• If you currently own, previously owned or want to own an Avalanche, we welcome you to become a member today. Membership is FREE, register now!

K&N Air Filter????

graycaleb99

Full Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2017
Messages
24
Would a K&N air filter be worth the extra $30? Has anyone here replaced there filter with a K&n and noticed any change in anything at all?
 
Filet?

I bought a drop in filter in the stock air box & use No Toils cleaner & oil. Plus some MAF cleaner. Main thing I notice is that I don't have to buy air filters any more.
 
Well how many times would you have to remove filter and clean it in lieu of replacing to break even with cost of this filter , oil and cleaner?



 
K&N style filters advertise that they allow more air through them.

No improvement will happen unless your engine is limited...

As far as I know they use the same air box for 4.8/5.3/6.0 and 6.2 engines.

You MAY hear a little louder engine since the air filter "muffles" some of the engine noise.

Some have reported oil build up on their MAF after a "clean filter" has been installed. (I suggest cleaning MAF 1000 miles after cleaning and oiling the filter. But clean only with MAF compatible spray)

I have seen studies that show a "clean" filter does in fact pass more air but does it at a cost that smaller particles will make it through until the filter gets dirty. Will those smaller particles do anything bad? Well they could cause accelerated wear if they end up in the oil which is possible the more mileage you have on your engine. But I haven't heard of anything concrete.

Myself... I wouldn't use one on my 5.3. I have only changed the air filter on my truck when I originally bought it and one other time in the 100k miles I have put on it.  Is it worth the extra cost with no performance gain?  I bought another 3 or 4 air filters from one of the members here while buying other stuff so in my case no way I am getting a K&N filter for my truck.

I have a caprice with K&N filter on it and never saw a difference in performance.
 
I have one on my 13.  It makes the engine noise louder.  No increase in mpg.  I understand if you want improovement you have to change exhaust to larger dia.  Not doing that so its a wash.
 
ygmn said:
Well how many times would you have to remove filter and clean it in lieu of replacing to break even with cost of this filter , oil and cleaner?

Fram air filter - $28

K&N filter - $30
No Toil oil & cleaner - $20

2 or 3 times?

It's really more of a convenience thing though.
 
AirJunky said:
Fram air filter - $28

....

Jeeze my oil change guy changes mine for $14.
 
There's a lot of research that suggests a K&N must be cleaned and oiled a lot more frequently than K&N advertises. It seems the oil quickly loses effectiveness once it starts coming in contact with road dust.

The other problem with K&N style filters is the danger of over-oiling. Excess oil can contaminate the MAF sensor, causing problems. GM advised dealers that certain problems, including engine driveability concerns, poor acceleration from a stop, limited engine RPM range, and slipping and damaged transmission clutches or bands are not covered by warranty if a reusable oiled air filter has been installed.

So if you install one, clean frequently and oil sparingly.
 
I've run K&N on my truck for well over a quarter of million miles.  I don't think using a K&N had anything to do with replacing the engine at 289K miles due to cylinder #7 missing a good deal of the time.  (That was probably more to do with running a couple of different aftermarket cams and a supercharger, not to mention revving it higher at WOT than stock.)  It's not going to be allowing a stock engine to be making gobs of power but I do believe it frees up a few ponies.  I generally clean it about once a year, usually in the spring to get any winter road salt out of it, and don't use the oil liberally.  Given how much power a dual 3" exhaust freed up over shorty headers and a flowmaster muffler in my non-stock setup I'm sure my K&N is freeing up more than a few ponies but your mileage may vary.
 
This may be a question for a different fourm, but would anyone advise getting a CAI with a K&N filter over using the stock with a K&N filter?
 
CAI are junk. They pull from the same area that the factory air box does. Again, absolutely NO performance gain on a stock engine.

If you use a CAI with a steel pipe you can expect the air to be HEATED, REDUCING performance over factory. Some have stated theirs were ceramic coated inside and out but without checking the actual air temps it would be difficult to say if even those help. Using a high temp, thick plastic pipe would be best because it won't transfer heat.

CAI basically remove the "mufflers" from the intake causing it to sound louder but I have not seen anyone gain performance from a CAI of the style they make for our trucks without having RAM intake or pulling from another location. And pulling from lower than it does will impact your ability to go offroad (Ie suck up water).

My Caprice has a sort of RAM air intake but it is made from steel. I noticed the intake air was actually warmer than stock until I hit speeds of about 70mph and the air didn't become more until over about 80mph. If it would have been done in plastic it probably would have made a difference at lower speeds. And yes I have a K&N filter on that car... I am using a standard plumbing connection between the MAF and TB and the TB connects directly to the K&N. Very short run... 

Definitely makes that car's intake louder...
 
There have been many, many threads over the years dealing with the pros and cons of CAI or air filters.......A a general rule the CAI and high flow air cleaners don't do much unless other things are done to increase air and gas flow all the way from intake to exhaust tip. Don't believe the advertising hype over improved gas economy or performance.
Years ago a study was done on the stock intake and it was shown to flow more than enough air to go through a stock 5.3 motor. And as a side note the factory puts a "high flow" air filter on the Z71 AVs. I don't know the part number though. GM also offered a performance CAI with oil less cone air filter that I bought for my 2008 and all it did was increase the intake noise.
Much of the praise for CAI and high flow filters come from new purchasers who may be trying to justify their purchases with very little scientific evidence such as an independent dyno run before and after the mods or documented long term gas mileage records.

Here is a shot of the GM high performance intake set up.
 
I put one of these on way back and used the stock air box.

My intake temps used to run 20 deg to sometimes 50 deg higher than the OA temps. After I added the cold air tube to my stock air box the intake temps pretty much mirror the OA temps. Some might worry about sucking water but that can't happen, I made a check valve where the air comes in from the fender, the air will pull from there if you put the front end under water. It picks up the air from around the tow hook opening. Lower intake temps means better performance especially on hot days, the ECM will pull timing as the IA gets warmer or detonation is detected.

And I've been running a K&N for over 240,000 miles with no issues. I clean it every 15,000-20,000 miles, don't listen to the naysayers they work and save money in the long run. A can of air filter oil will last at least 6 or more cleanings you don't need much. Just wash it with 409, let it dry in the sun and give it a light coat, let it sit for 30 minutes to soak in and spread. If there are any light spots just give it a touch up and your good to go.


http://www.summitracing.com/search?SortBy=BestKeywordMatch&SortOrder=Ascending&keyword=Volant%2035060

 
Randy said:
Lower intake temps means better performance especially on hot days, the ECM will pull timing as the IA gets warmer if detonation is detected.

Besides pulling timing, for a given pressure, colder air is denser than warmer air and hence more oxygen per cubic foot of air going in the engine.

The stock tune (long gone) in my 03 started pulling timing at 82 degrees, regardless of knock detection.
 
ygmn said:
Jeeze my oil change guy changes mine for $14.

Sorry, I just Googled it & came up with that figure. So lets say a guys finds it on sale for $10. Now it takes 5 or 6 times to pan out. I haven't bought one in almost 10 yrs now. And I don't have to buy it, I just pull it out & throw it in a bucket of soap & water.
 
graycaleb99 said:
This may be a question for a different fourm, but would anyone advise getting a CAI with a K&N filter over using the stock with a K&N filter?

For the older trucks that didn't come with electric radiator fans I believe a great improvement can come with retrofitting in the efans from an 05 or newer truck (mine came from a junk yard) because the 02-04 stock air intake tubes are pretty restrictive where they have to snake around the fan shroud.  I then ran an AEM intake tube for 05 or newer trucks (they are different for the older trucks due to the fan shroud) to the stock airbox and used a "flat" K&N filter in place of the paper filter.  Also drilled a large hole in the bottom of the airbox to pull air in from below the airbox besides just from inside the fender.
 
How are you controlling the fans? Can the early PCM be reprogrammed with fan control to interface with the AC compressor, ECT, vehicle speed etc., or are you just powering them up with the ignition?
 
As an authorized HPTuners reseller I've programmed the PCM to turn the fans on and off at ECT of 189 and 185 degrees respectively.  (Using a 160 degree 'stat.)  I'm also using a wiring harness from Nelson Performance that runs the driver-side fan on high whenever the AC clutch is engaged, runs both fans on high when the PCM has turned on the fans and the AC clutch is engaged, and runs both at low speeds when the PCM has the fans on but the AC clutch isn't engaged.  Unlike my 2000 vette which disengages the fans at speed, the Avalanche program doesn't provide for that.
 
buickwagon said:
How are you controlling the fans? Can the early PCM be reprogrammed with fan control to interface with the AC compressor, ECT, vehicle speed etc., or are you just powering them up with the ignition?

    If you use the ignition with relays and you tap into the green wire at the AC compressor
to turn on fans with the AC and you have Auto Climate Control. The ACC is programed to
constantly cycle the AC in auto setting. So goes your fans constantly cycling. To overcome
this you can use a switch to turn the fans on as needed. For better AC performance in traffic on hot days.

  When I installed my fans I went off the instructions. That is when I discovered the fans cycling.
Called the manufacture. Cannot overcome this with ACC. They suggested the switch.

  The setup enoniam uses over comes this.

 
Okay guys, I went ahead and got a K&N air filter. Just installed and drive about 20 miles. The truck is noticeably running better believe it or not. I have better throttle response and it seems to sound a little better. Very pleased with the results. Seeing as how the old filter was pretty dirty though, I wouldn?t know if the results are specifically because it?s a K&N filter or just because it?s a new filter in general.
 
Back
Top