K&N Air filter check (After Dust storm)

[braceyoself777]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-fiQV1uDYo

Just checking it after the ride from AZ. After riding in the dust storm, numerous people told me to check it....

[Cablebandit]

Gauze filters are generally good at flowing air. Not stopping dirt.

[Kneescrubber]

I live in a similar environment. My K&N gets cleaned every oil change.

[caddydaddy]

Gauze filters are generally good at flowing air. Not stopping dirt.

Looks like it stopped the dirt!  

[braceyoself777]

Looks like it stopped the dirt!  

Thats what I was thinking right?

To each their own Opinion Just wanting to share my experience...

[jeepinbanditrider]

I used to run a K&N on my Jeep.  Being off road a lot it's dusty......a lot lol.  I pulled it out one day and looked up the intake tube (4.0L I-6) and had a very fine layer of dust on the tube.  I pulled that filter gave it to a guy at work and went back to paper elements I changed per the manual.  Since then I've never ran a K&N Filter again and just purchase a spare paper element to keep on the shelf.

[ridingfar]

This topic is right up there with what kind of oil to use in the "less filling - tastes great" debates.

Believe what you wish and use what you want. For the use and service life I want from my machines I DO NOT use gause filters.

[JSharp]

I used to be a believer in K&N filters until I discovered oil analysis.  Do an oil analysis on an engine that's run a K&N and the same engine with a good paper filter. The silicon readings with the paper filter will be far lower.

The K&N's just aren't worth the added dirt ingestion for the minimal HP you might get.

[braceyoself777]

I used to be a believer in K&N filters until I discovered oil analysis.  Do an oil analysis on an engine that's run a K&N and the same engine with a good paper filter. The silicon readings with the paper filter will be far lower.

The K&N's just aren't worth the added dirt ingestion for the minimal HP you might get.

My mechanic has been telling me to go back to an OEM filter anyways....its just they are so firgg'n' expensive :/

[Cablebandit]

Meh, it's two tanks of gas.

[caddydaddy]

I used to be a believer in K&N filters until I discovered oil analysis.  Do an oil analysis on an engine that's run a K&N and the same engine with a good paper filter. The silicon readings with the paper filter will be far lower.

The K&N's just aren't worth the added dirt ingestion for the minimal HP you might get.

I've done oil analysis on my car that I've run a K&N filter for the past 80,000 miles.  The silicon readings have always been normal.  

[JSharp]

I've done oil analysis on my car that I've run a K&N filter for the past 80,000 miles.  The silicon readings have always been normal.  

You must have a good one. Everything I've used one the silicon numbers are 2X as high if not worse.  My 4Runner got enough crap through the filter I had to pull the MAF and clean it.

[caddydaddy]

You must have a good one. Everything I've used one the silicon numbers are 2X as high if not worse.  My 4Runner got enough crap through the filter I had to pull the MAF and clean it.

I'll run a test on the bike oil next time it's due, and see how it fares.  Everyone seems to say that K&N filters will kill your engine by letting it suck in dirt, but I'm not seeing it happen on ANY of my vehicles!

[jeepinbanditrider]

You both may live in very different environments when it comes to dust also  

[JSharp]

I'll run a test on the bike oil next time it's due, and see how it fares.  Everyone seems to say that K&N filters will kill your engine by letting it suck in dirt, but I'm not seeing it happen on ANY of my vehicles!

I don't think that you'll kill an engine with them but in my experience they do allow more dirt through. My '80 KDX 250 came with one from the factory so obviously it's not a case of instant death. I just haven't seen much advantage to them other than lower long term replacement costs since the K&N's will last forever if properly maintained.

 

[Mydlyfkryzis]

You must have a good one. Everything I've used one the silicon numbers are 2X as high if not worse.  My 4Runner got enough crap through the filter I had to pull the MAF and clean it.

Maybe you over-oiled the K&N ? On some of the other sites I haunt, there are numerous stories of dirty MAF's due to a little oil is good, a lot must be better thought processes.

I like the extra MPG or 2 I get, the extended change interval too. I have never had any MAF problems, or noticeable dirt or dust in the intake tract.



 

[dietDrThunder]

Not trying to start a fight, but I've done oil analysis pretty regularly on my cars, tow vehicles while I was racing, street bikes and race bikes over almost 15 years now and a few hundred thousand miles. That experience plus my own anecdotal experience has led me to run nothing but OEM air filters in anything I'm not wanting to rebuild regularly. That said, it's not like using a gauze filter will cause catastrophic damage in 12 miles or whatever...most people don't keep a bike long enough or ride it far enough for it to matter, so the debate is an academic one for 95% of folks.

If you are planning on a 6-figure number of miles though, I'd recommend OEM filters.

[JSharp]

Maybe you over-oiled the K&N ? On some of the other sites I haunt, there are numerous stories of dirty MAF's due to a little oil is good, a lot must be better thought processes.

I like the extra MPG or 2 I get, the extended change interval too. I have never had any MAF problems, or noticeable dirt or dust in the intake tract.

I don't think it was over-oiled but who knows. It took about a year to get enough crap through to trip the CEL and when I did an oil analysis the silicon numbers were over 2X as high as what I saw after I replaced it with a paper filter.

20PPM in 10K miles versus less than 10PPM with paper over the same miles.  20PPM isn't really horrible though for that number of miles. So while there's little doubt to me that the K&N's don't filter quite as well, it's likely good enough for most applications.

[Papa Lazarou]

Me, I won't use K&N's, becuase they don't do a great job

[boogeyman]

Another OEM fan here.  I finally looked at one that I had in my pickup, really looked close.  I'm not comfortable with them.  Racing or whatever when you'll have a mechanical failure first, sure.  I decided at that time that longevity was my goal.  Back to OEMs.  The Fram Airhog that came in my car, holy air filter batman!    I can literally see tiny holes in the media.  Back with an OEM again.

[OMJunk]

I can agree with both sides, but have run K&N in everything for 30 years w/o problems. That includes 80,000 miles on my current bike. It still runs great and uses zero oil. How many anti-K&N guys will put 80K on there bike?

[Cablebandit]

I will. I'm sure quite a few will be on dusty dirty roads as well.

[buls4evr]

  I can tell you that no bike-respecting off-road rider would use a gauze filter in their bike. Mostly it is foam, 2 stage like a Twin-Air or similar. The factory filter is always foam (including the one on a 1980 KDX). This is no accident as they catch the most dirt.

[JSharp]

  I can tell you that no bike-respecting off-road rider would use a gauze filter in their bike. Mostly it is foam, 2 stage like a Twin-Air or similar. The factory filter is always foam (including the one on a 1980 KDX). This is no accident as they catch the most dirt.

My 1980 KDX 250 came with a K&N from the factory in Lincoln.

[bikerider]

I can agree with both sides, but have run K&N in everything for 30 years w/o problems. That includes 80,000 miles on my current bike. It still runs great and uses zero oil. How many anti-K&N guys will put 80K on there bike?

+1

I have run K&N's for lots of miles on my street bikes. For example, my 99 ZX11 had a K&N in it its whole life. When I sold the bike last year with 78K miles it used no oil between 3K mile oil changes.

My 05 ST1300 has had a K&N in it since 3K miles it now has 93K and counting on it and it  uses no oil between 5K mile oil changes.

I use oiled foam filters in my dual sport bikes.

Forgot to mention, I live in Texas where it is real dusty. YMMV

[OMJunk]

I should add, those 91,000 miles. I live on a dirt road, a mile to pavement, in a technical desert environment. Powder dust sometime 1" or more deep.

[buls4evr]

My 1980 KDX 250 came with a K&N from the factory in Lincoln.

 I am scratching my head on that one j-sharp. You sure the shop did not do that where you bought it? My 83 KDX 250 and every other Kaw I ever bought had either paper or more likely a grey foam filter in them.They lasted about a month.... Then rider bought Filtron, Twin-Air or some good filter for them.

[JSharp]

 I am scratching my head on that one j-sharp. You sure the shop did not do that where you bought it? My 83 KDX 250 and every other Kaw I ever bought had either paper or more likely a grey foam filter in them.They lasted about a month.... Then rider bought Filtron, Twin-Air or some good filter for them.

Nope, I saw the bike come out of the crate. The '80 models were a John Penton design during the brief time he was employed by Kawasaki. My bike was assembled in Lincoln and it seems more like a throw together of Kawasaki and aftermarket parts than a Japanese motorcycle. It has the K&N, a Vesco petcock, came with Goodyear tires etc.

[M.Brane]

 Yeah OEM is the only way to go. Just ask my F150 that had a K&N installed at 33K. 225K now & doesn't burn a drop of oil despite all the local blowing dust, and trips to the desert. It gets cleaned & re-oiled every 2 years whether it needs it or not.