K&N Air Filter?

In my direct experience (on a turbo diesel engine) they let more fine dust through than the stock paper filter.

Whether or not you use one is up to you. I will never use one again.

More money, more restrictive air flow, more dirt getting through. Sure, K&N is a great deal.....for K&N. I don't think you would destroy your engine using a K&N, but why pay extra for it? More noise does not equate to more power. Your money is better spent on other things, even fuzzy dice for the mirror!

I replaced the K&N filter that was on my truck with a paper filter when I bought it because it hadn't been cleaned as thoroughly or as frequently as it should have been. It had crud down in the pleats that looked like mud. I use K&N filters on all my bikes and have never had any issues. Just be aware that they do need cleaning, and thorough cleaning.

If the paper filters aren't outrageously priced I use them. I use the K&N filters on my bikes mostly because a stock air filter generally runs around $40 or more. Cheaper to clean and reuse the K&N.

Stories of destroyed engines are exaggerated, anecdotal, and subject to interpretation (oh wait, its on the Internet! It must be true! Bonjour!). I have yet to read one where someone was able to definitively show that it was the K&N filter that caused it. Keep in mind that the dirt measurements are measured in parts per million. Under normal highway use and oiled and cleaned properly a K&N is no more going to destroy your engine than towing a trailer will. The body of your truck will disintegrate before you kill the engine with a K&N. I had a '95 'Burb that had a K&N on it when I bough it. My dad has that truck now, and with 190k on it the engine is still running like a kitten.

However, the gains from a K&N on a modern computer controlled engine are marginal at best. If you get your PCM tuned, and if you put on other mods like a cat back exhaust, you might see enough gains to pay you back in a couple of years. In other words, a K&N on a modern engine is a waste of money. They look cool though!

Just go with the paper filter as that's what the manufacturer tuned the computer to use. Modern paper filters have far better air flow than they did 20 years ago.

TravelsWithCharly wrote:
I would recommend this reading. It addresses exactly what you are asking.

http://killerbeeperformance.com/download/intakes/INTAKES.pdf

http://killerbeeperformance.com

X2 - this article is informative AND HILARIOUS! From my 45 years of mechanical experience, I think he knows what he's talking about.

When I bought my Expy used, the seller included a K&N intake (he had removed it because the dealer scared him about voiding his warranty). I decided not to use it due to increased noise and the benefit was so tiny (about 3.5% increase in HP at 4,000 RPM) that it wasn't worth the effort to install and maintain it.

I would recommend this reading. It addresses exactly what you are asking.

http://killerbeeperformance.com/download/intakes/INTAKES.pdf

http://killerbeeperformance.com

I`ve had mine now for 7 years on my X and have no issues! it will be louder under half to full throttle. not sure on mileage gains as that is not why I have it. I like it for the ease of cleaning the filter and for the increased flow it allows. I even have a drop in replacement in my minivan and have run them in the past with never any issues!

The people that have had issues usually are also the ones that don`t maintain their stuff! they just think they can put them in and forget about everything! the ones with the destroyed engines also probably have the oil changed less often.

Jayco23FB - you will find lots of opinions on K&N here, and most of them not favourable. If you want a more balanced viewpoint, look elsewhere. You can PM me if you want my experiences - flat panel or CAI.

Just understand that, as with many things on the Interwebs, there are so many variables that cannot be proved or disproved as to render most of the information useless.

Last thing I would say is that people who find the K&Ns useful probably have better things to do than tout their virtues especially since K&N pays them zero dollars for advertising their product.

Do a quick Google search for K&N engine dusting and you'll find lits of evidence of destroyed engines.