K&N makes sense if you're on the racetrack and need every bit of horsepower. In fact I'd say No air filter would be good in that situation..... after all you're going to throwaway the engine & buy a new one every 5000 miles. But for a longterm passenger vehicle you will keep for several years? Nuts. LOOK how much dirt K&N lets passthrough and wearout your car prematurely:
__________________
OWN: 61mpg Insight (greenercars.org score: 57)
both blue and silver,
and a 45mpg BeetleTDI (score: 47).
Great info posted on that link, AbCaRed00...most informative. Almost like having a free (very small) supercharger in a way. And kudos to you, Eithieus - you nailed it on killing this thread. I change my oil/filter every 3.5-4k miles, have since I was kid. Ensuring a clean air filter (every 2 yrs or 15kk miles) has always been part of that regiment. At 67 YO, I'm trusting my G1 will take me into my 90's or beyond.
Last edited by scootr06; 01-10-2013 at 01:35 PM.
Reason: Added Air Filter Inspection Interval Info for Clarification
when i got mine, the first thing i noticed was the factory air filter looked identical to the KnN except that it was green instead of red-it even looked like it was washable (yes i tried, reoiled, and looked just like the KnN with the red oil)-just a thought
Yes, the oil spray for the kn is a red in color. It depends on what the new filter is made out of if its washable. I think the fabric ones are, but paper isnt.
so did the insight come with a washable then make a switch to paper at some point? Im very certain the filter i had wasnt paper-or it would have fell apart from me washing it.( ive owned the car sence new, so i know it was original)
Great info posted on that link, AbCaRed00...most informative. Almost like having a free (very small) supercharger in a way. And kudos to you, Eithieus - you nailed it on killing this thread. I change my oil/filter every 3.5-4k miles, have since I was kid. Ensuring a clean air filter has always been part of that regiment. At 67 YO, I'm trusting my G1 will take me into my 90's or beyond.
Unless you are in severe duty conditions, that's twice as often as you need to change the oil, and 4 times more often than you need to change the filter, according to the scheduled maintenance in the service manual.
Now it's not like over changing the oil is going to be an issue (aside from wear on the delicate oil pan threads, wear on the oil filter pedestal, wear on all the under body panels, etc.), but doing so more often than necessary is just a waste of time and money. Unless oil analysis has told you that you are wearing oil faster than the service schedule would assume you are, there's no reason to change that often.
Since you've been doing so all the way back to your youth, I don't expect you to suddenly reconsider when someone half your age points out the reasons why you should. However these cars are not '58 Chevys with piston ring clearance measured in inches and carburetors that dribble fuel into the manifold. They are better built, have tighter tolerances, are made with modern material/coatings, and tightly control their AFRs. Consider the resources that go into that unnecessary oil change: time, money, manufacturing of the oil, packaging, transportation, a few rags, maybe some brake cleaner, manufacturer/transportation/etc. of the filter, disposal of oil items, etc.
Over changing of oil and filters? May not be as bad as under changing, but certainly as silly.
Over changing of oil and filters? May not be as bad as under changing, but certainly
Aaron...Roger on your comments. Old habits & rituals die hard. What with only 5-6k miles I drive per year, I always believed changing oil once a yr was a good thing. And torquing the drain bolt to 29 ft-lbs w/new washer is standard protocol. The local Firestone dealer recycles the oil, and my old T-shirts and Snap-On's couldn't find a better use.
Besides, I don't trust anyone to change my oil since the dealer - like so many others here - overfilled the crankcase. They've only ever touched the car when it was under warranty, or needed a brake fluid change. When I can't lay down under the car to take a look around, inspect and wipe down/clean everything during the process...well then, I'll throw in the towel. Till then, this ole wrench is gonna hang in. I just like to keep my machinery spiff.
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