K&N "Filter"

[MMiller]

I run a k&n on my 440. I think they are fine in NA engines. I took mine off my diesel when I found almost all the oil in the rings of the tube to the turbo. Gonna go with the AFE next, well sometime anyways.



Michael

 

[NDearyan]

Mr. Miller, what did mean by NA engines?



Thanks,



Nate

 

[NDearyan]

Maybe this is the problem..

You MUST evenly distribute the oil on the entire filter.



An un-even distribution may allow some dirt through.



This was one of the warnings I got with my K&N on the Polaris.



Nate

 

[MMiller]

Sorry man, diesel talk. NA= Naturally aspirated, ie no turbo, blower etc.



I think someone said our trucks draw like 750 cfm of air at idle. My 440 has a 850 cfm carb on it. At idle my diesel uses almost as much air as my 440 does a wide open. This is my reasoning the k&n was losing its oil to the turbo. Also with the tweaking my diesel was not stock. Almost twice the boost as stock.



Also AFE's have much larger pleats and more surface area then a K&N from what I have heard. Thats why I would get one for my truck.



Michael

 

[NDearyan]

What is an AFE filter?



Also, in your pic above, WHAT is that stuff in the tube???



is it oil. . with dirt in it?



Thanks,



Nate

 

[MMiller]

AFE is a name brand, like K&N. I know others will be able to tell you more.



The picture, it looks to me anyways, appears to be a layer of dust in the tube. Not a real good place for dirt. Sounds like daniel lives on alot of dirt/gravel roads. Kinda like where I live.



Michael

 

[NDearyan]

OK! I found a web site with AFE (Advanced Flow Engineering) Filters:

http://www.trucksunique.com/rt66_afefilters.asp



Thanks all,



Nate

 

[csnider]

I have a K&N . I noticed a slight build up of dust on the intake tube when I first got the truck so I cleaned it and greased the filter seal were it contacts the airbox. That's the way I did my K&Ns in my four stroke desert bikes. Haven't seen any dust since. . Those guys who are getting the filter oil in their tubes and on their blades are reinstalling the K&Ns to fast after oiling I think. . I put my BHAF in for a couple days while my K&N oil sets in after a cleaning. right before I re-install the K&N I'll wipe any residue oil off the non cotton parts of the filter and I don't get any residue on my blades or tube. If I did I would get rid of the K&N... I'm probably alone here but I think the K&N with a swiss cheesed airbox breathes a bit better and slightly cooler than my BHAF setup does.



Dirt/dust in the intake is a BIG no no. unacceptable!



JUst for comparison. My truck is basically stock with stock pump settings,advanced timing and a four inch exhaust +16cm housing so I may not be pulling in enough air to get dirt past my K&N (17lbs boost is the most I've ever gotten).....

 

[dpuckett]

Nate,

That is dust inside the intake hose. I HAD grease on the rubber ends, and had PLENTY of oil in the filter media itself. Hold it up to the sunlight, and you can see daylight thtrough parts of it- that tells me it CANT filter as well as it should. After two bad filters, and one new one being sent directly from K&N, and STILL having dust inside the intake hose, I gave up. Out west, where it is sandier, the one currently in Mom's pickup does ok- no dust inside the intake. I have the paper filter on mine right now, and the intaek hose is as clean as when I last cleaned it. I will put a paper one on Mom's as soon as I get the $20 for a new one.



MMiller- I live down 3-4mi of gravel, depending on which direction you come from. When I was in Colorado, I was down 4mi of gravel, but it was more sand than dirt. The dust around here is about as fine as baby powder, but dont smell as nice. Funny, my truck wasnt in near as bad of shape out there going 50mph on the gravel as it is here going 20mph on the gravel. Welcome to the swamp!!



-DP

 

[RWWinslow]

I have been running a K&N for 200,000 miles and have not seen any dusting. This filter has been run in ag, desert and high humidity environments. The secret with these filters seems to be that they do not clean quickly, they need to be dried thoroughly, and to use the K&N Filter Oil.

 

[JLEONARD]

I'm probably alone here but I think the K&N with a swiss cheesed airbox breathes a bit better and slightly cooler than my BHAF setup does.

I have the same set-up. I have not seen any evidence of oil or dust in mine. . and I can get over 30 psi boost.

 

[NDearyan]

It seems that the common denominator in bad filtration is when someone has a MODIFIED system, and they add a K&N.

This would mean that the K&N is designed for up to a certian CFM. (Cubic Foot per Minute). When you get more CFM running through it than stock, then maybe the K&N is not adequate.



I have a K&N on my Polaris 500 Sportsman 4-wheeler. IT works fine.





Based on the info supplied here, and the fact that I often run in dusty conditions, I think I will go with something besides a K&N, on my Dodge CTD.





Nate