Mastronardi

I have been hearing a lot of stuff about oiled air filters (i.e. K&N) verses paper. What’s the real truth? Do oil filters coat the MAF sensors making it throwing codes and are they worth the money for the 2 or 3 extra points gained with horsepower. And do paper filters really suck all that bad.

Mastronardi

DrkPhx

iTrader: (15)

I've used Fram since day one for my car. I've never seen a car gain HP from K&N or other filter, but some say they have. I've never seen hard data showing a performance filter flow better than paper. It comes down to personal choice.

The oil from oiled filters can accumulate on the MAF elements over time and cause problems. I usually clean mine every so often with a q-tip and rubbing alcohol.

WILWAXU

iTrader: (6)

I've swapped them at the track.. saw no difference between a paper filter and a holley or K&N.

equandt

iTrader: (2)

The air filter on an LS1 F-body has enough surface area that it doesn't create enough pressure drop accross it to hider the airflow into the engine.

You will see no gain with a K&N / Holley style filter over a paper filter. I had a K&N and sold it. It fit bad (w/ the gasket thing) and made no more (or less) power than the Fram that is in the car now.

Spend your money on another mod.

jimmyblue

iTrader: (11)

Overoiling is supposed to be the problem with the
oiled filters. But any oil is more than none and a
clean MAF is a happy MAF, and probably happier
than one that has been to the prison shower.

And it's hard to know whether your MAF oil came
from the right kind of snake.

Ed FvC

iTrader: (2)

Any good paper filter will flow as well as a reusable filter, and without any chance of oil messing with the MAF, why waste money on a K&N?

DANSLS1GTO

That's exactly what I decided. Now, if only somebody would come up w/ a 4" smooth intake from the stock box to the intake for the GTO...
Dan

lsx24

iTrader: (45)

Don't the oil filters trap more minute particles. :dunno

Caswell

Getting a K&N has been the one mod I regret on my car. I say that even though mine seals fine with my SLP lid and I don't have a problem with the MAF because I don't overoil it. It's still a pain in the *** to clean and reoil it, it's no cheaper than buying a new paper filter over the life of the car (cleaning/oiling kits only last about three jobs, so it's a wash with new paper filters), and there's no real difference in power.

It was one of those things I tacked on to a large order of basic bolt-ons when I bought my car, but I wish I'd saved the money.

DANSLS1GTO

I did a quick search and can't find the link - but I read a 3rd party study that said just the opposite. The paper filters actually trap more where the oil filters let more through.
Dan

Tranzor

I also bought one of the oiled reuseable filters and wish that I hadn't... ended up selling it off in the end. I use nothing but paper filters now. Trust everyone here... don't waste the money.

Dawg One

I have no flow bench test results, but I bought a K&N LS1 filter in 1998 and I've used it in three cars cleaning it and re-oiling it several times since. I don't have a problem with it and I can actually feel the difference for a short time once I actually clean it.
Takes a couple of hours to do so, but I trust it and I don't see any accumulation of crud on my MAF.
I did do some general dyno tests between GM, Fram and K&N way back when and the K&N flowed better. Not a big deal, mind you, but I like mine and like I said, have moved it from my '98 Formula to my '99 Trans Am to my '02 Firehawk Trans Am with no issues.

Iv_z28

I did have a problem with MAF getting dirty (K&N oiled filter). However I did make a mistake of oiling the engine side of the filter. From now on I make sure I only spray on the intake side and clean the filter rubber surface. May be it will help. FWIW, car had about 50k miles before the MAF became dirty and I have FTRA. In any event you have to make sure you don't just cover K&N filter with oil. Hope that helps.

JAT

DO NOT BUY K&N if you can help it. My friend bought his car (01 SS Slomaro) with one on it, and we put the car on the dyno, and since the maf was dirty from the oil, it was way too lean and it was pinging. Bad news. So we cleaned up the maf and replaced it with a paper air filter and gained about 5 hp. Good thing he hadnt ran nitrous yet, because he was about to, but decided to tune it before we did.