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K&N drop in filter... worse MPG

Texas415

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Just picked up a drop in K&N air filter for my Laramie. Noticing a 2mpg deduct from what I was getting from the factory air filter. Have done some reading and it makes sense that you could get worse mpgs. Just trying to see other people’s thoughts or experiences, and if I should go back to the factory filter.
 

DakotaRam

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Some say newer cars do adapt to the driver. It's complicated to explain, but the ECU (electronic control unit), which is the car's central computer, "learns" over a certain number of drive cycles what your driving habits are, and adjusts the fuel-air mix and some other aspects of the car's operation accordingly. If you like to drive aggressively, the car learns to favor that style of driving; if you tend to baby it, the car learns to run more conservatively. Try disconnect the battery for a half hour or so, this may change it or may not depending on what you believe.
 

Damion

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The truck may also need time to adjust for the higher flow of the new filter.

I put an AEM dry flow in mine didn't notice any difference
 

PaulPaladin

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Totally unscientific and lots of variables uncontrolled for, but got 17.2 down to Atlanta and back last weekend. Put K&N drop in filter in on Tues. And just got 17.9 driving down to Kiawah today. And maybe drove a little faster. It’s a new truck (900 miles) so still breaking in, but definitely not hurting.
 

Texas415

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I've had my filter in for a few weeks now and highway MPG's are not affected as bad as city. I was able to make a trip from Houston to Dallas and the MPG's with the K&N were good to normal. City driving is where I am seeing it suffer.
 

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