K&N air filters... Worth it?

[carreauchompeur]

I have a 4.2 petrol A8 that could probably do with a new air filter element. I don't propose to fit one of the cone filters in the place of the air box since I have heard negative comments.

What are the thoughts about these though... Basically a replacement element for the original airbox. Do they have any noticeable effect? Worth the money?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/K-N-HIGH-FLOW-air-filter-AUD...

I've also seen this great chip that gives you 20bhp

[paul26982]

NO a Green cotton panel filter

[R3v 1]

£42 for an air filter!!

Last time serviced my car cost me £11 and that was from a main dealer!

Cannot possibly see any advantage to paying that much extra.

[mechsympathy]

carreauchompeur said:

I've also seen this great chip that gives you 20bhp

IIRC a simple remap gives you S8 power... Plotloss is your man on this.

[carreauchompeur]

mechsympathy said:

carreauchompeur said:

I've also seen this great chip that gives you 20bhp

IIRC a simple remap gives you S8 power... Plotloss is your man on this.

Even the petrol version?

[mrmr96]

R3v 1 said:

£42 for an air filter!!

Last time serviced my car cost me £11 and that was from a main dealer!

Cannot possibly see any advantage to paying that much extra.

K&N has a 1m mile warrant. You can wash it out and reuse it.

[mechsympathy]

carreauchompeur said:

mechsympathy said:

carreauchompeur said:

I've also seen this great chip that gives you 20bhp

IIRC a simple remap gives you S8 power... Plotloss is your man on this.

Even the petrol version?

:raisesaneyebrow: Eh? Have I missed something?

Edit to add the quote so my reply makes a bit of sense (And just in case the OP recons the S8 is diesel...)

Edited by mechsympathy on Thursday 9th April 19:54

[carreauchompeur]

mechsympathy said:

carreauchompeur said:

mechsympathy said:

carreauchompeur said:

I've also seen this great chip that gives you 20bhp

IIRC a simple remap gives you S8 power... Plotloss is your man on this.

Even the petrol version?

:raisesaneyebrow: Eh? Have I missed something?

Edit to add the quote so my reply makes a bit of sense (And just in case the OP recons the S8 is diesel...)

Edited by mechsympathy on Thursday 9th April 19:54

Sorry, I didn't realise I had put "petrol" in the OP. I tend to associate diesels with remapping...

And no, I know the S8 isn't diesel

[paintman]

http://www.duramax-diesel.com/spicer/index.htm
OK the test shows the K&N was 96% efficient at removing crap which confirms what they claim on their site, but why bother when you can get normal filters which take a lot more out & you don't have to wash & oil them.
They have a 1 million mile warranty - on the filter, not on any damage that may occur to your engine.

[Robatr0n]

paintman said:

http://www.duramax-diesel.com/spicer/index.htm
OK the test shows the K&N was 96% efficient at removing crap which confirms what they claim on their site, but why bother when you can get normal filters which take a lot more out & you don't have to wash & oil them.
They have a 1 million mile warranty - on the filter, not on any damage that may occur to your engine.

Pretty much .

K&Ns have been known to harm MAFs too which are a hell of alot more expensive than a K&N filter.

[Vixpy1]

Have a MAF?

Stay the fk away from any oiled filter



Offisher

[stigmundfreud]

if ringram comes in saying its another good excuse to ditch the bloody maf I'll shoot him

[Chris_w666]

What's a MAF?

And no I don't want the post midnight vixpy1 comedy answer.

[Robatr0n]

MAF is basically the Air Flow Meter.

A tiny (and delicate!) wire that measures air flow and intake temperatures which will then adjust the fuelling to suit the car.

Busted MAF = Car running like st + Expensive MAF repair + Expensive fuel bills.

[Chris_w666]

<puts on foil hat>

<runs to get the tools out and refit standard air filter>

[Robatr0n]

Chris_w666 said:

<puts on foil hat>

<runs to get the tools out and refit standard air filter>

K&Ns generally make the car sound alot louder but I recently installed an RS2 airbox into my S2 (bigger air intake but no oiled filters in sight) and done a couple of other minor things and my car made 40bhp more on Vixpy1's rolling road.

That's not to say that standard filters will push the power up but more to say that the K&N filter the previous owner fitted to my car knackered the MAF and the fuelling was awful.

[haircutmike]

I have a K&N fitted to my chim, could that be the cause of my broken clutch actuating arm?

[Chris_w666]

I fitted one to my focus and it seemed OK and have one in the fiesta that gives it an extra 0.95 bhp between 2001 and 2003rpm, only fitted because it was free but nothing has broken in the last year.

I had never actually heard that oiled filters were bad for your engine.

[Utterly Clueless]

I have one of the K&N panel filters, No noise difference but does feel a *little* more responsive.

Main reason for buying one is the 1,000,000mile warranty. £42 quid may seem a lot but in 4 services your paid around £40 for 4 filters, with the K&N you buy the cleaning kit (gives about 10 washes) so you spend £50 but that £50 lasts you for 10 years worth of services.

depending on the age of the car you may be able to get a 57s induction kit, which is a cone airfilter with its own airbox that mounts in place of your original airbox and uses the same mounts and intake points. This 'adds power but does not increase sound' according to K&N's schpeal.

HTH

Thom

Edited by Utterly Clueless on Friday 10th April 01:56

[350GT]

As long as you oil it per the instructions, you shouldn't have any issues. The problem is when you over oil, or bung it in before it's had time to dry. You won't get any HP gains, but response might 'feel' better, as well as a nice noise.