K&N cold air intake

[BlackC2]

Do many people change the intake to the K&N cold air intake? I was wondering if its worth the $375.

Thanks

[jhbrennan]

Do many people change the intake to the K&N cold air intake? I was wondering if its worth the $375.

Thanks

Save your money and avoid potential MAF problems. Stock air filter and airbox is OK.

[bmohr]

seems like the odds are high for you experiencing the above problems. So it's probably not worth the small benefits of louder(some say better) engine noise, increased throttle response and maybe, and i mean MAYBE a small hp gain, although no where near the 25 they claim. But, on the same token, some are lucky and experience no ill effects.

[palmtree907]

I have been running K & N filters since the early 90's with no adverse effects. I had a Ford Explorer that I clocked 195,000 miles on over a period of 13 years using K & N Air and Oil filters the entire life. I sold the car to a neighborhood kid and he drove it for a few thousand more miles until he was hit by a drunk driver. He was ok, but the car was totalled.

I've always noticed improved throttle response. Some of the vehicles have been noisier, some have not. All have had improved fuel economy by about 2 mpg.

And no, I don't work for or sell K&N :)

[dr914jr]

The supposed MAF issues have been debunked by several independent laboratories. I've had the K&N on my 99 c2 for three years and I can tell you the sound alone is well worth the money. If you would only buy it for the power gains save your money as they are purely speculative. The response gains are barley noticeable. The sound however is phenomenal. If you're looking for a pricey but effective bolt on look into the IPD plenum. I've had mine for over a year and I can say it's the only bolt on I've done that really had a dramatic effect on the feel or the car. The price is around $1000 but I'm glad I bought one.

[phillipj]

Agreed .. Plenum is a good one. I have never had a problem with a K&N filter either. But I believe this poster is considering the K&N "Cold air kit" which has been known to cause some people problems. It also requires drilling some holes in the car..

[wwest]

I have been running K & N filters since the early 90's with no adverse effects. I had a Ford Explorer that I clocked 195,000 miles on over a period of 13 years using K & N Air and Oil filters the entire life. I sold the car to a neighborhood kid and he drove it for a few thousand more miles until he was hit by a drunk driver. He was ok, but the car was totalled.

I've always noticed improved throttle response. Some of the vehicles have been noisier, some have not. All have had improved fuel economy by about 2 mpg.

And no, I don't work for or sell K&N :)

So, the question is..

Did your Ford Explorer have an MAF/IAT sensor set to control the A/F mixture under acceleration...??

That's where the K&N gets into trouble. There is NO way to re-oil the K&N lightly enough to prevent some minor level of oil wicking out of the filter and being deposited on the downstream MAF/IAT sensors. The little dirt that follows forms an insular coating on the MAF/IAT sensors and now you're shortening the life of the engine in your Porsche.

Independent lab reports and owner measurements have again and again indicated that these supposed cold air kits do NOT deliver any level of cooler air to the throttle plate than the OEM system.

[phillipj]

So I don't have 50 extra HP? :rolleyes:

[dr914jr]

Agreed .. Plenum is a good one. I have never had a problem with a K&N filter either. But I believe this poster is considering the K&N "Cold air kit" which has been known to cause some people problems. It also requires drilling some holes in the car..

I figured but I should have been more specific. I installed my K&N cold air intake system three years ago. I have replaced my MAFS since then but I'm confident the failure was the result of age and not the filter element oil. I saw no residue on the element but it was definitely bad.

[maci911]

Agreed .. Plenum is a good one. I have never had a problem with a K&N filter either. But I believe this poster is considering the K&N "Cold air kit" which has been known to cause some people problems. It also requires drilling some holes in the car..

I figured but I should have been more specific. I installed my K&N cold air intake system three years ago. I have replaced my MAFS since then but I'm confident the failure was the result of age and not the filter element oil. I saw no residue on the element but it was definitely bad.

actually there are many folks out there with ruined mafs after K&N intake (including myself) luckily my CEL went of after 50 miles of K&N and i immediatly cleaned the maf and replaced the filter with AEM filter 500 miles later no CEL......... :D

[wwest]

Agreed .. Plenum is a good one. I have never had a problem with a K&N filter either. But I believe this poster is considering the K&N "Cold air kit" which has been known to cause some people problems. It also requires drilling some holes in the car..

I figured but I should have been more specific. I installed my K&N cold air intake system three years ago. I have replaced my MAFS since then but I'm confident the failure was the result of age and not the filter element oil. I saw no residue on the element but it was definitely bad.

actually there are many folks out there with ruined mafs after K&N intake (including myself) luckily my CEL went of after 50 miles of K&N and i immediatly cleaned the maf and replaced the filter with AEM filter 500 miles later no CEL......... :D

Can/should we justifiably assume that was a "factory oiled" K&N...??

[dr914jr]

All K&N filters arrive preoiled from the factory but I clean and oil my cone filter @ every oil change. I also house the filter in a dry charger bag.

[pac911s]

I use the Fabspeed cold air kit $225 + bmac air filter $125. http://www.fabspeed.com/996_GT3.html That beautiful Porsche sound has definately increased and I did notice increased throttle response on up shifts. I've had them for over a year and 8000 km with no problem. The MAF problem usually occurs when people re-oil the filter (too much oil added). I researched the K & N but I wasn't comfortable with the cone filter and the problems associated with the MAF.

[cakasa]

I use the Fabspeed cold air kit $225 + bmac air filter $125. http://www.fabspeed.com/996_GT3.html That beautiful Porsche sound has definately increased and I did notice increased throttle response on up shifts. I've had them for over a year and 8000 km with no problem. The MAF problem usually occurs when people re-oil the filter (too much oil added). I researched the K & N but I wasn't comfortable with the cone filter and the problems associated with the MAF.

PAC922s ....... In your opinion would the Fabspeed CAI perform as well with the stock air filter insert?

[CellN12345]

seems like the odds are high for you experiencing the above problems. So it's probably not worth the small benefits of louder(some say better) engine noise, increased throttle response and maybe, and i mean MAYBE a small hp gain, although no where near the 25 they claim. But, on the same token, some are lucky and experience no ill effects.

I did the K & Nlast year nd can tell you that I had my car on the Dyno the day before and the week after i put it on. The results are 12 BHPs increase. In a Lawnmower or Garage door opener it is 23 BHPs are huge in that car it is negligable. Everyone is right though the sounds is louder. I ended up having it taken off and the stock put back on. It is personal preference with the elevated noise level but with it on it did not sound like a Porsche TO ME, again personal preferance. Plus I did not want to get hung up lite many speed racer kids in mustangs, Subaru and neons do.

[BruceP]

Just another point of view for consideration...

An aftermarket CAI is "worth it" for the sound, if you think the sound is worth it. No objective answer to that question.

A good aftermarket CAI, along with exhaust and a remap, will make horsepower, irrespective of the raging debates you sometimes read online. Car manufacturers do, in fact, leave power on the table in order to meet European noise laws, or to pass the EPA's urban drive cycle (the low hanging fruit of chip tuning power), to name just two examples of reasons why. There are dozens.

A properly maintained filter will not do any harm to your engine. I've been through this up, down and sideways, from oil analysis to peering regularly into my throttle body. Because of all the controversy about this, I wanted primary evidence. My conclusion: On the list of things that can harm your motor, a properly oiled cotton filter isn't very high.

Lastly, IMO, mass airflow sensors are consumable items. They last many years, but not forever.

FWIW.