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K&N Air filter issues

7K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  SD_GR 
#1 ·
Today I spoke with a K&N product specialist by the name of Greg Boutte', K&N is obviously an extremely large company who has been around a long time. I have seen multiple issues with many different people on this forum, what I want in this thread is for you to feel free to post your personal issues with the k&n product you may have, include your year, make and model and any modifications you have.. The more information gathered in this thread may lead to a better product down the road.

I have no personal interest in the K&N company, I personally use them on most of the vehicles/bikes/toys/what have you.. I just want the company to be aware of most of your guys' issues so that they can be resolved.

Please do not use this to bash the company as I will have your post deleted.
 
#2 ·
Only issue I have had,with several cars,is the filters beeing over oiled from the factory. I generally will just lay the filter face down on a paper towel for a couple hours or so to wick off some of the oil and let it dry and get tacky before installing.
 
#5 ·
Potential MAF issues, and higher measured Si (maybe other elements too) in used oil analyses. The latter means two things: since Si is Si no matter what the source, it is considered a wear element even if it is not derived from dirt; also, it then becomes impossible to determine whether the Si is from the oil or from an intake problem (this is a circular argument, as an oiled filter to me at least qualifies as an intake problem).

If a filter is better, it should filter air better. This means less measured wear elements in used oil analyses.

I would buy a K&N for all my cars if, and only if they can show me statistically significant, reproducible data indicating decreased wear elements in used oil analyses. To me that's what a better air filter should do - generate cleaner air.
 
#4 ·
2006 subaru WRX 67K, stage 1 reflash, silencer removal w/ elbow, air pump delete, and CBE...

I had a K&N drop in filter in my car and like Donkey said it had WAY to much oil on it from the factory... To the point of the inside of the box was covered it and it was dripping out... I took a bunch of paper towel and tried to soak up as much as I could prior to the install, but still had maf scaling issues after a few thousand miles... I removed it and put in an oem replacemen2 and after I cleaned my maf sensor it was a night and day difference...
 
#7 ·
Just a word of caution, since some of my comments can be seen as strident and people's livelyhood and expertise are involved so I don't want to go over like a pregnant pole vaulter: As you and I and they all know, they don't have to make a better cold air intake or even filter; all they have to do is make a "cooler" cold air intake or filter. This, they have been successful in doing. Everyone knows their brand and everyone talks about them, and they must be tremendously popular. They are no doubt a success story. Their stuff is cool and marketable.

My concerns about better filtration and longevity are more in line with people like fleet managers (picture someone with 100 vehicles; each decision they make can cost or save a substantial amount of money) or people like me: ultra-conservative semi-nerdy hobbyists armed with a keyboard.
 
#8 ·
I had told him my personal issue with them on my blue car, brand new K&N intake out of the package, CELs and troublesome codes.. Found redish/pinkish oil all over the inside of my intake tube and all over my maf sensor. He told me he hadn't heard of it, I remembered seeing several other threads on here about the problem so I wrote the website down for his tech team to look at and search.. I thought making a thread dedicated to it would make it even more obvious.
 
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