K & N Air Filter?

[uoflcardfan77]

I usually put a K & N Air Filter in all my vehicles. I had never had any problem with them until I put one in my Mercedes C230. Technician said that it caused a check engine light and I should replace them. I did and there have been no problems since.

Are they recommended for Land Rovers? I'm purchasing a 2006 LR3 and was wondering. Thanks.

 

[tlt]

I have had one for 3 years. I used the cleaning kit and carefully follow instructions and haven't had any problems so far. I believe they guarantee to replace it if it breaks your sensor.

Don't over oil it is probably the main point.

I'll drop you some pictures if you want me to drop me a line.

 

[uoflcardfan77]

Thanks. Other than the Mercedes I've never had any problems with the K & N filters. Probably going to pick one up and put it in.

 

[rovingtony]

K&N Filter are highly recommended. I have one my Land Rover.

 

[roverman]

K&N Filter are highly recommended. I have one my Land Rover.

I would say you are 1/2 right. But they are also highly discouraged. Probably one of the more hotly debated topics you can find about cars. The fact that they have that warranty mentioned above at all shows how much debate there is.

Personally, I've tried them a few times, never seen any difference in anything (performance, mpg) with them. I think the nil benefits out weigh the potential problems. Don't over oil it or you might mess up the MAF. Don't under oil it or you might be letting in too many damaging particulates. If you let in the particulates, you won't really know unless you tear down the engine, which you're not going to do, so you're left wondering. I guess that puts me in the "discouraged" camp. But that doesn't mean I am right...

 

[antichrist]

K&N are only highly recommended if you don't care about more dirt inside your engine. There's absolutely no way you're going to get more air without more dirt by using a different filter in the box.

Here're the test results of actual filters in a controlled environment with actual data.
http://forums.nicoclub.com/debunking-the-k-n-myth-why-oem-is-better-t180100.html

 

[tlt]

I would love to debate you Tom, but that is pretty definitive. For the record I went that route for the potential to re-use it. And the differences, while not huge are clear. I did not get it as a performance upgrade, but a serviceability upgrade. I wonder if AC Delco makes filters for the LR3?

My engine looks pretty good though, at least on the top end, recently had it apart for some new seals, etc.

The biggest issue with the LR3 engines is the oil injected into the engine via the breather.

Thanks for the article.

 

[antichrist]

I wonder if AC Delco makes filters for the LR3?

No idea, but I doubt AC Delco are significantly, if at all, better than OEM or Wix.
I do know that the Wix primary market are people for whom downtime = hundreds if not thousands of dollars lost.

 

[johnsoax]

I've never understood K&N filters. Spend more money, wash, rinse and reoil, or just buy a new paper filter every x miles and swap in 5 minutes....

I'd rather spend the time a K&N filter needs doing something else.

I've been buying Mann C 31 196 filters for about $16 every 9 months or so (every 10k miles)
YMMV.

 

[techboydino]

Some love them, some hate them. After probably selling hundreds of them at my old shop, we ultimately moved to GreenFilter as a "serviceable" filter. More filter coverage area and it seemed like the oil is better.

We had a Ford Dealer right next to us who explicitly would tell us not to sell K&N to Ford owners. They claimed to have proven issues with with MAF's and some Diesel setups due to the oiling. I would say that 50% of the issues with oiled filters are the owners. Either they didn't let them fully dry before oiling or like others said here they would heavily over oil. No one can force you to use a specific filter, but the fact that specific claims were researched by Ford was enough for me. This was a few years back though so I'm sure much has changed.

Personally I use Purolator, Wix, or Mann, which I was told most LR filters are made by Hastings or Mann as a white box anyway then repackaged. It's absolutely up the user but that all being said I think if you follow instructions, you should not have any issues with an oiled filter. I would rather just toss it and get a new one at interval then give my LR3 any more reason to throw a code. Just my .02, but to each his own.