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K&N Filter, worth it?
- Thread starter chaka70
- Start date
daze513
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2020
- Messages
- 36
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I put just a panel filter in mine. No difference noted honestly other than the ability to take out and clean at my leisure.
I like to think it’s maybe given some airflow. Maybe...
Kob0583
Active Member
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2019
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I use a green filter and popped off the carbon filter from the box, I’m happy with it, feel it breathes better and I clean my filter every oil change. What does it do, hell if I can prove it but I’m happy with my MPG and throttle response. That’s better than some can say on here but again your truck make it the way you want it.
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Jus Cruisin
Ram Guru
I don't think I they are worth the cost for bone-stock anything. Plus, over oil them and your risking messing up the MAF sensor
Dusty1948
Ram Guru
I'm sure this will be heresy to some.
The air filter for engines used today is designed as an integral part of the fuel delivery system. Changing the resistance to air flow will effect the delivery of fuel at various rpm points thereby altering the factory fuel mapping. How this affects engine performance can vary depending on the engine and the design of the factory induction system. There's testimony from various sources that it improves vehicle performance, and other testimony that it does not. There's at least one video of a dyno test on a Mustang where a less restrictive air filter actually reduced horsepower.
Since today's truck motors are designed to bring in power at lower rpms, a low restrictive air filter probably won't provide much if any benefit at road speeds.
Whether a low restriction air filter provides any performance benefit aside, the ability to filter out small particles is highly questionable. Much of the filtering is dependent on the viscous oil used to coat the filter. Progressively over time this oil dissipates away thereby reducing the filtering capability.
I've used these filters on my ATVs, and frankly found them to be a PITA. They've caused performance issues and increased maintenance time.
Best regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 17 July 2018. Now at: 036844 miles.
The air filter for engines used today is designed as an integral part of the fuel delivery system. Changing the resistance to air flow will effect the delivery of fuel at various rpm points thereby altering the factory fuel mapping. How this affects engine performance can vary depending on the engine and the design of the factory induction system. There's testimony from various sources that it improves vehicle performance, and other testimony that it does not. There's at least one video of a dyno test on a Mustang where a less restrictive air filter actually reduced horsepower.
Since today's truck motors are designed to bring in power at lower rpms, a low restrictive air filter probably won't provide much if any benefit at road speeds.
Whether a low restriction air filter provides any performance benefit aside, the ability to filter out small particles is highly questionable. Much of the filtering is dependent on the viscous oil used to coat the filter. Progressively over time this oil dissipates away thereby reducing the filtering capability.
I've used these filters on my ATVs, and frankly found them to be a PITA. They've caused performance issues and increased maintenance time.
Best regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 17 July 2018. Now at: 036844 miles.
Rsorrell2
Well-Known Member
The reason I went with the k&n is that I can clean it and it is a one time purchase (at least up to 100k or so) versus paying for an oem filter every 10-15k miles.
Rsorrell2
Well-Known Member
I will also get the k&n cabin filter for the same reason.
SD Rebel
Spends too much time on here
K&N drop-ins are fine if they fit correctly. They are notorious for having too thin a rubber gasket on some models, which will allow unfiltered air to get past the airbox.
Make sure if you buy one, that it fits tightly in the airbox. If not, then it's too loose and you need to go back to paper or get an full system.
I run one in my motorcycle and it always shows good oil analysis tests, however that's on a street bike. I wouldn't run one on my dirt bike. Just hold up a K&N filter into the sun, will see how filtration isn't their strong suit. I would avoid using them in dusty or heavy dirt conditions.
Make sure if you buy one, that it fits tightly in the airbox. If not, then it's too loose and you need to go back to paper or get an full system.
I run one in my motorcycle and it always shows good oil analysis tests, however that's on a street bike. I wouldn't run one on my dirt bike. Just hold up a K&N filter into the sun, will see how filtration isn't their strong suit. I would avoid using them in dusty or heavy dirt conditions.
turkeybird56
Well-Known Member
NO, stick with stock and/or another high quality Dry Filter. I have AEM in mine...
PowerJrod
Ram Guru
I have to side with dusty on this one.....changing out the filter housing isn't going to do much. Plus K&N or anything else that requires oiling is just a bad idea...even though there's already oil in the engine lol. If anything....if you're not going for the Mopar RAM intake ...I would maybe swap out your filter for a dryflow AEM or something similar, maybe remove the carbon filter if you do. Honestly...anything else that's costing you $300-500 is better spent not on the intake but on something else.
PowerJrod
Ram Guru
Oh yea....and don't believe a word when K&N or any of those other brands say "it won't void warranty" they are full of crap. If something happens to your engine and the filter setup (or lack of) was to blame for letting too much crap into the engine....Mopar will NOT cover the engine damage/failure. Replacing only the stock filter with a drop in (dryflow) one will be the least risky.
wvinson
Well-Known Member
Worthless waste of money
Fatherof3
Spends too much time on here
I put a K&N in my mustang GT and Trans Am GTA many years ago and I went back to OEM after a year because the performance actually decreased in both of them .
Agree 100%.
As I understand it, the Mass Airflow Sensor‘s job is to make adjustments to the air flow to keep a consistent flow of air going into the fuel inj system. So unless you make adjustments to the programming, the MAF will simply adjust itself to the preprogrammed volume of air feeding the injectors regardless of a freer or restricted air filter.
PowerJrod
Ram Guru
Technically there isn't a MAF in the new Rams but the concept is the same. If anything...a highflow filter can give a better throttle response at best but that's where the benefits stop unless you have a high flow exhaust and an engine tune to complement all of it.... Even then...you're talking about $1500 - $2500 spent for what? Maybe +10 HP/Torque gain? Nothing you'd notice in a Ram lol
Dusty1948
Ram Guru
Actually, a Mass Air Flow sensor does not control the flow of air into an engine, but feeds a signal voltage to the Engine Control Module which determines the amount of fuel delivered to each cylinder based on the amount of air that flows across the sensor.
"the MAF will simply adjust itself to the preprogrammed volume of air feeding the injectors regardless of a freer or restricted air filter."
True to an extent. The fuel control systems used in automotive service are not truly linear, but a large series of mapped set points that engineering has plotted during testing. As originally plotted (or programmed) the fuel delivery is based on a known amount of air flow resistance in the factory system. At low air flow rates (amount of air rushing into the engine) any difference in resistance will probably not be detected by the engine computer. As air flow increases, the resistance of the air delivery system (air or filter box, ducting, etc.) has more of an effect on fuel control.
The best example of this effect is at wide open throttle (WOT). At WOT most systems expect to see, and will compensate for, the factory designed resistance. If this resistance is removed or drastically reduced, the fuel map internal to the ECM may not be able to provide the correct air-fuel mixture.
Best regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 17 July 2018. Now at: 037077 miles.
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Did not know there isn’t a MAF on these (obviously ). Thanks for that bit of new info PowerJrod!
Yeah, Dodge/Ram/Diamler/FCA have always used MAP sensors to do the job, rather than MAF, for as long as I've owned them (first was a 1995 Dakota). It probably goes for even longer before that.
