Its again time to clean & reoil my K & N Air filter in my Ford Class'A'. I have plenty of the cleaner, but not enough of the oil. Don't want to spend $15 for a new K&N 'Reoil' kit. Anyone know what grade/Type/weight oil K&N uses? It almost looks like transmission fluid to me.:h

If your going to use that filter I would suggest you use the K&N oil. Just for the fun of it, google air filter comparisons. K&N falls either dead last or nearly dead last in all tests. Be careful with that expensive engine.

hershey wrote:If your going to use that filter I would suggest you use the K&N oil. Just for the fun of it, google air filter comparisons. K&N falls either dead last or nearly dead last in all tests. Be careful with that expensive engine.X2

robsouth wrote:hershey wrote:If your going to use that filter I would suggest you use the K&N oil. Just for the fun of it, google air filter comparisons. K&N falls either dead last or nearly dead last in all tests. Be careful with that expensive engine.X2X3.I was K&N user but there's way too much info on the poor filtering of this product to risk a costly engine on.

ScottG wrote:robsouth wrote:hershey wrote:If your going to use that filter I would suggest you use the K&N oil. Just for the fun of it, google air filter comparisons. K&N falls either dead last or nearly dead last in all tests. Be careful with that expensive engine.X2X3.I was K&N user but there's way too much info on the poor filtering of this product to risk a costly engine on.Yep, run don't walk to the nearest garbage can and toss the K & N. Then go buy a pleated paper filter and be done with cleaning and oiling a dirt injestor.

hershey wrote:If your going to use that filter I would suggest you use the K&N oil. Just for the fun of it, google air filter comparisons. K&N falls either dead last or nearly dead last in all tests. Be careful with that expensive engine.Hmm..., thats interesting. Have a combined 450k miles on 3 5.9 cummins with that filter. One of them has 250k of those miles with 240k of them being on K&N. Not planning on rebuilding yet and no issues that I am aware of due to the filter.Use the K&N Oil, to these other folks point I would not trust that filter mechanism without exactly following the manufacturers instructions.

K & N Air filter Oil type? | Good Sam Community

29 Replies

mustangglp
Explorer
Nov 02, 2013
In 1987 I worked as a fleet mechanic for a ATV rental
we had ten brand new 250 quad racers. K&N gave us ten filters to try less then a month later I was overhauling ten quad racer engine's!
If you can see day light though a filter its not going to stop sand and dust!
Huntindog
Explorer
Oct 31, 2013
NinerBikes wrote:
Arlen Spicer Lab tests for air filter ability.

You can BS some of the people, some of the time, but when a lab with no dog in the hunt does a standard test and post results like this, then we end up with Queen of Denial shade tree service mechanics. Sorry boys, the numbers, and graphs don't lie. K&N sucks dirt like a Hoover, and dumps it inside your motor. Paper is where it's at, ask any shop manager for farming equipment or mining equipment, where harvest time and keeping equipment running makes or breaks the bottom line with down time and maintenance.

As I said before, the K&N is not as simple to get good service out of as the typical drop in and forget it paper filters.
The instructions that come with the K&N state that in fine dust conditions, the dust will wick the oil out of the cotton media. It will need to have more oil applied. I drive a LOT of dusty roads, and have found that several light reapplications are necessary. But at some point, depending on conditions the need to reapply stops.
This can be tricky on a truck with a map sensor, as there is a tendency to want to apply too much oil at one time.
I personally have never had a issue with this, but many have.

My first K&N filter has about 300K since the last time I did any type of service on it. I have checked the restriction with a tester many times... It has always passed easily.. This filter as upsized considerably over stock, so that accounts for a lot of it. But I am certain a paper filter would have needed many replacements over the same mileage.

This test, which I have seen before doesn't retreat the K&N at all. Therefore, it's poor performance was predictable.

Of course many will say that they don't think that this "maintainence" of the K&N should be necessary.... Well it is. So those people just shouldn't use one.
FlatBroke
Explorer II
Oct 29, 2013
NinerBikes wrote:
Arlen Spicer Lab tests for air filter ability.

You can BS some of the people, some of the time, but when a lab with no dog in the hunt does a standard test and post results like this, then we end up with Queen of Denial shade tree service mechanics. Sorry boys, the numbers, and graphs don't lie. K&N sucks dirt like a Hoover, and dumps it inside your motor. Paper is where it's at, ask any shop manager for farming equipment or mining equipment, where harvest time and keeping equipment running makes or breaks the bottom line with down time and maintenance.

Amen brother! In almost 30 years of servicing ATV's and motorcycles I found enough dirt behind K & N's in the intake I could have started a turnip farm. :)
NinerBikes
Explorer
Oct 29, 2013
Arlen Spicer Lab tests for air filter ability.

You can BS some of the people, some of the time, but when a lab with no dog in the hunt does a standard test and post results like this, then we end up with Queen of Denial shade tree service mechanics. Sorry boys, the numbers, and graphs don't lie. K&N sucks dirt like a Hoover, and dumps it inside your motor. Paper is where it's at, ask any shop manager for farming equipment or mining equipment, where harvest time and keeping equipment running makes or breaks the bottom line with down time and maintenance.
Huntindog
Explorer
Oct 25, 2013
Use the proper oil. About the only thing that ATF has in common with the K&N oil is that they are both red.
I have at least 500K, probably over 600K on two trucks using K&N filters.
NO problems. Not even on the 2001 Dmax that so many had map sensor issues on when using the K&Ns.

The K&Ns DO require more effort and attention to detail for good service than the typical drop in throw away paper filters do.

For that reason most probably should stick with the paper filters. They are pretty hard to screw up.
dddire
Explorer
Oct 25, 2013
Funniest thread I've read here ever.
timmac
Explorer
Oct 25, 2013
Jeez one person makes a thread about the K/N filter oil and he gets a ear full of how it does not work and it should be tossed in the trash and go back to the paper filter..

I have the Banks air cleaner on mine, same as K/N, the oil and cleaner can be found in most any auto parts store, and as to the filter quality I find it to be good if you service it once a year unlike the 25-50,000 miles I here.

Just serviced mine a month ago and the air intake tube behind the filter was very clean, no dust what so ever, however I have a whole new filter box, not the cheap one installed by Ford that leaks air, the Banks complete filter and box is better then the stock box with a K/N filter or paper filter.
JIMNLIN
Explorer III
Oct 25, 2013
jolooote wrote:
Its again time to clean & reoil my K & N Air filter in my Ford Class'A'. I have plenty of the cleaner, but not enough of the oil. Don't want to spend $15 for a new K&N 'Reoil' kit. Anyone know what grade/Type/weight oil K&N uses? It almost looks like transmission fluid to me.:h

I see the air filter oil bottles in Autozone and Oriellys near me for 6-7 bucks. I would use the correct oil.
I put a OEM K&N on a '90 2500 5.7 chevy truck when new. Ran it for over 235k miles and 17 years. No issues other than a broken RH exhaust manifold and a tranny overhaul at 180k miles. Guess the K&N did them in.
I always kept a bottle of K&N air filter oil on hand. Lots of auto parts stores and even a Walmart carried it at one time.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Oct 25, 2013
Gdetrailer wrote:
fj12ryder wrote:
Lynnmor wrote:
dddire wrote:

If wet filters are so bad, I wonder why most of my bikes have all come from the factory with them???? lol

If paper filters are so bad, I wonder why all your cars and trucks came with them?
One word: cheap.

:h

I don't care who you are but that's just plain FUNNY.

So let me get this straight.. the K$N COSTS more than a paper filter.. Therefore the K$N MUST be better?

It HAS been proven many times over and over that in THIS case a K$N filter IS NOT better, in fact paper filters have been shown FAR superior in FLOW AND DIRT control.

Perhaps you care to put YOUR K$N and motor up for a test?

Try sanding some drywall compound, collect the compound dust and TOSS the dust INTO YOUR K$N filter with YOUR engine running. Shouldn't be a problem if you are correct? Afterall drywall dust is about .6 microns in size...

Perhaps you could try wood ash? Wood ash is about .4 microns in size...

If that test passes then perhaps try CEMENT dust? After all CEMENT dust is about .3 microns and surely your K$N will catch all of that?

Do you realize that THE BEST HEPA filters are made of pleated paper? HEPA filters MUST be able to filter out .3 microns AND SMALLER...

I have for YEARS used shop vacs which use PAPER pleated filters that I have no problems sweeping up DRYWALL dust, wood ash dust and yes cement dust. I have as of yet ever found any of that dust make it past the filter and into the motor.

I could make millions if I took your thought and ran with it. I could simply buy a paper pleated filter at $10, repackage it with a bunch of unsubstantiated marketing claims (like K$N), mark it up to $50 and sell it to you as a superior product...

Not EVERYTHING that is more expensive "better" than the lesser priced item...

The old adage applies here about how can you tell a salesman is lying?

Answer is when he moves his lips...
I'm sorry, but I didn't notice that I said I use a K&N filter. I don't, I use a paper filter. The question was why do cars come with paper filters, and the answer is "They are cheap". I didn't say they were bad, I said they were cheap.

Don't get your panties in such a bunch.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Oct 24, 2013
I am unbelievably frugal and merely "lube" the gasket sealing system with the electrolytic grease. But boy do I appreciate your heads-up on this. Thank you!

The last thing I want to do is allow the engine to give itself a ring and valve job. You know the philosophy "Bigger Bore More Power" Less Tension On The Rings Less Friction.

But I can't find a Turbo Tornado Air Turbulator down here - you know the one that spins intake air into F-5 category and saves so much gas sooner or later the tank will overflow?

I ripped the muffler off on a speed bump several years ago leaving nothing in the exhaust but the catalyst muffler. Went that way for two months. I keep meticulous records of gasoline consumption over almost empty roadway with no wind and temps that do not vary more than 2-3C

The economy did not change even point one .1 mpg. Tough to determine power as the roar overwhelmed all other senses. It seemed the same.

But let the tire pressure degrade due to slow leakage and WOW!

Maybe I didn't stare at the swinging pocket watch long enough...

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K & N Air filter Oil type?

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