The tech told him that the engine blew due to excess dirt inside the engine....

 

Why didn't your brother in law contact K&N? They offer a million mile warrantee on these filters, and if this tech can stand behind his word that the faulty engine was due to accessive dirt, then there would be a case against K&N.

I too do not want to start a negative thread; air filters, oil, oil filters, and truck brands are all famous for that. However, I cannot see how a tech can make a firm assumption that an engine blew because of "excessive dirt"...cylinder walls will score, but this can be due to dirty oil, low oil pressure (our Fords seem to be famous for this), and many other factors. Very difficult to determine that the engine blew over axcessive dirt.

I will agree about the oil issue with K&N's. Most folks do not know how to oil them properly, and usually go overboard sqeezing the bottle. After cleaning and re-oiling my K&N's, I always use my shop vac and run it over the ENTIRE filter before I install it. That way I'm assured that any accessive oil will not reach the MAF sensor and it's delicate wire.

I've been using K&N in my Harleys, my cars, and currently have one on my Ford Truck. Absolutly no problems or issues on any of them. I put over 100K on one of my Harleys before swapping the engine. It had a K&N on it after about 12K on the first engine. That same filter is on the second engine, and I have 34k on that one.

 

I'm surprized no one has asked this. Just out of curiousity, how often did he clean his filter?

 

I dont know how often it was cleaned... Im just going off what he is telling me...but it just adds to my arguement that K&N is a POS

 

Not trying to start crap but I don't think you have an arguement with this one. For all you know he hasn't cleaned the filter at all. Which is his fault.

 

I've always liked K&N, but I just bought the AFE system for my 08 F-150, mainly because K&N prices are ridiculous. I've used K&N for years on other vehicles, and the only problems I've had with them is on one truck, over time the filter shrunk (lot of miles) and the other problem is that one of my cone filters on a FIPK I had, had gotten to where you could see through the filter in places (holes or seperations large enough for dirt to go right through), the media had either shrunk or just spread apart. Both of these filters had been properly cleaned and oiled at regular intervals. I'm not blaming that on K&N, it could have been because of the mileage on the filters, and I have no experience with other brands to see if they do the same over time. So my only reason for not going with K&N again for a while is the price, and there are other brands that have great reputations. Hopefully I'll enjoy the AFE.

- JB

 

I know he cleaned it.... I just dont know how much, whether it was every oil change or every month, I dont know... I just know it wasnt a dirty filter....

 

Here is the K&N excerpt for cleaning their filter:

INCORRECT CLEANING OR USE VOIDS WARRANTY
K&N Air Filters should be cleaned every 50,000 miles for highway use, more often in dusty conditions. Cleaning should be done with K&N cleaner and air filter oil (or comparable air filter cleaner and oil). Use of compressed air, or chemicals not designed to clean and re-oil cotton air filters (gasoline, transmission fluid, motor oil, lightweight oil, or diesel fuel) will void the warranty. Any damaged, abused or modified K&N Air Filters will not be warranted.

I assume your buddy changed his oil more often than 50,000 miles... If he did indeed clean and oil the K&N filter every oil change, or every month, then the chances are very high that oil did get into his air intake tube, as he did not follow directions on the maintenance of the filter.

Sounds like he over cleaned/over oiled the filter. This would explain alot. You are are certainly intitiled to your opinion on the K&N filter.

 

i can say for a fact he never over oiled it... i just know he was meticulous on having it clean because of that last part... more often in dusty conditions... we live in the freaking desert dude....LOL

I clean my AIRAID every 10k miles or so and thats with a pre-filter on it too

 

I have used K&N for years without any problems. I know that there are better options now days, I am even now the proud new owner of an AFE system and I like the dry filter setup, but I have owned several K&N products, cleaned them properly and and have not had any issues....knock on wood