K & N filters

[Frankie-Boy]

I've heard a few things about K & N filters but are they any good and do they make any improvements to performance?

Anyone have experience of them please?

I was thinking of replacing my Disco air filter with one, I'm using a Mantec snorkle connected to the original 300Tdi airbox.

[V8MoneyPit]

As filters, they are superb. And they flow far better than a conventional filter. Allowing more air into the combustion chamber increases volumetric efficiency and creates a bigger bang!

The stories I've heard are when used on a diesel, the oil in the filter gets sucked into the engine and acts as a fuel. I have yet to come across anyone who has actually had this happen to them personally. I've only ever heard it as 'hearsay'. In any case, if there were grounds for sueing the manufacturer, do you think a US company would still be selling the product?  :lol:

[Disco Matt]

Got one in mine with the same setup, not convinced it makes any difference to performance but the fact that it can be cleaned out appealed (reducing waste). Talking of which, I really need to get hold of the cleaning/oiling stuff and service it...

[steve lewis]

i put one in my TD5 bowt 4 years ago, yes, they do make  difference i reckon, ive done other stuff like a egr removal & fitted hyclones but in my opinion, there worth the money, paid for itself in 4 years, i just wash mine out with fresh diesel & jobs a gud un :dance:

[bobtailed disco]

got 1 in my V8 love it big difference to sound more than power  :lol:

[Range Rover Blues]

Got one in the LSE and the TDi, helps a tiny tiny bit with economy on the LSE and it's fine on the TDi.  If you over-oil it you end up with oil running out of the air box, no worse than that.
Buy from Paddocksm

[hairyasswelder]

Little over

[kizz81]

not quite so cheap for one to fit a holley  :lol:

[Disco Matt]

Right, got the cleaning kit. Slight problem is that it advises washing the filter then leaving it to dry, which is going to take a while!

Would it be ok to put it in an airing cupboard/next to the central heating boiler to help this along a bit? Neither will get to oven-like temperatures or involve sitting the filter directly on something hot.

[Disco-Ron]

Can't see that being an issue, it normally sits next to a nice warm engine!

[Range Rover Blues]

Yes dry it in the airing cupboard.  If it gets too hot whilst wet the steam can harm the cottom, but it would have to get very hot.

you can't oil it up untill it's dry, don't put too much oil in it for a start either.

[Disco Matt]

Done - it was a slightly different process to the instructions though:

Open housing
Remove filter
Be shocked by tree debris in dirty side of filter, bang on doorstep until roughly a cup-sized quantity has fallen out
Brush out the rest
Spray with cleaner and leave for 10mins
Rinse
Repeat as you can't believe how dirty it still is
Dry in airing cupboard or on boiler
Oil with supplied aerosol
Leave 20mins to check for drips, then wipe oil off filter seal, table, and anything else
Refit
Solve the mystery of why you haven't been getting that Mad Max "blower" sound effect from the snorkel for a while
 :lol:

[Bishops Finger]

Fitted K+Ns to several vehicles over the years always with noticable improvements to mid range torque and fuel consumption

Easy to clean kits are/were available from Halfords

Tip keep your old air filter for use when the K&N is being cleaned...

[hairyasswelder]

Do you think it would help a V8 breathe abit better with a snorkel and lpg or will they cancel each other out  :-k :-k

[Big Rich]

I've used K and N on my land rovers and I would recomend them. Alot better than the paper disposable ones.

[Range Rover Blues]

getting that Mad Max "blower"  effect from the snorkel for a while

Really :shock:  going to have to fit one then :D

[Disco Matt]

getting that Mad Max "blower"  effect from the snorkel for a while

Really :shock:  going to have to fit one then :D

Not sure how it'll go on a V8, but on my TDI you get a lovely howl from the intake at about 2000-3000rpm in 3rd. Not as audible in 4th or 5th as wind noise tends to hide it.

[Range Rover Blues]

That'l be the turbo.  the 300TDi has an airbox pickup inside the inner wing to mask the induction noise (and provide cold air), ours was much quiter with it refitted.  I'd imagine the length of the snorkel pipe would make the roar louder :D


Steve, the pipework for the snokel will resist the induction of air which effects a draw through LPG.  Fitting a K&N will help wih airflow and might reduce overall restriction.   I get more bits of leaves in my airbox with the snorkel fitted.

[SteveGoodz]

Do you think it would help a V8 breathe abit better with a snorkel and lpg or will they cancel each other out  :-k :-k

They're not recommended for LPG equipped vehicles if it's a single point system - the free flowing aspect of the filter reduces the draw from the mixer and can result in fuel starvation at high engine revs.

Fine on multi-point systems though.