about my new truck
 

so I completely forgot that before I traded in my truck, I purchased the k&n drop in filter. I haven't opened it yet so I am just curious if it's worth using in the eco (previous truck was 5.0), or if I should just sell it. not sure what the risks are of using a reusable drop in filter on a turbo charged engine.

K&N high-flow air filter p/n 33-2385

I've been wondering the same, wether it actually makes a difference. I might be wrong, but the way I see it, the more flow and air goin through, the more dirt particles go through..

thats what i was curious about. I mean... I live in Arizona. The Land of Dust. So I am not entirely sure how safe it would be, but I am no mechanic.

I had a CAI on my 5.4. Was always worried about that. One day I opened my hood and the pipe shifted off the filter... I was running no filter for at least three weeks.. Lol. I was HORRIFIED!, lol

I think k&n makes a good product. Have had there filters in every vehicle i owned. My four wheeler has been through the dustiest of conditions to where I have had to where a mask because I couldn't breath. Popped off the air filter after about 1000 miles of that and the intake was spotless. Outside of the filter was obvious it was doing its job. So if it can take that it can take the highway and back roads in my trucks just fine I think.

Good point. Did you notice performance increase with drop-ins?

if you do some research K&N has been proven time and time again to allow excessively large dirt particles into engines. in the 2 years I was a Ford tech, I saw 4 Powerstrokes come in with blown turbos with impeller damage and every one of them had a K&N. not to mention, the oil they are coated in will end up all over your MAF. not worth the risk for negligible gains, if any at all.

exactly what I was afraid of. want to buy mine?

I wouldn't say anything huge, it felt a little more responsive on the throttle and maybe slight increase on mpg but my oem one was dirty and figured I would continue the tradition. A chevy duramax went one million miles on a k&n and there was a big article on it back in the day. I also had a friend in a 08 f150 with a 5.4 take his truck mudding with a k&n drop in filter ( idk if he was drunk or what his deal was) but he was hitting mud holes extremely fast and had that filter packed full of mud and nothing went past it. I do believe if you over oil them they can cause issues or if you under oil them they can.

01 excursion 70k no issues
Ford f250 over 200k when I sold it no issues
My ford ranger has been used in severe conditions offroad, no issues, never seen any dust get past the filter. Does a paper filter filter better maybe, but for a fact if you get them wet or muddy they don't. Between my four wheeler and the conditions I have and use my ranger in if a k&n was going to let me down that's when it would have so I figure in my 150 it will be just fine.

I also think another mistake people make with k&n filters is they oil the filter and immediately put in the truck and start it. I always wait a few hours even though the instructions say like 15 minutes. I have never had a maf issue on any vehicle I have owned.

Also if you get one make sure you get it from a authorized seller of k&n. I believe there are fakes out there like several other products on the market.