K&N Air Filter
- Thread starter HelionTBone
- Start date
No expiration date for air filters 
Hold it up to the sun - if you can see quite a bit of light through it - it is still good!
I did a K&N early on - with a ghetto short ram. Nice improvement. And no issues. Oil is still clean 3K miles since the last oil change. Just do the 50K mile clean and service. It pays for itself in saved $ from paper filters.
Mad HP, yo! NO.
Hold it up to the sun - if you can see quite a bit of light through it - it is still good!I did a K&N early on - with a ghetto short ram. Nice improvement. And no issues. Oil is still clean 3K miles since the last oil change. Just do the 50K mile clean and service. It pays for itself in saved $ from paper filters.
Mad HP, yo! NO.
carsnrockmusic
Member
- :
- Protege 5
I put a cone filter in the place of the factory airbox...my mpg went up slightly. I'm experimenting with a stainless steel cone filter that was left over from a past vechile. The paper filter that was in the airbox was new but it's still slightly restrictive...it's paper afterall. If you intend on installing filters/intakes for HP gain you should probably purchase a six pack of good beer instead.
HelionTBone
Member
- :
- 2003 Mazda Proteg5
Ok guys, so its been over a year since I dropped in my K&N and I can honestly say that I've seen no better than a 1 or 2 mpg increase (if even that). However, I do maintain my original stance that my performance has and continues to be slightly better. My engine has never worked so hard as it did before the switch. Less RPMS = less engine noise = more pleasant environment and hopefully a longer lasting engine. All in all I am a happy customer, however it is a minor inconvenience to have to clean and oil them every 15K or so.
Cheers (drinks)
Cheers (drinks)
Why don't you clean and oil every 50k like the other posters are talking about?
I'm thinking the mpg increase wih the K&N would be minimal. In the days of the carb, a dirty filter meant the mixture would richen too much. But now you're just a filter ahead of the throttle plate. The maf and O2 sensors figure the mix. So a dirty/restrictive filter is now the equivalent of not being able to get the throttle all the way open. So I'm thinking high load - high RPM conditions of maximum CFM flow is when you'd really feel it.
But this is basically a description of most people's highway driving (high load/rpm), so I think it would make some difference.
honestly it depends on ur driving enrivonment. if you're driving through stop and go traffic, construction zones, and places with dust in the air constantly, then you should at least check it more often to see how it is. I recently installed my ghetto rigged short ram (for awesome sound!!) and it says to clean and reoil every 10-20k, depending on driving conditions. I drive though construction zones and stop-go traffic at least 4 times a week. The filter has about 2k on it and it is starting to look a little dirty, which is good cuz it's doin its job
EDIT: oh i almost forgot......It does make a difference. you do loose a little 1-2k rpm torque but it makes up for it after 3k rpm. and mileage is better, like noticeable
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It does seem to be a bit high...and I agree that I think there was some other problem with the motor to begin with. When I'm at 65 on the highway my RPMs are between 2800 and 3000.
HelionTBone
Member
- :
- 2003 Mazda Proteg5
Thanks for the thoughts. I'm willing to submit to the "there must have been something else wrong" theory, but not the "placebo effect" theory. RPMs are RPMs - I took notes. All in all was the K&N much of a difference? Maybe, maybe not. Did it break the bank? nope.
As far as why would I clean it every 15K - only because I keep getting conflicting responses as to how often it should be cleaned. Its not that dirty at 15K, so maybe it could go to 50???
As far as why would I clean it every 15K - only because I keep getting conflicting responses as to how often it should be cleaned. Its not that dirty at 15K, so maybe it could go to 50???
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- -- 03 P5 / 23 CX-5 --
It's not necessarily mileage but environment that would dictate the cleaning intervals. If dusty or sloppy wet frwy use then lower cleaning intervals. If mostly good weather & pavement only driving then higher intervals are OK.
got me an used K&N today. it was just so cheap, same as paper so i give it a try. Think i have to wait till it gets little warmer, we have like a winter here and -25c(-13F?) outsideAlso i dont know how that filter oil reacts with cold temperatures. Will it freeze? lol
It only takes 15 seconds to swap out the air filter, honestly
As far as freezing, if the oil in your air filter is freezing, that means the oil in your engine is freezing, which means that you've got bigger problems than your air filter yea lol. no seriously i dont know what oil it is that is used for filters. it comes in spray can. in engine i have 0w40 so i think that part is covered, only filter to worry then
My point was that I wouldn't worry about the oil in your air filter freezing either
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I hope you're not still running the same tire size. That size is over an inch in diameter larger than the stock size. You won't get an accurate reading with that size anyhow.
