K&N air filters?

[Davegrohl99]

Hey everyone,

What’s peoples opinions on these?

https://www.knfilters.com/33-2003-repla ... air-filter

Thinking of getting one for my 2.0CU engine.
I’m not looking for extra horsepower etc but asking if anyone has used before and are they of any benefit.

Thinking of getting one for my Mk2 golf GTI Kjet too!

Thanks


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[silverbullet]

The original panel filter is about the same size as that fitted to our old A4, which will flow enough air for its 125hp, so why would you spend the equivalent of US$60 to replace a £15 paper one on a 70hp engine?

[cobblers]

They don't really make any difference, and some people argue that they're poor at filtration and allow fine dust through. There's better ways to spend your money

[tobydog]

One of their selling points is that you can clean and re-use them. You could buy quite a few original filters for the cost of one.....

[300CE]

I've got one on mine and had it since i got the bus so it has paid for itself.  I always keep it cleaned and oiled as well and it is in as good a condition as it was when i put in on back in 2013.

My DG is pushing out 85 bhp with the rockers, exhaust and Weber carb, but whether the filter has any benefit over stock, who knows!

[DoubleOSeven]

I run K&Ns on my Mk2 Golf and Singlecab. We won't know unless someone rolling roads standard and K&N side by side. The K&N advertisement says HP uplift, so they couldn't say that unless it had been approved by the relevant Gov body. However these are relatively low powered engines, so I can't imagine the gains are that noticable without an uprated exhaust to go with it. I just like the fact I'll never have to buy an air filter again. They're money-pits anyway so go and treat yourself.

[Davegrohl99]

Thanks everyone.

I understand the pros and cons but hopefully I will get more return on buying the K&N on the lifetime of my vehicles as I have no plans on selling anyone soon.

Would be great to see any definitive proof on a rolling road with / without one v standard air filter.

Every little helps when you are dealing with a Aircooled motor pushing a westfalia around

Thanks


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[Dobble]

This is quite an interesting video regarding air filters including K&N 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ3L-E- ... rojectFarm

I wouldn't put a K&N on my vehicle due to the lack of filtration. Air filters are cheaper than engine rebuilds.

[cobblers]

the K&N advertisement says HP uplift, so they couldn't say that unless it had been approved by the relevant Gov body.

A company can claim whatever it wants in adverts, and plenty of big household names make completely and demonstrably false claims.

K&N claim:

"High-flow cotton media is designed to allow up to 50% more airflow than traditional paper filter". (emphasis mine)

Up to 50% includes 0%. They also don't directly claim you get more power from their air filter:

"greater airflow can result in increased horsepower and torque" - 50% more airflow could still mean 0% more power.

Unless the stock air filter is marginally undersized, any power gain from a K&N filter is going to be negligible.

On these vans, the filter is relatively big for the required airflow - it's the same filter as fitted to a 6.0L V12 producing 333bp (admittedly there are two of them, but each filter is comfortably supporting 166bhp!)

As such I would be very surprised if there was any measurable difference in power when fitting a K&N to one of these vans.

There is, however a measurable difference in filtration vs a stock paper filter, and that difference is that it is measurably worse.

[Aidan]

I've just taken one out of a customer vehicle and fitted a stock paper filter, as you can see through the K&N and there was evidence of fine particles build up in the filter housing on the clean side of the filter; £13 every 2 years isn't much to spend on air filter imho, the time spent cleaning the K and N doesn't add up as a big saving if you value your time, are you worth more than £10/hour ? Do you 'earn' £30/hour at work, including NI and tax and pension ? If so you'd actually be better off long term doing 1 hr overtime a year and fitting new filter than cleaning the K&NI am not sure of cost of K&N filter cleaning/oiling kit

I fitted a WIX  (owned by MANN I was told by supplier)

the video above backs up my choice