K & N air filter question...

[from Margaritaville...]

In our market, Kragen is having a deal where if you buy a K & N air filter then you will receive a K & N oil filter for free. Not a bad deal on the surface. The cost for the air filter for my '99 2.0 is $60 (which seems a little tall to me).

My questions are:

Will I realize any noticeable difference in the performance of my stock 2.0 or should I just keep the Jacksons in my wallet?...

Does anyone run the K & N air filter in their own stock 2.0?

Are these filters primarily beneficial to those with turbos?

Thank you up front for your comments...

[Billsbug]

K&N air filter will make definitely help ur car breath better, but, IIRC, the OEM oil filter is actually better than the K&N.

[Billsbug]

Here's the air filter for about $45 shipped: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/K-N-A...23232702QQrdZ1

[Toad]

the k&n filter along with a snowbox removal helps a little. if you also do some plug wires like magnacor's that will also help boost trottle response and let the car run smoother.

But yeah, $60 for a k&n is kinda high.

[JuggBug]

One of the first things I did on JuggBug was change mine out. I noticed a difference too. I actually needed it because of all the damn dirt and dust around here....stupid desert

[Maggadog]

I put a K&N in one of my trucks a few years back. I noticed a tiny bit of power increase, that may have been in my mind and not in reality.
My primary reason for the replacement was economic. The filter and recharge/cleaning kit were quite a bit cheaper in the short run than replacing the regular air filter on a regular basis. If I remember correctly, the payoff point was about 2 years.

[oneighturbo]

stick with OEM on both!

[Grover]

I have read over and over that the K&N filters are actually bad for our cars due to the MAF being so sensitive. Apparently it has something to do with a small amount of oil leaching off the filter and onto the MAF which will cause it to fail prematurely (or something like that)...I will stick with OEM since I have also heard they are better than the K&N

[captbp]

Veddy interesting responses. I have the same questions as Alan regarding the K&N air filter. I'll keep reading as they come in. Thanks everyone.

Bob

[mel72349]

I've been installing K&N air filters on my vehicles for many years. Carbs and FI, cars, trucks and motorcycles. Never had any issues with oil fouling up anything.

[GatorBeetle]

K&N on Hobbes for almost two years now...MAF is just as good as ever. MAF problems come in when the filter is cleaned and over oiled. I did the snowboxectomy and filter at the same time, saw a diff...did Magnecors about a month after, and saw more difference.

Put a K&N in my old Explorer...made quite a bit of difference in throttle response there too.

$60 is a bit much, and I have not been convinced of the worth of their oil filters yet.

[manoverboard987]

i've had a K&N in my 2.0's stock airbox for a couple years now, and i just recently took it out for its first cleaning. there was no oil whatsoever on the clean-air side of the filter (none on MAF or in the tubes), and none on the dirty side either for that matter.

"recharging" the filter involves spraying some cleaner, running water thru it, letting it dry, and then respraying the oil. it's a relatively simple process, and i found it quite enjoyable.

i'd say it gives you a little bit more throaty noise, and the main place i found power improvement was when downshifting to accelerate at highway speed. there it helped a lot, and everywhere else it helped the power a little. of course, once i removed the snowbox, i noticed the improvement a lot more. (throatier noise, better top end acceleration, etc.)

as far as the K&N oil filter, i dont know anything about how they perform, but i wouldn't buy a K&N air filter just because you get an oil filter free.

i payed regular price for mine and it was $49.95, so it sounds like they're marking it up to cover the oil filter.

some say that the K&N plus snowbox removal is actually better for airflow than a CAI with the filter on the tip.

[GatorBeetle]

Originally Posted by manoverboard987

some say that the K&N plus snowbox removal is actually better for airflow than a CAI with the filter on the tip.

Reason I have heard given for this is that the stock airbox does a better job insulating the intake from hot engine air than a CAI, even one with a heat shield.

[manoverboard987]

Originally Posted by GatorBeetle

Reason I have heard given for this is that the stock airbox does a better job insulating the intake from hot engine air than a CAI, even one with a heat shield.

that makes tons of sense. nice thick ABS plastic is gonna transfer heat a lot slower than any kind of metal.

another good reason to get the K&N then.

[Grover]

I am sure those of you using the KN filters are not having problems but I was reading the following over at tdiclub and I thought you might want to read it too...
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=152289

[Billsbug]

IMO it's not worth 'cleaning' the filter, just get a new one every 25K.

[BarefootHoodoo]

One thing we have found with Foreign cars is this...stick with what they used when they built the car. Some of the aftermarket products don't work as well in the long run. Especially anything electrical. You may not have problems now, but a few years down the road, you might. I know some people might take issue with this, but this is what we've found to be true after repairing many Toyotas, Hondas, and VWs.