Quick Air Filter Question

[Matt927]

Stock Airbox. Currently have K&N filter which should be cleaned soon. I have been thinking about going back to factory paper filter because of possiblilty of messing up the MAF. Anyone ever go back to stock filter?

Thanks,
Matt

[shim]

thats ghey.


stock paper filter is very restrictive and you have to constantly buy replacements. just maintain your K&N like 2 or 3 times a year and you should be fine. shouldn't mess up the HFM.

[Andres]

I'd go back to stock filters. They do filter better than K&N. If I had the stock air box I'd even put that back on.

[xxjordan88]

i say keep it, i doubt it causes any damage. ive had mine for about 6 months now, i wouldnt go back

[paul e]

K&Ns are fine. Ive used them on my sc m3 for 6 yrs now with no probs. Just dont be a fool and overoil them.. More is not better.

[kevsbeamer]

you are going to get many people with different opinions, to me i think its is pretty much personal choice, but i just think that paper would just be fine seeing as every car comes stock with one and not stock with a K&N one.

[ALPINE97]

Install the brake duct/snorkel set up and then add a ITG foam filter for improved airflow and filtration over the K&N. Add a Dinan stage 1 chip which is currently on sale for 50% off and she'll run like a dream.

[Leeper]

I tried K&n once, after installing it adn checking about 2K miles alter I found that there had been considerable dirt INSIDE showing that the sir cleaner did not do it's job. Sure it sounded a little "meaner" but there was actually a slight reduction in my mileage and no noticable increase in power. All said, I found nothing redeeming about it aside from some minor $$$ savings so I happily went back to stock. The purpose of an aircleaner is to stop dirt from damaging my engine, K&N showed me that that the way they get their supposed POWER was by means of letting more air adn crap blow by, not for me....

[WBS]

Stick with the OEM Paper element.

The K&N, even when accurately oiled, will let in more particulates than the stock paper filter. (Yes. This really is true.) The minor amount of extra foreign matter probably won't hurt your performance or engine life, but there isn't a need to take the risk if the paper element works just as well.

Over-oiling can and will mess up your MAF, however, if you following the oiling instructions carefully, this shouldn't be a problem.

Paper elements are "dirt" cheap (if you buy them from anyone but the stealer). The cost savings over 100,000 miles isn't really that much. If you have to replace a gummed up MAF... then you're really in the hole.

I know there is something "low-tech" about paper accordions vs. that fancy K&N filter, but, considering that our cars run on the extracts of flora and fauna from the Jurassic era, it's not that bad. ;)


P.S.
I had a K&N in my previous ride, but it was carburated and about advanced as a WWI biplane (i.e. no hi-tech sensors to malfunction).

[radcc]

Hold the k&n filter up to the light and you can see holes through it. I took a look at my k&n filter and wasn't impressed so I went back to stock paper filters. I don't notice a difference in power, but I am more confident about the air being filtered going into the motor.

Like others have said, the paper ones are cheap too!

[Matt927]

Thanks everyone for the info.

For those with the K&N how often are you cleaning them?

And for those with the paper element, what is your interaval for replacement?

Thanks again,
Matt

[def328]

I went back to paper, didn't notice any power loss either. I know its filtering better too. :D :D

[rennteknik]

Over in S4 world the K&N actually lost powered compared to a brand spanking new paper element....

alot of times these power claims come from replacing a dirty nasty paper element with a brand new clean K&N.. if you used a brand new filter you would see the same gains.. and in the s4's case an actual loss for the k&n vs. a new clean stocker.

[ALPINE97]

You may want to check out the Amsoil absolute efficiency filter presented at Tech Fest and described in the June Roundel. Performance and filtration.

[Pilgrim]

Stick with the OEM Paper element.

The K&N, even when accurately oiled, will let in more particulates than the stock paper filter. (Yes. This really is true.) The minor amount of extra foreign matter probably won't hurt your performance or engine life, but there isn't a need to take the risk if the paper element works just as well.

Over-oiling can and will mess up your MAF, however, if you following the oiling instructions carefully, this shouldn't be a problem.


That's the story in a nutshell. If you over-oil the K&N you may screw up the MAF sensor; if you don't, it still lets more particulates through, meaning your engine will wear faster. I tried a K&N drop-in filter once - then took it out, sold it on Ebay and went back to paper filters.

Stick with the paper air filter. It has a lot of surface area and works just fine.