K&N filter, any change in fuel mileage or waste of $$$

I was thinking about putting a K&N in my 14 Tundra. Anyone notice any difference in fuel mileage or it is just the benefit of a washable filter and that’s it?

 

Waste of money.

 

My opinion is they are a waste of money. Some of the washable filters allow more debris to pass through and enter the engine.

 

Complete waste of money.

 

No gain other than a lighter wallet

 

The best way to improve your mpg for free is put 60 psi in your tires and never fill the has tank past 1/8

 

I bought a TRD air filter when they were 40% off and I can say slight MPG and HP gain!

Not to say any filter would be an improvement over the stock paper but I'm glad I did it!

 

Don’t forget to remove spare tire and back seats for weight reduction!

 

I gotta try that one, didn't think of that. The other important thing is to make sure the bed is empty at all times and get rid of the trailer hitch

 

Alright, consensus is it’s a big ass waste. Thanks guys!

 

I remember driving the big block manual shift GM cab and chassis vehicles that were going out for tow truck conversions back in the 90’s. Man those things ripped.

 

More air means bigger holes in the filter media, bigger holes in the filter media means more dirt gets thru. During trade school HD mechanics course we actually had a section on filters and KN were not recommended. OEM stock filters are always best no matter what guys tell you.

 

Reusable filters are not a waste at all. Reusable equals.....saving $$. No drop in filter is going to add HP. I've used K&N's since the mid 70's without any issues. 45+ years.The extra thin layer of oil provides another barrier to prevent even smaller dust particles from getting by. Bigger holes are just nonsense. The un oiled K&N filter media provides the same filtration as most other high performance filters with an added layer of filtration like the AFE oiled does.

 

How about a peer reviewed published scientific study?

 

In summary...……."Though the K&N air filter was found to render slightly better performance compared to OEM style paper air filter, the very high cost of K&N air filter (Rs6500/-) compared to that of the OEM air filter(Rs200/-) is a deterrent. From the tests we also see that clogged filter degrades the performance of the vehicle noticeably. But from a practical point of view the effect in degradation of performance was found to be negligible."

The higher cost a K&N or AFE will cancel itself off eventually. It is necessary to properly oil them when required to prevent any clogging. This is common sense.

 

I use K&N drop ins, pretty much always have. I don’t notice a mpg increase in the tundra, nor can I say I feel a power increase. But there are several dyno videos avail that do show a performance increase. Not much but usually between 5-15 hp. I like the K&N because I enjoy getting my hands a little dirty. Pulling the filter cleaning and oiling it properly are fun to me. And I never will have to buy a new paper filter again, just take care of all of it myself.

 

I'm leaving this here. His voice and enthusiasm are on par with vanilla pudding but his results are documented.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS69owXpGdY

 

Do your research.

 

Oiled Gauze Filters are great if you want airflow....and dirt flow. I used to be a K&N fan back in the day. I've been educated based on personal experience, never will I go down that path again. You won't notice 2-3 hp gain.

Now, if someone can come up with an oiled 2 layer foam filter with a sock, i'd be all over it.

 

I posted on my build thread pics of my last cleaning and re-oiling of my K&N on my 07. Pics of top and bottom before cleaning. Worked just fine. Clean as a whistle MAF too.

 

use them on all my motorcycle an will when it's time for a filter on truck

 

I bought an AEM dry filter which is reusable. Did not want to deal with oiling and possibly over oiling the filter which can screw other things up so I did the dry flow filter to "save" money in the long run.

 

If you buy a Tundra are you really worried about MPG??

 

This guy does some amazing testing of stuff.

https://youtu.be/sJ3L-E-ufYo

As to the K&N, some people report the downstream sensors get oily.

 

AFE dry along with an SABM and you're done

 

AFE = Association for Facilities Engineering
SABM = Society for the Advancement of Blood Management

 

Other than increased intake noise from the K&N doubtful mpg will get better. Something about cleaning + re-oiling a filter sounds like a chore while replacing a drop in air filter (preferably OEM) is too easy.

 

Good nuff

 

A waste! There’s not enough noticeable difference in hp or mpg. I began using them way back in mid 90’s and it “felt good” to be using a “high performance” air filter, but really unless you’re drag racing where 0.1 sec is the difference between winning and losing stick with a quality paper filter. Save the money for something else worthwhile!

 

I run a K&N filter mainly for the reusable aspect of it. I like to be able to not have to buy a new filter every time I need one, I can just clean this one, oil it, and put it back in. I have never ran into any issues with K&N filters and I don't think I ever will. Can you tell a performance difference - I don't think so.