K&N doesn't stop dirt!!!

[BTowler]

oops... . :-laf

 

[dpuckett]

I went through the same stuff with the K&N in my mom's 92 when I moved back here from Colorado in '03. Got a new filter from K&N, and it was worse than the one on it. I threw one away, and gave the others away. I'd had one in my pickup, too. I wont own another K&N, and will have more reservations about a K&N air filter than even a Fram oil filter.



Daniel

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Allrighty, who kicked up this old thread I started almost 7 years ago???

 

[donnier]

Airraid dropin with 10k miles. Pulled for first cleaning.

Replaced by AMSOIL dropin filter.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=62975&d=1174226573

 

[Skydiver]

If dirt was getting through my K & N wouldn't the silicon readings be higher?


At 160k I started using Rotela fully synthetic for 10k and changing filter at 5k.

Being concerned about the oil at 10k I sent for Geno's oil analysis .
At 10k "data indicates no abnormal findings"
"Wear metals",Iron 16--chromium 3--nickel 0--aluminum 2--copper 0--lead 1--tin 0--cadmium 0--silver 0--titanium 0--vanadium 1

"Contaminants", silicon 4--sodium 6--potassium 0.

"Multi-source elements", (ONLY listing findings) molybdenum 32--boron 19

Additive elements,Magnesium 12--calcium 3901--phosphorus 1287--zinc 1452.

Fuel 0. 5--soot <. 1--h2o <. 1

 

[South Dakota]

Everyone has their own opinion. I've had K & N's on everything from Motorcycles to Mini-Vans to 7500 rpm small block chevy's to 6. 5 turbo to the current 5. 9... ... No problems ever, no dirt downstream of the filter. and with the exception of the 6. 5, which was stolen, all of the motors still run with no issues. I have had great experiences with K & N's and in my opinion they are as good as they get for many applications, including my current one.

 

[DieselMinded]

The Pro Guard Is a K & N designed for a diesel Call Mr. Bobs he will tell you a nice story



DM

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

K&N - or for that matter, the OEM paper element filters are NO BETTER than the fit to the housing they're used in and the care used to install them. Dodge filter housings are JUNK, and even the OEM filters often don't fit and leak dirt around the edges - need proof?



Here's a pic of a nearly NEW Dodge OEM paper filter I removed from my truck to install a K&N - look at the dirt path leakage around the outer edge:



#ad




I have no doubt there are plenty more OEM filters out there doing the same thing - but strangely, no one seems to care or even check to see if their stock filter is bypassing dirt - but let the name K&N come up, and critics are standing in line to throw rocks!



K&N sells a sealing grease to fill gaps between poorly made boxes and their filters, and it should be used to avoid the type leakage seen above - and for that matter, that sealing grease should also be used even on OEM and other filter types for the same reason.



One fellow earlier in this thread claimed that K&N recommended NOT using sealing grease on flat or in-housing elements - which is not accurate. What they DO recommend against as far as the sealing grease, is its use with clamp-on filters, such as where a hose clamp is used to connect to a filter, such as this setup I use on my own truck:



#ad




Obviously, with that type of attachment and element, leakage is pretty unlikely - and applying sealing grease might cause the connection to slip apart - here's the K&N quote on the subject, right from their own web page:

K&N Sealing Grease



K&N Sealing Grease provides an airtight fit around sealing surfaces on all types of air filter elements. It resists heat and will not melt or run off. K&N sealing grease is not to be used on clamp-on filter elements.

6-oz. squeeze tube #99-0704​

I've use K&N filters for over 30 years, and only changed type of filter because my engine mods finally exceed the CFM capacity of the K&N, NEVER had dirt issues, and oil analysis always put Silicon (dirt) at 3-4 PPM, and THAT ain't BAD! :-laf

 

[getblown5.9]

i think worse than dirt is when folks over-oil the filter (any brand) and that oil gets sucked down into the turbo and starts sticking to the fins etc.

I watched my neighbor a few weeks ago oil his K&N with a half can of the aerosol oil to the point it was dripping off and he hung it up for a few minutes for the extra to run off before putting it back in his 04 2500. When I told him it can cause problems he told me he knows it all and it can't cause a problem because Banks told him that K&N filters were the best on the market.

 

[bmoeller]

K&N - or for that matter, the OEM paper element filters are NO BETTER than the fit to the housing they're used in and the care used to install them. Dodge filter housings are JUNK, and even the OEM filters often don't fit and leak dirt around the edges - need proof?

I have no doubt there are plenty more OEM filters out there doing the same thing - but strangely, no one seems to care or even check to see if their stock filter is bypassing dirt - but let the name K&N come up, and critics are standing in line to throw rocks!

K&N sells a sealing grease to fill gaps between poorly made boxes and their filters, and it should be used to avoid the type leakage seen above - and for that matter, that sealing grease should also be used even on OEM and other filter types for the same reason.

My OEM housing was so bad, it wouldn't seal on the edges, even WITH the K&N grease. Still pulled dirt past the edge. That is why I went the with BHAF. The filter was letting dirt through also. Even with extra oil.

However, I do have a K&N on my Ford diesel, and never had a problem with that one. I reckon it's because of it having a steel housing, and no turbo.

 

[bmoeller]

he told me he knows it all and it can't cause a problem because Banks told him that K&N filters were the best on the market.

So, if they told him it was a good idea to jump off of a bridge, he'd do that too? :-laf

 

[BGlidewell]

Everyone has their own opinion. I've had K & N's on everything from Motorcycles to Mini-Vans to 7500 rpm small block chevy's to 6. 5 turbo to the current 5. 9... ... No problems ever, no dirt downstream of the filter. and with the exception of the 6. 5, which was stolen, all of the motors still run with no issues. I have had great experiences with K & N's and in my opinion they are as good as they get for many applications, including my current one.

You should enjoy this article.
http://www.rc51.org/airfilt.htm

 

[FLynes]

Gary, I love that fastening mechanism to hold down your BHAF! :-laf

That is definitely innovation at its finest.

And, no, I'm not trying to be a smart alek; I really do like that.

 

[steved]

One thing to keep in mind is that K&N supposedly changed their filter's design recently to prevent the dusting issues. I believe I remember they are multilayered now...



My point is that while this thread was relevant at one point in time, it might not be representative of K&N's currnet production models...



steved

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Gary, I love that fastening mechanism to hold down your BHAF! :-laf

That is definitely innovation at its finest.

And, no, I'm not trying to be a smart alek; I really do like that.

Then you might like this replacement setup for the BHAF - a new Donaldson/Amsoil Nanofiber filter just installed about a week ago - supposed to have better airflow AND filtering capability than the BHAF:



-



We'll see if all the grand claims are true or not!

 

[jnelson]

Unless he's changed his mind lately, Mark at TST has always recommended the STOCK paper filter if you want your engine to reach it's expected service life. He talked me out of K&N and back to paper a long time ago. I don't like the lack of turbo sound but I do like the idea of long engine life. .

------------------

Ran a KN and an AirRaid on my 01 for 400,000+ miles. No problems.

 

[FLynes]

Gary, you got a frog to replace the BHAF?

 

[DieselMinded]

Great Insite Gary !

DM