KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

[SeaMasterZ@aol.com]

I have been looking at some sites, and these Filterchargers sound wonderful, pick up torque, horses and gas mileage<br /><br />in a thousand glowing testimonials, I found one bad thread, and potentially confirmed a suspicion I had<br /><br />He said in very dusty going, the filter let dust in the intake, despite proper oiling and such, and the oil fouled the MAF sensor<br /><br />Lots of motorheads on here, whatcha think about them? I have to find out if they void the warranty too, dont want to mess up the motor, but they really sound like a worthwhile investment<br /><br />literally hundred of reviews have been positive tho<br /><br />just curious, sounds like da bomb to me, I rarely go down dirt roads, and likely WONT until I get some mudguards on the little guy

 

[JasonJ]

Re: KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

I have one in my 95 Ford F150 4x4 with 351W. It was in it when I bought the truck, so I can't say anything about an improvement. What I can say is that the filter was absolutely filthy, so I bought the recharger kit and cleaned it. I reoiled it and the improvement was dramatic. The truck was getting horrible fuel economy, somewhere around 10 or 11 miles to the gallon. Cleaning the filter brought me up to about 17 or 18 mpg. I have not seen any dust get past it, but if you over oil it, it can contaminate the element in the mass air flow sensor. My rig is Speed Density, so I do not have to worry about it (it does not have a MASS sensor). If the MASS sensor does get contaminated, you clean it VERY carefully with Q-tips and it is fine.

 

[RICKRICK1]

Re: KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

Have used them for years and am very satisfied.

 

[SeaMasterZ@aol.com]

Re: KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

any tips/tricks to properly oiling them?<br /><br />just want to make sure Im not fouling anything up, mass air flow sensors included!

 

[JasonB]

Re: KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

I have one in all 3 of our vehicles. While I didn't see gobs of power, I did get crisper throttle response on all vehicles and don't have to fiddle with the air filters very often. I'm very satisfied.<br /><br />I will say that I have had a couple annoyances with them, but nothing sertious. The one in my Ranger coated the mass air sensor with oil to the point of setting off the check engine light. In its defense, the maf had 100k miles of grime on it already. On my wife's Contour, the extra air causes the car to "moose" in cool-cold weather. The air makes the intake pipe resonate at certain rpms and the sound has been described by others as sounding like a female moose in heat. There is a simple $0.30 fix, I just haven't done it. My F-150 got one the day I bought it. Heck, I even want a K&N flame arrestor for my sterndrive. <br /><br />The oiling is pretty straight forward. Just follow the instructions and you should be good. I tend to oil a bit light due to the maf thing, but the maf is easy to clean too.

 

[TexSkeeter150]

Re: KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

I have had them for years with no problems at all. I have heard of some people saying the let dirt in the motor. I dissagree. In fact, the US military switched to the K&N filters for the Apache helicopters during the Gulf wars because nothing else would filter all that sand out and provide the amout of air needed for that turbine. This alone is good enough for me.

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

Nothing is free, horsepower or economy. You'll get even more power and economy if you removed the filter element altogether.<br />The particle blasting that MAF sensors would get isn't cured with a cuetip. MAF sensors, cylinder walls and rings aren't cheap.<br /><br />Maybe you can get away with useing them on Walden Pond but in any AG area or simular condition, goodluck. Filters aren't an area that you want to scrimp or experiment with.

 

[NOSLEEP]

Re: KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

I have used a K&N in 3 of my past trucks.<br />I have not installed one on my last truck.<br />Several trucks that I have been involved with,in<br />the last year on a particular job site Have had <br />catastrophic engine failure, due to dust particles<br />passing through there K&N filters and entering the<br />intake system and scoring the cylinders and <br />ultimately ended with voiding engine warranty. Very<br />upset truck owners.My point is under a normal<br />running environment they are ok.But in order for<br />them to work more efficiently they have to let <br />a higher air flow to the intake system and in <br />doing so allow a higher micron of contaminant <br />into the combustion chamber.<br />I'll stick with the OEM filter.

 

[Hooty]

Re: KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

My wife's 2001 Expedition came from the new car dealership equiped with the K&N set-up. Figger that one out.<br /><br />c/6<br />Hooty

 

[SeaMasterZ@aol.com]

Re: KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

AGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!! <br /><br />well, confuscious say, never ask question you cant handle answer to!<br /><br />sheesh!<br /><br />was the car that got ruined used in dusty areas a lot?<br /><br />I am a bad one for filling up the tank and seeing where a road takes me, sometimes its down dusty washboard roads ... they dont start out that way, they just wind up that way, lol<br /><br />maybe doubling up on the filtercharger ...<br /><br />lol<br /><br />argh, I hate it when I get confounded by the facts<br /><br />

 

[SeaMasterZ@aol.com]

Re: KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

oh, ok, they used em in a dust bowl<br /><br />thats what the guy said that found dust in his intake, he is an offroader, and was in a high dust area<br /><br />down the shore, its a lot of blowing sand, but I think sand is big, like getting a boulder sized chunk thru a screen door (without the crushing the door down boulder effect, lol)<br /><br />of course, could always take the paper filter and put it back in for the summer, course thats when you need the power the most, overcoming the AC<br /><br />The reason I ask is cause the truck apparently has a 3000 pound tow rating, but the 2200 Vortec working really hard to move the poundage<br /><br />(and they arent budging on the 4300, its 2200 or nothin)<br /><br />The next door neighbor down next to mom has a new 18 foot bay master boat, with a new 70 horse yamaha on it, she was very curious about what it cost him<br /><br />very curious, she never asks what things cost unless shes interested in buying something, and wouldnt say anything further, despite my bugging her, hey, whats the deal mom, why you askin him all those questions?<br /><br />She sure used to love the old SeaMaster with its venerable 33 rude, and this thing looked a lot like it, center console, bimini top, etc.<br /><br />The little guy might have more than a tin boat to pull around in a summer or two, meanwhile, my twin engine tin should out gun that heavy tank of a boat he has anyway, lol, seven more horses and a thousand pounds less wieght<br /><br />course ... four stroke turn the key and go vs whoops, starboard engine down, stand by on paddles in case port engine decides to conk out too, errr, whats that noise ...<br /><br />hello? Sea Tow? HELP!<br /><br />lol

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

Leave the stock filter in, get a power chip, mild camshaft grind, and a 3" exaust with a matched catalyst and 30" glasspac.<br />A definate "value added" package.

 

[SeaMasterZ@aol.com]

Re: KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

LOL, and put a waterproof six foot subwoofer assembly in the bed, 2000 watt amp - <br /><br />the thing does have a 100 amp alternator, should run it!

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

K&N in an Apache or any other war machine really had me worried. (They're pretty crappy filters Ray.)<br /><br /> http://www.pall.com/Aerospace_5848.asp <br /><br /> http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2001/11/29/032979.html

 

[KennyKenCan]

Re: KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

Hey CastawayRay,<br /><br />Is that photo, of the little red truck the vehicle you plan on installing the filtercharger?<br /><br />If you are wondering about the warranty, don't worry because you can purchase those kits right from Chevy, and they will not void any warranty.<br /><br />I have one on my blazer, and although I didn't notice a difference in horsepower, I did notice a 3 mpg increase in fuel economy.

 

[DJ]

Re: KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

K & N=Garbage.<br /><br />If they were that good, the auto builders would make them standard equipment.<br /><br />I've seen, in my biz, many a "dusted" engine due to K & N's inability to filter out fine dirt. Heck, they don't filter anything until they get somewhat dirty.

 

[SeaMasterZ@aol.com]

Re: KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

who would think an air filter would be such a hot topic?<br /><br />djohns, what about street use? I wont take a two wheel drive off the tar anymore, last time I did, I put 50 miles on the truck driving ten miles down a sandy road<br /><br />of course, the one woman's You Aint taking MY car down that road parade's Outback churned thru that 30 inch snowstorm without skipping a beat<br /><br />sand? not a problem!<br /><br />well ... cept for liz, lol<br /><br />

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

Is that anything like my HEPA SUIT?<br />It uses true hepa filters.

 

[SeaMasterZ@aol.com]

Re: KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

mine has more chrome, but its red and an extended cab<br /><br />and has those aluminum mags<br /><br />and a mighty Vortec 2200 motor, lol, smaller than the engine in my old Vega<br /><br />less than ten miles on the clock and it pulled right on down the road, sounded tinny, quite awful actually, but I rolled the windows up, cranked the air on, and hit that incredible stereo they have in the thing up for some background music - <br /><br />noise? what noise?<br /><br />lol<br /><br />seriously, I believe in keeping windows shut, turbulence and all that, better mileage, you DO NOT hear that engine with the windows shut<br /><br />no wind noise to speak of<br /><br />its more wind noise tight than my grandmothers 2002 Buick Century, which is a pretty nice car in its own right<br /><br />for a car, anyway<br /><br />

 

[DJ]

Re: KN Filterchargers - good or bad?

CastawayRay,<br /><br />Our roads and freeways are not free of rubber dust, sand, dust, etc.<br /><br />Leave your stock system alone and enjoy your truck.<br /><br />The K & N is a maintenance nightmare and most do not maintain it. Give it a big-PASS!