Air filter?!? More power?!

[DRS]

$40k GT500 engine.. Correction

 

[WowCool]

If anything is fitted as per factory or dealer the Warranty is OK..
If you fit something not manufacturer authorized your Warranty should you need to claim might well be in question depending on the problem...
Particles in the engine inlet system or scored bores might well Null & Void your Manufacturers Warranty.. If you have the original intake/filters the issue will be on their shoulders. If you have an aftermarket unit fitted it's On your shoulders.
The power increase is minimal & possibly only in the mind of the beholder.
I'm sure someone is going to say they have a vehicle with umpteen millions of miles & no issues using an aftermarket intake assembly, great..
But what about the guy whose engine did give problems after an aftermarket upgrade? with a Null & Void Warranty he/she is probably completing a Get-A-Loan application as you read this.. It may or may not be a Hyundai, he/she may not know of Forums.. Nothing is for Free ...

 

[Fast55]

Why we're back to K&N sucks VS a stock filter I don't know. This ISO test confirms what we already know, a K&N is FAR less restrictive than a stock filter, period. Does it filter as well as a highly restrictive paper filter? No. Does it need to? This is the question, and being in a line of work that deals with air flow, filtering, and flow efficiencies, my experience is no, it does not.

First, you have to realize that many of these "tests" are sponsored by manufacturers (GM in particular), that want to continue to sell you new AC Delco filters. Second, this test, while very scientific and controlled, in no way replicates the actual conditions a filter operates under, in any car or truck.

It's like the nitrogen VS air in the tires argument. If there truly was no advantage, would race cars and aircraft have nitrogen in their tires??

Is it worth it? That's up to you, but if you were going for a mileage record, I would say to use the stock filter and run synthetic oil at low mileage change intervals. Me? I've used K&N on cars, trucks, and motorcycles that were retired with a boat load of miles running these filters and still ran great. My old Land Cruiser was at 200K plus when it was sold and had great compression, burned no oil, etc. I'd say it probably saw worse conditions than any car anyone here has ever owned.

Now the OP's question was: Do you get more power from a filter like a K&N? Filter alone, most times no as I said, but other times yes, it's proven for some applications. The real power comes from a complete intake setup that usually requires tuning on modern FI cars and that's not happening for us.

So it goes back to, is it worth it? As a power adder, no. To save money over the life of the car? It depends on how long you keep it and whether or not you enjoy being "hands on". Just remember proper cleaning and oiling is everything.

 

[DRS]

Fast 55 agreed... Again, I mention that Ford puts them on as factory designs. In their highest performance cars. If the K&N filters (and their peers) were so bad, why would Ford and other OEM put them on at the factory? So all this "factory OEM only" talk, may have merit, but is not absolute.

 

[brfatal]

I come from Subarus. The filters gain nothing at all. Certainly not enough to be measurable. And on some newer Subarus a K&N filter alone can throw off tuning. I'm not sure how a panel filter would do that, but it's been verified.

I'm not saying they are bad, it's just hardly a "performance mod". The 2 big downsides to these are that on car running of MAF sensors the oil from the filter can coat the sensors and the fact that K&Ns really aren't that great at filtering anyways.

 

[Jbo]

Dad's 57 Chebby 283 powerpack, 4bbl, and dual exhst had an oil bath air cleaner...may that added to power??

 

[Cobra]

Dad's 57 Chebby 283 powerpack, 4bbl, and dual exhst had an oil bath air cleaner...may that added to power??

Thanks alot for all the replies Guys, i wish i can answer all of you one buy one but i really have limited time.. Thanks in advance

 

[dg_moore]

Thanks alot for all the replies Guys, i wish i can answer all of you one buy one but i really have limited time.. Thanks in advance

You seem to have plenty of time to post questions

 

[shagnat]

I have no need for a $50 filter plus $19 cleaning/re-oiling supplies and the PIA to have to clean it when I can buy a $17 OEM filter which does just as well if */not better and it takes me less than 60 seconds start to finish.

No waiting for it to dry..... no waiting for it to soak in and (cure)? IOW, NO waiting.

I drive maybe 8K/yr and have no need for a K&N. I used to run K&N filters on my motorcycles and found they were more of a hassle than help. Now, I must admit with my 4 carbs on my bike, I did get a performance boost as I was flowing more air, but, with those exposed cones and when it would rain, the rain would just clog up the filter and my bikes wouldn't run worth a hoot. So, that was maybe 35 yrs ago and that was and will be my very last K&N.

If you like 'em, buy 'em...... otherwise a good old standard folded OEM filter is fine for 99% of us IMHO.

 

[genesis20]

Guys... Ford and other OEM use K and N or similar as Factory installs. Yes, I said it.. And they do it. Check the Boss 302, or the GT500 or the Ford GT two seat. And the SVT Focus..

And GM has used these as OEM. And all of them offer the full systems as OEM certified aftermarket dealer installs.

So, all the crap back and forth means nothing. The $40k GT500, putting out 650 factory HP engine works just fine and does not ingest too much dirt with its factory aluminum throttle body and cone design K&N CAI... Installed by Union craftsmen, hand signing each engine.

I have a new CORVETTE and my son has a new BOSS 302 and neither one has a K&N filter. What am I missing here?

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[osprey]

I will tell you what you are missing, lots of dirt getting into your engine.

Forums on every car site discuss this.
K&N might have been good in the 60-70's.
But engineers now do such extensive studies for free hp and efficiency that the filters now are pretty much unbeatable.
Research engineer on the corvette forum told us the flow and cleaning is better on stock by far.
I do not believe the Mustangs use K&N filters. Maybe ones that look like them but they are not k&N, no oiling, etc.
The K&N filters are all marketing now. To get more air in, you have to let the dirt in like K&N does.
Plus the oil is very bad for your sensors.

Do the real research.

 

[OneFunGenesis]

K&N Oiled filter = Destroyed MAF = $500+ repair.

 

[DRS]

The Boss in car mags, and one in dealer that had a factory track set up had the K&N. anyway, I am not a Kool-aid drinker for these things.