K&N filter? To or not to?

[stockae92]

i am tempting to put in a K&N drop-in filter for the solara

but i have had bad experience with K&N drop-in filter before

long story short: i put in a K&N filter in my previous car and the rev idle high sometime later, and the mechanic told me that a [vacumm] valve was busted because of the excessive oil that the intake was sucking in. needless to say, i had to replace the valve, money out of pocket, and put in OEM-style paper filter again from then on.

btw, that K&N filter was brand new out of the box. so i didn't add any oil to it. or was it over oiled from the factory?

anyway, just want to heard from people that got K&N drop-in's and see if it worth it?

thanks

[Lone Solara]

I haven't had any problems with mine. It also improved mileage for me by about 1.5 - 2 mpg.

[theprodigy79]

That's pretty bizzarre bro, not a usual case at all... The K&Ns do come oiled from the factory, however it shouldn't be enough (or anywhere NEAR enough) to harm your car...

I've been using K&N drop-in filters (or the like, I currently use a TRD air filter) for around 10 years and they have always been great for me... I've never heard of that happening before either...

All in all, I'd say it's still well worth going for one, even with that experience behind you. I am assuming it wasn't your Solara that this happened to...

[Sap Z]

i have'nt had problems with mine but honeslty that is money I cud have spent elsewhere..

there are three things i thought it did...n here wat i noticed

increase in HP? hell no
increase in MPG? maybe .4 /.5 per gallon
increase in engine growl? definately sounds more beafier.

i mean..i dont know if its supposed to be better for the engine in the long run..so....ur call

[theprodigy79]

i have'nt had problems with mine but honeslty that is money I cud have spent elsewhere..

there are three things i thought it did...n here wat i noticed

increase in HP? hell no
increase in MPG? maybe .4 /.5 per gallon
increase in engine growl? definately sounds more beafier.

i mean..i dont know if its supposed to be better for the engine in the long run..so....ur call

HP increase is minimal to nill
MPG may increase a little bit (I've heard instances of up to 4mpg avg increase, not necessarily with the Solara)
Engine sound difference is little to nill as well (I haven't ever really noticed anything substantial)

The largest benefits of the K&N or TRD filters are that they let your engine breath easier (which may lead to the increase in mpg, unnoticable hp gains and MAYBE a better engine sound), and the fact that if you have your car for a few years it will actually save you money in the long run... The K&N filters average between $35-$45 depending on where you get them... our stock filters run just under $20... The K&N filters last FOREVER... Our stock filters should last a year and a half or so average... Since I plan on having my ride for more than 4 years, the K&N (or TRD in my case) will save me money (since two of our stock filters are as expensive, maybe more expensive than the aftermarket). Especially with gas prices as they are... a couple miles to the gallon extra will save large amounts in the long run as well... Also, the more miles / dirt you put on the regular filter, the more performance you lose (and it CAN become very noticable)... The more miles / dirt you put on the K&N, the BETTER the performance of the filter (up to a certain amount of course). You may not notice the performance gains, however the fact that you won't notice any loss is the important thing in my book...

-James

[stockae92]

just curious

the K&N or TRD will eventually required cleaning, right? so the difference in the filter cost alone may not be that great?

you are talking about replaceable filter (~$20) vs reuseable filter + cleaning kit (~$40 + ~$10)

[dvdchris45]

IMO I think other than letting your change breathe easier and MAYBE a MPG improvement, the rest is a placebo effect.

[theprodigy79]

just curious

the K&N or TRD will eventually required cleaning, right? so the difference in the filter cost alone may not be that great?

you are talking about replaceable filter (~$20) vs reuseable filter + cleaning kit (~$40 + ~$10)

I purchased the kit for mine, but I've NEVER used it (I have a K&N cleaning kit that is 6 years old and unopened... looks brand new). I also have the kit for my TRD filter, but I don't anticipate ever using it either. You can tell when the filter needs cleaning, and none of mine have EVER reached that condition (and I am a high milage driver, averaging around 20K miles per year)... Also, the cleaning kit can be used many times, not just once, so it averages out over time as well if you choose to get one. I've also known 3 or 4 people who just take their filters out, hose them off, let them dry, and reuse them that way with no problems at all... The oils are supposed to be used, but whatever works works I guess (I personally wouldnt do that, but then again they've proven to me that it can work without issues)...

I just looked at Advance Autoparts website, and they are selling the cheapy filter for $11, the average filter for $16, and the K&N for $45 (this is on the high side, I've seen it elsewhere for as low as $35)... As with pretty much anything in life, you get what you pay for... I've known people who got a cheapy filter and had to replace it twice in a year with average driving... The average filter at $5 more SHOULD last around a year and a half (they recommend changing every 15,000 miles) with average driving (as long as you don't live on a dusty trail or something), but some people still have to change them a couple times per year... The K&N WILL last at least for the life of your car...

It all comes down to how long you plan to have your car. Gas savings alone may compensate for the difference with the current prices (even if it's only a half MPG difference)!! For me, driving 20K+ per year, I'd have to change my filter twice per year @ $15 a pop... so that's $30 right there in one year... I got my TRD filter for $40, so I'm a happy camper considering I'm heading into year two.

IMO I think other than letting your change breathe easier and MAYBE a MPG improvement, the rest is a placebo effect.

Agreed... as with many "performance mods" this one does carry a bit of placebo effect... the MPG improvements are real enough through my own experience along with many others, but as I said HP and sound improvements are negligible if any...

[MikeATL]

If the K&N Filter did cause problems with your old car, I would have contacted them to sort out the issue. They are a big company and I would expect them to stand behind their main product. I have never heard anything about K&N customer relations, but it would have been worth a try.

[theprodigy79]

FYI: Mike T just listed a brand new Gen 2 V6 K&N Air Filter... you may wanna PM him for cost.

http://www.solaraguy.org/viewtopic.php?t=20055

[Lone Solara]

Agreed... as with many "performance mods" this one does carry a bit of placebo effect... the MPG improvements are real enough through my own experience along with many others, but as I said HP and sound improvements are negligible if any...

I second that !

[stockae92]

better mpg won't hurt

i am getting only just a tid over 25mpg on the meter

and 23mpg when i calculate it by hand