K&N Air Filter vs. Fleetguard?

[chazj]

I have a K&N Air Filter (stock replacement) installed on my truck but what from what I am reading here I might be better going back to Fleetguard as it does a better job "filtering"???? I don't intend to upgrade from the stock design at this time.



Opinions Please... .

 

[Nightram]

Run from the K&N! I know that Ford can and will actually VOID YOUR WARRANTY if you have a K&N air filter and the engine is damaged from debris! Get yourself an AFE Pro-Guard 7, they are excellent filters!

 

[PC12Driver]

Run from the K&N!

Agreed. The drop-in K&N left my turbo and intake boots very dirty. If filtering is what you want, go back to the Fleetguard. For flow and filtering, AFE's Pro Guard-7 (or BHAF - but I have no experience with those so no opinion either way).



Everything is still clean on my truck after 2 years with the AFE.

 

[AFarmer]

AFE is the best and only way to go. Let me know if I can help you out.

 

[blacksheep4x4]

I would go with the new Amsoil EAa filter. And no I'm not saying that because I'm a dealer. I say it because it is the best.

 

[FourBarR]

here we go again re K/N. I have a k/N in mine since new. now have 395000kms. uses no oil between changes at 6000k. when hose is removed there is no oil or dirt present. I have read all the comments regarding this issue and believe a lot of the problems are caused by improper servicing and air leakage around the air box. let the flames begin.

 

[MYeary]

Correct me if Im wrong but unless you are pushing 400hp or more save your money and keep the stock filter

 

[PC12Driver]

here we go again re K/N. I have a k/N in mine since new. now have 395000kms. uses no oil between changes at 6000k. when hose is removed there is no oil or dirt present. I have read all the comments regarding this issue and believe a lot of the problems are caused by improper servicing and air leakage around the air box. let the flames begin.

No flame, just curious. Does yours actually seal inside the airbox? Mine had about an 1/8" gap all the way around. K & N included a tube of grease and instructions to use the grease to fill the gap. Just didn't really give me the warm fuzzies.

 

[WyattEarp]

Do it the old fashioned way: *Keep'er stock and Git'r Done*. . okay i could not resist as im probably one of only a handful who likes the stock power. I would say unless you upgrade to a larger intake manifold the stock filter will work for just about anyone, of course thats my . 2 cents

 

[FourBarR]

I have carefully inspected the box and found several places that leak . these have been sealed with a hi-tech sealer we use on pressurized aircraft(over kill) I then use dow corning silacone dc4 compound to seal the top . I have never had dust or oil in the turbo. If you could see the crap that comes out of the Bracket air filter used in aircraft you would never be concerned with a little oil. these filters come from the factory pre lubed. it comes out all around the filter housing and in the turbo inlet. its very stickey.

 

[amsoilman]

I have a K&N Air Filter (stock replacement) installed on my truck but what from what I am reading here I might be better going back to Fleetguard as it does a better job "filtering"???? I don't intend to upgrade from the stock design at this time.



Opinions Please... .

If you want an opinion, I'll give you mine.

The newest technology out there for "Stock" air filtration is the Amsoil EAA air filters. These filter use a Synthetic(man-made)Nano-fiber technology. Each fiber is less than 1 micron in size, hence the name Nano-Fiber.



They will hold 50 times more more dust then the "wet Gause" type, and 5 times more dust then the average Cellulose filters. They will also flow as much air as a wet Gauze type.



They are cleanable by simply vacuumoing, or blowing with shop air (15-10 PSI). AMsoil suggests cleaning every 25,000/one year intervals.



There were numerous tests done on these at the Southwest Research Institute, and after 120,000 miles and the 4th cleaning, they were still 99 Percent overall efficient.



Amsoil garautees them for 100,000 miles, or 4 years, and they meet the Manufacturers warranty as well. Your truck takes a EaA-189 filter.





You asked, I obliged.





Wayne

amsoilman



Numerous tests

 

[vssman]

I used to run a K&N. Right out of the box, I pulled oil out of the filter and coated the hose and turbo vanes - there was dirt accumilating in the oil residue. I guess mine came from the factory over oiled.

 

[CajunDieselMan]

Wyatt,



I thought I was the only one in over 25000 members who didn't modify their trucks. I thought about a "plug-in" but resisted the temptation. Only Fleetguard or Mopar filters in my baby!

 

[Duluth Diesel]

Good info and discussion on the new Ea Amsoil filters here with pics:

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129738&page=13&pp=15

 

[Jed]

I had K&N for about 80,000 and yes it is possible that I over oiled it at least once and may have kept it too clean. Yes I had some residue on turbo that tended to collect dirt but never very bad.

When I turned up the power I went to a BHAF.

A couple of months ago I had radiator and cooler out for maintenance and when we flushed the cooler out it looked like a dirt and oil factory was living in there!!

it took a lot of steam to get it all out.

I still have my original bottle of K&N oil so I could not have over oiled it by that much. Everyones experiences are different; different driving style, different climate ect.

For where I live and drive I like a quality dry filter.

 

[steved]

I had K&N for about 80,000 and yes it is possible that I over oiled it at least once and may have kept it too clean. Yes I had some residue on turbo that tended to collect dirt but never very bad.

When I turned up the power I went to a BHAF.

A couple of months ago I had radiator and cooler out for maintenance and when we flushed the cooler out it looked like a dirt and oil factory was living in there!!

it took a lot of steam to get it all out.

I still have my original bottle of K&N oil so I could not have over oiled it by that much. Everyones experiences are different; different driving style, different climate ect.

For where I live and drive I like a quality dry filter.

I noticed dirt and oil in the intake tube and turbo vanes with the K&N I had in my 99... needless to say I went back to paper the same day.



I ran an Amsoil oiled-foam filter with MUCH better results, but then comes time to clean and they are miserable to get clean... but the intake tube and turbo were spotless of dirt... I had a little oil tracking, but that is probably due to operator error (too much oil??).



Needless to say, I'm back to a typical old Wix paper filter... and it made NO DIFFERENCE in the fuel mileage of my truck (got almost 23mpg with the Wix being the only change... didn't get that good with the Amsoil)...



I know I have read where Gary ran a K&N and did oil analysis with good results, but I'm not sure an oil analysis really shows what an air filter is doing on an engine... too many variables.



steved

 

[cruiser_2]

I have had a K&N air filter in mine, have 475,000 miles on mine... . seals just fine and no oil dirt residue anywhere that I can find. Have read these complaints many many times through here, I just can't prove them through my experience. Many times it is the environments that we droive in, how we drive and how well we follow instructions in maintaining our vehicles we drive.



I know in mine we are suppose to adjust valves about every 30,000 miles, but just did mine after150,000+ miles and had one off by a few thousands.



What it boils down to is products are made to minimum standards that should do the job that is required. When they don't and people have lots of problems products tend to be pulled from the market by companies due to low sales or excessive returns or claims. I still see K&N on the shelves and have used them on Porsche's for many years with no problems

 

[EricBu12]

OK, here's my report...



I have had my K&N in for a little over 40K... . cleaned once inbetween... . now the block is being replaced due to the 53 crack...



When they pulled my head to grind the valves... they said the valve guides were very worn out... . truck has only 72K on it total!!



So I ordered the AFE proguard stage 1 filter system from Genos and it is going on when I get the truck home tomorrow... .



THROW AWAY THE K&N's!!! engine damage iminent!!

 

[cruiser_2]

Eric if you had that much wear on valve guides, it probably wasn't due to filtration. was it just intake guides or was it exhaust guides, was it poor finish reaming at Cummins that did it. Why were they grinding your valves at 72,000? Your story doesn't add up.

 

[Duluth Diesel]

Amsoil also make a drop-in filter with the Donaldson Endurance nanofiber technology. Reusable, no oil, no wet washing. Just blow out with 15-20 psi air and drop it back in. They are proving to be a pretty hot item for guys who want to retain their stock airbox and want a reusable filter that doesn't need oil and flows better than paper/gauze. I've sold quite a few.



Chuck