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K&N air filter worth it?

Discussion in 'Performance and Tuning' started by Tundrastanding, Dec 25, 2020.

  1. Dec 25, 2020 at 5:01 PM
    #1
    Tundrastanding

    Tundrastanding [OP] New Member

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    Is it worth it? I'm just looking for a little better mpg and to take care of my engine.
     
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  2. Dec 25, 2020 at 5:04 PM
    #2
    Rex Kramer

    Rex Kramer Vinyl Spinner

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  3. Dec 25, 2020 at 5:07 PM
    #3
    Azblue

    Azblue Beer is Good Ban Moderator

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    The Dirty T
    Nope. What it will do is increase noise, let more dust through, and possibly screw up a sensor. What it won't do is increase power or MPG.
     
  4. Dec 25, 2020 at 5:16 PM
    #4
    Hbjeff

    Hbjeff New Member

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    They are great for race engines that aren’t expected to last very long
     
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  5. Dec 25, 2020 at 5:41 PM
    #5
    Darkness

    Darkness Allergic to white

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    Plenty of people have run them for years without any trouble. Unless maybe you oil them incorrectly your sensor is not in danger.

    However, they don't filter as well as stock filters and won't yield a noticeable difference in horsepower.
     
  6. Dec 25, 2020 at 6:02 PM
    #6
    Stumpjumper

    Stumpjumper New Member

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    Another no
     
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  7. Dec 25, 2020 at 6:16 PM
    #7
    Darkness

    Darkness Allergic to white

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    Just get the sticker.
     
  8. Dec 25, 2020 at 6:17 PM
    #8
    Black Wolf

    Black Wolf Bigfoot Hunter, Sasquatch too, but not Yeti

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    Yes. Well worth it. Been using reusable drop in K&N's since the early 70's without issues. Using one right now. They do filter better than the OEM but not the dry aftermarket aFe and S&B for example. Most issues with K&N's and other brand oiled filters are due to over oiling.
     
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  9. Dec 25, 2020 at 6:33 PM
    #9
    Vizsla

    Vizsla ☠️☠️☠️

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    They definitely do not filter anywhere near a stock filter on a Tundra. My Tundra is a dedicated off road rig, filter replaced every trip. The only filter that pulled more dust through than K&N was AFE dry... No dust through oem, way too much dust with K&N, AFE, and Wix.
     
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  10. Dec 30, 2020 at 11:28 AM
    #10
    TundraPJ

    TundraPJ New Member

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    I used to run one on my LS1 Z28 and never had issues. Used to enjoy cleaning and re-oiling as needed. From faded memory, I think I saw more dust behind the filter when using the OE,Wix,Fram filters than the K&N. But that car also never saw off-road use like my truck does.

    I added the drop in filter to the tundra earlier this year when it was time to swap filters. Removed the charcoal filter and the TB mesh at the same time. Did not see any increase in MPG or performance (within normal driving ranges), but can definitely hear more engine noise. I’m willing to bet there is more performance in the upper RPM’s, but I don’t get up there frequently enough to for a good comparison.

    For comparison purposes and to pacify my desire to tinker with things, I’m going to be switching to an OE filter in the next few weeks. I’ll follow up if I feel any difference and report if there’s any noticeable dust behind the filter.
     
  11. Dec 30, 2020 at 12:15 PM
    #11
    jwatt

    jwatt I heart men

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    I m curious to know the technique used to determine how much dust is pulled through a filter. The only way I can tell is checking it to see how much dust it has blocked.
     
  12. Dec 30, 2020 at 12:24 PM
    #12
    defaint

    defaint New Member

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    I run one on my current Tundra, there really isn't a perceptible difference to me in power or miles per gallon, what you do gain is a re-usable filter and a neat sticker.

    Bought it one day at Wal-Mart on a whim just to see if there was a difference, really the only positive that I can find, assuming you change your paper filters at 10K with each oil change is that after 5 changes you will have paid for the re-usable filter and assuming you take care of the filter, cleaning and re-oiling like you should you don't have to purchase paper filters anymore. But if you want to break it down.

    Paper filter at Auto Zone is 15 bucks, if you keep your truck to 200,000 miles and change your filter every oil change at 10K that comes to 300 without tax.

    K&N filter being around 50 bucks plus the cleaner and oil 15 bucks, comes down to an un-astounding 235 dollar savings. Is it really worth that, probably not, lots of folks here think the filters ruin things but can say I have not had any oil bleed through to the charcoal filter in the top of the airbox or tons of oil dripping down to the bottom.

    So in the end, it's really your decision of if its worth it to save the money, far as I can tell you will be fine either way but if you wanted to see a real world example, watch the video below:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS69owXpGdY&ab_channel=EngineeringExplained
     
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2020
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  13. Dec 30, 2020 at 12:35 PM
    #13
    Funnyguy713

    Funnyguy713 I can't get Jiggy with this Sh!t

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    So basically you pay $50 for a cool sticker.
     
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  14. Dec 30, 2020 at 12:37 PM
    #14
    defaint

    defaint New Member

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    Affirmative :D
     
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  15. Dec 30, 2020 at 12:42 PM
    #15
    IBeam

    IBeam New Member

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    Right. Do not over oil the filter !
     
  16. Dec 30, 2020 at 1:00 PM
    #16
    purplenova

    purplenova Not a new member

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    I have a K&N now and also has one on my 2011 Tundra.

    No noticeable difference, no additional noise. I picked up mine new on fleabay for about $25.00
    and like that I dont have to worry about it. I re-oil mine once a year. Its almost never dirty.
     
  17. Dec 30, 2020 at 1:41 PM
    #17
    Green Thunder

    Green Thunder Smooth in the Cruise

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    Nope. The MPGs are just advertising. No reason to touch the stock airbox or filter until you boost
     
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  18. Jan 1, 2021 at 1:07 PM
    #18
    TundraPJ

    TundraPJ New Member

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    Dropped the OE filter back in this morning. No change in power or sound from what I can tell.

    I didn’t see any trace of dust behind the filter though fwiw.
     
  19. Jan 1, 2021 at 1:11 PM
    #19
    ninjajay

    ninjajay Posting from the toilet

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    Had one on my 08 for many years, I guess I saved a few bucks from never having to replace it but otherwise no difference. I had used oil analyzed a few times by Blackstone over the years and they always came back fine.
     
  20. Jan 1, 2021 at 1:15 PM
    #20
    Elduder

    Elduder New Member

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    Lol, love these threads. I wouldnt recommend them for someone planning a desert trip. But all the people that are worried about failures related to the filter, this company must have millions of filters out there, just saying. If failure rate was high enough to be concerned then it would be high enough to have traceable data.

    You do get a filter you can clean though. So with the stock filters typically being good for about 30-40k, and these being reusable for many more miles than that. In the long run they would save a little cash. FWIW youre more likely to develop a cam tower leak than see a failure caused by these filters.
     
  21. Oct 2, 2022 at 5:00 PM
    #21
    Dezertbilly

    Dezertbilly New Member

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    I honestly don't understand what issues people have with at least the stock replacement k&n filters. I even have 1 on my 13 ktm 250 sx which I definitely noticed a horsepower increase and it keeps the airbox 10 fold cleaner than the stock 1. The k&n stock replacement on the 01 tundra increased power a just a Lil but definitely way cleaner than the stock 1 did. Wash it off and reinsert. As opposed to some paper peice of sh*t filter. Feel like thers has to be an insertion errors if the k&n is letting debris by at all let alone compared to stock. I'm not completely sure but I think k&n doesn't even produce a filter that doesn't improve some part of the vehicles performance
     
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  22. Oct 2, 2022 at 5:38 PM
    #22
    Black Wolf

    Black Wolf Bigfoot Hunter, Sasquatch too, but not Yeti

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    Been using K&N oiled filters since the 70's with zero issues.....I personally go with my almost 50 years experience. In all conditions, sand, alkali dust. But what do I know?
     
  23. Oct 2, 2022 at 5:53 PM
    #23
    ATV25

    ATV25 Young at heart

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    I run K&N on most of my rigs and toys, ironically I don't have one on my Tundra . . . yet. Always have had good luck with them. As long as the cleaning and oiling are done properly they are a great product.
     
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  24. Oct 2, 2022 at 7:04 PM
    #24
    Bakershack

    Bakershack Critical of Noncritical Thinkers

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    Nothing wrong with K&N, but it won't improve your situation in any way unless you are religious about cleaning it properly and on schedule. I used them for a few years but the VERY minor savings (cleaning kits are not free) was not worth the extra hassle.
     
  25. Oct 2, 2022 at 8:00 PM
    #25
    Black Wolf

    Black Wolf Bigfoot Hunter, Sasquatch too, but not Yeti

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    Yep....Going on 50 years now using K&N's. Never an issue, whether sand or alkali dust conditions. Over oiling is usually the issue with these filters. If you run a lot in those conditions....check your filter. Any filter. Dry or oiled. LOL. That extra "thin" layer of oil acts like a spider web to prevent smaller particulates from passing through. Science is real......:thumbsup:
     
    Last edited: Oct 2, 2022
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  26. Oct 2, 2022 at 8:04 PM
    #26
    Black Wolf

    Black Wolf Bigfoot Hunter, Sasquatch too, but not Yeti

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    30 mile drive? No offense, but my natural skeptic spider sense is kicking in.....
     
    Last edited: Oct 2, 2022
  27. Oct 3, 2022 at 10:10 AM
    #27
    Stumpjumper

    Stumpjumper New Member

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    I do not change paper filters every 10k. I take them out and clean them with compressed air. If ranch roads are real dry during deer season then I will change after season is over. Other then that I don't drive on dusty roads.
     
  28. Oct 5, 2022 at 5:06 AM
    #28
    Geezer

    Geezer New Member

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    Logic will tell you that if a filter of the same dimensions lets more air through then it must have larger passages in the filter element. That means some fine contaminants can get through that a normal filter will catch. I have no idea if that is harmful. What I remember reading about K&Ns is that they filter better after they start to get dirty.

    I do not use one on my Tundra, but I do have one on my Miata and at 60k miles it has not caused any problems.

    To the question about 'is it worth it', I don't find any noticeable difference in power or MPG, but it saves a few bucks in the long run because it does not need to be changed as often as a paper filter.
     
  29. Oct 5, 2022 at 5:09 AM
    #29
    nobodyintexas

    nobodyintexas What?

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    Whatever this forum told me to do
    had one on my '96 4runner.

    it ganked up my MAF

    never used again.

    I use a WIX on my tundra. because Poject Farm said so.
     
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  30. Oct 5, 2022 at 7:38 AM
    #30
    Bakershack

    Bakershack Critical of Noncritical Thinkers

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    The Million Mile Tundras did not use K&N, that I know of. I know the first one used only OEM because it was always serviced at the dealership.
     

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