That Giant Sucking Sound

[VBdenny]

Okay, I have listened to you all talk about how great K&N air filters are. I needed to replace my air filter on my truck (Frontier) so I bought a K&N. Mannnnn.... so cool. I right away bought one for my Caprice. Even more fun except that due to me flooring it all the time my gas milage has dropped but at least my power is up. I just picked up a K&N for the LS400 and Corolla. Too much of a good thing is good.... right?

[bartkat]

It almost always starts out like that. Next thing you know. ... ... .. ......

[VBdenny]

yeah, I know. I already started looking at the intake systems.

[99lsguy]

Denny,

Ya know, I put one of those one the first week I had my 99LS. It's been 1 1/2 years now and I'm kinda thinking of just putting the OEM filter back on........

I think it's because its getting pretty dirty now (I've rotated it around every oil change) and I don't want to spend another $20 on the "oil refurbish" kit -or the time <_< ....Heck, I could just get a new filter for that price.

I'm kinda on the fence for this one..................

[VMF]

do you guys have the cone filter or the one you put into the same place as the oem round one?

[92Lex]

Good for performance but bad for MAF sensors.

[VBdenny]

The one I just picked up is a cone shaped unit. They are very nicely designed. I noticed the biggest difference on my pick up. It has a rather small engine 2.4L, 16V, 2 cam engine. Gutless and with the A/C on, dangerous. The K&N made a big difference. I even pulled the 6% grade hill on I-280W toward the Oranges in NJ in 4th gear. Many times I have been in 3rd in the past.

I know you have to clean them at 30K but it seems fairly simple. About gas milage, I will report back when I can get my foot off the gas long enough to try to conserve some fuel.

[silvermate]

i had a Iceman cold air kit on my Eclipse GSX, and man that thing was "LOUD" you could here it from 2 blocks away, if i stomped on it.

about it messing up your MAF sensor.......it can, you just have to be carefull when re-oiling it. if you put to much oil on it, the oil will drip down and make a puddle in the botton of the air box.........too much oil will clog the Maf.

i have one on the ole Xterra right now, and what i do is oil it and let it sit for about an hour or so, then wipe off the excess with a towel.........then i put it back in the car and let it sit in the car overnight, then in the morning take it out clean off the excess again, as well as clean any oil that might have accumulated in the air box with a rag.

i haven't ever had a problem with K&N i think they're great, i've had them on every car i have owned except the LS..... you just have to be carefull with them.

[99lsguy]

do you guys have the cone filter or the one you put into the same place as the oem round one?

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vmf,

it goes in the same place as the OEM round one.......but......

It does have a slight "cone" shape to it - with an open top. Like a round trapezoid basically....

KN part # E2606

[silvermate]

i believe everyone in this thread is just refering to the drop in replacement filter.

the one i had, and is another option, is the free air intake, or cold air intake system, or FIPK.. meaning you have to remove the air box.... and this "conical filter" adapts to the end of the intake tubing, or in my case was replaces by all stock intake tubing, as a new assembly.

its just a cone that sits freely in the open instead of in the air box

here is a site with pics, the site isnt' reccomended or anything it was just the first one that pulled up in my search...........it will show you the different applications

http://www.lotaparts.com/lota/K&NFilters.htm

[VMF]

whatever you do guys, dont take out any intake components since its designed to suck the air from the outise of the engine compartment, it is so called cold intake, if you remove that first big plastic thing it will suck the air from the inside of the hood compartment and the air is going to be hot and that actually will decrease the perfomance. this happend to my friend on his accord, it makes lots of noises but no pick up during summer time, we will c how it will go during the cold months

[bartkat]

Good for performance but bad for MAF sensors.

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How so?

[92Lex]

Good for performance but bad for MAF sensors.

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How so?

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Silvermate explained it in his post above....it's possible for the oil from the filter contaminate the MAF sensor.

[wwest]

The are as many as three sensors in the intake path for most Lexus vehicles.

1. A thermistor to measure the temperature of the incoming airflow.

2. An airflow velocity sensor.

3 A "hot wire" type mass air flow sensor to sense the volume of fresh air and compensate for the humidity component, RH.

The velocity sensor is probably the most sensitive to contamination from oil wicking off the K&N, it is very small, thin, and light weight to insure that it can detect even the lowest inflow velocities. So even a slight oil film will throw off the velocity readings.

Over time the thermistor will also become coated and now its response time to inflow temperature change will be extended.

The "hot wire" MAFS is the least likely to become contaminated since it is always operated at a fairly high temperature, it typcally glows red due to being electrically heated.

If I were going to use anything like this I would first put it inline with the high velocity flow of a home vacuum cleaner to be sure all of the oil easily wicked away has alread done that before I install it.

OEM filters are about 90% efficient at max RPM and WOT.

These aftermarket filters claim to be 200% more efficient than the OEM versions. 200% of what?

Since I only have 10% loss of efficiency in the intake airflow they must mean they're overcoming that 10% loss. All of it?

Not likely.

So let's give them 5%

With the OEM filter I get 300HP and with K&N I get 315HP!

Gee.

And a screwed up intake fuel ratio mapping system.

[92Lex]

Right on wwest.

[bartkat]

Wow. That's frightening.