How To Get Cleaner Air from a K&N Air Filter

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  stever Guest Posts: 52,454

  September 2011

  I'd rather use disposable paper filters and not mess with oiling, refill kits and the risk of messing up a sensor.

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  fishoutofwater Member Posts: 1

  January 2012

  This level of maintenance is expected of an untrained grunt straight out of boot-camp to keep mission-essential equipment running. If you've ever cleaned even your vacuum filter then this shouldn't be difficult for you.

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  dartyvagrant Member Posts: 0

  September 2013

  IN RESPONSE TO “TIPS TO INCREASE ENGINE LIFE”:
  
  I find all the hype surrounding K&N air filters very misleading at best, fraudulent at worst, for the most part. An oiled gauze filter is nothing new. When I had a BSA motorcycle dealership back in the late 60’s, the (British) bikes came with oiled gauze filters. Their construction was virtually identical to today’s K&N filters. At that time, most owners changed to “Filtron” filters, a green oiled foam type filter. It was universally recognized the oiled gauze filters were woefully inefficient.
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  Fast foreword to the current filter market. The oiled gauze filters are back! Many tests have proven the K&N filters to be a VERY POOR choice. The Honda Ridgeline club (most recently) performed tests comparing a Delco pleated paper filter to a K&N. The paper filter allowed .4 grams of silicate material (to wit: dirt) to pass through. The K&N allowed a WHOPPING 7.0 grams. In addition, the paper filter was capable of retaining 573.9 grams of silicate (dirt), the K&N was limited to retaining 122.6 grams.
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  This post is in response to the “Tips to Increase Engine Life” subject. The common consensus is that a K&N filter can increase engine wear 10% over that of a quality pleated paper filter. I expect to be inundated by K&N filter aficionados arguing in support of their screed-door / cotton filters. Facts are facts. K&N defends the fact a person may view openings right through a K&N filter media with their “micronic invisible oily hairs” nonsense. Bottom line, maximum engine life is achieved with a good pleated paper air filter.
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  The claim by K&N that their filters become more efficient as they collect debris is quite telling. Of course, as soon as the 10 to 20 micron holes get plugged, there are increasingly smaller holes remaining. As a K&N filter nears complete blockage, it approached the efficiency of the OEM paper filters. By that time the engine is struggling for air.
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  I can’t argue with the profound popularity and seeming legitimacy of K&N filters. I also remember the “mothballs in the gas tank”, “magnets on the gas line”, and now the HHO nonsense. Popularity and widespread use of a product may be generated by massive and continuous advertising, in spite of its legitimate merits.

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