I have been doing a little research on air filters and I have come to the conclusion that the K&N drop-in filter I have in my jeep is probably not the best for it. So what brand of filter does everyone recommend? It is also time to replace the filters in the Yukon and Dodge, so this is an all around question, not just specific to off road.
I put a cheapo K&N like air filter on mine. Spectre I believe? It's junk I'm sure, but damn I love having the room in the engine bay. What have you found out about the K&N drop in and why is it a bad idea? I've thought about doing the research myself, but never seem to remember when I have time.
Go oem. All after market filters will take more gas..... I know I'm dumb but think about this. On a fuel injected car the o2 sensors will add more fuel if you add more to get the perfect o2 reading so in theory the more air you add, the more fuel you add...etc etc. I have alot of trained techs tell me I'm dead wrong but that is how it works.
I agree with you Snappy, as a professional technician, BUT, My DD '97 4runner started getting REALLY crappy gas mileage, like 13 or so. I got to thinking about the last time I changed my air filter and realized it was like 3.5 years and who knows how many miles. So I went to Advance and bought the cheapest one they had for my truck and on the next tank the mileage has gone up close to 30%. I won't know exactly how much till the end of the week when I fill it up ($$$!) but I've added another full week (And a trip to Germanton, and Olivers Driveshafts) between fill ups. All because the engine is getting MORE air.
ok now for my .00000002 cent.
i have a k&n drop in filter in the zj.
i had my zj at the benefit ride last summer at the flats it was very dry and dusty that day so when i got home i pulled the hose off the throttle body and it looked as if i had not been running a filter at all. scary
i also have a k&n drop in my 03 cummins.
it never goes off road and i take it easy in dirt parking areas to keep dust down so i have never seen any signs of dust in the turbo and i dont worry about it.
so my thoughts' are use oem filters off road and leave the aftermarket stuff for pavment pounders.
As a professional technician, when I get drive ability issues, one of the first things I check is the air filter. If it is a k&n or knock off of one it gets replaced, I will put it in the box and give it back to you.
A k&n uses an oil to do the actual "filtering" , that oil will play hell on a maf sensor, it also changes the sensors "working" range and in turn does the same for all the other sensors that work with it.
I'm not saying don't run one, i'm just saying the entire system is designed to be run under certain paramaters, I just don't like the variables it can create.
Keep in mind that K&N advertises "the dirtier it gets the better it filters", why, because it will let larger particles of dirt through untill it starts to get dirty. That being said I still have a drop-in in the F150 and a cone on the 4runner, just because I am cheap.
I put a cheapo K&N like air filter on mine. Spectre I believe? It's junk I'm sure, but damn I love having the room in the engine bay. What have you found out about the K&N drop in and why is it a bad idea? I've thought about doing the research myself, but never seem to remember when I have time.
I use the same filter chris be careful the little alum. piece on the filter came off while driving down the road and got stuck in the butter fly valve holding it open luckly my DD is a 2010camery so I was prepared for a run away vehicle.
and snappy makes a good point gonna have to look into that
