K&N filter

[Unit453]

When I first bought my Ford back in 2003, the very first stop I made was to AutoZone to buy a drop in filter for the 4.6. This is before I, or anyone else knew any better about that brand. I never had a problem with it.

Now, 62,000 miles later, this is what it looks like. I've checked it over the years and it never really looked too bad. Thanks to Chad at AlligatorPerformance, I have a drop in S&B in there now.


62,000 miles, installed in Louisiana, love bugs, survived brutal NY winters, and driven down here from the north. Considering the miles, I dont think it looks too bad. My AFE on my 04.5 LLY looked way worse then this with half the miles. Granted these 4.6's dont make much power (220 h.p./287 lb ft for my model year), I think its held up well. God only knows how much shit its allowed through though. And now, by the looks of it, not much was getting through at all, to include air.

The 3rd picture is the back side of it closest to the throttle body.

 

[DEERE3594]

Doesn't look bad at all, I had one on an old 350 and after a couple of years it "lost" all the filter element and turned into just a window screen

 

[SfcJones]

looks normal to me.....clean it up and start all over again

 

[Unit453]

I threw it away and bought an S&B.

 

[Sparky8370]

I was going to say, it doesn't look like the element was missing or deteriorated from the pics. How often was it cleaned and re-oiled?

 

[Unit453]

It wasnt cleaned at all...Ever...I've taken it out and looked at it but it never looked real raunchy. It was time though. I'm not a fan of cleaning these things out to be honest. I'd rather use a pressure washer because that always does an awesome job but I dont think any of these companies recommend that because it breaks up the filter media, which in turn destroys the filtration ability, letting all kinds of crapola through.

I just never though that running it under water in the sink did a damn bit of good. The water isnt forceful enough to get any of the debris out of it.

Compressed air?

 

[stacks04]

use a hose and kinda pinch off the end making a higher pressure stream. works well for me all the time.

 

[Clark20ry]

I clean mine all the time. I have the AFE PG7 I use there cleaner and wash it and use there oil. I think it works great...

 

[Unit453]

How do you wash it? Run it under the sink or with a pressure washer?

 

[trotorx2]

I wouldn't use a pressure washer it would probably damage the filter media. I just use the cleaner and let it soak for awhile the cleaner again then rinse with normal water pressure from the faucet.

 

[just a number]

that all I do with mine. the paper suckers are shot in 3 months. buy the time enough dirt gets though I'll have saved enough to rebuild the engine.

 

[Max Attitude]

I just use the cleaner and let it soak for awhile the cleaner again then rinse with normal water pressure from the faucet.

That's what I did for my old gasser's K&N and quad filter. Use a garden hose to wash out the filter with your thumb on the end to make it spray or use a screw on sprayer.

 

[Sparky8370]

I've never actually cleaned mine either. When I do, my process will probably be something like this:
Blow out with compressed air.
Use the solvent cleaner.
Let dry.
Blow out with compressed air again.
Oil.
Install.

 

[trotorx2]

Two types of helicopters I work on have these type of air filters. The manufactures say to not use compressed air because it will damage the filters. We soak them in cleaner then rinse with low pressure water and let them dry. We have a special sprayer to apply the oil and we use K&N oil on the filters. The time between cleaning is 100 flight hours and we retire them after 15 cleanings. By that time they are pretty well beat up.

And you guys think our engines suck some air.

 

[Max Attitude]

That's what I did for my old gasser's K&N and quad filter. Use a garden hose to wash out the filter with your thumb on the end to make it spray or use a screw on sprayer.

Oh, the main thing I did was let them soak in a bucket of warm soapy water. Make sure that if you spray them with water not to do it too hard.

 

[jettech]

I've cleaned my S&B several times now. If you follow the directions and use the proper cleaner it works great,no need for a pressure washer,that does it more harm than good.
And dude,come on,after 62,000 miles without a cleaning what did you expect it to look like.

 

[dirtfarmer629]

All i do is let mine soak in warm water with cleaner on it then rinse it off under sink repeat process then its normally pretty clean. Then i let it dry out good and oil it up.

 

[Max Attitude]

I threw it away and bought an S&B.

Do you think or know that the S&Bs are any better than the K&N Nick? They look identical.

 

[Unit453]

According to S&B, their filtration is supposed to be way, way better than K&N.

 

[GMCYA]

After the problems I had with my 5.3 running a K&N and studying the intake setup on my LBZ there is no way in hell I would ever run another one. I know alot of guy's swear by the 100 hp and 15 mpg increase form a oil based filter but never again for me. After disassembling and cleaning my intake on my 5.3, replacing my MAF, and throwing away the K&N, nothing but AC Delco filters were used. I kept a clean one for the week and one for the weekends driving to the camp on the gravel roads. My intake stayed clean. You guy's may like 'em but never again for me. I never noticed enough improvement in performance to justify the mess. Is there some benefit that I am missing?