when you raise the output of a motor by increasing the airflow through it, it will not last as long as a plain jane strreet driver also only a few times have I ever seen very much visible dust to be concerned when I drive one of them. My main concern is getting enough cfm through the filter and that it is a filter. Really I have never dynoed any of my motors with or without a filter but I'm sure to be a good filter there has to be a restriction. Maybe the next guy that dynos his car will check it out.

MY son called k&n about the cone filter we have in his airbox on his sti, they guy said it wasn't big enough to support the hp he is trying to make. Making a new airbox and getting a bigger filter in the engine compartment is a challenge on the suby.

A long time ago when I was searching turbos I found this: 1 hp = 1.45 cfm
I have a flow bench that will go up to 600 cfm but I haven't made the effort to make a adapter to mount a filter on it.

On the air flow sensor, a lot of people that hot rod use speed density so the oil in the airway won't be as much concern.