Look at my K&N ! Pictures !!!

**5abivt** · 12-28-2009, 03:15 PM

Ok 18000 km on this K&N. This is off my 2001 Z28 with a Free ram air mod. I am surprised how Dirty it is and how much dirt has filled up. i am in a new home so there was tons of dust over the entire year. I must say by the looks of it the K&N is doing a great job. The backside of the filter looks 100% new with 0 signs of dust or dirt or darkening. I figure it there was tons of dirt going through surely it would be visible slightly.

Anyhow, some pics are with flash and some without. I was debating on buying a paper filter for the winter since I cant really drive like a maniac in the conditions but the paper was $30+ while a filter recharger kit was $16 so it was a no brainer.

I also sent my oil in for analysis so will post up as soon as i get results.
Here's some pics.

The back

**Too Fast** · 12-28-2009, 03:24 PM

Looks like you need to tell the authorites in the area that they need to do a better job with the atmosphere. LOL.

I also would like to point out that the free ram air mod will get your filters dirty quicker than if the filter was filtering air ~3 feet off the road. If one can, I advise sealing the hood to the air filter opening rather than the ram air mod. ( I do know that can't be done for Z owners, so the only practical thing to do is keep the filter clean, and check it often! )

**Mr. Luos** · 12-28-2009, 03:48 PM

Paper filter > that.

**sunsetorangess** · 12-28-2009, 04:21 PM

Throw the K&N and pickup a paper filter. Thats a product of an oiled filter..
J

**karpetcm** · 12-28-2009, 04:40 PM

LOL thats nothing my K&N looked 3X as bad with the fires we had here in tujunga/sunland area. I think at the very least i need to go back to the paper filter till the rains clean up everything. Thats fairly normal for a K&N filter i just take it out every couple of months and clean it, especially were i live.

**5abivt** · 12-28-2009, 05:10 PM

I have no doubt that the free ram air mod will get the filter dirtier much faster. The dirt that came out in the laundry sink looked like a kid took a handful of dirt from a sandbox and threw it into a wet sink. Notice both top and bottom of the filter are dirty. I actually took the filter out and turned it around a few thousand km ago. With the free ram air mod the front of the filter (closest to the front of the car) gets extremely dirty fast which I'm sure is because the ram air mod lets way more air in and hits that area. Wether or not it gives much HP is another argument I guess.

Here's a pic of the stock filter when I bought the car. I was pretty surprised it looked like this but I don't know how long it was in there. All I know is the oil pressure is still at 3/4 and slightly less when fully hot so I think it's had its share of oil changes in its past.

If anything it looks like it got uniformly dirty. Where the hell does it pull air from stock anyways? just around the filter base in the engine compartment?

**need4fun2469** · 12-28-2009, 08:26 PM

get an filter offered by Amsoil

**zeetwentyeight** · 12-28-2009, 09:08 PM

^^^^^ i agree even tho i do use knn mine doesn't get dirty at all around my area but dirt does get thru knn's i would go with something these guys are recommending

**CompSyn** · 12-29-2009, 12:36 AM

Originally Posted by 5abivt

I also sent my oil in for analysis so will post up as soon as i get results.

What's the scope of your Used Oil Analysis (UOA)? I ask because a UOA which offers Elemental Analysis by inductively-coupled plasma (ICP) shows very small particles in the 0-to-5 micron range. 0-to-5 microns is indeed an important part of the picture but falls short of the full picture that ISO particle count can add to an overall UOA result.

ISO particle count reveals larger particles in the 6, 14, 25, 50, and 100 micron sizes that can go undetected by ICP alone.

ISO particle count is generally an expensive option if offered by your preferred lab, but can really be worth while when trying to determine the efficiency of your air and oil filtration.

If you haven't already selected ISO particle count, and your UOA is currently in process, you may be able to contact your lab and have it added on if you are so inclined.

**5abivt** · 12-29-2009, 10:52 AM

Very cool I will call them and see if I can have that done.

If everyone thinks K&N lets so much dirt through I just can't seem to figure out how the back side of the filter is spotless. I mean pink just as it was when new. Even if some dirt does get through wouldnt just a tiny % of that stick to the filter media on the backside on its way to the engine?

**Firebirdjones** · 12-29-2009, 01:24 PM

I have the same issues. You can clearly see it in your pictures, the free ram air mod just pulls in more air, from the lower air dam, which is also pulling up all the dirt/dust from the road.

The same portion of my filter also gets extra dirty from the free ram air mod on both of our 4th gens.

You just have to stay on top of it, clean regularly. A filter that can be cleaned and reinstalled makes more sense here, unless you like to change the paper filter every 2 months at $30 a pop.

**Mr. Luos** · 12-29-2009, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

unless you like to change the paper filter every 2 months at $30 a pop.

Last one I bought was $11.

**Firebirdjones** · 12-29-2009, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by 5abivt

Very cool I will call them and see if I can have that done.

If everyone thinks K&N lets so much dirt through I just can't seem to figure out how the back side of the filter is spotless. I mean pink just as it was when new. Even if some dirt does get through wouldnt just a tiny % of that stick to the filter media on the backside on its way to the engine?

I've used K&N's since the mid 80's on everything from open element air cleaners to ram air style air cleaners. They have always treated me fine.

There is alot to be said about the amsoil stuff, getting an oil annalys etc..., and I'm inclined to try one someday. Unfortunately most of their applications apply to newer model cars and don't fit some of the strange air cleaners I have.
With 9 cars in the stable (mostly old stuff) it becomes an expensive proposition to change filter brands now, and some are just not made by amsoil anyway.
I may try one on a 4th gen though at some point. Last time I checked (living in Ohio) my oil annalys looked pretty decent. Now living in a dustier climate (Arizona) the outcome could be different though.

**Firebirdjones** · 12-29-2009, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by Mr. Luos

Last one I bought was $11.

I'm just going by what Abivt said in his first post. I personally haven't bought a paper filter in 25 years so I'm out of touch on the current going rate anymore

**0rion** · 12-29-2009, 01:50 PM

I use a K&N in mine...clean it once a season whether it needs it or not ( fra so it needs it). Change my oil once a season which is roughly 2000 miles. No issues here.

**Mr. Luos** · 12-29-2009, 02:47 PM

I recently switched both cars back to paper filters.
Can't really use the T/A as an example, as it has maybe 500 miles on the paper filter.

But...
The Grand Ma GT gets plenty of miles. I clean the MAF often...because it is key in how it runs. After 5000 miles of the K&N being in there, the inlet side of the MAF sensors were FILTHY!! The sensors had oil and all kinds of dirt on them.
After 5000 miles of the paper filter...the MAF sensors look clean.

Just saying....
Obviously once the oil gets on there...stuff is going to stick to it. But still, plenty of dirt getting by the K&N. Hard to tell without the sensors being oiled up how much the paper filter allows by.

**Firebirdjones** · 12-29-2009, 02:51 PM

I clean the MAF's everytime I clean and oil the filters anyway so it's really not an issue.
I've never had an MAF that was dirty enough that I could see it though, and haven't noticed any oil residue on it. But it's simple enough to spray it off with cleaner. Somethine everyone should be doing as general maintainance anyway.

**Too Fast** · 12-29-2009, 02:52 PM

I would also like to add that as an experiment at the track, I ran my car 9 times. 3 each, no air filter, new Delco paper, clean K&N. In my case, at least, the difference was no difference. I stick with the paper filter for my car.

**karpetcm** · 12-29-2009, 03:53 PM

I wonder why, but what your saying would make sense to me. Maybe because the car pulls air in fast enough and is getting enough air as it is thats why it hardly makes any difference going to a K&N or something with a higher flow. I think it will work the same way with TB, when i had my LT1 people were saying the bigger you go the better but motor pulled tops 750cfm of air and going any bigger on a TB was useless. I dont know if any of this is true just throwing it out there. Im sure someone who has more knowledge will give there input on it.

**beach cruiser** · 12-29-2009, 03:59 PM

I fought a mid rpm hesitation for at least a year before I figured out the MAF was dirty from the K&N oils that built up on it. Now it's a part of the regular schedule.