K&N Air Filter Question...Would you?
09-29-2017, 08:23 AM
#21
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St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15- '16-'17-‘18-‘19-'20-'21
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That is your opinion. Now I ask you to back it up with actual hard copy relating to the engine damage you toute. We are discussing the use of an oiled free flow filter on an internal combustion engine, not the long term effects of inhaling heated carcinogens on the soft tissue of one's lungs. Do I run one ? No, but not for your stated reasons. The hp gain in the lower rpm range is negligible. One only need look at the published dyno runs on K&N's web site. Also, the oiled version can cause issues with the MAF sensor if over oiled. We went through this in the C6 gen and GM started denying related warranty claims. It is the primary reason I removed my Haltech. Have a great weekend.
09-29-2017, 06:23 PM
#22
The car has a five year warranty, Won't put enough miles to worry, will not keep it long enough to worry about it. Get one or don't, won't be a problem, looking too deep into it. Bigger problem would be intake port and intake valve coking.
09-29-2017, 07:58 PM
#23
Actually it's a very good analogy. The damage caused by an inefficient air filter letting very small dirt particles into the engine air flow that cause wear damage slowly is similar to the damage that cigarette smoke causes to the body. Both cause damage slowly and over a long period of time.
And it's not that I don't like K&N filters, I don't like filters that are, or anything that is, essentially a con job. The performance increase attributed to all the "performance" air filters on the market is negligible and the damage they cause to an engine is real.
Advertising for cigarettes was also a con job. Originally they were advertised as being a "health benefit". And we now see how that worked out.
And it's not that I don't like K&N filters, I don't like filters that are, or anything that is, essentially a con job. The performance increase attributed to all the "performance" air filters on the market is negligible and the damage they cause to an engine is real.
Advertising for cigarettes was also a con job. Originally they were advertised as being a "health benefit". And we now see how that worked out.
#stoma
09-29-2017, 08:17 PM
#25
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St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
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I have been using K&N for years in my Corvettes, never have problem with them.
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JerryU (09-30-2017)
09-29-2017, 08:20 PM
#26
I use a K&N on my Cobra because I needed a custom sized filter at just the right height so I could close the hood. But for my C7, I plan to use OEM parts and filters. The HP gain from a K&N is small to zero, and I prefer the filtration of an OEM-spec'd paper filter.
09-30-2017, 09:39 AM
#27
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St. Jude Donor '07-'08,-'13-'14, '16-'17
IMO...generally speaking K&N makes good products.I have them in every car of mine(except the C7) and have for the past 20+ years.Never a problem in over 500k miles.
I was one of the testers of the BMS filter and chose to stick with it.
The OE filter is made in Thailand and IMO,the quality is not as good as it should be on a $50K+ car like the Vette.
Others may agree or disagree and that's fine.Just my observation of comparing the 3 side by side.
In the group pic,White=BMS,Yellow=OE and Red=K&N.
\db2
I was one of the testers of the BMS filter and chose to stick with it.
The OE filter is made in Thailand and IMO,the quality is not as good as it should be on a $50K+ car like the Vette.
Others may agree or disagree and that's fine.Just my observation of comparing the 3 side by side.
In the group pic,White=BMS,Yellow=OE and Red=K&N.
\db2
Only thing I would add to the K&N question - good filter, has been for years - Wrap
it in newspaper for half a day before installing, they tend to be over oiled from the factory...
Regards
Chip
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Last edited by CCA Corvette Parts; 09-30-2017 at 09:41 AM.
09-30-2017, 10:06 AM
#28
Le Mans Master
TKO Attack Blue dry nanofiber for me. Washable and considerably larger than the cheap looking/feeling OE, which is sitting in my basement pile-o-parts.
09-30-2017, 12:34 PM
#30
Le Mans Master
Do you use or would you use a K&N engine air filter?
My concern with using a K&N filter is in order to increase air flow the filter has to be thinner in order to create increased airflow (simple physics) and to compensate for it being a thinner material they "oil" the filter in order to create what K&N calls "stickiness". So my "gut" is telling me the GM filter provides the cleanest air to the engine of the two. I should note K&N filters use cotton fabric vs. paper material.
The reason I am thinking about going with K&N is I can buy a K&N filter for $65.95 vs. $101.50 for the stock OEM filter from the dealership. And yes, I know the K&N filler can be cleaned/washed but you also have to buy their oil to re-coat the filter.
Thoughts/comments?
My concern with using a K&N filter is in order to increase air flow the filter has to be thinner in order to create increased airflow (simple physics) and to compensate for it being a thinner material they "oil" the filter in order to create what K&N calls "stickiness". So my "gut" is telling me the GM filter provides the cleanest air to the engine of the two. I should note K&N filters use cotton fabric vs. paper material.
The reason I am thinking about going with K&N is I can buy a K&N filter for $65.95 vs. $101.50 for the stock OEM filter from the dealership. And yes, I know the K&N filler can be cleaned/washed but you also have to buy their oil to re-coat the filter.
Thoughts/comments?
Best overall compromise is just to stay with the stock filter...There is so much surface area with the stock configuration, aftermarket filter probably makes very little difference in performance anyway.
I also like WIX filters and the WIX wa10171 costs about $60.
Last edited by TEXHAWK0; 09-30-2017 at 12:44 PM.
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Maxie2U (09-30-2017)
12-17-2017, 12:55 PM
#32
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I was thinking of using a K&N in my C6, after racking up 120K miles in an Aurora and 100K miles in a Caddy with no apparent ill effects. However, there appears to have been some 'real' research done on air filters and I'll quote first briefly from that, before indicating the link to the site:
"In 60 minutes the AC Filter accumulated 574gms of dirt and passed only 0.4gms. After only 24 minutes the K&N had accumulated 221gms of dirt but passed 7.0gms. Compared to the AC, the K&N “plugged up” nearly 3 times faster, passed 18 times more dirt and captured 37% less dirt. See the data tables for a complete summary of these comparisons."
Admittedly, the test was for diesel engine filters, but I don't think the filter technology is any different compared to gas, so I'm going with the results. I'm not after short term gain (if there is any), for long term pain.
The article starts of a bit wordy, but read on
http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/kn-vs-oem-filter.html
"In 60 minutes the AC Filter accumulated 574gms of dirt and passed only 0.4gms. After only 24 minutes the K&N had accumulated 221gms of dirt but passed 7.0gms. Compared to the AC, the K&N “plugged up” nearly 3 times faster, passed 18 times more dirt and captured 37% less dirt. See the data tables for a complete summary of these comparisons."
Admittedly, the test was for diesel engine filters, but I don't think the filter technology is any different compared to gas, so I'm going with the results. I'm not after short term gain (if there is any), for long term pain.
The article starts of a bit wordy, but read on
http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/kn-vs-oem-filter.html
12-17-2017, 01:42 PM
#33
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Thanks Fats, I've been preaching the superiority of the stock filter for years.
12-17-2017, 08:12 PM
#34
Burning Brakes
I ran K&N filter on my supercharged Mustang for 100,000 miles with samples to Blackstone at every oil change. Silicon was always 10- 12 and no issues.
I changed the filter and cleaned the MAF every spring as part of my spring track prep.
I used 2 filters. I would clean and oil the one I took out and wrap it in plastic bag. then take the one cleaned and oiled from the year before out of its storage bag and use that one.
Figured if I over oiled it, the excess would evaporate some over the year.And cleaning the MAF was a breeze in the Cobra.
Probably not necessary but it worked and gave me confidence and piece of mind.
Still undecided about oiled or paper filter on the Vette. Doesn't look near as easy to work on as the Mustang. and I'm not as interested in getting every last ounce of power out of the Stingray.
I changed the filter and cleaned the MAF every spring as part of my spring track prep.
I used 2 filters. I would clean and oil the one I took out and wrap it in plastic bag. then take the one cleaned and oiled from the year before out of its storage bag and use that one.
Figured if I over oiled it, the excess would evaporate some over the year.And cleaning the MAF was a breeze in the Cobra.
Probably not necessary but it worked and gave me confidence and piece of mind.
Still undecided about oiled or paper filter on the Vette. Doesn't look near as easy to work on as the Mustang. and I'm not as interested in getting every last ounce of power out of the Stingray.