K&N Filter Replacement

[dlschicken]

I recently purchased a K&N air filter for my 2002 Bird. I was having trouble removing the airbox cover so I called my local Ford dealer for advice and was told that they had a ton of trouble with these filters, and that I would have to clean it at least once a month or I too would have trouble. I suspect that this is an effort to push their own products. Any thoughts?

David L.
Summerville, S.C.

[Sealy]

Re: K&N Filter Replacement

My thoughts . . .

K&N provides a greater volume of air to your engine. They do this by reducing the amount of stuff the air has to go through. That "stuff" is filter material. And filter material is what stops contaminents. Stuff down, dirt up. K&N will argue that they are more efficient. Maybe, but they also need to be cleaned and oiled frequently. (Note: Oiled? Yes - you do remember the oil-bath cleaners that they quit using in the 50s. That may be relavent.) My guess is that your dealer a. Wants your business, and b. Knows your area and what is required of a filter specific for your Bird. The whole K&N filter mystique has been argued and debunked over the years. I'd say, for negligable results and more maintenance issues, it ain't worth it. Just IMHO.

[Lonestar]

Re: K&N Filter Replacement

A lot of people use oil treated gauze air filtration systems from K&N and others. At the risk of starting a controversy…. Any HP improvement gained form such systems are only realized at very high RPM levels and are only marginal at best. The oil treated gauze filter allows a lot of dirt to get into the engine. You can look at used oil analysis after used oil analysis and the silicon levels (dirt) are always off the charts when an oil treated gauze filter is in use.

Now there is an alternative if you want to run a K&N type cold air intake. You can use the K&N plumbing but use a paper element instead of the oil treated gauze filter. In the link below are such filters and the correct size will fit on a K&N system but I do not recall the correct diameter to fit over the K&N plumbing. These types of filters traps particles like an OEM paper filter but actually flow more air than an oil treated gauze filter. Kind of the best of both worlds.

http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/eaau.aspx

[bronzebird]

Re: K&N Filter Replacement

Bill:

Thanks for that information. I have been cleaning and re-oiling my K & N filter about every other oil change but after reading your comments and checking further I find that may not be enough.

The K & N in my car measures 8 inches in length and has a 4 inch inside diameter on the end going into the air system. It appears as though the paper filter I need is part number EaAU4070.

I am going to order a couple and check them out.

Thanks again.

Bronzebird

[Gobird]

Re: K&N Filter Replacement

Long story short, this is a bunch of crap!

[Sealy]

Re: K&N Filter Replacement

Long story short, this is a bunch of crap!

Strange. I've seen K&N discussions on all kinds of boards. And they always come down to one or two individuals screaming (see bold face, up sized, red text) either ragingly pro or outragedly con.

Take a deep breath, it's not world peace or an end to hunger. Just a quiet filter discussion.

[Lonestar]

Re: K&N Filter Replacement

Long story short, this is a bunch of crap!

What exactly is a piece of crap?

[Sealy]

Re: K&N Filter Replacement

What exactly is a piece of crap?

Anything that looks like a Baby Ruth candy bar and has a unpleasant odor.

[Gobird]

Re: K&N Filter Replacement

I have used K&N filters for years. On all my cars and even on my two jet skies I had up north and have never had a problem. Like I said Crap, just trying to drum up business for their dealership.

[Lonestar]

Re: K&N Filter Replacement

Bill:

Thanks for that information. I have been cleaning and re-oiling my K & N filter about every other oil change but after reading your comments and checking further I find that may not be enough.

The K & N in my car measures 8 inches in length and has a 4 inch inside diameter on the end going into the air system. It appears as though the paper filter I need is part number EaAU4070.

I am going to order a couple and check them out.

Thanks again.

Bronzebird

In the pics in the link below you can somewhat see one of these installed.

http://www.thunderbirdnest.com/forum...ad.php?t=20478

Order a couple??? They last a long, long, time and you can reverse blow them clean with compressed air.

[Gobird]

Re: K&N Filter Replacement

Like I have said for almost the past 8 years here on the site. You use what you want to use and do what you feel is best for your car. That's about all you can do.

[Skozzy]

Re: K&N Filter Replacement

Anything that looks like a Baby Ruth candy bar and has a unpleasant odor.

Wow...really? Guess I have been away to long. I come back and this is the type of responses. I know a few of us that got slamed for speaking ill of opposing party and almost get banned but hey you want to describe things like this it is all good!

Guess I am going back to the Cadillac site.

[Sealy]

Re: K&N Filter Replacement

Wow...really?

If you quoted the whole post, it was appropriate. It was also an attempt to ease tension that was apparent in the original posting. The Baby Ruth thing is an very, very, old joke. If you were offended by the reference, I do regret it. I know nothing of your other reference and will refrain from involvement there.

Have fun on the Caddy board - my 1st car at 16 was a 1959 4-door Cadillac sedan. They've done some nice cars over the years.

[Lindy]

Re: K&N Filter Replacement

Howdy David,

Haven't installed one in my '02 as of yet, now that I got 15K miles on that one, I do plan to change the filter with the stock FoMoCo part soon. As for my '05, I have changed it to the K&N panel filter, and I haven't taken it out of storage yet to test drive the situation. However, some have advised to be ready to clean the MAF sensor, due to the oil in the filter every, say 1500 miles. As a precaution, I bought a spray-can of MAF sensor cleaner sold at Auto Zone store. On the '05 the sensor can be easily (but carefully, not to get finger-print oil on it, etc.) removed to spray it with the special cleaner. Figure I wouldn't take a chance on re-oiling filter and over-oiling it; I'd just as soon buy a new filter. Another thought is that Wisconsin is a far less dusty driving environment than for example the arid south west states. Nothing ventured nothing gained, so I'm going to run one, and the flat-panel type keeps the stock look under the hood. Installing it is a bit of difficulty but do-able.

Lindy

[Lonestar]

Re: K&N Filter Replacement

Howdy David,
Haven't installed one in my '02 as of yet, now that I got 15K miles on that one, I do plan to change the filter with the stock FoMoCo part soon. As for my '05, I have changed it to the K&N panel filter, and I haven't taken it out of storage yet to test drive the situation. However, some have advised to be ready to clean the MAF sensor, due to the oil in the filter every, say 1500 miles. As a precaution, I bought a spray-can of MAF sensor cleaner sold at Auto Zone store. On the '05 the sensor can be easily (but carefully, not to get finger-print oil on it, etc.) removed to spray it with the special cleaner. Figure I wouldn't take a chance on re-oiling filter and over-oiling it; I'd just as soon buy a new filter. Another thought is that Wisconsin is a far less dusty driving environment than for example the arid south west states. Nothing ventured nothing gained, so I'm going to run one, and the flat-panel type keeps the stock look under the hood. Installing it is a bit of difficulty but do-able.
Lindy

Lindy - give a thought to the one in the link below instead.... Flows more air & you need not worry about cleaning the MAF sensor. The correct one for 03-05 is EAA201

http://www.amsoil.com/catalog.aspx?code=EAA210-EA