K & N Air Filter
02-18-2019, 03:23 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
K & N Air Filter
Is the K & N Air Filter worth the price for my 2013 Ford F150 Turbo?
Thanks
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02-18-2019, 03:47 PM
#2
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You will probably get mixed opinions on this subject.
Here is mine.
Stick with a Ford/Motorcraft filter. They do a great job of keeping the intake tract clean and flow very well.
The “promised “ gains from the K&N are close to nothing.
Any “oiled” filter increases the risk of contaminants accumulating on the many sensors located in the intake tract.
If inquiring about a K&N “cold air” system, save the “moola”! Your truck came from the factory with one already installed.
Here is mine.
Stick with a Ford/Motorcraft filter. They do a great job of keeping the intake tract clean and flow very well.
The “promised “ gains from the K&N are close to nothing.
Any “oiled” filter increases the risk of contaminants accumulating on the many sensors located in the intake tract.
If inquiring about a K&N “cold air” system, save the “moola”! Your truck came from the factory with one already installed.
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N4HHE (02-18-2019)
02-18-2019, 05:01 PM
#4
Senior Member
I put one in a 1998 F-150. Not because I expected any increase in performance, but because 20 years ago the K&N was $50, a paper filter for that truck was $35. I figured it would be cheaper to just clean the K&N every few months than spend $35 every few months. And it was. If you look at the cost of K&N vs paper filters and think you can come out ahead then it might be worth it. I sold that truck with the K&N filter in it and never bought another.
If you read their literature closely they only show modest gains in performance when running the engines at 5000 rpm. In other words they might give a race car another 1-2 mph on the top end. For normal passenger cars/trucks there is no noticeable improvement. And I've seen enough evidence to know they don't filter the air as good. I wouldn't advise one if it is driven a lot in dusty conditions.
If you read their literature closely they only show modest gains in performance when running the engines at 5000 rpm. In other words they might give a race car another 1-2 mph on the top end. For normal passenger cars/trucks there is no noticeable improvement. And I've seen enough evidence to know they don't filter the air as good. I wouldn't advise one if it is driven a lot in dusty conditions.
02-18-2019, 05:01 PM
#5
Senior Member
You have to define what you're trying to improve. The purpose of the filter is to keep dirt and other particulates out of your engine. So, since K&N lets in more dirt, if that is what you're trying to improve, "filtering", then K&N would have to pay you to make it worthwhile.
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yotehunter (02-19-2019)
02-18-2019, 05:48 PM
#6
Marshallr, the owners manual states to replace the air filter every 30k miles. You were replacing it every few months?? Seems excessive.
02-18-2019, 05:59 PM
#7
Senior Member
No. Not unless you drive at full throttle, a lot.
The volume of air your engine consumes is a function the sum of air filter restriction plus throttle plate restriction. If the air filter does not restrict then you will restrict by raising your right foot. In the end the engine gets exactly the same amount of air either way.
The volume of air your engine consumes is a function the sum of air filter restriction plus throttle plate restriction. If the air filter does not restrict then you will restrict by raising your right foot. In the end the engine gets exactly the same amount of air either way.
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02-18-2019, 10:10 PM
#9
Senior Member
Fram makes good air filters, only $10 each on Amazon. Motorcraft air filter is $20. K&N is $54, cleaning kit is $9. So let’s say you can get 3 cleanings out of the K&N Filtercharger kit before you lose it or the contents go bad. Not including labor to wash the K&N, wait to dry, oil, and wait for oil to dry, one might break even just past 90,000 miles vs Motorcraft. Won’t break even until 180,000 vs Fram. Labor to wash and oil a K&N is about an hour. To collect things. To put things away. To start, stop, restart. Put inferior engine protection on top of labor and K&N is a lose-lose proposition.
