K & N drop in air filter
07-04-2011, 01:24 PM
#11
Senior Member
This statement is a howler to those of use who had vehicles with the oil bath air filters. With every oil change in those days about 2,000 miles you had the replace the oil that was in the filter and clean the metal mesh filtration material. These where fairly good air filters but high maintenance. Air cooled VW's had oil bath air filters up until the 1972 model year. The engines took 2 1/2 quarts of oil the remaining half quart of oil went into the air filter. 
The Ecoboost is an aluminum block with aluminum heads...dirt is really your enemy. I have done extensive testing (including using 2 stroke go-karts) and K&N filters of this type let in impurities at a much higher volume than simple (well-made_ paper filters.
07-04-2011, 02:51 PM
#12
I Voted For Bill and Opus
Frankly we had oiled paper element filters back "then" as well and we didn't like them you could only reuse them so many times before they started to come apart. The best air filters are the centrifugal filters used on construction and tractor/trailer rigs. It would nice be able to fit one on my truck but they are way to large, big time overkill and I suppose the fact the incoming air actually spins the filter element would cause a certain amount of air restriction. You might be able to get around this air restriction by spinning the filter with an electric motor. But except for driving around in volcanic ash falls it would be over kill.
07-05-2011, 07:42 PM
#13
Boost Junkie
I like Dry flow filters like the ones AEM sales. Like others said, the oil in K&N can cause problems, I have ran several K&Ns, but also seen a lot of build up of oil on maf, and other parts.
07-05-2011, 09:33 PM
#14
Senior Member
I have run K&N filters in my stuff for many years and have never had problems as the instructions state do not clean the filter to much but let it get dirty as it works better. If I remember its like 50000 mi before you clean it unless you travel lots of gravel roads.
07-06-2011, 09:58 AM
#18
Senior Member
You may never "realize" any issues using the K&N but why pay for one if there are better ones out there? Even a plain (well built) paper filter does a better job cleanin the air...
When K&N says don't clean so often to let it get dirty...they are saying, this filter works better once you have trapped some dirt between the fibers with the oil. The problem is it is not optimal until it gets a build up.
When K&N says don't clean so often to let it get dirty...they are saying, this filter works better once you have trapped some dirt between the fibers with the oil. The problem is it is not optimal until it gets a build up.