[stevenvillatoro]

Happy New Year, y'all,

I did a search on all posts for K&N air filters, and was surprised not to find a single post on this product. I have used these washable filters on other cars, and found their claims for increased horsepower to be true, with corresponding benefits in gas mileage, as well.

Has anyone tried the K&N? I noticed this manufacturer DOES have a filter for the Insight for about $30-$35... so, what's the story?

While I'm at it, what are the performance and mileage losses you've experienced by old or dirty air filters (as noted by replacing the filter)?

Steve
2002 Silver 5-speed, 44K miles
San Diego

 

[bfivelover]

I have seen posts concerning K&N filters. I got one a few months ago. I noticed an increase in power, and it seems to have increased mileage 2 or 3 MPG. However, since the cold weather hit, my mileage seems to be down more than previous winters. Could that be because since the K&N lets more air in, it is allowing more COLD air in, thus lowering my mileage? That's why I tried the cardboard trick, now my mileage is back up again.

 

[kapps]

I've had a K&N in for over 50k miles. We've cleaned it once and have had no problems. Here in Florida, the winters don't get very cold so I can't really comment on how it performs much below freezing. There is a slight but noticeable increase in power (in the upper rpm's). Overall, it's a nice product considering it will pretty much last forever. The Insight doesn't suck to much air so 45-50k mile wash and re-oils are fine.

 

[Insightful Trekker]

SENT:

<snip>

Could that be because since the K&N lets more air in, it is allowing more COLD air in, thus lowering my mileage?

AFAIK the effect would be almost zero.

The K&N air filter will flow better especially at high engine RPM's and thus allow the ICE to produce more power at the wheels, rather then "use" some for induction. And therefore under most driving conditions improve MPG.

I've used one for over 40K miles now. There is a debate as to certain types of fine abrasive particles that are not trapped as efficiently in the K&N vs. a high quality paper element and thus "allowing" an increase in engine wear. My personal belief is that unless your driving in unusual conditions (e.g. gravel roads) the wear factor will be very small.

HTH!

 

[Rick]

I had one for a little while, but abruptly discontinued using it when I found some fine dust had made it's way in to the air box (and Phoenix is subject to occasional walls of dust comming through). Unofficially K&N claims these dust particles it lets through are small enough that they will be encapsulated by oil molecules so they will cause no harm.

And while we're on the topic again, I have found one very promising filter manufacturere which appears to have a superior technology to K&N:
http://www.greenfilterusa.com
, but they still don't make our filter. I suppose it's time to shoot them off another email and bug them again.

 

[Billy]

I have used a K&N air filter in my Insight for about 35,000 miles. I logged no increase in fuel economy; but I believe the car may have slightly more power under acceleration. Billy....

 

[bfivelover]

And while we're on the topic again, I have found one very promising filter manufacturere which appears to have a superior technology to K&N:
http://www.greenfilterusa.com
, but they still don't make our filter. I suppose it's time to shoot them off another email and bug them again.

I've given up on Greenfilter. They told me back around July they would have a filter for the Insight in about a month. I finally gave up and went with K&N.

 

[Rick]

bfivelover,

I know, it looked promising, but it appears they have no interest in producing us a filter. Sorry if I got your hopes up, but if they ever do make it I will be buying one. I talked to them at SEMA this year and I got a feeling they aren't going to make us one.

BTW, if anyones interested in my barely used K&N I'll sell it cheap. It's just sitting in my garage taking up space.

 

[bfivelover]

bfivelover,

Sorry if I got your hopes up, but if they ever do make it I will be buying one. I talked to them at SEMA this year and I got a feeling they aren't going to make us one.

Rick, you didn't get my hopes up, they did when they told me OVER THE PHONE that they would have one soon. I don't know if I would buy one from them now even if they did make one. One person I spoke with didn't seem to know what was going on, and the other lied and said it would be available the next month.

 

[Insightful Trekker]

<snip>

BTW, if anyones interested in my barely used K&N I'll sell it cheap. It's just sitting in my garage taking up space.

Post it in the buy/sell section <g>

 

[meow77]

well guess what Green now makes one for our cars but I'm not sure why this is suppossed to be better than K/N I also have a K/N that has been sitting in my Insight compartment.

I'm not happy using a filter which can't stop the smaller particles... it definatly concerns me we do not have V8 engines .....

 

[bfivelover]

well guess what Green now makes one for our cars.

Are you sure? Did you actually speak to someone? I checked their website and it's the same as it was before. They list one for the Insight, I found two different prices, but when you try to order one, it doesn't work. They don't list it on the order page. Just playing around, I tried to see if I could get to the order page using a Civic instead of an Insight, and I was able to add one to my cart. I don't think they make one for us. I think they never removed the reference number, 2324, when they were thinking of making one.

 

[Rick]

I shot off another email to green filter. I got the typical try back in 30 to 60 days response. I sent a response saying I was told the same thing over a year ago. A few hours later I got another email back saying it was in the testing and development stages and maybe in 6 months. The wait continues.

 

[Resist]

I'm a big fan of K&N filters. But I must say I didn't notice any difference using one on my Insight. So after a years use, I sold it and put the stock filter back in.

 

[Resist]

I'm not happy using a filter which can't stop the smaller particles

And what do you think will happen to your engine because of these smaller particles? NOTHING, that's what. They just get burned up in the cylinders.

 

[Insightful Trekker]

Wellll,

It does depend on what the particles are made of. Rickey Suiter's concern of the desert dust isn't unfounded.

Perhaps the best example of a widespread recent history event was Mt.St. Helens. The silica dust _destroyed_ many engines due to abrasion. Standard air filters were insufficient to protect against it.

Yes it was _extremely_ concentrated in the ash fallout. But it only served to show the effect. A lower dosage has the same effect over a longer term. In minute doses other wear factors will be more significant. Here back east we have enough vegetation that dust is rarely a problem. How much is of the abrasive type? I don't know.

HTH!

 

[meow77]

Well Resist....

are you a combustion expert? I doubt it... so my concern continues... extra particles in the engine definatly can't be good for the car period..

I real performance filter would not allow those particles in ....

 

[Resist]

I don't have to be a combustion expert to use common sense here. Unless you live in the aftermath of a vulcanic eruption, particles so small you can't even see won't harm your engine.....period!

 

[Insightful Trekker]

First off remember Resist that I am a K&N "believer". <g>

But the type of "dust" is a valid concern AND silica is a VERY common "type".

In the west where desert dust is commonly blown into the air silica will be there in significant quantities. The particle size of this dust is the most critical factor.

And AFAI remember there were some Insighter's that have posted here in regard to air filters, oil analysis, and excess silica being found when K&N filters were tried. So as always YMMV.

The only part that leaves room for error in oil analysis is that it takes a long term collection of data to accurately account for the results. One or two reports don't give a clear picture as to what's really going on with an engine. Perhaps the best use of oil analysis is in fleet management where the down time for a mechanical failure will greatly exceed any costs of an oil analysis program.

Also, since the wear and contamination traces found in the data vary with make, model, and pattern of use. Monitoring a fleet will yield sufficient data to draw accurate conclusions. The data from a single individual car and or short term monitoring cannot be as precisely interpreted.

HTH!

 

[meow77]

You know what resist you DO have to be a combustion dust expret in order to provide and accurate comment on K&N filters not be harmful for our cars... thus do date... I still have mine sitting around rotting....