To K&N or not to K&N

[Topgun514]

My initial thoughts are no- after reading much about desert travel (I enjoy going to moab) can destroy your jeeps engine with one of these.

This is the box style, not cone. Going into a stock airbox with a hole cut in the side.

Thoughts?

I know this has been talked about tons but I want some jeep feelings on this?

[Root Moose]

I won't run a K&N on an off-road vehicle. Debatable on a on-road vehicle.

[Topgun514]

Dust and water?

[Xodius]

I had a K&N on my KJ and after about 2 years I took it off and checked the TB and it was filthy. So off it came an no more problems since. I try to stay away from them now.

[PolarXJ]

One was in my XJ when I bought it. I've cleaned the TB mutli times since I've owned it. What would be a good alternative to get the benefits of the K&N but not have to worry running it in the dessert?

[kc0tma]

My initial thoughts are no- after reading much about desert travel (I enjoy going to moab) can destroy your jeeps engine with one of these.

I'm also going to say NO! but from the opposite end of the spectrum-water. I have one on my XJ and hydrolocked my engine earlier this year, I think if I had the stock air box instead of the FIPK I wouldn't have sucked in nearly as much water and might have gotten through. Open element air filters of any kind really have no place on a vehicle unless it will never leave the pavement.

[Backwoods Rambler]

:ylsmoke: Thread: Mods you wouldn't do again (http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/search.php?searchid=3483865)

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: Well I live (sometimes) in the Nevada desert and I would never use an oil impregnated air filter--trouble

I use the K&N oil filter cause it's perfect for the JKU

Just get FRAM #10348 air filter for $13 bucks and changem when you want to !!

:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO

[Maximus Ram]

Yep..ran a k&n in the Dodge for years. Read some real life expierences with them an dthe instances with dust. Changed to a napa auto gold filter. Dodge seemed to run and breathe better the last time going to Yosemite.
Still need to change out the one in the XJ.

[Stumpalump]

K&N is the best filter for dust if you add oil to it. From the factory they are reatively dry to max out air flow and HP. I run them on everything with extra oil and I think they rule. I've been using them on and off road for 20 years and the one I put in the wifes car got extra oil and I siliconed the airbox shut. I'll never ever touch it again. As the dirt builds the oil wicks out onto it and then the dirt itself is a sticky oil covered particle that collects the next piece of dust. Buy a can of oil and oil them up and you will see no dust getting past them or dusty oil covered crap on your MAP sensor.

[winkosmosis]

No, nothing but bunk for people who don't know any better or get their automotive knowledge from shows on Spike. They let through 45x as much dirt as paper filters.

http://forums.nicoclub.com/debunking-the-k-n-myth-why-oem-is-better-t180100.html

http://www.nicoclub.com/articles/images/kn-v-oem-3.jpg

[wjeeper]

winkosmosis thanks for that link! Made for an interesting read for sure.

I too had a K&N before I knew any better and like the others I either got dust past the filter or oiled the filter too much and killed an expensive MAF sensor.

I have always said if the K&N filters are so magical why does no car manufacturer use them? There is dang good reason!:snorkel:

[halpeters]

K&N filters are at best a waste of money for a Jeep, and at worst going to damage or accelerate engine wear.

The purpose of the K&N filter is to increase air flow through the engine to increase power output. This is good for race cars, but for any engine, the effect will only be of benefit at full throttle. How often do you drive at full throttle in a Jeep? not very often...

So - waste of money, for no benifit, and high risk....

just my thoughts.

[CJ7nvrstk]

Am gonna step out on a limb here. (Flame suit on)

I have been running the K&N filter element in the stock airbox of multiple different vehicles here in the desert for many years and not had ANY problems with them. To those that say it will allow more dirt in and damage the engine, I have yet to see that. Even on an F150 with 180k miles on it and NO problems.

For those that say the added air flow is off no benefit, I say bull. Here is something I want you to try: duct tape your mouth closed and shove a cotton ball up one nostril then go run 5K. AFTER you do that, and that means only after, come back on here and post that you noticed no difference between that 5k run and any other. You won't because there is a difference throughout the rpm range.

[winkosmosis]

Am gonna step out on a limb here. (Flame suit on)

I have been running the K&N filter element in the stock airbox of multiple different vehicles here in the desert for many years and not had ANY problems with them. To those that say it will allow more dirt in and damage the engine, I have yet to see that. Even on an F150 with 180k miles on it and NO problems.


How would you know whether there's more wear on the engine from the additional dirt that IS getting in? A lot of people will say they haven't had any problems... Is that good enough reason to do unnecessary harm to your engine?



For those that say the added air flow is off no benefit, I say bull. Here is something I want you to try: duct tape your mouth closed and shove a cotton ball up one nostril then go run 5K. AFTER you do that, and that means only after, come back on here and post that you noticed no difference between that 5k run and any other. You won't because there is a difference throughout the rpm range.But except at full throttle, the throttle plate is restricting flow purposely. So the only time you benefit from the freer flow is at full throttle

[CJ7nvrstk]

Winko-Maybe there is more wear on the motor with the K&N. Though with 180K mile on a great running F150 and 140K on a Mustang I would have to say that from my experience that additional wear is negligible. Furthermore, doncha think there are tolerances that are required for these filtration devices mandated by the feds? K&N seems to be approved for that on the direct replacement filters.

How did that 5k run go for you? You didn't do it or you would realize you do get additional airflow at all times. That is how you get improved mileage when running a free flow intake. Maybe I can help you understand it this way. Have you ever noticed that your vehicles have more power at lower elevations? Or on stormy days? Do you understand why? It's d/t increased barometric pressure which is getting more O2 into your cylinder. Now, as stated before, this is throughout the rpm range, not just at full throttle as you falsely claim.

Hope that helps.

[Spikepretorius]

I ran a huge cone shaped K&N on a 4x4 for 14 years. When I sold the truck it was still running sweet and burning clean. The truck died of rust not grit.
If you maintain a K&N according to spec they work just fine.

[ryanhewitt]

...with valid points for both sides. I'm partial to running them. I live in the desert, and have had zero problems.

Now I would like to touch on a point that has not been brought up yet. If your running a non-reusable filter, you're creating trash. I know that the majority of the filter is paper, but there are other components that take a longer time to break down. Not to mention the volume that the filter(s) take up in the landfill.

Considering all the other garbage out there, I know it's probably a very small percent, but it's still there. Stepping off of soapbox.......

[winkosmosis]

I ran a huge cone shaped K&N on a 4x4 for 14 years. When I sold the truck it was still running sweet and burning clean. The truck died of rust not grit.
If you maintain a K&N according to spec they work just fine.

They don't work just fine. They filter much less than a paper filter. You have no way of knowing how much dirt got into the engine or how much wear that caused, but you can be sure it was more than a paper.

Look at the article I linked. The data is right there!

[winkosmosis]

...with valid points for both sides. I'm partial to running them. I live in the desert, and have had zero problems.

Now I would like to touch on a point that has not been brought up yet. If your running a non-reusable filter, you're creating trash. I know that the majority of the filter is paper, but there are other components that take a longer time to break down. Not to mention the volume that the filter(s) take up in the landfill.

Considering all the other garbage out there, I know it's probably a very small percent, but it's still there. Stepping off of soapbox.......

The amount of trash you're adding by throwing away a filter every year is nothing! Think of how much trash you put in bag every week

[winkosmosis]

Winko-Maybe there is more wear on the motor with the K&N. Though with 180K mile on a great running F150 and 140K on a Mustang I would have to say that from my experience that additional wear is negligible. Furthermore, doncha think there are tolerances that are required for these filtration devices mandated by the feds? K&N seems to be approved for that on the direct replacement filters.

How did that 5k run go for you? You didn't do it or you would realize you do get additional airflow at all times. That is how you get improved mileage when running a free flow intake. Maybe I can help you understand it this way. Have you ever noticed that your vehicles have more power at lower elevations? Or on stormy days? Do you understand why? It's d/t increased barometric pressure which is getting more O2 into your cylinder. Now, as stated before, this is throughout the rpm range, not just at full throttle as you falsely claim.

Hope that helps.

More power per throttle opening maybe, but all you have to do is open the throttle more if your filter is slightly more restrictive

[Doctor W]

Sure they let in more air, but........

Two points re. K+N filters:

(1) they let lots more fine particles into engine, these particles accelerate engine wear.

(2) the oil they require deposits on the "hot wires" of air mass sensors and either gives false readings, resulting in poor engine performance or they destroy the very sensitive hot wire sensors.......you can't even use regular electronics cleaner on them!

End analysis: unless you're running K+N filters dry (no oil) in a clean, dust free environment, they are BAD for engines!

[Mr. D]

:lurk: I am running an airaid cone filter that replaced the entire stock air box, but I did keep that stock airbox.....

[willyswagon]

The first thing I did when I bought my used 08 Rubi was to pull the K&N and put a stock filter back.