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Does A Drop In K&N Filter Make Any Difference?

NightOwl

Full Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2003
Messages
42
In the stock air filter housing, does it make any difference in throttle response, mileage or anything?
 
It is noisier by a good bit... I tad more throttle response... Maybe 1 or 2 HP if you're lucky...

Where a K&N shines is it retains good flow numbers even after loading up...

Personally? A standard (non-z71) Fram flows just as well (within 5%) and filters fines better ... But you need to change it often ... But hey, at $7 each, who cares...

If you don't drive in fine dust, then the K&N should be ok...

11H
 
I know this is an old thread, but I thought this might be of interest. Technically, we are a K&N dealer, although we don't ever sell any, but we do get all the info the company sends out. Recently, we got a dealer publication which reminded us that if we have any problems with warranty claims with Ford dealers, specifically denying sensor warranties on vehicles equipped with K&N filters, we were to **Refer the dealer to a K&N regional rep who would inform them that the filter which came in the Ford vehicle stock is *in fact, a K&N Hi-flo, dyed blue*, and has exactly the same characteristics.**

That made me smile. ;D
 
I find that throttle response improves. Also, I had a GM truck with 5.3 prior to my Avalanche that a K&N improved the gas mileage10-15% (2 MPG). I bought one on the way home from my dealer after taking delivery of the Av! If you are going to add low restriction exhaust, you gotta get K&N, in my opinion.
 
I haven't noticed much of a change at all. ?Maybe a bit more sound at WOT.

I don't understand how an airfilter can improve gas mileage. ?If you think about it, a better flowing airfilter is essentially the same as opening up the throttle a bit more. ?I adjust my foot's pressure on the pedal to achieve a desired cruising speed, and the computer controls how much fuel to add to a given airflow that I am controlling. ?I would think that it is possible that a better flowing airfilter would give more power at WOT, since it would make wide open a little more wide open, but other than that, I can't either theoretically or emperically tell any different.

Throttle response may be better, but I haven't been able to detect it with the seat of my pants.
 
I just put one in my '02 Z71 a couple of weeks ago. I might have picked up a mpg but it's nothing major. I didn't notice any power or noise increase. I've got about 19M miles on it.
 
I have had mine in for 6 months or so, I changed the muffler at about the same time to a more open free flowing type. I was getting 16.5 to 17.4 on road trips. I now am getting 18.8 to 20.05MPG. Was it the K&N? I don't know, I still drive the same. Maybe it was just getting broke in about the same time. I don't know if it has more power or not but is sure sounds better at WOT. >:D

Butch
 
You can go on just about every car/truck web site and find a good dogfight going on about air intakes

I am starting to believe that a free flowing filter in the air box or a true ram air hood scoop setup is the best route, the later being expensive. The problem I have with the dyno results these companies advertise is that they?re done with the hood open and a fan. I?m afraid that with the hood closed driving in the real world that heat will rise under the hood and a cone filter will pull in heat and rob power.

I do like how the AEM Brute Force looks though! :cool:

Here is a site I found that has what looks like a homemade air kit that in theory make some since.

http://www.airram.com/index.html

 
3.5 MPG increase? I highly doubt it... something else had to change. If you were LOOKING for MPG increase out of the drop in, more than likely you subconsiously changed your driving habits when you put in the new filter. Do you have an '02 or an '03? The '03 tracks MPG and is pretty accurate and makes it easier to see changes. The '02 doesn't have the DIC and if you're computing from measurements at the pump then there are ALL KINDS of variables that could change. But that's just my opinion.... I don't wanna start a fight. ;D
 
You mention sound increase....I still have the stock A/F in my '03 and I've noticed it has considerably more noise when you step on it than my '01 5.3 (Sierra) did stock. Isn't the purpose of that extra tube that runs across the top of the shroud supposed to be noise suppression? ??? :rolleyes:
 
txyank1 said:
Isn't the purpose of that extra tube that runs across the top of the shroud supposed to be noise suppression? ??? :rolleyes:
I suspect that it is there to try to tune the intake for a particular RPM range(s). In my 03 it seems to be wide for about half of its length, and then about half that width the rest of the way. I would say that GM was trying to either increase peak power or torque, or increase low-end power in order to make some driveability improvements.
 
I am not sure how any air filter could make a big difference in performance or mileage. If your vehicle in stock form can gulp enough air to be capable of achieving it's regulated top speed of approximately 95 mph, then it certainly is getiing all of the air it needs to maintain a legal speed of 55 - 70 MPH. Using the logic of the commercials advertising these products, if you took off the air cleaner and exhaust system completely you would have unlimited horsepower! If you like the sound, warranty, and ability to clean and reuse the K&N filter, you should buy it. If you are expecting great performance and mileage gains, save your money.
 
FIPK and drycharger are DEF. the way to go
and an exhaust system and then a chip
we noticed very little with the drop in k&n replacement filter
 
A chip? You mean a programer?

This is an OBDII vehicle. And yes, the K&N works rather well when don in conjunction with JBA headers, and a good performance exhaust system.
 
I have bought a drop in k&n for one of my vehicles and loved it, im still debating on whether or not ill buy another or buy the piping for a DIY style cold air intake and just buy a cone shaped k&n and put it on the end as my brother did with his Silverado. Regardless of whether you gain 1-2mpg or no mpg out of a k&n its still worth it IMO just for he fact that it will last the life of the vehicle and you can jut wash it when it gets dirty. Any way you slice it I know ill be getting another soon. (y)
 
I noticed a little more pep and maybe a shade better fuel economy. Have had it say 5 or 6 months. Bit the bullet and ordered a CAI today.
 
While it is not a K&N, I popped in an AFE Pro Dry filter a few months ago and have been pleased with its performance. No real noticeable performance change other than perhaps a crisper throttle response, but i cleaned the throttle body at the same time so perhaps its a combination. I have the diablo intune disabling the AFM and running the economy performance tune (oxymoron if i ever saw one! lol) and the AFE compliments it well having experimented with the old paper one.
 
I installed a K & N and cleaned my MAF this weekend, and I can say that I am honestly surprised.  My throttle response is better.  I don't know if its a combination of the two, but there is a difference. I feel like the 5.3L has a lot more to give than its programmed to do.
 
I did the drop in filter. No noticeable change. The oil it came with fouled my MAF sensor. Had to take it out and clean it with a MAF specific cleaner and clear the code. It has worked fine since.
 
Put a K&N filter in my stock location and honestly have not seen any improvements. Other than louder throttle response my poor 5.3 struggles to get up to speed. But when you floor the loud pedal it comes alive as it should. I changed spark plugs since I had not idea when they where even touched. Not sure I want to stay with the drop in K&N but works OKAY for now.

 
It's only going to get you a few hp at WOT unless the filter you are replacing is pretty clogged.  It's not enough to tell by the seat of your pants.
 
The reason I like K&N filters is not that you will see mileage or more horsepower is the filtration qualities. They filter better dirty than a new clean paper filter. So you may or may not see an improvement in mileage or HP when you first put in, but over time it's not going to drop off as it gets dirty and reduce performance and mileage like a paper filter.. In normal driving they will typically flow more air dirty with 25,000 miles on them than a brand new paper filter will.

On our AV's GM has done a pretty good job on the intake side so there is power and mileage to be had but very little. Other vehicles may respond better if they have a more restricted intake. GM put them on the new Z28, that's got to mean something...


Some don't like them but I do..



AS far as oil coming off a filter.. Watch the videos on their website. Do a little research on-line and show me one piece of proof of one that has damaged a MAS. I will be open to any evidence that shows this.. I'll be waiting..



http://www.knfilters.com/maf/massair.htm
 
Watch the test videos.. If you still believe the same, then we will have to agree to disagree..
 
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