The "Engineering Explained" YouTube site has a video titled "Ultimate Air Filter Test". In it they discovered that a K&N air filter DID increase horsepower a small amount, and more than the increase slight from an aftermarket "auto parts store" filter.

For decades I've run a drop-in K&N filter in all our family cars mainly B/C it meant no more buying replacement filters and just an every two years cleaning and re-oiling. That a was NW Pennsylvania with long winters. Now here in much dustier Las Vegas I clean and re-oil them once a year.

Eric B.

 

I think you missed the point about this thread, it had nothing to do with power and everything to do with fuel economy.

LOL, a slight increase in power up near redline at the expense of a HUGE amount of crap getting into your engine, not a good trade off under any conditions, especially when living in a dusty place like Nevada.

 

"...at the expense of a HUGE amount of crap getting into your engine..." Yeah, yeah, heard that one before. But in DECADES of K&N filter use I have not had any of our cars, with 80,000 to 120,000 miles on them, ever lose appreciable compression when I tested every cylinder (except the unreachable rear bank on a Toyota RAV4 V6). ALL, even with the high mileage, were within factory specs!

As you can see, I have my own compression gauge so don't tell me I "know not whereof I speak".

"...a slight increase of power up near the redline..." Pretty sure it was only up near the redline shipo? Maybe I got some in my mid range too. How would you know, each engine and valve train being different?

But thanks for the input. It just "shows ta got ya" that internet "experts" W/O empirical data often throw more heat than light on a subject.

Eric B.

 

One of the drawbacks of most CAI's is that they are really HAI's - hot air intakes - that draw air from the hot engine bay. Long-tube CAI's that situate the filter behind a duct in the front bumper cover may have some merit. Otherwise, a closed system drawing cold outside air is arguably better for mileage and performance.

 

Sorry, you are of course entitled to your opinion, regardless of how distorted, but making such claims as you make doesn't make them true.