Have you been thinking about upgrading your car’s air filter?
If so, you’ve probably heard about the benefits of a K&N filter. These have been popular since the 1960s.
They’re reusable, so you don’t have to replace them. And, they’re able to boost your engine’s performance.
But are K&N filters actually worth it?
K&N filters cost about 2-3 times more than average air filters, but they are reusable, boost your vehicle’s performance, and increase your engine’s lifespan, making them an affordable and impactful upgrade. Since you just have to clean a K&N filter instead of replacing it, you will save money in the long run.
Picking the right one isn’t all that hard, either.
You can use the tool on their website to find the right fit for your car. It’s easy to use.
Simply type in your VIN, and it’ll take you directly where you need to go.
How to Choose the Right K&N Filter for My Car
K&N makes filters for all major vehicles. They’ve even got options for power sport vehicles and boats.
Finding the right fit is super simple, thanks to their online tool.
Go to their website, and click on the search button. It’ll take you to a page where you can input your information.
Most of the time, typing in your VIN would be the easiest method.
However, you can also search by make and model.
Once you’ve given them your info, they’ll show you everything they’ve got that fits. Simply pick the one you’d like to use, and you’re good to go.
What’s the Benefit of a K&N Filter?
Why would someone spend more money on a K&N filter than they would on traditional filters? Well, the answer is pretty straightforward.
K&N filters provide up to 50% more airflow to your engine. And, they can filter up to 99% of the particles in the air.
Delivering clean air to your engine boosts its lifespan and performance. So, you won’t have as many issues with it.
Plus, you’ll even notice a small boost to your car’s horsepower as well.
Another huge benefit would be that you don’t have to replace them. K&N filters are meant to be reused.
Simply make sure you’re cleaning them frequently, and they’ll last a long time. K&N even offers a 1,000,000 mile warranty on all their parts.
That’s how confident they are.
How Do They Impact My Car’s Performance?
K&N filters don’t just block particles in the air. They’re able to absorb them. By using red 201 filter oil, they absorb particles from the air.
That’s called depth loading.
Other filters simply block the particles by trapping them in their pores.
The longer you’re using them, the more their pores become clogged.
As such, you’ll notice a decrease in their performance.
K&N filters don’t have the same issues. They’re able to deliver up to 50% more air than a traditional filter.
Delivering more oxygen to the engine improves your fuel mixture composition. It’s similar to how a turbocharger works.
Of course, it’s not as big of a difference, though.
Fuels only combust as much as there’s oxygen in the air. Combustion is actually an oxygenation process.
If there’s not enough oxygen, fuels get left behind. They’ll accumulate as engine gunk throughout your car’s mechanics.
That decreases your engine’s lifespan and performance. K&N filters prevent that from happening, thankfully!
How Do They Impact My Car’s Fuel Economy?
Since K&N filters deliver more air, you’ll notice improved fuel economy. Less of your fuel gets left behind as engine gunk.
Burning fuel more efficiently improves your overall fuel economy.
So, high-flow filters let your drive farther without using as much gas. The overall difference won’t be that much. But, it’s a real difference nevertheless.
Testing an engine on a dynamo shows us how much of a difference they’ll make. Compared to a traditional filter, you’ll notice about a 4% difference.
At most, you might see a 5% increase in your fuel economy.
That’s assuming you’ve got a totally clean filter, too.
How Often Should I Clean My K&N Filter?
K&N filters should last as long as your car. That’s because you’re able to clean them instead of throwing them away.
How often should you clean them, though?
That depends on where you’re driving. Some environments contain more air particulates than others.
For example, driving through the desert tends to be rough on an engine. So, you’d want to clean the filters daily.
In most places, you won’t have to clean them that often. We’d suggest cleaning them once every 10,000 miles or so.
That should be enough to keep them working well.
Use canned air to spray them down thoroughly. Using your hands, peel apart each of the filter’s folds. Then, spray them up close with the canned air.
Do the same thing for both sides of the filter.
Finally, hit them on the ground to knock larger particles loose. Canned air doesn’t always get them.
Do I Need to Replace Them?
As long as you clean them often, you’ll never need to replace them. K&N filters have a 1,000,000 mile warranty. So, they should last as long as your car.
What Makes K&N Filters Different From Others
K&N filters deliver more air to your engine. K&N tests its filters using a specially designed chamber.
They’re able to measure exactly how much air makes it into the engine. Compared to traditional filters, they’re able to boost airflow by 50% on average.
You don’t have to replace them, either. Reusing the filter won’t decrease its performance as long as you’ve been cleaning it.
They’ll continue boosting your engine’s performance and efficiency for a long time.
