YouTube Do performance air filters actually help?

[Mook]

https://youtu.be/GS69owXpGdY

Cliffs:

Fenske put together a dyno test using his personal Subaru Crosstrek, comparing four different air filters: The dirty OEM item already the car, a new OEM filter, a cheaper aftermarket non-performance filter sold by CarQuest, and a high-flow performance filter made by K&N. He finds that on the dyno, the aftermarket filters do in fact make more than the OEM unit, with the most gains produced by the K&N filter (around four horsepower and five lb.-ft. of torque, or around 2.6 percent and 3.7 percent, respectively).

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[DEEZUZ]

Yes and on forced induction k&n and other oiled filters eat turbos

 

[Kensington]

Stock is bestest, stock is safest

 

[CMNTMXR57]

Back in the day, on my Camaro when it was fairly stock (meaning I hadn't done the engine work yet), I did back to back pulls with the original Fram paper filter and a K&N (the only difference was the time to pop the two clamps and R&R filters).

The paper filter netted 318rwhp
The K&N filter netted 316rwhp

I would call those results negligible and within the tolerance of error.

 

[Kensington]

Yes and on forced induction k&n and other oiled filters eat turbos

Genuinely curious what the mechanism behind them eating turbos. Is it the lower filtering capability allowing larger dust particles into the turbo?

I know older Ferd's have tons of issues with the oiled filters messing with the MAF filters. Coating the little brush in oil, then getting covered in dust, then running the motor super lean.

 

[DEEZUZ]

yeap thats just its. you cant bathe the filters in oil and if you dont bathe them then youre not getting all the media wet. ive oiled filters 2x over and still found crevises dry as a bone. oil filters are a joke

 

[nytebyte]

I recall when the K&N Filtercharger came out for the 03 Cobra, it gave you a 20hp gain over stock. Of course that thing replaced the entire stock filter box.

And I agree with CTC DEEZUL. They are a PITA to oil.
Last time I cleaned mine, it took me probably 45 minutes to oil the damned thing to make sure I got every last nook and cranny.

 

[Chet Donnelly]

I remember a ricer kid in high school claiming his Civic was at like 300 horsepower or something like that. We asked him how the hell he did that...and he added up all the advertised gains of the parts he added. Think K&N used to advertise up to 40 horsepower back then LOL!

 

[Rebel]

I like my K&N filter mostly because it's been cheaper than oem with no noticeable difference in performance. I've cleaned it once a year the last two years but will be switching to 2x a year. It gets FILTHY. Hopefully it's been oiled enough. Put around 35K-40K since switching out the oem filter.

 

[Pressure Ratio]

Stock air filters and air boxes are designed better than they were decades ago. The difference is much smaller than it was in the past. Air filters in OE applications now typically use a lot of pleats and a lot of surface area. And the material itself is better. Until you really turn up the boost they stock stuff is fine. Once you turn up the boost you will see where the aftermarket material & designs work better. A lot of times it is due to an even larger surface area to get more air in.

I think the biggest issue with oiled air filters is people putting way too much oil on them when they clean them. That then leads to the MAF getting oil residue on it causing issues there. Both are easy to correct. And yes, the new dry media filters are a great alternative.

 

[CMNTMXR57]

Some OEM filters aren't even paper pleats anymore. The stocker for my V, looked as if you rolled a piece of corrugated cardboard and you were looking at it from either the top or bottom of the cardboard down those layers. If I am explaining that right. It was truly one of the funkiest filters I've ever seen.

something like this wrapped around and around;

 

[Flyn]

Main difference I noticed was a bit more noise/whine. Power improvement is not noticeable.

Combine a good flowing exhaust and a tune and the combo does make a noticeable difference.

 

[sickmint79]

Some OEM filters aren't even paper pleats anymore. The stocker for my V, looked as if you rolled a piece of corrugated cardboard and you were looking at it from either the top or bottom of the cardboard down those layers. If I am explaining that right. It was truly one of the funkiest filters I've ever seen.

something like this wrapped around and around;

bro you put a catalytic converter as your intake filter!

 

[GLADIATOR]

I almost beat a GTR in my SHO with a drop in K &N filter....

 

[CMNTMXR57]

bro you put a catalytic converter as your intake filter!

Took it out. Now all is well.

 

[Ti28]

To me the best filters for a CAI are dry flow. Replace, not re-oil. And a TRUE CAI.

 

[DEEZUZ]

Called powercore. And they are very efficient. Stock 6.0 air filters are good up to 500 hp.... Crazy.

 

[DEEZUZ]

Some OEM filters aren't even paper pleats anymore. The stocker for my V, looked as if you rolled a piece of corrugated cardboard and you were looking at it from either the top or bottom of the cardboard down those layers. If I am explaining that right. It was truly one of the funkiest filters I've ever seen.

something like this wrapped around and around;

heres a power core i cut open today. youre looking at the dirty end here.

[/IMG]

cut and peel back the element. can see all the dirt.

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

I would never use a filter on my vehicle that I can fucking see thru let alone cover in oil.

I’m an aem dryflow guy (or amsoil). Reusable and cleanable.

 

[CMNTMXR57]

heres a power core i cut open today. youre looking at the dirty end here.

[/IMG]

cut and peel back the element. can see all the dirt.

Very similar. I looked it up as I don't have a pic of mine.

I don't remember mine being that white. It had more of the cardboard color (and no, not because it was dirty... )