K&N in Dodge 1st Gen

Terrainist

Explorer
Wondering if anyone is using a K&N oil bath washable air filter in a 1st generation dodge diesel and how they like it or don't like it. Wondering if anyone has had any problems with them, just in the 1st gen diesels.
 

gahi

Adventurer
pretty sure most guys are staying away from K&N's or any filter like it and going with the BHAF (Big Honkin Air Filter) paper filters. I dont think it will fit in the stock box though. Do a search for them on one of the cummins forums.
 

Rot Box

Explorer
I like K&N's more than a lot of people and I won't run one on any turbo diesel. They let dirt through and that will damage your compressor wheel they also collect dirt and if not cleaned-all the time-the turbo can actually suck in the element. I have seen that one before on a PSD and it wasn't pretty :Wow1:

If you don't mind running without an air box look into the BHAF (big honkin' air filter) with an outerwear. Here is what they look like and they are available at any NAPA or store that carries WIX brand filters. http://www.vulcanperformance.com/product-p/bhaf.htm I LOVED having one on mine and wish that they would fit on my Ford. It seemed to last forever and I dropped EGT's when I switched over to it.
 

ntsqd

Heretic Car Camper
A Cummins driving friend of mine recently told me that Cummins won't honor any warranty claims if the engine has had a K&N filter on it. No idea of his source of info, but he's likely to have researched it.
 

Terrainist

Explorer
Hmm, very interesting info there guys. Put one on a couple months a ago, the rational being not having to buy another air filter again at 40 some odd dollars a pop. Get the 80 dollar K&N and be done with it. However....

Have been reading and hearing some not so good things about them.

Definitely going to look into that BAHF. Err, BHAF, wrong acronym. I'm after super air filtering performance and unrestricted air flow like most. Wish I had looked into it a little bit before getting the K&N. Drat, hate it when I do that.

There might be a slightly used K&N coming up for sale if anyone's interested.
 

bronconut

Observer
We've had quite a few Fords get warranty declined also because of aftermarket filters and dirt ingestion, not to hard to tell when the intake tube is dirty and the turbo vanes are shot.
 

Far far north

New member
I would just drop in one of the new double deep 6.7 air filters from Fleetguard.
Should last a bit longer than the regular ones.
The number is AF27684.
 

redthies

Renaissance Redneck
A friend of mine dusted the Cummins in his 05 with a K&N. That little foul-up cost him almost $10k by the time the shop had a new engine in and running! I have put their drop-in replacement filters in most of my vehicles but will use the BHAF in my next Dodge.
 

Terrainist

Explorer
Thanks for all the information.

I have looked at one of the diesel forums for a couple hours on this subject. A lot of info pertained to modifying the existing setup by removing the fresh air box, running new pipe, installing a big honkin' air filter (BHAF). I'm not real big on modifying anything, just want to make sure I get clean air at a high volume.

If there is a higher performance drop in replacement, no modifications needed, I would be very interested. Thanks for the part number on that Far North, will look into it.

Going to pull the filter and see how it's doing at some point here shortly. Rotate it, wipe the inside of the duct. It's been in there 2-3 months now.

I have found information going both ways on the subject. People running the K&N, having the oil sent to a lab to check for particulates. The oil came back extremely clean. When properly working it seems the K&N does the job. But I would rather have something I don't have to worry about and babysit.

Thanks again for all the information.
 

ntsqd

Heretic Car Camper
What killed oil-wetted gauze filters for me was always finding small grit on the inside of my dune buggy's metal air filter assembly surfaces. Did not matter how little or often I cleaned the filter, did not matter whose cleaning and oiling products I used, did not matter whether I greased the filter elements seals or not, nothing that I could think of to try had any reducing effect on the grit. After realizing that it might be endemic to the basic filter design I started looking at what off highway construction and farm equipment uses for air filtration. Over the years I've kept a loose survey going. I have yet to ever see an oil-wetted gauze filter on any of them. That's pretty telling to me.
I have the air filter assembly from a V6 Fiero set aside for the when the dune buggy's engine finally gets installed in the Baja.
 

Bella PSD

Explorer
Here is a picture of the big paper filter I run in my 7.3. Can't see all of the filter in the picture but you get the idea. Its a Donaldson DuraLite air cleaner #ECB08011. I think this is the same filter the Dodges run.

I run mine for about 20,000 miles and then replace. It still looks fine after 20,000 miles but for $22 I just replace it. I have never had a problem with water and I have had water wakes(splash) up over the hood and roof at times.

picture.php
 

bjowett

Adventurer
I would be very surprised if those showing good oil analysis with a K&N were used in conditions that could even remotely be considered dusty. I have personally seen what K&N filters do to ATV engines used in very dusty conditions. 1200 miles of inadequate filtration does a number on cylinders/pistons/rings, it takes Nikasil coated aluminum cylinders right out.
 

19psi

The Devil Made Me
BHAF is definitely the way to go. Tehy last forever because of the overall size, and they flow a ton of cfm. Plus, they are paper so they filter just like stock. Add an outerwear to it and you'll probably get 4 or 5 years out of it. I know there are guys on cumminsforum at that mark and still don't need to replace it.
 

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