You should have included a "standard" paper air filter for comparison in all of these tests, especially for the filtration test. The whole point should have been whether these so-called "high flow" filters are meaningfully better than the typical fram/purolator OEM style filter.
we already know that. Yes, they increase performance slightly at the cost of slightly more dirt getting through, which is considered negligible as far as harming your engine. The increased fuel economy claims are bullshit, the more air you let in, the more fuel you have to add.
@@Mach141 the less restrictive the filter is, the less the engine needs to work to suck air in. It’s called pumping losses. The claims are not BS. That’s why EGR increases efficiency on gasoline engines. You burn the same amount of oxygen, but are actually opening the throttle slightly more since some of the vacuum is taken up by exhaust gas. The same can be said for exhaust modifications. Engines are air pumps. Less energy spent pumping the same air = less energy spent.
@@malachihornbaker5869 Yes, I get pumping losses. My argument would be mpg gains from pumping losses are less beneficial than the extra fuel your burning because your now making more power. The claims are bullshit.
I used to work at K&N and I will tell you that there at the factory, we made K&N, Spectre and AEM filters and intake systems there. The AEM/K&N team had a building there that had a dyno which the engineers worked on to build and test the products before they go into mass production. At the factory, we also made STI, TRD, MOPAR and Mazda Speed parts as well. So in my opinion, just keep your filters clean and greased to keep it working well.
He dropped the dust on top of the filter, with gravity assisting in pulling the dust down through the filter. That is not how contaminants enter an actual filter in a car. Air particles are entrained in the airflow into the filter as the air passes through, usually flowing from the bottom upward in modern vehicles. Any electrostatic treatments a filter may have to trap additional dust are negated when the dust is just dropped onto the filter, and filters that are oiled can have local areas of dust saturation where the filter momentarily dries as a large bolus of dust temporarily "soaks up" all the oil. This test duplicates actual conditions much more accurately, and closely mirrors the test protocols used within the filtration industry. I like PF and have long been a fan, but not all of his tests mimic real world conditions. His motor oil tests miss nearly all of the important bits about motor oils, for example. The bearing test is indicative of metal on metal contact under high pressure, which is not supposed to happen in an engine. Those tests will favor oil formulations high in zinc, and while that will give you an idea of what might be the best oils for flat-tappet engines, it ignores the rest of what makes an oil good or bad. Modern oils have limited zinc to protect emissions components, and that's not a problem for any cars with roller lifters or overhead cams. I don't fault PF for this; he does not have the laboratory it would require to be able to test the rest of the stuff. He is very entertaining and I watch every one of his videos, and I just bought another infrared thermometer the other day because of his tests (it was $9!), but the methodology for the air filter test was flawed. There is a reason that the filter companies don't test that way.
@tid418 massive useless wall of text you did here that nobody gona read Secondly why are you this dumb the wear test is like they do to test is not designed to represent what happen in a engine It's a controlled test What important is all oil or filter are tested the same way so a smaller wear scar = better performance And by the way most lifter/rocker arm , camshaft, wrist pin ,piston ring and valve tip are all riding metal on metal There more to a engine that the crank/rod bearing moron
Great video, as an AEM user I feel this is the clear winner because of filtration which is more important than a few hp extra. Was happy to see AEM excel in filtration. Cheers
AEM is definitely better at filtering and it gained power and increased mpg on my dyno run, V6 VTEC kicked in YO 😉 OEM Honda air filter 245whp and AEM 257whp
But you know what did better than the AEM in filtration AND had less differential pressure? Every single filter in the stock-type filter test. Every one. I don't know why BR didn't put those test results in with the new ones, but if you think filtration is most important, then none of the performance filters are the best choice. I have AEMs in both my Mustangs, but the stock panel filter replacement in the newer one is coming out in the next few minutes. The conical style on my other one is still larger than the stock filter element, which will reduce the pressure differential, and it's on a CAI that can't accept a panel filter one way or another, so that one will remain.
@@tid418I don't know why any of the performance filters manufacturers haven't made a filter media that works as well as OEM paper while still being washable. It seems that they prioritize air flow over filtration. I'll probably be removing my AEM intake and going back to stock after seeing these tests.
@@JamessLuner-wi2qs I have used my AEM for over 3 years in all type of conditions snow rain off road high pollution areas railroads etc. etc. and the AEM has performed stellar in the cleaning department. Zero dust or any dirt on the clean side of the air box. Like new condition. Best part my mpg went 2mpg up
I've used K&N filters for over 30 years with no complaints. I clean mine every 20k, don't know if it helps but why not. If you want the best oil filter imo use an oil bath one like we did on our Army jeeps in the 80's. All you have to do is clean the crude out every 6 months and change the oil when it gets blackish.
I have had my filter in my car for 6 years. I still haven't gotten through half of my cleaner or oil and I clean it at every 2nd oil change. What's your point? Filter $50 (when I bought it) kit $22 (when I bought it) OEM filter $15 and I would have had to replace it 14 times per the manufacturer's recommendation of change interval. 6 years at $72 with the K&N Vs 6 years $210 with OEM filters. Sounds like a damn good deal to me. I have gone 70k miles and haven't spent another dime on filters and I have had not a single issue in that time either.
Foreseeable result. I'm impressed by the inclusion of the extra explanation of why the K&N "ran away" with the particulate absorption vs flow test...it was plain for me to see that the K&N lasted longer before becoming "clogged", simply because it passed more particulate through rather than absorbing it. I've run a K&N on the street before in a boosted application. It REALLY performed, and in combination with a couple other intake performance parts, it helped increase the HP by a whopping 15%. I strongly believe the filter was responsible for a 15hp gain by itself (it was part of a cold air induction system). However, I didn't accumulate much mileage with the car in that configuration as I knew it wasn't filtering much. For a track driven performance car, a K&N or even no filter is fine. But for street driven performance cars that don't receive engine rebuilds every 25-50k miles (or 250 engine hours), it's better to just run a normal pleated paper filter and take the hit in performance. Be nice to your car, and it will return the favor with quiet reliability for many years.
I use a WIX in my HiHY . Very stiff construction compared to others. Easy to vacuum out. I change oil every 4K miles and it looks clean, this is on an engine with 150K miles. I change air filter after 20K miles.
I gave up on "performance" air filters and WIX is always my go-to brand, too. I'm convinced you can't get high airflow and high filtration at the same time. I just get a WIX filter and change out frequently...
I started using K&N filters way back in 1972 on my Honda 750. Used them all the years since on every vehicle I owned until 2015. That’s the year I bought a Polaris RZR side by side. It was a 2010 model. The very first thing I did was add a K&N filter. I had been to two different Polaris dealers who both mentioned off hand to never use a K&N filter. I thought they were full of bs and even recommend that my brother-in-law put one in his RZR. After a couple of rides his RZR stopped idling. We took it to the dealer and they found that the intake tract was all dusted up and the throttle body had to be replaced. I checked my RZR and found dust in the intake. We both switched to oiled foam filters and never had any more dusting problems. My brother-in-law also had been using K$N filters in all his vehicles for years. We have never used them in anything since. Hard to believe after all those years I found out the filters were sub par.
Most likely not the filters fault but the seal between the filter housing and the filter. And by that i mean it's the cars filter housing that is shit.
I have use K&N filters in my last 3 vehicules(3x honda)… Bring all of them to more then 300000km without any issues… Maybe K&N should not be use for dusty offroad environment… My 14 years old car airbox is super clean!!!
@@bonifacijus11 Live in Québec,Canada… Harsh environment with very high and very low temp… Lot of snow, melted snow, rain… etc… Dusty in summer...We have to use severe duty maintenance schedule for our cars!!!
I had a 2020 Ford Ranger with the 2.3 liter. I got a performance tuning kit directly from Ford. The kit was a reprogramming of the computer and a K&N air filter. It's interesting that the manufacturer had no problem with the K&N. This was an easy way to get a great power boost and keep the warranty.
That's because car manufacturers don't care about engine longevity, once the warranty is done they wash their hands of you and hope you will by a new car....
I have a 25 year old Integra that I bought new and it has almost 300k miles. I installed a K&N performance cone filter on it a month after I got the car and the car still runs great today. I don't drive my Integra as much today but when I use to drive it all the time, I would do 7000 mile oil change intervals and it would burn about 1/2 quart in that 7000 miles which I think is pretty good. The engine still runs strong. I still take it up to redline and I never feel that the engine is going to blow up. If K&N air filters were bad for your engine, you'd see a bunch of videos from people who's engine was destroyed by a K&N but all I see are videos saying why K&N air filters are bad for your car but they never show the actual effects of a K&N which would involve a total engine teardown.
Your factual, real world experience should put an end to the debate. I have 70,000 miles on a 2003 Suzuki SV1000 motorcycle that had a K&N installed when I purchased the bike new. It's oil consumption is also very minimal and the performance is still quite stimulating, if you know what I mean! Wink wink.
I'm right there with you bought a 09 Altima and immediately got the K&N cold air intake with cone style filter. My. Youngest is turning 16 so I'm going over this car with a fine tooth comb fixing everything for her since she getting the car. Replaced the intake manifold to replace the plug seals and the top end looks great. No signs of wear. Car has 145K on it now.
Because you are driving a car on the road in non dusty conditions. It actually is a well known and very big issue with vehicles used in dusty environments/ off-road. K&Ns and other oiled cloth filters have killed a ton of diesel trucks working in the oilfields and out in the country running dusty dirt roads.
Love this video! The visuals are incredible ,they've got me geeking out over air filters! Never thought I'd be inspired to change my air filter, but now I'm eager to upgrade for better airflow.
I was just looking at some of these air filters last night... good timing. Thanks for the heads up on rockauto also. Almost paid triple for one Spectre Performance.
I would like to see a test like this repeated after around 2,000 miles of road use. David Vizard did extensive dyno and flow bench testing years ago on K&N filters and my memory is that he found a brand new paper filter flowed fractionally better, than a K&N cotton one in the same box. But he also found the flow of paper elements diminished rapidly while the K&N flow didn't significantly alter, until it was seriously loaded. It was also noted the the K&N filtration capabilities ramp up swiftly with use. That was decades ago however and here you are comparing different brands of cotton type filters. Be nice to see how they compare to each other, after a period of use.
Ive been using K&N air filters since the 80's for everyday street cars, trucks & motorcycles, its all i ever use. Ive never had any problems. I like improved HP & fuel economy and they will save you $$ in the long run. Ive worked in the auto repair field for 30+ years & have never seen any problems caused by using them.
I had a K&N on my old forest service truck because the stock filter is almost $40, so it seemed like it was the obvious choice. I pulled it out after less than 500 miles because there was light dust on the "clean side" of the air box. Also if you over oil these filters the mist will compromise your mass airflow sensor. K&N good on the drag strip to keep moths out, not good off-road. I was told that I need a dry pre-filter sock by a local off-road shop, how do you do that on a stock air box? Pass.
I've been running K&N air filters in all of my vehicles for the past 30 years. All of the Lexus and Toyota engines never used any oil, even past 212,000 miles, but my Honda Accord Coupe starting using oil at about 70,000 miles. Hmmmm. Could it be the manufacture and not the air filter? All vehicles used the same maintenance schedule with synthetic oil.
@@m.newman7722dude wasn’t knocking k&n. He was saying it doesn’t work for his specific use case. Oiled filters take way more care and feeding off road.
@m.newman7722 Highway cruiser with minimal dust, K&N is okay. I'll bet if you took an oil sample, though it'll be out of spec for silicates. It's not a question of if these filter allow more dust into the engine, but how much more do they allow in. And for how cheap air filters are, 30 dollars a year I'd rather have better filtration than 11 hp. Especially when I drive my car on the interstate.
I'm glad you guys tested the Spectre filters. I also have been using this brand for over 10 years and the filters are really good and on average half the price of the K&N filters.
@BoostedGXP While K&N oiled air filters can technically be used on modern cars, it's generally not recommended due to the potential risk of contaminating the Mass Airflow Sensor (MAF) sensor which is very sensitive to oil buildup, potentially causing engine light issues if over-oiled; therefore, many mechanics advise against using oiled K&N filters on modern vehicles with MAF sensors.
@@rolexr While K&N oiled air filters can technically be used on modern cars, it's generally not recommended due to the potential risk of contaminating the Mass Airflow Sensor (MAF) sensor which is very sensitive to oil buildup, potentially causing engine light issues if over-oiled; therefore, many mechanics advise against using oiled K&N filters on modern vehicles with MAF sensors.
I have been using K&N performance air filters for over 20 years in many vehicles. I have never had any issues with engine wear or anything else for that matter. I believe if you change your oil over 5000 miles, that will destroy your engine faster than using a K&N performance air filter. I also believe if you live off a country road with a lot of dust or in the desert than it can be of more concern.
I wish I would have snapped a pic of the air intake tube of my motorcycle where oily sand grains stuck to the plastic. Yes, genuine K&N filter and after seeing pictures of other people's scored cylinder walls using K&N, never again.
I live in Michigan. It's cold 4 months of the year. I read articles over 30 years ago explaining how the oil in K&N filters gets more viscous as the temperature drops, yes this controversy has been going on for a long time, and filtration drops due to the oil not being able to provide adequate filtration in cold temperatures. So the advice was to use an oiled filter in the summer and a stock filter during cold weather. I have always thought the reason for the filter is to keep abrasive contaminants out of the engine. The only way to achieve more filtration and more air flow at the same time is to use a larger filter. Plus the very slight increase in horsepower with and oiled filter is only available during wide open throttle. So, we would put a taller filter element in the round filter housing that sat on top of the carburetor, the top of the filter housing would sit up an inch or so and provide more air flow. As long as the hood would close. Now I run a good brand stock type filter. Because dirt inside the engine is well, BAD.
Oh, Wisconsinite here. The sheer amount of salt on the road, if let through these "performance" filters, would likely cause serious issues in the long run. Especially if it is a newer car with harder to maintain parts. Average consumer rarely breaks 100 horsepower in engines and squeaking out a few extra to let all that salt in is stupid. I can just feel the rust thinking about it.
Most race teams don't use oiled filters, they use regular paper filters. The point of the filter is to ... well filter. Yes better airflow allows you to more efficiently create power. I would rather have better protection and add actual performance parts that would create more overall usable power then add a less restrictive filter.
@@BrandRanks The cotton filters such as K&N need the air coming in to pulse like an engine does, so you need a rig that will do that. Without the fibers receiving air pulses, the dust will go through. Just a straight flow of air without pulses is an unfair way to test these type of filters. Please watch this video "K&N air filters undeserved curse lifted!" Then build a new rig, or modify yours and see what really happens.
@@Sagina1999 I manage a fleet of construction pickups. One of our drivers put a K&N in his work truck because he was "tired of having to clean his filter all the time". We had no idea he had replaced his filter until his truck went into the shop for a turbo replacement (at way lower miles than we normally see a turbo fail). The mechanic sent us pics of the intake completely coated in dust. Then he sent me a pic of the K&N. That turbo replacement was thousands of dollars, not to mention that the engine probably won't see a full life either. We only get about 3 months out of our paper filters but it's still much cheaper than major repairs. It is now our company policy that anyone who makes unapproved modifications to a company truck can lose their job for it. Pulse or no pulse, they do not filter dirt as well as a good paper filter!
I've been using K&N air and oil filters for over 20 years . I have them in a 2011 RAM 5.7 Hemi with 280k miles and in a 2012 Subaru Impreza with 142k miles. Not a single mechanical engine issue. I'm sold.
There is more nuance to it than "good/bad". If you live out in the middle of the desert, not the best idea to run a K&N. If you live in Washington where you have a whole lot more rain than dust, the 'impact' is going to be substantially less just because the outside air that your engine is pulling from is substantially 'cleaner'. In the case of the latter, I very much doubt anyone actually realizes an engine lifetime decrease - frankly, regular oil changes are just as important, because your oil/oil filter are collecting and filter the stuff too.
Agreed. I've run K&N traditional pre-oil air filters in many apps and never an issue. My 03 Cobra made great power with an old K&N FIPK, and everyone used to try and push a JLT or whatever, and I was like, "why change? I'm making great numbers with the old K&N FIPK." I do run a JLT on my 03 Lightning, but when I still used the factory air box, I always used a K&N. I DD my 02 Catfish SS for nearly 5 years with an aftermarket lid, and a K&N. My wifes F150 3.5L is running a K&N Select, as did her old 13 Taurus SEL. My 18 F150 5L is using a K&N pre-oiled filter. I ran a K&N in my 19 1SS 1LE. I ran K&N's in several 4.6L 2V vehicles. Never an issue. I don't want to dismiss the importance of filtration, but at the same time I've known people (plural) with pre-AFM 5.3L Silverado's that ran fine at over 300K that also used K&N's. If I felt like I was shortening my engine life, and accelerating wear in my engines, with a K&N, then I wouldn't be running them.
ANOTHER great video! Love the content. Side note, it would be awesome to see you guys test some racing oil filters! Throw in a Fram Racing & Ford Racing! Goes great with this performance filter video! 😊
Awesome love your videos .. I have more brand ideas for performance filters, PRL, AFe, BMC, Green Filter, KAK, DNA Motoring, HKS Super filter..... And for the regular filter you can do dealership filter like Honda, Toyota, etc.
I've used K&N, AEM DRY Filter, Rando Cheapo Amazon filters. I OEM paper filters. I can't tell a difference between any of them in terms of power, the power gains these things are giving are 5 horse power at most. You really cannot tell the difference.. I prefer filters like the AEM or K&N because you buy them once, and rarely have to clean them. Just one less maintenance step you have to worry about....
AEM did indeed filter better than the others so it's a safe bet. Thank you for the suggestions, we'd like to test come filters as well. Thanks for watching
Would love to see you compare stock air filter contamination levels vs these. K&N and similar have always let more dirt in from what I've seen, especially when not oiled etc.
The vehicle owner doing their own light maintenance such as changing out their air filter should always be sure that any recommended replacement filter actually fits the same as the OEM. As a technician at a dealership I have thrown many K&N filters into the garbage because of large air gaps around the perimeter. I grew very leery about using these filters because of it and having uncertainty about ability to filter small particles as well as a paper filter with a lot more pleats than the K&N.
@@heystarfish100 These filters seem to shrink after a couple years or service, require labor and recharge kits to maintain, filter poorly, and ruin MAF sensors. You're putting them exactly where they belong. The cons outweigh the pros or every car manufacturer would have adopted K&N filters years ago.
Great video. Keep in mind of the "Magnuson-Moss Act". Part of the reason K&N's warranty is the way it is because the manufacturer has to prove that a 3rd part/aftermarket part is what caused the problem. Way too much speculation over the past several decades over the K&N filtration, performance and longevity of both the filter and engine it operates with. I have never seen an engine fail from an aftermarket filter let alone know anyone who has proven it caused a problem without user error/neglect. If these aftermarket filters were so bad, engines would be blowing up left and right and these companies would go out of business. You should watch videos of folks around the world with performance filters in their off-road vehicles running these type of filters with no issues. Not to mention it doesn't help when you hear people parrot the same old exact negative comments of things like, "the oil made me get a CELL even though I technically over oiled it", "it killed my engine but I never cleaned it for over 5 years driving in dusty country backroads", etc. etc. It's not a black and white answer as it's a combinations of factors but one thing for certain in my experience is I've never seen an aftermarket filter cause engine issues without user error. Most people trade in their vehicles ever few years like they do with cellphones to the point they'll never really truly know if their filter did cause engine issues.
People doing these tests always forget that engines have an intake pulse which is the thing that makes K&N filters work. You can use them on a daily driver but they are much more useful in racing.
this is a very soldi take on these aftermarket/performance filters. In fact I ran a K&N on my 2012 E92 BMW M3 for 6 years and had zero issues and a tiny bump in HP and better intake noise. I recently bought a BMC filter for my 2022 G82 BMW M4C and will run it for the foreseeable future. Maybe over the course of 20 years there might be some damage, but from my experience it's negligible.
When you find intake tubes full of dust and oil from a K&N, you realise the engine is sucking that dirt in. Doubt you've ever done any engine analysis, oil or fuel sampling. If someone wants to use it on a racing application, great. For street use, especially in turbocharged vehicles, enjoy tearing up your turbo
@Payt-y5d I'd say that's a combination of user error and lack of maintenance. I've never had that problem and inspect my intake system everytime I clean it or driven through very dusty environments. I've done quite a few oil analysis tests (started with Blackstone and moved to Oil Analyzers) on every single one of my vehicles (stock and modified) with no major issues in the results. I once had a higher silica count but that was due to my intake filter not properly tighten down. My main concerns for every one of my UOA's is finding abnormal wear and fuel dilution. Nothing out of the norm based on that alone. I've never had a MAF sensor go bad because of, "filter oil getting sucked through the filter and caking it along with dirt/debris" or even had a measurable amount of dust in my intake tube's. It's literally spotless. Would I prefer a dry filter? Absolutely. Though I never made the switch because I never had these problems that so many parot day in and day out about oiled aftermarket filters.
Love the content and the metrics your channel provides. I would love to see how other performance filters like Injen dry filter, AFE Pro 5R oiled, and AFE Dry Flow would perform; also ITG and HKS foam filters. Does a prefilter help or hurt in any significant way (restrictiveness and filtration)? Thanks again for your videos!
ive used K&N for my previous cars and current one and they worked well. drove them into the ground with these filters. but its not just dust. i often clean out leaves, small sticks, fluf, etc. so it still needs to be cleaned. Thanks for these tests!
Just get the stock filter. The cost vs K&N you'll probably get 5-6 more filters. Besides these "performance filters" have oil on them which may effect your MAF. If you want HP gain get a tune, slightly larger exhaust, or add forced induction (turbo/supercharger). On most my (Audi/VW) 1.8 turbo cars I just add a more free flowing CAT and or a cheap cone filter and it spools up quicker. One car I had (Passat 1.8t wagon) I upgraded to a slightly larger turbo and injectors with this set up and it performed very well.
Used K&N in every vehicle I've owned. Never had issues never felt "gains" either. I used them cause I like the washable and reusable. And granted I didn't live in dusty areas too.
Missed on not including the values from the last video with traditional filters. Particle counts on those were about ~12000 vs. the ~18000 for these performance filters.
They both did the test wrong, though. The engine pulses, which supposedly makes the cotton fibers scrub the air. th-cam.com/video/_yYmj-G2R4s/w-d-xo.htmlsi=frnDFPrNUFSBSdy4
@@JeffGeiser-f9u Ooo there ya go, i'm guessing they just did it for testing purposes for the consumer, I get anxiety when shopping but for the Garage jack video example* i'm sure i do want a safe, easy, way to lift my car, i now know to buy a 3T double hydraulic than the single 1800kg.
Have you tested the S&B vs. the K&N? It seems the SB has a better-enclosed design on their CAIs vs. the open design of KN. But all tests I can see are for performance, nothing like you did, to test the filter efficiency for engine protection. Would you please do some test on them?
Hahaha what I was referring to was that both "oiled" filters KN performance and Spectre. But I did mess up several times while practicing hahaha too much oil filter testing😂 thank you for watching
Great work. Only thing i wish you would have shown the Purolator stats across the board like you did with the hp. Especially the filtration numbers. Ive watched all your videos, but no way i would remember the numbers
i have an AEM intake on my car. The thing that makes AEM dry filters superior is they are still washable and reusable, but you don't have to spend MORE money on the oiling kit, which if you factor that into your K&N filter actually makes it a worse value than a factory filter. Long live AEM performance.
K&N is the marketing king. What They ultimately offer is a mediocre product with a premium image. Their filters flow good but totally sacrifice filtration. Same as many other eBay cold air intakes. I also think a lot of people don’t realize that an oiled filter is not designed for dirt roads. Strictly on road
Who the hell replaces stock air filter after 6 months of using it? I do 20 000 km per year with the car, after that time the stock filter required a bit of compressed air and survived another 20 000 km. So for me it's 15 euros every 2 years. 4:23
Ha ha , someone needs to read the manufacturer service book . I have yet to see an air filter cleaned with compressed air that is replaced at recommended intervals ( normally 40,000kms or 4 years) fail from blowing out with compressed air . Most factory and aftermarket paper filters are tough @slowvag8v
david vizzard proved that there is something most filter testing rigs cant do.which yours dont do either.is individual intake pulses the cylinders create when an engine is running.if you dont believe they exist.put a vaccum gauge on any intake port of a 4 stroke engine.these pulses viberate the fibers in the K&N in an actual engine more so than any standard constant vaccum testing stand.hence why they generally test so badly.this was not K&N saying this but david vizzard himself.
- Top tier Engine oil. - Oil Change interval up to 3500 miles. - OE oil filter - No offroading - No desert cruising. - you have a NA engine. If you fulfill the above conditions, then K&N performance is the way to go. People who think the Stock air filters do not let particles are fools. They do and by a lot. Some particles get burned and thrown to the exhaust and some trapped in the oil then in the oil filter. You will find out when you do a microscopic analysis to the oil filter.
I love your testing methodology! Thanks for all the hard work. That said, I have two bits of feeback: improved labeling, and (in this particular case) repeat testing on filters that are designed to be re-used. First, could you label the graphs more completely? The particulate graphs had sections in blue, green, and orange but they weren't labeled, so it was hard to tell what I was looking at. Also, toward the end of the video, you showed a comparison of the results, but only showed limited portions of the data at one time. It would be more helpful if you could display a single large table/graph that shows all the testing results for these (and prior) air filter tests. You did something similar for your oil filter tests, and similar channels like Project Farm do that at the end of their videos, too. Second, since this video covers air filters that are designed to be washed and re-used, I feel it should inherently be part of a complete test of those products to wash and re-use them in order to see how their qualities hold up over time. Thanks again!
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this feedback we really do appreciate it. The graph labels were really small at the top, but I will increase the size for next time and agree a table at the end with the previous filters would be useful we just recently changed tables and graph software because it used to take so long just to animate those. We were planning on doing a video regarding cleaning the reusable filters as well as passing compressed air on non reusable filters to see the impact kinda like a myth busting video. Thank you so much again, your support and feedback is amazing!
I was hoping there would have been a test on an OEM filter as well. I stopped using K&N filters years ago because of that very reason, they don't filter. I like my engines, I will take a few KW less of power with filtration over non filtration thank you.
A well designed cold air intake with a sufficiently large paper filter gives all the performance required without causing engine damage. Beyond letting lots of dirt through, these performance filters tend to get filter oil on the Mass Airflow Sensor wire and throw off proper airflow readings. Unless you're doing controlled track racing these things just wind up ruining your motor over time.
Really appreciate this video. It's cool to know the gains are there when you need them, but for me personally, I would not run the K&N performance daily. Perhaps if I were going out to race, track day, autocross, or dyno I would consider switching for that. To me the slight performance does not justify the increased contamination inside the engine.
One thing I know for sure is that the pleats in K&N filter collapse on each other at high flows and restrics the air flow. Foam filters with mesh backing performed better on the dyno.
the best filter is the one that protects your engine... hi flow air filters will RUIN your engine... get a factory recommended filter and CHANGE it every SIX months... your car will thank you.
I'm thinking when it comes to your air filter, you should probably go strictly by mileage interval? Unless mice got in your housing they don't really degrade with time do they?
@@demonbox666 Oh. Thanks, i never knew that! That's actually important to know. But mine uses the rubber like stuff is that what you are talking about?
none. the just swapped out back to back without averaging at least from 3 runs each. Also they don't mention intake air temps or account for heat soak. Poor testing.
what a great and very detailed video! im a fan of foam intake filters... there is also many debates on the internet which one are better between cotton gauze and foam filters... could you test the foam filters next? cheers!
My K&N cleaning kit was about $15 the last time I purchased the kit more than 12 years ago. Now, the price has somewhat increased but still far below $50, and I still have plenty left, and thus, it will be perhaps another 5 to 7 years before I will need to obtain another cleaning kit. If you paid $50, I know of someone who got royally ripped off. I clean the filter about every 30,000 miles. Other than a Honda Accord Coupe, all of my Toyotas and Lexus vehicles have never used any oil, up to one vehicle that lasted 212,000 miles before a young lady rear ended me and totaled the car.
My solution is simple : go BIG. Just use a normal filter made for more CFMs. I use a V8 filter on my 4 cylinder engine, and it work fine. Cheap and efficient. Think out of the box, people.
I did my own flow test using my 6" duct fan. Was it scientific, no. What I did notice was a Napa Gold for my 2002 Envoy that I blew the dust out of, out flowed the K&N and Air raid cone filters for my 5.9 Cummins. I'm going back to paper for the Cummins. Oh, don't be fooled by the K&N 10 year $$$ savings Jedi math trick. You need the cleaning and oiling solutions along with your time plus drying (down) time.
K&N has a post that says the air filters they sell are not for everyday use it will screw up how your PCM reads the air flow coming in which is way to much. The K&N filters and any other like it have the same problem. K&N the company states this, I had one in my 3500 dually threw it away and got a $20.00 filter the truck started running much better. Filters like these are best kept on the track. Do not recommend any after market air filter gimmick like this, regular old filter works best.
I had to run a K&N on my Jeep because I couldn't find anything else that fit so I checked on it frequently to make sure it was oiled enough to keep the intake clean.
And that's why I don't use anything K&N.....They were probably lobbying for the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act like Fram was. P.S. K&N bought out AEM, so that's probably why they're not any good anymore. I use to use AEM in everything, but not anymore. Right now I use Greenfilters, but I don't know really how good they filter.
that's not true. regular interval for cleaning is 25-50000 miles. You don't have to clean and oil often, but yes I for one absolutely clean and oil my K&N air filters.
I've been using Spectre air filters for a long time now. Great filters at unbeatable prices. I will say their cone filters don't have the same quality as their panel filters. The cone filters usually need additional silicone applied around the pipe connection for a proper seal. Otherwise, they're great too!
I had mine in for one oil change and my MAF was coated in oil/dust (from going off road) and my intake hose had oil coating with dust. It basically spits oily dust through it. I always advise people not to use them, especially if they go on any dirt roads. It allows more air which means more dust and small particles. Good for the track but not good for any adventurous person
It did indeed filter the best so makes sense you have all those miles, but it's also most likely because you take great care of it. Thanks for watching
I once ran a k&n filter in an off-road vehicle, the first time it was driven in dusty conditions the motor blew. K&n filter material lets dust and fine particles pass through, no matter how well it's oiled
Awesome, great video. Thanks for the effort. No more k&n performance. The aem is made by k&n you would think it would be the same as the select. I believe specter is made by k&n also?
Thank you so much. Glad you enjoyed! I've seen conflicting things regarding Spectre being owned by K&N I just know they were in a lengthy legal battle against each other. Thanks for watching and supporting us!
I wish "Sprint" air filters would get into the car game they are doing good tgings in the motorcycle game these days. Would be good to get their technology tested in the automotive world
Great objective testing!! Thank you! I’m thinking of purchasing one of Banke’s big ass filters as he describes it. Can you please do testing on that to check filtration and everything else that you do?
You should have included a "standard" paper air filter for comparison in all of these tests, especially for the filtration test. The whole point should have been whether these so-called "high flow" filters are meaningfully better than the typical fram/purolator OEM style filter.
we already know that. Yes, they increase performance slightly at the cost of slightly more dirt getting through, which is considered negligible as far as harming your engine. The increased fuel economy claims are bullshit, the more air you let in, the more fuel you have to add.
@@Mach141 the less restrictive the filter is, the less the engine needs to work to suck air in. It’s called pumping losses. The claims are not BS. That’s why EGR increases efficiency on gasoline engines. You burn the same amount of oxygen, but are actually opening the throttle slightly more since some of the vacuum is taken up by exhaust gas.
The same can be said for exhaust modifications. Engines are air pumps. Less energy spent pumping the same air = less energy spent.
@@malachihornbaker5869 Yes, I get pumping losses. My argument would be mpg gains from pumping losses are less beneficial than the extra fuel your burning because your now making more power. The claims are bullshit.
@@Mach141It's actually a huge deal if you care about an engine. That level of dust getting through is very bad.
@Mach141 you know what really causes pumping losses? Lack of compression from scored bores from using a "performance" filter on a daily driver
When comparing items, always have an OEM part to compare against so you have a baseline to make the comparison against.
I used to work at K&N and I will tell you that there at the factory, we made K&N, Spectre and AEM filters and intake systems there. The AEM/K&N team had a building there that had a dyno which the engineers worked on to build and test the products before they go into mass production. At the factory, we also made STI, TRD, MOPAR and Mazda Speed parts as well. So in my opinion, just keep your filters clean and greased to keep it working well.
I will tell you K&N filters are not any better than a used sock.
Project farm showed K&N let a lot of contamination through the filter! There’s no need for a performance filter!
Project Farm's test used invalid methodology. This test is far better.
Running absolutely nothing is better than a k&n filter lol
@@tid418Invalid methodology? In what way?
He dropped the dust on top of the filter, with gravity assisting in pulling the dust down through the filter. That is not how contaminants enter an actual filter in a car.
Air particles are entrained in the airflow into the filter as the air passes through, usually flowing from the bottom upward in modern vehicles. Any electrostatic treatments a filter may have to trap additional dust are negated when the dust is just dropped onto the filter, and filters that are oiled can have local areas of dust saturation where the filter momentarily dries as a large bolus of dust temporarily "soaks up" all the oil.
This test duplicates actual conditions much more accurately, and closely mirrors the test protocols used within the filtration industry.
I like PF and have long been a fan, but not all of his tests mimic real world conditions. His motor oil tests miss nearly all of the important bits about motor oils, for example. The bearing test is indicative of metal on metal contact under high pressure, which is not supposed to happen in an engine.
Those tests will favor oil formulations high in zinc, and while that will give you an idea of what might be the best oils for flat-tappet engines, it ignores the rest of what makes an oil good or bad. Modern oils have limited zinc to protect emissions components, and that's not a problem for any cars with roller lifters or overhead cams.
I don't fault PF for this; he does not have the laboratory it would require to be able to test the rest of the stuff. He is very entertaining and I watch every one of his videos, and I just bought another infrared thermometer the other day because of his tests (it was $9!), but the methodology for the air filter test was flawed. There is a reason that the filter companies don't test that way.
@tid418 massive useless wall of text you did here that nobody gona read
Secondly why are you this dumb the wear test is like they do to test is not designed to represent what happen in a engine
It's a controlled test
What important is all oil or filter are tested the same way so a smaller wear scar = better performance
And by the way most lifter/rocker arm , camshaft, wrist pin ,piston ring and valve tip are all riding metal on metal
There more to a engine that the crank/rod bearing moron
Great video, as an AEM user I feel this is the clear winner because of filtration which is more important than a few hp extra. Was happy to see AEM excel in filtration. Cheers
Indeed it performed better than the others filtering and it's still washable! Thank you so much for watching and supporting us. Cheers!
AEM is definitely better at filtering and it gained power and increased mpg on my dyno run, V6 VTEC kicked in YO 😉 OEM Honda air filter 245whp and AEM 257whp
But you know what did better than the AEM in filtration AND had less differential pressure?
Every single filter in the stock-type filter test. Every one. I don't know why BR didn't put those test results in with the new ones, but if you think filtration is most important, then none of the performance filters are the best choice.
I have AEMs in both my Mustangs, but the stock panel filter replacement in the newer one is coming out in the next few minutes. The conical style on my other one is still larger than the stock filter element, which will reduce the pressure differential, and it's on a CAI that can't accept a panel filter one way or another, so that one will remain.
@@tid418I don't know why any of the performance filters manufacturers haven't made a filter media that works as well as OEM paper while still being washable. It seems that they prioritize air flow over filtration. I'll probably be removing my AEM intake and going back to stock after seeing these tests.
@@JamessLuner-wi2qs I have used my AEM for over 3 years in all type of conditions snow rain off road high pollution areas railroads etc. etc. and the AEM has performed stellar in the cleaning department. Zero dust or any dirt on the clean side of the air box. Like new condition. Best part my mpg went 2mpg up
I've used K&N filters for over 30 years with no complaints. I clean mine every 20k, don't know if it helps but why not.
If you want the best oil filter imo use an oil bath one like we did on our Army jeeps in the 80's. All you have to do is clean the crude out every 6 months and change the oil when it gets blackish.
The cost breakdown for 10 years doesn’t include the recharge kit needed to oil the filter.
Exactly. But the induction noises that come with the K&N drop in filter help my wallet feel better.
I have had my filter in my car for 6 years. I still haven't gotten through half of my cleaner or oil and I clean it at every 2nd oil change. What's your point?
Filter $50 (when I bought it)
kit $22 (when I bought it)
OEM filter $15 and I would have had to replace it 14 times per the manufacturer's recommendation of change interval.
6 years at $72 with the K&N
Vs
6 years $210 with OEM filters.
Sounds like a damn good deal to me. I have gone 70k miles and haven't spent another dime on filters and I have had not a single issue in that time either.
Foreseeable result. I'm impressed by the inclusion of the extra explanation of why the K&N "ran away" with the particulate absorption vs flow test...it was plain for me to see that the K&N lasted longer before becoming "clogged", simply because it passed more particulate through rather than absorbing it.
I've run a K&N on the street before in a boosted application. It REALLY performed, and in combination with a couple other intake performance parts, it helped increase the HP by a whopping 15%. I strongly believe the filter was responsible for a 15hp gain by itself (it was part of a cold air induction system). However, I didn't accumulate much mileage with the car in that configuration as I knew it wasn't filtering much.
For a track driven performance car, a K&N or even no filter is fine. But for street driven performance cars that don't receive engine rebuilds every 25-50k miles (or 250 engine hours), it's better to just run a normal pleated paper filter and take the hit in performance. Be nice to your car, and it will return the favor with quiet reliability for many years.
It's all about the reversion pulses. It's not just one direction in the engine like the flow bench.
I just stick with WIX air filter. I hope I make a good choice. I not sure how good it works though.
Make sure to watch our first video on air filter. Wix did very well! Thanks for watching
WIX is the top of the line for non performance filter.
I use a WIX in my HiHY . Very stiff construction compared to others. Easy to vacuum out. I change oil every 4K miles and it looks clean, this is on an engine with 150K miles. I change air filter after 20K miles.
WIX makes the best filters for oil and air in my experience. You’re good.
I gave up on "performance" air filters and WIX is always my go-to brand, too. I'm convinced you can't get high airflow and high filtration at the same time. I just get a WIX filter and change out frequently...
I have a K&N on my turbo Volvo. Performs well and makes more power than any of the cone filter setups which cost way more money.
Another great video! I'll stick with my Wix air filter given that I live in a rural area amongst farm fields and gravel roads.
Thanks for watching! Wix is a solid choice!
I started using K&N filters way back in 1972 on my Honda 750. Used them all the years since on every vehicle I owned until 2015. That’s the year I bought a Polaris RZR side by side. It was a 2010 model. The very first thing I did was add a K&N filter. I had been to two different Polaris dealers who both mentioned off hand to never use a K&N filter. I thought they were full of bs and even recommend that my brother-in-law put one in his RZR. After a couple of rides his RZR stopped idling. We took it to the dealer and they found that the intake tract was all dusted up and the throttle body had to be replaced. I checked my RZR and found dust in the intake. We both switched to oiled foam filters and never had any more dusting problems. My brother-in-law also had been using K$N filters in all his vehicles for years. We have never used them in anything since. Hard to believe after all those years I found out the filters were sub par.
Most likely not the filters fault but the seal between the filter housing and the filter. And by that i mean it's the cars filter housing that is shit.
I have use K&N filters in my last 3 vehicules(3x honda)… Bring all of them to more then 300000km without any issues… Maybe K&N should not be use for dusty offroad environment… My 14 years old car airbox is super clean!!!
@@martinchartrand7044 "My 14 years old car airbox is super clean!!!"..WOW, dude, you must be living in some sterile vacuum..
@@bonifacijus11 Live in Québec,Canada… Harsh environment with very high and very low temp… Lot of snow, melted snow, rain… etc… Dusty in summer...We have to use severe duty maintenance schedule for our cars!!!
@@martinchartrand7044 Canada, dusty in summer? Come to the south of the US or in the deserts of California or Arizona
These kinds of videos are exactly why I love this channel. THank you for your work, and please keep it coming.
Thank you for the kind words! We're happy you enjoy the content!
@@BrandRankscan i use HEPA air filter on my car? I want the best filtration for my car engine
I had a 2020 Ford Ranger with the 2.3 liter. I got a performance tuning kit directly from Ford. The kit was a reprogramming of the computer and a K&N air filter. It's interesting that the manufacturer had no problem with the K&N. This was an easy way to get a great power boost and keep the warranty.
That's because car manufacturers don't care about engine longevity, once the warranty is done they wash their hands of you and hope you will by a new car....
@rankinewasyn5369 Probably true. I will say the thing was pretty quick once I added the tune kit.
Im with you all the way. 👍
Used Spectre filters for years in everything from my Acura TSX to my current BMW 440. Never had any issues.
I have a 25 year old Integra that I bought new and it has almost 300k miles. I installed a K&N performance cone filter on it a month after I got the car and the car still runs great today. I don't drive my Integra as much today but when I use to drive it all the time, I would do 7000 mile oil change intervals and it would burn about 1/2 quart in that 7000 miles which I think is pretty good. The engine still runs strong. I still take it up to redline and I never feel that the engine is going to blow up.
If K&N air filters were bad for your engine, you'd see a bunch of videos from people who's engine was destroyed by a K&N but all I see are videos saying why K&N air filters are bad for your car but they never show the actual effects of a K&N which would involve a total engine teardown.
Your factual, real world experience should put an end to the debate. I have 70,000 miles on a 2003 Suzuki SV1000 motorcycle that had a K&N installed when I purchased the bike new. It's oil consumption is also very minimal and the performance is still quite stimulating, if you know what I mean! Wink wink.
I'm right there with you bought a 09 Altima and immediately got the K&N cold air intake with cone style filter.
My. Youngest is turning 16 so I'm going over this car with a fine tooth comb fixing everything for her since she getting the car. Replaced the intake manifold to replace the plug seals and the top end looks great. No signs of wear.
Car has 145K on it now.
Because the standardized dust you don't see it in real life nor in such quantities
Because you are driving a car on the road in non dusty conditions. It actually is a well known and very big issue with vehicles used in dusty environments/ off-road. K&Ns and other oiled cloth filters have killed a ton of diesel trucks working in the oilfields and out in the country running dusty dirt roads.
@davidstinson3830 lol, sure dude
Love this video! The visuals are incredible ,they've got me geeking out over air filters! Never thought I'd be inspired to change my air filter, but now I'm eager to upgrade for better airflow.
Thank you for your continued support! Always here commenting! We notice and appreciate it.
I was just looking at some of these air filters last night... good timing. Thanks for the heads up on rockauto also. Almost paid triple for one Spectre Performance.
Thank you for the being the first to listen where to buy the Spectre! :) Thanks for watching! We are glad it helped out.
@@BrandRanks I bought one for each of my cars. They didn't have one for a 98 Corolla though or I would have bought that one too! lol
I would like to see a test like this repeated after around 2,000 miles of road use.
David Vizard did extensive dyno and flow bench testing years ago on K&N filters and my memory is that he found a brand new paper filter flowed fractionally better, than a K&N cotton one in the same box.
But he also found the flow of paper elements diminished rapidly while the K&N flow didn't significantly alter, until it was seriously loaded.
It was also noted the the K&N filtration capabilities ramp up swiftly with use.
That was decades ago however and here you are comparing different brands of cotton type filters.
Be nice to see how they compare to each other, after a period of use.
Ive been using K&N air filters since the 80's for everyday street cars, trucks & motorcycles, its all i ever use. Ive never had any problems. I like improved HP & fuel economy and they will save you $$ in the long run. Ive worked in the auto repair field for 30+ years & have never seen any problems caused by using them.
City roads vs country dirt roads?
@sportsfanivosevic9885 a pretty even mix
exactly.!!!!!!!!
I had a K&N on my old forest service truck because the stock filter is almost $40, so it seemed like it was the obvious choice. I pulled it out after less than 500 miles because there was light dust on the "clean side" of the air box. Also if you over oil these filters the mist will compromise your mass airflow sensor. K&N good on the drag strip to keep moths out, not good off-road. I was told that I need a dry pre-filter sock by a local off-road shop, how do you do that on a stock air box? Pass.
So, you needed an air filter. for. your. air. filter? Um... Yeah. Hard pass.
I've been running K&N air filters in all of my vehicles for the past 30 years. All of the Lexus and Toyota engines never used any oil, even past 212,000 miles, but my Honda Accord Coupe starting using oil at about 70,000 miles. Hmmmm. Could it be the manufacture and not the air filter? All vehicles used the same maintenance schedule with synthetic oil.
@@m.newman7722dude wasn’t knocking k&n. He was saying it doesn’t work for his specific use case. Oiled filters take way more care and feeding off road.
Well yes and no but yea@dennisgreiwe2078
@m.newman7722 Highway cruiser with minimal dust, K&N is okay. I'll bet if you took an oil sample, though it'll be out of spec for silicates. It's not a question of if these filter allow more dust into the engine, but how much more do they allow in. And for how cheap air filters are, 30 dollars a year I'd rather have better filtration than 11 hp. Especially when I drive my car on the interstate.
What most people dont know is that k&n owns spectra filters thats why they do pretty good
Yeah, also AEM filters. I Bought an AEM filter and literally, it says K&N on the side 😂
I'm glad you guys tested the Spectre filters. I also have been using this brand for over 10 years and the filters are really good and on average half the price of the K&N filters.
The round one I have, the filter media and metal mesh are good, the rubber converted into a tacky jelly dough. Not reusable anymore.
I agree. My frontier has ran great with it. Sounds better also
I use K&N Filters since about 35 years - never been disappointed !!!
The oil used on the K&M filters cause havoc with modern car sensors many mechanics have proven that.
@@MrNorthstar50 ....These are the fairy tales that opponents always tell. Not a single case has been concretely proven!
@@MrNorthstar50when you oil the wrong side sure
@BoostedGXP While K&N oiled air filters can technically be used on modern cars, it's generally not recommended due to the potential risk of contaminating the Mass Airflow Sensor (MAF) sensor which is very sensitive to oil buildup, potentially causing engine light issues if over-oiled; therefore, many mechanics advise against using oiled K&N filters on modern vehicles with MAF sensors.
@@rolexr While K&N oiled air filters can technically be used on modern cars, it's generally not recommended due to the potential risk of contaminating the Mass Airflow Sensor (MAF) sensor which is very sensitive to oil buildup, potentially causing engine light issues if over-oiled; therefore, many mechanics advise against using oiled K&N filters on modern vehicles with MAF sensors.
I have been using K&N performance air filters for over 20 years in many vehicles. I have never had any issues with engine wear or anything else for that matter. I believe if you change your oil over 5000 miles, that will destroy your engine faster than using a K&N performance air filter. I also believe if you live off a country road with a lot of dust or in the desert than it can be of more concern.
I wish I would have snapped a pic of the air intake tube of my motorcycle where oily sand grains stuck to the plastic. Yes, genuine K&N filter and after seeing pictures of other people's scored cylinder walls using K&N, never again.
@@getdealtwithquick motorcycles are closer to the ground and are more open than a CAR/SUV/TRUCK.
i have a K&N performance air filters too and had no issues I've only had it for about 2 years so far but I do drive alot since I work as a DoorDasher
I live in Michigan. It's cold 4 months of the year. I read articles over 30 years ago explaining how the oil in K&N filters gets more viscous as the temperature drops, yes this controversy has been going on for a long time, and filtration drops due to the oil not being able to provide adequate filtration in cold temperatures. So the advice was to use an oiled filter in the summer and a stock filter during cold weather. I have always thought the reason for the filter is to keep abrasive contaminants out of the engine. The only way to achieve more filtration and more air flow at the same time is to use a larger filter. Plus the very slight increase in horsepower with and oiled filter is only available during wide open throttle. So, we would put a taller filter element in the round filter housing that sat on top of the carburetor, the top of the filter housing would sit up an inch or so and provide more air flow. As long as the hood would close. Now I run a good brand stock type filter. Because dirt inside the engine is well, BAD.
Oh, Wisconsinite here. The sheer amount of salt on the road, if let through these "performance" filters, would likely cause serious issues in the long run. Especially if it is a newer car with harder to maintain parts. Average consumer rarely breaks 100 horsepower in engines and squeaking out a few extra to let all that salt in is stupid. I can just feel the rust thinking about it.
Most race teams don't use oiled filters, they use regular paper filters. The point of the filter is to ... well filter. Yes better airflow allows you to more efficiently create power. I would rather have better protection and add actual performance parts that would create more overall usable power then add a less restrictive filter.
This is great news you can use, thanks Brand Ranks!!
Thanks for watching!
I’m here for it!!! Love your videos and the info you provide!
Thank you! Glad you’re enjoying the videos and the info! 🙌
@@BrandRanks The cotton filters such as K&N need the air coming in to pulse like an engine does, so you need a rig that will do that. Without the fibers receiving air pulses, the dust will go through. Just a straight flow of air without pulses is an unfair way to test these type of filters. Please watch this video "K&N air filters undeserved curse lifted!" Then build a new rig, or modify yours and see what really happens.
@@Sagina1999😅 can't tell if serious
@@ianm432 Can't tell? Yes, as serious as a heart attack!
@@Sagina1999 I manage a fleet of construction pickups. One of our drivers put a K&N in his work truck because he was "tired of having to clean his filter all the time". We had no idea he had replaced his filter until his truck went into the shop for a turbo replacement (at way lower miles than we normally see a turbo fail). The mechanic sent us pics of the intake completely coated in dust. Then he sent me a pic of the K&N. That turbo replacement was thousands of dollars, not to mention that the engine probably won't see a full life either. We only get about 3 months out of our paper filters but it's still much cheaper than major repairs. It is now our company policy that anyone who makes unapproved modifications to a company truck can lose their job for it. Pulse or no pulse, they do not filter dirt as well as a good paper filter!
Thanks!
Wow!!! Thank you so much for this! Really appreciate your support, it means a lot to us! Hope you have a great day!
You guys are becoming one my favorite car content channel, keep up with the good work 🔥🔥
So glad to hear this! Appreciate you watching and supporting us. It keeps us motivated to keep creating content for you guys! Thank you!
Thanks so much for the support! Comments like this make it worthwhile!🔥🚗
I've been using K&N air and oil filters for over 20 years . I have them in a 2011 RAM 5.7 Hemi with 280k miles and in a 2012 Subaru Impreza with 142k miles. Not a single mechanical engine issue. I'm sold.
ive used spectre from amazon in 2 f150s and 2 v6 escapes, wonderful and not paying for KNs advertising.... tho i have one in my mustang!
@@mos8541 "not paying for KNs advertising" instead you are supporting slave labor in c c p chin a! Good job! All hail the peoples air filter!
There is more nuance to it than "good/bad". If you live out in the middle of the desert, not the best idea to run a K&N. If you live in Washington where you have a whole lot more rain than dust, the 'impact' is going to be substantially less just because the outside air that your engine is pulling from is substantially 'cleaner'. In the case of the latter, I very much doubt anyone actually realizes an engine lifetime decrease - frankly, regular oil changes are just as important, because your oil/oil filter are collecting and filter the stuff too.
Agreed. I've run K&N traditional pre-oil air filters in many apps and never an issue. My 03 Cobra made great power with an old K&N FIPK, and everyone used to try and push a JLT or whatever, and I was like, "why change? I'm making great numbers with the old K&N FIPK." I do run a JLT on my 03 Lightning, but when I still used the factory air box, I always used a K&N. I DD my 02 Catfish SS for nearly 5 years with an aftermarket lid, and a K&N. My wifes F150 3.5L is running a K&N Select, as did her old 13 Taurus SEL. My 18 F150 5L is using a K&N pre-oiled filter. I ran a K&N in my 19 1SS 1LE. I ran K&N's in several 4.6L 2V vehicles. Never an issue. I don't want to dismiss the importance of filtration, but at the same time I've known people (plural) with pre-AFM 5.3L Silverado's that ran fine at over 300K that also used K&N's. If I felt like I was shortening my engine life, and accelerating wear in my engines, with a K&N, then I wouldn't be running them.
ANOTHER great video! Love the content. Side note, it would be awesome to see you guys test some racing oil filters! Throw in a Fram Racing & Ford Racing! Goes great with this performance filter video! 😊
Thanks for the support and suggestion! We'll keep it mind!
Awesome love your videos .. I have more brand ideas for performance filters, PRL, AFe, BMC, Green Filter, KAK, DNA Motoring, HKS Super filter..... And for the regular filter you can do dealership filter like Honda, Toyota, etc.
Green filter USA makes PRL air filters, there is also Green Filter Europe which is different from Green Filter USA
I've used K&N, AEM DRY Filter, Rando Cheapo Amazon filters. I OEM paper filters. I can't tell a difference between any of them in terms of power, the power gains these things are giving are 5 horse power at most. You really cannot tell the difference.. I prefer filters like the AEM or K&N because you buy them once, and rarely have to clean them. Just one less maintenance step you have to worry about....
You guys are the best! Love your test!
Been sharing with my car groups your guys awesome videos!
Thanks so much! Really appreciate you sharing our videos with your car groups! 🚗🔥
I like AEM because dry flow. Would love see cone air filter from all brands aem, aFe, injen, DC sport, K&N, and etc
Great video
AEM did indeed filter better than the others so it's a safe bet. Thank you for the suggestions, we'd like to test come filters as well. Thanks for watching
YOU GUYS MAKE THE BEST VIDEOS!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!! KEEP THEM ROLLING!!!!!!!!!
Would love to see you compare stock air filter contamination levels vs these. K&N and similar have always let more dirt in from what I've seen, especially when not oiled etc.
Great idea! We'll keep this in mind for future tests. Thanks for watching.
If it's not oiled then it's not a proper filter
Great Video!
Thanks to all involved for a your hard work and efforts.
You are appreciated!
Thanks again! And bring me more please.
The vehicle owner doing their own light maintenance such as changing out their air filter should always be sure that any recommended replacement filter actually fits the same as the OEM. As a technician at a dealership I have thrown many K&N filters into the garbage because of large air gaps around the perimeter. I grew very leery about using these filters because of it and having uncertainty about ability to filter small particles as well as a paper filter with a lot more pleats than the K&N.
Agree. It's definitely important for vehicle owners to ensure proper fit and quality when choosing replacement filters. Thanks for watching!
@@heystarfish100 These filters seem to shrink after a couple years or service, require labor and recharge kits to maintain, filter poorly, and ruin MAF sensors. You're putting them exactly where they belong. The cons outweigh the pros or every car manufacturer would have adopted K&N filters years ago.
Oh, the video I was waiting for, true to your word Brand Ranks. ♥
Thanks for sticking around and watching! Glad we could deliver what you were waiting for!
Keep these awesome videos coming!👏 The best on TH-cam....
Thank you so much for those kind words. Really do appreciate it!
Great video. Keep in mind of the "Magnuson-Moss Act". Part of the reason K&N's warranty is the way it is because the manufacturer has to prove that a 3rd part/aftermarket part is what caused the problem. Way too much speculation over the past several decades over the K&N filtration, performance and longevity of both the filter and engine it operates with. I have never seen an engine fail from an aftermarket filter let alone know anyone who has proven it caused a problem without user error/neglect. If these aftermarket filters were so bad, engines would be blowing up left and right and these companies would go out of business. You should watch videos of folks around the world with performance filters in their off-road vehicles running these type of filters with no issues. Not to mention it doesn't help when you hear people parrot the same old exact negative comments of things like, "the oil made me get a CELL even though I technically over oiled it", "it killed my engine but I never cleaned it for over 5 years driving in dusty country backroads", etc. etc. It's not a black and white answer as it's a combinations of factors but one thing for certain in my experience is I've never seen an aftermarket filter cause engine issues without user error.
Most people trade in their vehicles ever few years like they do with cellphones to the point they'll never really truly know if their filter did cause engine issues.
People doing these tests always forget that engines have an intake pulse which is the thing that makes K&N filters work. You can use them on a daily driver but they are much more useful in racing.
this is a very soldi take on these aftermarket/performance filters. In fact I ran a K&N on my 2012 E92 BMW M3 for 6 years and had zero issues and a tiny bump in HP and better intake noise. I recently bought a BMC filter for my 2022 G82 BMW M4C and will run it for the foreseeable future. Maybe over the course of 20 years there might be some damage, but from my experience it's negligible.
When you find intake tubes full of dust and oil from a K&N, you realise the engine is sucking that dirt in.
Doubt you've ever done any engine analysis, oil or fuel sampling.
If someone wants to use it on a racing application, great. For street use, especially in turbocharged vehicles, enjoy tearing up your turbo
@Payt-y5d I'd say that's a combination of user error and lack of maintenance. I've never had that problem and inspect my intake system everytime I clean it or driven through very dusty environments. I've done quite a few oil analysis tests (started with Blackstone and moved to Oil Analyzers) on every single one of my vehicles (stock and modified) with no major issues in the results. I once had a higher silica count but that was due to my intake filter not properly tighten down. My main concerns for every one of my UOA's is finding abnormal wear and fuel dilution. Nothing out of the norm based on that alone.
I've never had a MAF sensor go bad because of, "filter oil getting sucked through the filter and caking it along with dirt/debris" or even had a measurable amount of dust in my intake tube's. It's literally spotless. Would I prefer a dry filter? Absolutely. Though I never made the switch because I never had these problems that so many parot day in and day out about oiled aftermarket filters.
@@xdejablu3x cool. You have zero instrument tested samples for comparison
Love the content and the metrics your channel provides.
I would love to see how other performance filters like Injen dry filter, AFE Pro 5R oiled, and AFE Dry Flow would perform; also ITG and HKS foam filters. Does a prefilter help or hurt in any significant way (restrictiveness and filtration)?
Thanks again for your videos!
ive used K&N for my previous cars and current one and they worked well. drove them into the ground with these filters. but its not just dust. i often clean out leaves, small sticks, fluf, etc. so it still needs to be cleaned. Thanks for these tests!
Thank you so much for supporting and watching!
@@BrandRanks still waiting on a video about cartridge style oil filters vs can oil filters 😝
Just get the stock filter. The cost vs K&N you'll probably get 5-6 more filters. Besides these "performance filters" have oil on them which may effect your MAF. If you want HP gain get a tune, slightly larger exhaust, or add forced induction (turbo/supercharger).
On most my (Audi/VW) 1.8 turbo cars I just add a more free flowing CAT and or a cheap cone filter and it spools up quicker. One car I had (Passat 1.8t wagon) I upgraded to a slightly larger turbo and injectors with this set up and it performed very well.
Used K&N in every vehicle I've owned. Never had issues never felt "gains" either. I used them cause I like the washable and reusable. And granted I didn't live in dusty areas too.
Washable and reusable is very convenient. Thanks for watching!
Missed on not including the values from the last video with traditional filters. Particle counts on those were about ~12000 vs. the ~18000 for these performance filters.
Woww You and ProjectFarm are just great at all these type of videos! Y'all should really duo up for a few "expensive side videos"
Indeed he is great! Would love to do a Colab with him one day. Hopefully his audience convinces him 😊
They both did the test wrong, though. The engine pulses, which supposedly makes the cotton fibers scrub the air.
th-cam.com/video/_yYmj-G2R4s/w-d-xo.htmlsi=frnDFPrNUFSBSdy4
@@JeffGeiser-f9u Ooo there ya go, i'm guessing they just did it for testing purposes for the consumer, I get anxiety when shopping but for the Garage jack video example* i'm sure i do want a safe, easy, way to lift my car, i now know to buy a 3T double hydraulic than the single 1800kg.
When you said, "equals more power" and showed a check engine symbol 😂😂🤣🤣 1:03
Hahahaha you are the first to notice!!! Nice!👍 Thanks for watching
It is the cars way of saying check this out. I’m gonna push you back in the seat.
Have you tested the S&B vs. the K&N? It seems the SB has a better-enclosed design on their CAIs vs. the open design of KN. But all tests I can see are for performance, nothing like you did, to test the filter efficiency for engine protection. Would you please do some test on them?
10:13 You guys have been testing oil filters way too much. 😉 Love your content!
Hahaha what I was referring to was that both "oiled" filters KN performance and Spectre. But I did mess up several times while practicing hahaha too much oil filter testing😂 thank you for watching
"And more"? Got me hooked lol.
Resume : Gain 5% power until you loose 10-15% due to wear and tear of piston rings or cylinder wall 😂
I guess I'm switching filters. from the K&N performance to either the K&N Select or the Spectre, thanks for the Info.
you should also add that every time you wash your filter you need to use the kits to warranty the filter.
its not as cheap as you think.
I love to see a review of Volant's Power Core!!! it is supposed to be way ahead of K&N in terms of filtration and of course include the OEM filter !
Great vid! You’ve earned a sub
So glad you joined and enjoyed the video. Thank you for watching!
And this is why I like test in general. Good stuff!
Great work. Only thing i wish you would have shown the Purolator stats across the board like you did with the hp. Especially the filtration numbers. Ive watched all your videos, but no way i would remember the numbers
i have an AEM intake on my car. The thing that makes AEM dry filters superior is they are still washable and reusable, but you don't have to spend MORE money on the oiling kit, which if you factor that into your K&N filter actually makes it a worse value than a factory filter. Long live AEM performance.
From what I recall, WIX was the preferable filter.
K&N is the marketing king.
What They ultimately offer is a mediocre product with a premium image. Their filters flow good but totally sacrifice filtration.
Same as many other eBay cold air intakes.
I also think a lot of people don’t realize that an oiled filter is not designed for dirt roads.
Strictly on road
Who the hell replaces stock air filter after 6 months of using it? I do 20 000 km per year with the car, after that time the stock filter required a bit of compressed air and survived another 20 000 km. So for me it's 15 euros every 2 years. 4:23
applying compressed air to air filers is a really bad idea, it makes the pores biger allowing more dust particles go thru the engine
Probably people in dusty, dry, desert climates?
Agree , 20,000kms is the way to go for me
Ha ha , someone needs to read the manufacturer service book . I have yet to see an air filter cleaned with compressed air that is replaced at recommended intervals ( normally 40,000kms or 4 years) fail from blowing out with compressed air . Most factory and aftermarket paper filters are tough @slowvag8v
Great test gig. Rock Auto did not list a Spectre Performance option for my 02 Vette but amazon did for $52.99.
david vizzard proved that there is something most filter testing rigs cant do.which yours dont do either.is individual intake pulses the cylinders create when an engine is running.if you dont believe they exist.put a vaccum gauge on any intake port of a 4 stroke engine.these pulses viberate the fibers in the K&N in an actual engine more so than any standard constant vaccum testing stand.hence why they generally test so badly.this was not K&N saying this but david vizzard himself.
Most these comments seem like they dont know how to maintain them either.
- Top tier Engine oil.
- Oil Change interval up to 3500 miles.
- OE oil filter
- No offroading
- No desert cruising.
- you have a NA engine.
If you fulfill the above conditions, then K&N performance is the way to go.
People who think the Stock air filters do not let particles are fools. They do and by a lot.
Some particles get burned and thrown to the exhaust and some trapped in the oil then in the oil filter.
You will find out when you do a microscopic analysis to the oil filter.
I love your testing methodology! Thanks for all the hard work.
That said, I have two bits of feeback: improved labeling, and (in this particular case) repeat testing on filters that are designed to be re-used.
First, could you label the graphs more completely? The particulate graphs had sections in blue, green, and orange but they weren't labeled, so it was hard to tell what I was looking at.
Also, toward the end of the video, you showed a comparison of the results, but only showed limited portions of the data at one time. It would be more helpful if you could display a single large table/graph that shows all the testing results for these (and prior) air filter tests. You did something similar for your oil filter tests, and similar channels like Project Farm do that at the end of their videos, too.
Second, since this video covers air filters that are designed to be washed and re-used, I feel it should inherently be part of a complete test of those products to wash and re-use them in order to see how their qualities hold up over time.
Thanks again!
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this feedback we really do appreciate it. The graph labels were really small at the top, but I will increase the size for next time and agree a table at the end with the previous filters would be useful we just recently changed tables and graph software because it used to take so long just to animate those. We were planning on doing a video regarding cleaning the reusable filters as well as passing compressed air on non reusable filters to see the impact kinda like a myth busting video. Thank you so much again, your support and feedback is amazing!
I was hoping there would have been a test on an OEM filter as well. I stopped using K&N filters years ago because of that very reason, they don't filter. I like my engines, I will take a few KW less of power with filtration over non filtration thank you.
I have 375000 km on my mazda 2, with the K&N air filter and the engine runs as good as new. Thank you Sir for the video.
Wowww that impressive! You must take great care of it. Thank you so much for watching and supporting us!
Would love to see u test crankcase oil catch cans.
A well designed cold air intake with a sufficiently large paper filter gives all the performance required without causing engine damage. Beyond letting lots of dirt through, these performance filters tend to get filter oil on the Mass Airflow Sensor wire and throw off proper airflow readings. Unless you're doing controlled track racing these things just wind up ruining your motor over time.
Really appreciate this video. It's cool to know the gains are there when you need them, but for me personally, I would not run the K&N performance daily. Perhaps if I were going out to race, track day, autocross, or dyno I would consider switching for that. To me the slight performance does not justify the increased contamination inside the engine.
Thanks for the great content
You're very welcome! Thanks for watching!
One thing I know for sure is that the pleats in K&N filter collapse on each other at high flows and restrics the air flow. Foam filters with mesh backing performed better on the dyno.
Happy Halloween!
👿💀☠🤡👹👺👻👽👾🤖😺
Thanks for the post my dude!
Happy Halloween! 🎃👻 Thanks for the support! 🧙♂️🍬
Would love to see the S&B and AFE filters tested. S&B have a lot of data available about the filtration capabilities of their filters
the best filter is the one that protects your engine... hi flow air filters will RUIN your engine... get a factory recommended filter and CHANGE it every SIX months... your car will thank you.
I'm thinking when it comes to your air filter, you should probably go strictly by mileage interval? Unless mice got in your housing they don't really degrade with time do they?
@@robertmaybeth3434the foam seal does degrade. That's why they recommended replacement at max two years regardless of milage.
@@demonbox666 Oh. Thanks, i never knew that! That's actually important to know. But mine uses the rubber like stuff is that what you are talking about?
@@robertmaybeth3434 I gues the rubber should be ok. I'm talking about the ones with orange foam seal.
@@robertmaybeth3434 I gues the rubber should be ok. I'm talking about the ones with orange foam seal.
Very very nice presentation for the next test try to find the DNA filters that they build in Greece they also make for bikes and cars...!!!
How many times did you redo the dyno for each filter to dubble check values?
none. the just swapped out back to back without averaging at least from 3 runs each. Also they don't mention intake air temps or account for heat soak. Poor testing.
what a great and very detailed video! im a fan of foam intake filters... there is also many debates on the internet which one are better between cotton gauze and foam filters... could you test the foam filters next? cheers!
The cleaning kits are about 50.00 got to figure that in...
Good point! The cost of the cleaning kits is definitely something to consider. Thanks for mentioning it!
I was thinking 🤔 that in the future cost 💲 😊
My K&N cleaning kit was about $15 the last time I purchased the kit more than 12 years ago. Now, the price has somewhat increased but still far below $50, and I still have plenty left, and thus, it will be perhaps another 5 to 7 years before I will need to obtain another cleaning kit. If you paid $50, I know of someone who got royally ripped off. I clean the filter about every 30,000 miles. Other than a Honda Accord Coupe, all of my Toyotas and Lexus vehicles have never used any oil, up to one vehicle that lasted 212,000 miles before a young lady rear ended me and totaled the car.
That's not true. The cleaning kits are less than $15...you don't know what the hell you're talking about
20$ at Advanced and that’s overpriced.
My solution is simple : go BIG. Just use a normal filter made for more CFMs. I use a V8 filter on my 4 cylinder engine, and it work fine. Cheap and efficient. Think out of the box, people.
I did my own flow test using my 6" duct fan. Was it scientific, no. What I did notice was a Napa Gold for my 2002 Envoy that I blew the dust out of, out flowed the K&N and Air raid cone filters for my 5.9 Cummins. I'm going back to paper for the Cummins.
Oh, don't be fooled by the K&N 10 year $$$ savings Jedi math trick. You need the cleaning and oiling solutions along with your time plus drying (down) time.
I’ll stick to the oem filter and change intervals thank you very much
K&N has a post that says the air filters they sell are not for everyday use it will screw up how your PCM reads the air flow coming in which is way to much. The K&N filters and any other like it have the same problem. K&N the company states this, I had one in my 3500 dually threw it away and got a $20.00 filter the truck started running much better. Filters like these are best kept on the track. Do not recommend any after market air filter gimmick like this, regular old filter works best.
I had to run a K&N on my Jeep because I couldn't find anything else that fit so I checked on it frequently to make sure it was oiled enough to keep the intake clean.
I'll still stick to oem because I value protection more than power or efficiency, but good to know if I ever get back into racing 😂
Using OEM parts is always a safe bet! Thanks for watching!
Who would replace a stock filter every 6 months?!!! In my area, going 2-3 years and a filter would still appear like brand-new.
And that's why I don't use anything K&N.....They were probably lobbying for the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act like Fram was.
P.S. K&N bought out AEM, so that's probably why they're not any good anymore. I use to use AEM in everything, but not anymore. Right now I use Greenfilters, but I don't know really how good they filter.
Green is best
Interesting how AEMs QC went down after k and n bought them.
Spectre did a lot better than i was expecting. I have it in my 04 grand marquis definitely gives it a nice boost
no one really washes or oiled these kn filters lol
Lol That's probably true! Thanks for watching!
that's not true. regular interval for cleaning is 25-50000 miles. You don't have to clean and oil often, but yes I for one absolutely clean and oil my K&N air filters.
I clean mine every other oil change. And oil it too.
I've been using Spectre air filters for a long time now. Great filters at unbeatable prices. I will say their cone filters don't have the same quality as their panel filters. The cone filters usually need additional silicone applied around the pipe connection for a proper seal. Otherwise, they're great too!
Thanks for the info, we may do a video on cone filters and will be vigilant. Thank you so much for watching!
I had mine in for one oil change and my MAF was coated in oil/dust (from going off road) and my intake hose had oil coating with dust. It basically spits oily dust through it. I always advise people not to use them, especially if they go on any dirt roads. It allows more air which means more dust and small particles. Good for the track but not good for any adventurous person
Aem dryflow here. Always have, always will. Aem since new, and now with 225k still going strong (4.6 3v)
It did indeed filter the best so makes sense you have all those miles, but it's also most likely because you take great care of it. Thanks for watching
I once ran a k&n filter in an off-road vehicle, the first time it was driven in dusty conditions the motor blew. K&n filter material lets dust and fine particles pass through, no matter how well it's oiled
Awesome, great video. Thanks for the effort. No more k&n performance. The aem is made by k&n you would think it would be the same as the select. I believe specter is made by k&n also?
Thank you so much. Glad you enjoyed! I've seen conflicting things regarding Spectre being owned by K&N I just know they were in a lengthy legal battle against each other. Thanks for watching and supporting us!
I wish "Sprint" air filters would get into the car game they are doing good tgings in the motorcycle game these days. Would be good to get their technology tested in the automotive world
Great objective testing!! Thank you! I’m thinking of purchasing one of Banke’s big ass filters as he describes it. Can you please do testing on that to check filtration and everything else that you do?