I haven't seen them unfortuantly so i can't comment but i will have a butchers at the web site.

 

Looking at the info it looks impressive but some of the data is misleading the fibre diameter is less important than the pore size which according to the micrograph are up to 3 microns (circa 1/3 of mm) but I am not convinced personallyon the dirty handling as it is a membrane filter and not a depth filter, so I would think it would foul more. The website uses true statements and uses them to imply things that aren't correct comparison of membrane filter vs. depth filter can only be done really with expirements.

 

I got one free and was just wondering. I know that it flows more air - I put it on a 2000 Powerstroke and you can here the turbo wine just like it did with a K&N. I will do an oil analysis to determine how goodat filtering it is.

I know folks swear by K&Ns and as far as horse power and flow they do increase those numbers. On my 7.3L Powerstroke the K&N also increased the dirt (Silicon) gettting into my engine (This was determined by oil analysis.) by about 50%. I went back to a paper filter and the silicon in the oil analysis dropped.So I will not use a K&N on a supercharged or turbocharged vehicle.

 

Paddy 187,

As a domestic water supply engineer, I understand the differences between depth filters (e.g. sand media) and surface filters (e.g. membrane). I was simplifying my response based on an assumption of the same type offilter media. I was replying more to Brandontylers post, but you are absolutley correct that the type of filter material, pore size, path length through the filter, etc. are all considerations. I didn't realize that they are now offering membrane type filtration for car air filters. Seems like a really bad idea to me. For one thing, I would be worried about blinding off the filter quickly resulting in restriction of air flow to the engine. I guess I'll have a look at the Amsoil filter as well.

 

I also know some folks swear by K&N's and others just swear at them. While it is not a scientifically peer reviewed test, a poster on another car discussion site that I used to frequent (CarTalk) reported running his car over an identical five mile course in both directions using a standard air filter, a K&N air filter, and no air filter twice each. He had an engine analyzer with data logger hooked to his ECM for each run. The only runs that showed any improvement in hp or gas mileage were the runs with no air filter, and even those showed little increase (so little as to be possibly due only to experimental error). It could be argued that since he was not running at wide open throttle (WOT),you shouldn't expect to see any increase, as the throttle plate is the main restriction to flow not theair filter. Of course, how many of us spend significant amounts of time at WOT. In any event, even if there is a slight increase in power, it hardly seems worth the increased potential for engine wear as indicated by your own experiment using oil analysis with and without a K&N air filter as ell as many anecdotal reports of sensor problems with modern emissions control equipment when a K&N or similar filter is used.

 

I hav a K&N FIPK on my 2001 F250 with the 6.8 liter V10. I visit my father up in Northern California a few times a year. Now I don't know about performance, buta drive of four hundred miles that used to take a full tank (36 gallons) now takes just over three-quarters of a tank. So I it's definetly doing something.
Sure hope it's not f****** up my engine though............................................ ........

 

Lumbergh - great point about the effect of the filter only making a difference at WOT. I, myself, got lost in the details and missed that very important fact.

Grimm- That's a 33% increase from 11.11 mpg to 14.8 mpg. Were you carrying bricks the first couple of times?! Seriously, have you had a tune up or major work done since then that you may have forgotten about? My usual suspects to gas mileage variations are: air temp, tire pressure, fresh wax (just kidding of course), etc... Your increase is impressive.