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K&N Filter install and resetting computer

r-myers2

r-myers2

SM 2004
SM 2003
Full Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2003
Messages
195
Location
Champaign, IL
Hi all:

I've installed a K&N replacement filter, and saw the initial coresponding drop in gas mileage. I've read about the disconnection of the negative battery cable to reset the engine management computer, but I was wondering about some of the other items mentioned in the various posts related to this topic.

1. How long should I leave the negative cable off the battery, and should I do anything else?

2. What other components in the AV will be affected when it looses power? Radio, remote start, etc. I assume the clock will need to be reset.

3. After reconnection, what driving conditions should I try to run. Long extended highway speeds, around town driving, or a mix to acheive the optimum reprogramming.

Thanks for the help!

PA

 
I myself today installed K&N filter with my first oil change ...Mobil 1 with K&N oil filter. I will be curious to see if I notice any changes. I post after a few tanks of gas to see.
 
DUDE!!! I am so with you guys on this one... I put on the K&N replacement "high flow" air filter and saw my mileage drop from about 16.5 mpg to just 14.4 on my last tank... now granted some of that may be due to more agressive driving with the exhaust sounding sooo sweet... >:D
Anyways, I disconnected the battery cable, although I don't remember which one it was.. I didn't know there was a specific wire.. I'd never make an action hero. Does it really make a difference??? Should I do it again??
Thanks yall
 
I realized I posted this during the race yesterday, and many of our performance guru's may have been occupied.

I'd like to redirect to the above questions. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks for your help!

 
I replaced my stock one with a K&N and installed a flowmaster muffler as well. I thought better mileage would be the result. Not went down
to about 14-15 mpg.

So does reseting the computer by disconnecting the battery realy help!

:cautious:
 
I don't know how u guys get 16+mpg!!! I'm lucky to get 12+...leave the -ve cable off for about 30-40mins. Doesn't impact anything in the truck except ur clock. On other older models u might have to re-input a radio anti-theft code from ur owners manual, but nothing else. R/
 
Be careful about aftermarket filters. There's a post on the other board regarding MAF sensors and your warranty on any faults caused fron this "mod"! Including engine light and transmission slippage!
Argh! :eek:

Edit: K&N topic
 
OK, so now I'm thoroughly confused. Do I take my K&N filter out and toss it?

Mileage still down after several weeks. I thought the computer would reset on it's own, just takes longer than resetting.

I would never think of cleaning one of these anyway. At only $30 for a new one, why bother. It's supposed to be good for an extended period, up to 50K miles. Why not just toss it and get a new one every 30-40K? Probably cheaper in the long run than tossing paper filters every 10K.
 
rather than reposting I'll post the link:

http://www.chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.php?board=147;action=display;threadid=22974;start=msg380898#msg380898

Had tranny rebuit today........ now ....do I reinstall the K&N....?

EDIT:

FYI- as part of my dealers FREE 32 point inspection checklist:

Inspect air filter.....
 
OK, one or two MPG isn't worth all this. I think I'm buying a new stock paper filter.

I don't need, nor want the performance increase, just a little better MPG. Why risk it?

I noticed that when I installed the KN filter and took it out for the first time, I punched it a bit and nearly redlined the engine :eek: Backed out of it a bit and decided that wasn't a smart thing to do.

Want better MPG? Do all the service, Keep everything clean and tweaked, and just realize that the AVie isn't exactly a Geo Metro ;D
 
my Mpg did go down ..i am getting ready to go to SC ..a guy here in town brought buy a 8.1 Whipple SC and WOW ..it was fast ..made the AV look like it was Standing still.. says he can get 550 rwhp out of this 5.3 ...well see ..so i guess you have to give up mpg to get HP :) ...so we shall see
 
prairieaver said:
OK, so now I'm thoroughly confused. Do I take my K&N filter out and toss it?

Mileage still down after several weeks. I thought the computer would reset on it's own, just takes longer than resetting.

I would never think of cleaning one of these anyway. At only $30 for a new one, why bother. It's supposed to be good for an extended period, up to 50K miles. Why not just toss it and get a new one every 30-40K? Probably cheaper in the long run than tossing paper filters every 10K.
Click to expand...
From what I've read the K&N only flows better than stock paper after both are dirty anyway. When both are new hardly any difference. Use stock, change often. I don't know how long it takes or how dirty it has to be before the K&N is an advantage.
 
Took my 04 AV in for it's maiden (free) oil changed and talked with the service rep about the benefits of a K&N drop in free flow air filter and if it was necessary to disconnect the battery to let the computer re-calibrate. His response surprised me? First, he advised against using such a filter because the oil in the filter would clog the air sensors (which would not be covered under warranty) and that disconnecting the battery did not affect the internal Chevy computer/chip. Now, I?m more confused then ever?. I was hoping I could increase performance and sound a bit with the K& N followed by a Flow Mater 70 muffler/system. Any suggestions?
 
Hoh said:
Took my 04 AV in for it's maiden (free) oil changed and talked with the service rep about the benefits of a K&N drop in free flow air filter and if it was necessary to disconnect the battery to let the computer re-calibrate. His response surprised me? First, he advised against using such a filter because the oil in the filter would clog the air sensors (which would not be covered under warranty) and that disconnecting the battery did not affect the internal Chevy computer/chip. Now, I?m more confused then ever?. I was hoping I could increase performance and sound a bit with the K& N followed by a Flow Mater 70 muffler/system. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Personally, I decided that it wasn't worth the risk. I put K&N filters in my 2003 Z-71 Silverado and 2004 Tahoe about two weeks ago ---- I took them OUT yesterday and put the factory paper filters back in.

The two K&N filters cost me about $100, but I don't want to risk the non-warranty problem. A hundred dollar lesson is pretty cheap.

I've also been following another forum, GM-Trucks.com and on the Heavy Duty section is a thread about a HD with an 8.1 engine that suffered all manner of problems (1/3 power and screwed up tranny shifting) from a K&N filter. The guy was very engine-smart (I'm not) and tore the gear apart and cleaned all of the oil-fouled electronics.

Personally, it's just not worth the risk. Others may see it differently, and that's OK, too.

Steve
 
I've decided the same thing. I took out the K&N filter and reinstalled the paper filter. It's just not worth the risk. I saw very little performance increase, a decided drop in mileage, and a host of potential problems down the road.

Stick with the paper filters, and change them often.

I did go with Mobil 1 oil.

I think that will be the end of the attempts to increase mileage. :cautious:

 
prairieaver said:
I've decided the same thing. I took out the K&N filter and reinstalled the paper filter. It's just not worth the risk. I saw very little performance increase, a decided drop in mileage, and a host of potential problems down the road.

Stick with the paper filters, and change them often.

I did go with Mobil 1 oil.

I think that will be the end of the attempts to increase mileage. :cautious:
Click to expand...

Prairieaver,

Glad you mentioned the mileage drop. Both of my engines, 5.3 liter in a 2003 Silverado Z-71 and a 2004 Tahoe) showed significant mileage reductions. I didn't keep any records on it, but my gut feeling is about 2 mpg. Something strange is going on there and I don't like it.

There is no doubt that the K&N filter makes the engine run a little rich; otherwise, the mileage would be the same or better.

I have no doubt that the engine breaths just as easy with a clean paper filter as it does with a K&N. Like you said, change them often and drive with no worries.

Steve
 
I put in the K&N filter along with a new intake UPD and my avg went up. I put on a 50 series flowmaster and it increased again. I get between 15 and 16 mpg . I get 21 on the highway. :)
 
I installed my K&N filter two weeks ago and have experienced a 1.5 to 2 mpg increase in my fuel mileage. I've been getting 14.5 mpg (combination City and Hwy) and am now getting 15.8 to 16.2. And with a trailer (approximately 2500 - 3000 lbs) I went from 10 mpg to 12 mpg. I just installed a single in dual out MagnaFlow muffler and tailpipes and am now monitoring this (via the onboard computer).
 
I have the complete K&N Fuel Injection Performance Kit ("cold air" intake) for my 2002 Z-71 Av with a Gibson Muffler, and I love it. I have been running this system for a month, and mileage has increased from 15.6 (combined road and highway) to 17.4 like clockwork. On the highway, on 27 gallons, I can get from home in SoCal to Las Vegas (250 miles), flying past all of the other motorists (on the 2 mountain passes between here and there) like they were chained to a tree, drive around town all weekend, and get home without filling up again. Most of the time I have enough gas to get me to work Monday and Tuesday...Easily over 600 miles on a tank when most of it is on the open road like that, which is more than a 22 mpg average. Doesn't even seem to matter much if I run the A/C the whole time either.

My future plans involve a K&N MAF Sensor, full "Cat-back" exhaust, Hypertech tuner with thermostat, and maybe, if I decide it's worth it, I'll install the Vortech V1-S Supercharger I have sitting in my garage. I'll be putting this truck to the real test when I drive to Austin Texas in July. I'm also led to believe that if I bypass the coolant flow to the throttle body, it will make the air/fuel charge cooler and therefore more dense, thus increasing performance even more. This truck will be used off road a lot as a SCPRE chase truck for a fledgling team, so I will also be lifting it and installing real off road tires. I'll keep you all posted.
 
I didnt know K&n mad an MAFS... would this take care of the problem with the K&N filter messing up the stock MAFS??? I put my stock filter back in just in case.
 
I have 2 K/N air filters.. on a 01 & 97.. my MPGs increased
on both vechicles.. :B:

I think the remarks about the oil on the filters
is hogwash... Those noobs who apply 8 tons of 'oil' on the filter
after cleaning are the ones the 'service techs' refer to..
 
I just installed a Ram Air Raid yesterday. An employee of mine said that he was seeing around 2 MPG increase on his 2003 Chevy Silverado with the same 5.3 vortec with this filter. So I thought I would give it a try. Hope I didn't make a mistake! I was wondering if the Hypertech Power Module would be a good idea to "re-tune" the computer? But don't the computers automatically adjust to the increased air-flow? Isn't that WHY there is an on-board computer anway?
 
This is in response to all of those individual who have heard that installing a K&N or similiar type filter will void an OEM warranty. Those concerns come from individuals over-oiling the filter. When the filter is over oiled, the oil in turn blows off and onto the Mass Air sensor. This is one of those times where it is VERY important to actually read the instructions that come with the filter. Only apply enough oil to coat the pleats of the filter and turn the pleats red. (Ever wonder why the oil is dyed? This would be why) :8:

I do realize that's it's only an air filter, but it does help to read the instructions.
I have had a K&N on my 2002 Avalanche since it was new and in my 1991 Mustang since new. The AV now has 60k miles and the Mustang recently turned 95k. All with a K&N. There have been no issues with either vehicle. New technology frequently takes time to become accepted. When I took my 91 Mustang it for it's first oil change with Mobil 1 back in 1991, the dealershio told me it would void the warranty. >:D

I don't post often, but there is a lot of misunformation out there about this subject.
Durwin
 
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