Just wondering if there is any harm in replacing my stock air filter with a K & N air filter? Will I notice any difference, any performance increase? Are they truly a lifetime filter? Just wondering if anyone could shed some light on this. thanks!

 

They are quite effective at blocking dirt and will allow more air into the engine, combined with either a Zo6 lid or a modified stock lid will produce 5-10 more hp.I've been using them for years, the longest I kept a car was six years and the filter was still like new after a cleaning and reoiling.

 

Thanks... someone said that the extra air intake would screw up the "computer" so i thought i would see of anyone knew...

 

Check this.
http://home.usadatanet.net/~jbplock/ISO5011/SPICER.htm

 

I switched to an 04 Z06 air box with a K&N filter and I have had no problems. Nice little punch to boot.

Tino

 

For what it's worth, I've had a K&N installed in my 99 C5 with no air box since new, I have a 1 1/2 mile gravel and very dusty drive way and I've driven in some very heavy rain storms. I cleaned the TB in Feb. when I installed a cam, it had a small amount a discoloring. I just cleaned the K&N after 30K miles, the outside bottom was packed with dirt where it sets on the cooling duct. I just drove it on a 300 mile trip and didn't notice any change in mileage or performance. I did remove the MAF screen while I had the assembly off, it doesn't pop out like Handzel says in his LS1 book. It sets in a groove and if you use a scribe, inserted in each honey comb, to pull it away from the groove it will come out. No codes, runs as good as ever. The screen did have a black film on it and signs of corrosion that was starting to block airflow, if that could be measured is questionable. I've run K&Ns in all my dirt bikes and my Ducatis and in the 70's when I first started using them, K&N said that the dirtier they get the better they filter. I'm still riding a 1972 XL 250 Honda around my farm that I've had since new and I've never cleaned the K&N in 33 years, it still runs as strong as ever and doesn't smoke or use oil, I use it to get my mail with, maybe I should clean it. It looks to me that K&Ns don't filter out everything but I wonder if what they pass is worth worrying about over the long haul.
I don't think this all about K&N air filters, it's either about a faulty installation or an other brand and if the person who knows won't say what it's all about, they're just stirring up allot of **** for some reason or other. BTW I thought the filter performance test posting, was a worth while read. I like constructive, well thought out information.

Cheers, Curt

 

For what it's worth, I've had a K&N installed in my 99 C5 with no air box since new, I have a 1 1/2 mile gravel and very dusty drive way and I've driven in some very heavy rain storms. I cleaned the TB in Feb. when I installed a cam, it had a small amount a discoloring. I just cleaned the K&N after 30K miles, the outside bottom was packed with dirt where it sets on the cooling duct. I just drove it on a 300 mile trip and didn't notice any change in mileage or performance. I did remove the MAF screen while I had the assembly off, it doesn't pop out like Handzel says in his LS1 book. It sets in a groove and if you use a scribe, inserted in each honey comb, to pull it away from the groove it will come out. No codes, runs as good as ever. The screen did have a black film on it and signs of corrosion that was starting to block airflow, if that could be measured is questionable. I've run K&Ns in all my dirt bikes and my Ducatis and in the 70's when I first started using them, K&N said that the dirtier they get the better they filter. I'm still riding a 1972 XL 250 Honda around my farm that I've had since new and I've never cleaned the K&N in 33 years, it still runs as strong as ever and doesn't smoke or use oil, I use it to get my mail with, maybe I should clean it. It looks to me that K&Ns don't filter out everything but I wonder if what they pass is worth worrying about over the long haul.


Cheers, Curt

 

I switched to the Z06 box also, but did not do with the K&N, lets to much dirt in, IMHO.

Take a peek at this

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...917&forum_id=1

 

Not a big fan of K&N and I don't really think they add any power.


http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/airfilter/airtest3.htm

 

Just my 2 cents worth. Army helicopters in theater were falling out of the sky because of all the fine sand getting sucked into their engines. Some Avaition units replaced their air filters with K&N filters, now zero accidents caused by mechanical failure. I think that was better than any independant test. If K&N is good enough for a 10 million dollar Blackhawk, then it's good enough for my 45K Vette. Just my opinion though.

 

Same fiiter built to same spec? C'mon Army, you know better than that. Why would independent testing falsify results?

 

This ain't no debate buddy. Just letting you know what happened in the Desert. We're talking real world life and death kind of stuff here. I'm not the "Poster Child" for K&N. Just letting you know one of thier filters is saving lives over there. BTW, you're paying for the K&N filters.

 

I have a 93 eagle talon Tsi with mods and a k&n filter with no airbox. Bought the car new on 01/08/94. 123,324 miles. miles and have had no problems with the motor. It still runs a 13.6 at 103 and is my daily driver. The Vette comes out on the weekends. I swear by the K&N and have one on my 99 C5 with the zip tie mod. Good for 5-8 rwhp without the crummy stock airbox. I just clean the K&N and oil once a year. If you go the zip tie route make sure you buy a hood strip so that water and debris stay out. These can be bought for $20.00 through a vendor .

 

Let me offer a little different explanation from my understanding of what is going on. I spent several years as the project manager for "clean buildings" (microwave enclosures) that were built here and shipped to desert enviroments. These buildings and support vehicles had all kinds of filter requirements. Normal paper filters just wouldn't cut it as they clog in very high contaniment enviroments and cut off airflow. (Dust storms, or man made dust storms like rotor blades) There you would have to go to either "looser filtering" K&N type designs? that would let more contaniments through or a centrifigugal type design where the air could make a 180 degree high speed turn but the dust would slam into a wall and would fall down a chute.

When you have that much dust there is no magic filter they either clog, pass stuff through, or use a different technology. Any engine needs x amount of air and if the contaniment level is high enough the filter will either clog or pass through contaminents.

 

You sound a little upset? No debate, but it is a discussion. I'm saying that K&N has different standards for the military than they do for automotive which is a good thing for the military because their automotive filters don't pass the test. If that's cause for dis-respect by calling me "buddy" you must be having a bad day.

I've worked on engineering for the defense industry for over 30 yrs and they have very high standards which they should have. Peoples lives depend on it. And I'm glad I help pay for it.

It appeared to me that you were saying because their DOD filter was superb that their automotive was also when there is no comparison.

 

I installed the Z06 box and the K&N filter. I did not feel any HP increase, but 5 to 10 HP would be hard to Feel. When I chaged the oil with the factory filter the oil was some what clean coming out. With the K&N the oil was black. I am going back to the GM filter. Just my .02

 

I have a '02 - '04 Z06 lid, I'll sell you for $40 shipped.

 

From my experiences with K&N filter (granted, it was with Camaro SS), I don't see any positive effects from it, whether be dyno or it's ability to trap all the debries/dirt so I ended up going back to paper filter. I would rather replace a new filter every so often then taking chance with oiled, re-useable filter.

 

K&N is a waste of time and money. It does look pretty though. You will not notice any power or mileage gains. I took mine off and added a vararam. Gained 2.5 tenths and 3mph in the 1/8th. Just sold my K&N to some guy like you who thought it would be worthwhile (as did I when I initially bought it).

VARARAM

 

I'm thinking you must be talking about the K&N oil filter instead of their air filter. I can't think of any correlation between a less restrictive air filter and oil contamination unless you no longer have any rings and your pistons slap like a jackhammer.

I also have a Turbo DSM(92 GSX) and the K&N makes a documented 10-12 horsepower with no other changes on these cars. I'm way beyond that now with 454 wheel horsepower. Just a few more upgrades beyond the filter.