[FordDoctor]

They suck, air and dirt. A 2019 F550 service truck. The filter was installed correctly, cover secure and connection clamps tight. It presented with a lack of power, coolant leaks and upper oil pan leak. This is just the latest from many examples I have seen.

 

[ZMANN]

Looks like K&N has some competition at false advertising and crap filtration

is AFE an acronym for Another F_ _ _ _ d Engine ?

 

[6LiterTeter]

I absolutely will never use these aftermarket filters. I used one K&N on our old 00 GMC 1500 pickup truck and it fouled up the MAF sensor pretty quickly. Wouldn’t trust an AFE either. Good that you posted this as a sharp reminder.

 

[TooManyToys]

K&N will say a properly oiled element will not flow dust or foul sensors. That requires a Master Class training without considering that oil wicking into the dust will lower the element's oiled usefulness. My opinion is that AFE is no better.

The only place I do have K&N is on my motorcycle, with a whole lot of extra care. But that complements the jetting kit.

 

[ZMANN]

K&N can't lie their way out of a brand new factory pre-oiled air filter element letting the intake dust

 

[ZMANN]

the only place I have a K&N is on PWC watercraft because I had them on there before I realized they were garbage
on the water craft are supposedly not subject to the dust like OTR vehicles

 

[ZMANN]

I had two identical GM vehicles and the intake would dust on whatever one was running the K&N and the MAF would foul ,, that was my first clue , then the independent testing that really proved they were a joke came out

 

[ZMANN]

 

[powerstrokeshellback]

stares at my afe drop in looks like you got to go

 

[6LiterTeter]

stares at my afe drop in looks like you got to go

Yes, eject that junk

 

[Woody83404]

I've always wondered this and thought that the paper element (or whatever they're made out of) that the non serviceable filters are made out of would provide much better filtration for fine particulate. I've always heard to never run a K&N on a diesel but never really looked into it as I would never run one after having a Ranger years ago that came with one on it having issues with MAF sensor after every service no matter how little I oiled it.

 

[Heavy_GD]

if @FordDoctor speaks, then....

 

[FordDoctor]

I ain't "EF Hutton!"

 

[JustinOOO9]

Its funny this came up again... I had thought about using oiled filters in a side by side since you know dust, dust, dust and well dust... I bought one, tried it for roughyl 500 miles and then tried paper. similar here. The paper one left a MUCH CLEANER intake post filter (going to engine) then the oiled. Mnay know me as a bit over the top so I followed the directions for the oiled one, let it dry etc. Yes I feel wasteful throwing paper ones away but the cost of that vs the engine over $8 lol.... I hadn't seen it that bad. Mnay dirt bikers still swear by it and run fine but its not for me equipment or toys thats for sure.

 

[ZMANN]

I think UNI makes a good serviceable filter for offroad toys
they use foam and not cotton gauze that you can hold up to the light and see thru like mos K&Ns

 

[ZMANN]

Why Foam : Uni Filter

The Best Air Filters on Earth!

unifilter.com

 

[TooManyToys]

I tried using K&N filters from before many of you were born. Part of being a teenage motorhead is aftermarket is better. One of the tests discussed maybe 40 years ago was putting some white lithium grease downstream of the filter and using it as a guide for a contamination check. Of course, that's harder today not to contaminate the MAP. But as hard as I could, it usually showed more contamination than the stock filters. Sometimes they were a better filter to use when running enduro bikes in the Pines, running through deep water streams.

It's always about the perfect amount of oiling, and that's why I said it requires a Master Class to be absolute.

Within my SEMA and SAE activity, I once had a discussion with an engineer from a filter manufacturer. He said many people reduce the filter's ability by blowing through it to clean it out, opening the pores. He also said changing it early hurts filtration. As the filter collects dust, the filtration becomes more restrictive, but also more restrictive to small particles. The best filtration is in the second half of the filter's life. The tough call is when is that restriction restrictive too much.

There can be, and are, better filtration out there. The tough thing is getting a solid, unbiased answer. Even test engineers are biased.

 

[ZMANN]

Speaking of water and K&N I remember housing down some spilled gas from an intake manifold and inadvertently spraying my big ole K&N filter on top my chevy 383 and witnessing in horror the water go right into the element and down the carb unimpeded ( fun times pulling plugs )

the K&N's I run on my PWC's all get "wetsuits" water blocking outer wear"

 

[ZMANN]

if I am understanding the use of the term ? then "master class" should not apply to a factory pre oiled new K&N

ISO 5011 Duramax Air Filter Test Report

 

[TooManyToys]

The way I feel right now with Covid, I'm not going to ready that report; maybe another time, ZMANN. I've got about 60 seconds to pay attention to anything.

The Master Class term. A factory pre-oiled filter will perform best, IMO. Especially if it's the company doing the tests. The issue with the reusable filters is the cleaning and reapplication in the field. I've gotten the K&N cleaning solution and oils. There is always some variability in following the written instructions, and even when there are video instructions. There's a level of training necessary and the mindset of care when doing the work. I'm usually good with detail, and I know that some of the variability I experienced was how I was doing the job at the time. If I wanted perfection, I would have to buy new factory-oiled filters each time. I can do that on the bikes' quad pods. And actually have on occasion. But that takes the "reusable" out of it.