K & N filter

Jansen · February 5, 2005

I put the line-x in last weekend and the owner of the shop was showing off his truck and said I should get a K&N air filter. He then took his used one (said 5000 miles on it) and put it in the back of my truck for me and told me to clean it, oil it and have fun. He claimed I'd gain at least 1mpg and feel better performance. Two questions.

A) Should I use a K&N filter with the 5.3L V8

B) Should I use his old one?

Thanks

Jansen

mcreyaufmiller · February 5, 2005

I use one in my 5.0, I like it personally. the drawbacks are with increased air flow in, you need increased airflow out, not only that, but you have more particles that will get through the filter. there is a link in another discussion to a article that has tested different filters for flow and filtering.

71GMC_3/4T · February 5, 2005

I was a big fan of K&N (had it on both trucks) until I read this: http://home.usadatanet.net/~jbplock/ISO5011/SPICER.htm

Posted by someone on this forum. Interesting reading.

Apparently the K&N flows a ton of air, but passes a fair amount of fine dirt when it does. I was ready to go buy one for my recently acquired '03 until I read this. I sold my '92 with one on it. I'll leave it on the '71 GMC since it spent some of it's life without an air filter anyway due to the previous owner's severe lack of intelligence.

GMCTech · February 5, 2005

Not to mention, that if it stays oiled correctly you will have a fine mist of oil that cooks itself to the Mass Air Flow sensor, thus ruining it. And if it not oiled correctly then you are letting in way too much particulate for me to be comfortable with.

I have seen many MAFs be destroyed by K&Ns.

We also write on the customer copy of the repair orders that we recommend replacing an oiled aftermarket filter with a stock replacement.

I'm not sure how much the K&N costs, but I do know how much the MAF costs.

IMHO the K&N filter is a great product for non-sensored vehicles.

Hope this helps.

Bish · February 5, 2005

For what it's worth, I've been running a K&N FIPKII complete intake for about 4 years and 125K so far. I keep it oiled properly and clean it every 25K or so. I have had no sensor issues and according to the oil analysis I have done at every oil change, silicates are no higher than with a paper filter. I believe the problems with MAF sensors and dust getting through are more related to over-oiling and under-oiling. I've got 140K on my 01 and have run the KN since about 10K. THis includes some trips to very dusty places.

Just my 2 cents.

jt1872001 · February 6, 2005

2 replies

as for the using the free K & N .there is a rubber seal that goes in your air box that comes with the new K&N filter . so a hand me down filter wont seal right.

gm tech....I to am a tech. at a toyota dealer.... you can fix / clean the mass air flow sensors with electrical parts cleaner, to fix that p0171 lean code i do it all the time. its gravy$$$$$$ twice the labor - the part = cheaper for customer

after i oil my K&N, before i put it back in i blow low pressure air on it from my tire gauge/filler to get any excess oil off . i've had 0 problems with my maf so far

GOOD LUCK

min9861 · February 6, 2005

i have read that brand new paper filter will outflow a k&n. i think it was on a camaro forum somewhere, he had the dyno paper and everything. its just that dirty k&n is superior to the dirty paper filters.

ToeJam · February 6, 2005

I've had them in my past three cars/trucks. Never had any problems with dust or oil getting into the intake. But I did take mine off my last truck as I didn't think it was doing any good and I'm not planning on adding one to my new truck.