DownShifting Merch Shop! downshifting76.myspreadshop.com/

We've logged hundreds of thousands of kilometers on K&N air filters. We let them sit overnight on a paper towel after reoiling them so let excess oil wick out.

@DownShifting76

2 ай бұрын

@AnthonyJ350 glad it has worked out for you and thank you very much for watching!

I have a ram 3500. I have used a k&n filter on it for years. It has more than 510,000 miles. Seems to work well.

@DownShifting76

Жыл бұрын

That is an amazing test and thank you very much for watching!

K&Ns are great filters as long as they don't have to filter anything. Retired FoMoCo dealership tech, drivability and electrical as primaries. The list of dead MAF sensors is a long one. The vast, VAST majority on kid's Mustangs with K&NS. It got to the point of wagering if we would see a K&N sticker on the air box/filter cover under the hood. It was a pretty reliable bet that sticker was staring at me when we popped the hood. Oiled up MAF sensor with dust/crud on the hotwire....yup. Light coating of fine dust in the intake of off road/farm trucks...yup. Every RELIABLE (not sponsored by K&N) test shows the elevated particulate numbers inherent with the filter. My advice, if you use a K&N, let it get dirty because that is when it filters best. I think oiled gauze filters might have a place on the racetrack where airflow is a priority, and the engine doesn't have to live more than a season. I have used K&Ns myself on carbed circle track builds and I have no complaints. Seriously though, pushing K&N grease to seal an improper filter seal? You build a filter that doesn't seal well, then charge additional money from your customer to fix a problem you created. There is a lesson here somewhere.

@DownShifting76

11 ай бұрын

Great info from a FoMoCo dealership tech!!! In my personal opinion, I believe what is overlooked more often than not when anything is changed from the way the OE engineers designed a system is that things then take additional attention and care and/or maintenance. There is always a trade as nothing is free and the OEMs spend an unspeakable amount of resources on R&D so it's hard to beat what they offer. Thank you again for your experience and very much for watching!

@Hutchy86

11 ай бұрын

I ask the question if these ‘kids’ were over cleaning and over oiling these filters? This is where I believe many people get it wrong. I’ve heard of people doing 2-3 times per year which in reality they shouldn’t need to be touched for a few years depending on conditions. People also go extremely heavy on the oil which causes the MAF issues. Having seen how much oil is actually applied at factory many people would be shocked. It literally doesn’t even cover the filter at first as it needs time to wick in. Can you explain to me what Ford techs do when a mustang comes in with the ‘calibration kit’ supplied by Ford which has a K&N panel filter?

@DownShifting76

11 ай бұрын

@@Hutchy86 excellent question!

@Hutchy86

11 ай бұрын

@@executiveinvestments 💯

@brucebarton2099

8 ай бұрын

Brother very thorough opinion that helped me a lot, thank you sir

Yes it works fine. I put my first one on my 07 Civic Si. Shortly after buying new in 2007. I am at 274K, no issues with Engine or Cabin Filters. Same with a 2014 Honda CR-V now at 135K, no issues with either Engine or Cabin Filters.

@DownShifting76

11 ай бұрын

That is awesome and thank you for watching!

@kulturfreund6631

11 ай бұрын

I had one on my Audi A6 1.9 TDI automatic, built 1995. Had in use for about 80k miles. Washed, dried and oiled it 3 times. Sold the car working fine at 322k miles. Never had any issues. The filter indeed contributed to the phenomenal gas mileage the car had. Have a K&N Filter now in my Renault and it’s due to be cleaned. Haven’t looked inside since I‘d put in. But I expect to see no bad surprise there, too. Cheers from Berlin

@AnthonyJ350

2 ай бұрын

So this is a perfect item for leased vehicles? Because you'll save money on fuel and replacement air filters every oil change and after 4 years you just give it back?

I've done this for years. I use whatever grease is in the gun and had ZERO issues. You have done well educating the motoring masses.

@DownShifting76

11 ай бұрын

@malhaven1 Thank you very much! Comments can be brutal just trying to share past experience, successes and failures. I am always curious if someone doesn't agree or has had a bad experience why no just not buy the product lol. It seams simple enough. Thank you very much for watching!

@michaely6665

8 ай бұрын

Looks like HTB = high temperature bearing grease, a very tacky and temperature resistant grease. Good to lubricate/seal when you don't want a big mess of grease going everywhere 😂. Off road users see any brand air filter can often leak around edges.

@LAURABOHDAN

6 күн бұрын

These filters send toxic FHRNs through your entire system.

thank you for the tip with the grease , it makes sense that some users experienced more dust (although the environment where the car is driven does matter a lot) without using the grease to seal it . I ordered my filter and as a bad (or good) habit , i started the research after i placed the order :)) . I guess i'll wait for the grease to arrive and then i'll install it .

@DownShifting76

11 ай бұрын

That's awesome and thank you very much for watching!

I literally just spray it off with a hose, let it dry a full day in the sun, then apply a LIGHT coating to the intake side of the filters. Too many chimp brains just let loose with the oil and it kills MAF sensors quick. The secret is to ACTUALLY clean it, and DO NOT over oil the media. Using the stock air box is also the best method, as millions of dollars in development were dumped into positioning that airbox for the best flow possible, at coldest ambient temps. So yeah, drop-ins are probably best.

@DownShifting76

2 ай бұрын

@Litvagopnik thank you very much for watching!

I run them in all my trucks and cars. Cabin air filters also. Go with the best.

@DownShifting76

24 күн бұрын

@jimbomorrison7133 glad you have had great luck with K&N. Thank you very much for watching!

I do all my own maintenance and basic repairs, ive owned a 94 tbird, an 01 malibu, 95 240sx, 07 caliber, 14 impreza. Im about to buy my first k&n air filter for my 11 cooper. Every time i change my air filter i go back after the first couple of trips to make sure its still seated correctly. I always check my oil filter for leaks after a change as well. I have a feeling i wont be having any issues when i drop in a k&n but you never know. I did see a lot of reviews on their Amazon page seems to suggest they have their model numbers slightly mismatched to cars, so i suggest using an auto parts store app or page to get the right model number if you buy from amazon, but the price seems to be about the same from autozones.

@DownShifting76

10 ай бұрын

Awesome and thank you for watching!

Dust most definitely passes through them. I had to stop using them on my R6 bike engine due to dirt inside the air box and a worn out engine. Problem solved when it was replaced.

@DownShifting76

10 ай бұрын

Glad you got the issue solved and thank you very much for watching!

I have put K&N in both my Subarus, both over 10 years old and have no issues with the filters. I don't use then for the performance aspect, but because they are reusable and cheaper over the life of the car. I have never heard of this grease but I think because of the way the filter fits on the Subaru I cant imagine how much if any air would go around the filter.

@DownShifting76

10 ай бұрын

Awesome that the filters have worked well for you and thank you for watching!

@Rick4345

15 күн бұрын

Totally agree. I have a 21 Outback and 22 WRX. The fit of the K&N Filters are way tighter than the paper brands I've used.

After you used the K&N air filter you don’t wanna go back to stock paper anymore because of the difference in acceleration , paper filter too damn slow on accelerating.

Someone on KZread used a k&n drop in for a very long time and then send his used oil to a lab to analyze. Conclusion : there were no harmful particles found in the oil, so the filter passed the test 👍

@DownShifting76

Жыл бұрын

@JD_82 thank you for sharing and watching!

@mikecubes1642

Жыл бұрын

thats because all the dirt that got past the K&N filter is still stuck in the piston rings. those filters are garbage

@DownShifting76

Жыл бұрын

@mikecubes1642 I have a video proving otherwise, but by the tone of your post, you have already made your decision regardless.

@docholiday9562

11 ай бұрын

K&N has done tons of testing debunking any issues…easy to find on Google

@mikecubes1642

11 ай бұрын

where is the video proving k&n is the best?@@DownShifting76

Been using an K&N since 2018 and Zero issues.

@DownShifting76

6 ай бұрын

@badkarma5776 that is awesome and thank you very much for watching!

ive used these on 3 of my cars with no issues all with 150k plus miles. i never heard of the grease or any sealing issues. thanks

@DownShifting76

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching!

@carguy3028

Жыл бұрын

I stopped using my k&n because I got tired of cleaning it. Never had an issue with them, just takes time to clean and waiting for it to dry.

@SlikLizrd

Жыл бұрын

@@carguy3028 K & N recommends cleaning and re-oiling your K & N air filter at FIFTY-THOUSAND (50,000) MILE intervals. Keeping your K & N "looking clean" is a waste of time and money, and will lead to various problems with engine wear. Keeping your K & N air filter working properly is like keeping a hard-on -- Don't f**k with it !! 😁

@dundeeecroc

Жыл бұрын

@@carguy3028 I bought 2 K&N air filters for each of my vehicles, when the time has come, I'd clean one while the new one goes in. gives the other time to dry.

Will it mess with the ecu part? Heard a lot about adding new parts can mess with it.

@DownShifting76

11 ай бұрын

A direct replacement should not affect the ECU to the best of my knowledge. Thank you for watching!

FWIW....After seeing the Project Farm test, I did my own. Replaced my K&N with PF's favorite WIX. UOA results with WIX after regular change-interval showed essentially no difference in Silicon and other particulates compared with K&N. The difference was that the WIX had felt seal on one surface and flat-plastic no-seal on the other. It rattled around in the air box until I slathered caulk on the flat plastic surface to make it fit and seal properly. The K&N's larger rubber border, on the other hand, fits snuggly and seals tight. With my particular driving pattern, there was obviously no difference in filtering performance between the two.

@DownShifting76

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for the information and for watching!

I wonder if it’s just a silicon grease. Interesting idea, thanks.

@DownShifting76

Жыл бұрын

Hope it can help and thank you for watching!

@SlikLizrd

11 ай бұрын

TIP: DO NOT use Silicone Grease anywhere in your Intake System -- use General Purpose, NON-silicone grease for that purpose.

@DownShifting76

11 ай бұрын

@@SlikLizrd Thank you for watching!

@SlikLizrd

11 ай бұрын

@@DownShifting76 You're welcome. 😁

I hear a total of mix reviews for K&N filters destroying MAF. I just installed them on my 2020 Lexus RX and ‘19 civic. Love the response. I installed it straight out of the box, it was pre oiled and plan on just buying a brand new K&N filter every year to avoid the re-used / overly oiling it. What’s your thoughts?

@DownShifting76

11 ай бұрын

My personal opinion regarding efficiency is that there are too many variables. What I mean by that is, using my situation as an example, in our area of Texas and seeing mild off-road or dirt road conditions is different from someone living in the desert or next to a beach. Then the silica tests come into the conversation. But what is never mentioned is the oil change intervals, and oil filter efficiencies play a part, and again surrounding environment. IMO for something road-driven, well maintained, and for a vehicle owner paying attention you will never have an issue. My personal highest mileage experience was owning a 1997 F350 with a K&N from just after purchasing the truck new and sold the truck at over 270,000 miles and never had an issue. Pick up a cleaning/recharging kit. Start the cleaning process, through something good on the grill, take your time, enjoy the day, wipe away any excess oil, and reinstall. kzread.info/dash/bejne/dqd4z5qLhLm2aZs.html Again just my personal experience and personal opinion. Hope this helps and thank you for watching!

@DeadEnDCrew

14 күн бұрын

I actually might do that too, just let it pass 75k's then just buy another one, that method really still saves you ding it 4 times a year with the cheap paper ones so why not if you can afford that way. Heck yeah👌👌🤟

I just bought a k&n filter for the first time. I’ve heard a lot of negative and positive things about it besides what you’ve shown do you have any other advise?

@DownShifting76

Ай бұрын

@Phoenix-uv2wl just service it well without over oiling the filter and you should have a good experience. Good luck and thank you very much for watching!

The fact that K&N sell 'sealing grease' would suggest that K&N are aware that their filters do not seal properly. Why they would not address the issue instead of offering a band-aid solution baffles me.

With all due respect I disagree. I'm a member of an ATV site and I also run K&N filters on my 3 atv's. I can tell you for a fact that grit gets by the K&N. I wish I could attach pictures. When ever I pull the K&N there is a bunch of grit (sand) in the rubber boot going to the carb. The boots are sealed tightly on the carb and held there by a worm gear clamp (hose clamp). There is no way there is leak by because I also use red silicone during install. I do this to make sure the boot don't come off the carb because these two stroke engine produce a lot of vibration and these machines get bounced around a lot. I run the K&N because the stock filter is to restrictive but you have to ask yourself ----- do I want flow or do I want filtration ? Maybe a street car or truck don't by-pass using the K&N but they sure a hell do on an atv. Just my opinion and experience.

@DownShifting76

11 ай бұрын

Thanks much for sharing from the ATV perspective. Something I have never considered or had experience with. Thank you very much for watching!

OK, but if they flow better, that means bigger pours right

@DownShifting76

Жыл бұрын

First thing is I have no scientific validation but in my opinion, good quality oiled and/or dry performance filters vs paper are comparable to flowing air through a maze with more surface area vs less surface and smaller pours. Just how I think of it in my mind. I will have a video up shortly of the inside of the intake tube and throttle body on my F150 after use and since cleaning and re-oiling to document what things are looking like to see if there is any evidence of dust, oil, etc. Thank you very much for watching!

@Hutchy86

Жыл бұрын

kzread.info/dash/bejne/Yp2Mm7KCh5fUoaw.html

@SlikLizrd

11 ай бұрын

It's "pores" -- not "pours". Pores are just one factor in the air flow equation, and bigger is not always better..

@DownShifting76

11 ай бұрын

@@SlikLizrd Excellent point! This would be like asking a professional cylinder head and intake porter if it's a bigger port it should be better IMO.

@SlikLizrd

11 ай бұрын

@@DownShifting76 Not many peeps are porting their heads these days -- a better analogy would be exhaust tube size -- where a too-large diameter would reduce power due to loss of the "scavenging efffect".

I’ll stick with the oem filters.

@DownShifting76

11 ай бұрын

The OEM doesn't spend untold amounts of resources annually for no reason, OE equipment is almost always a great choice. Thank you very much for watching!

@SlikLizrd

11 ай бұрын

YEP. It's always a smart move -- too many peeps wreck their s**t because they listened to some famous arm-waving U-Tube "wizard".

@salvation4all313

2 ай бұрын

​@@DownShifting76 .OEM filters are disposable, too restrictive and can only be used a short period of time. They are a waste of money. The K&N filter in my car is reusable and has served my car well for almost 20 years and now over 240k miles.

@DownShifting76

2 ай бұрын

@@salvation4all313 I have been using K&N as well as other brands of high flow / reusable filters for a lot of years now with no issues. kzread.info/dash/bejne/nWSaydWpdq_QY5s.html Thank you very much for watching!

@salvation4all313

2 ай бұрын

@DownShifting76 Great! Glad to hear that the K&N's have served you well.

Step 1: look at camera

@DownShifting76

Жыл бұрын

@honchoryanc yeah I know. The video is definitely nothing to be proud of for sure! We actually had a camera technical issue and the audio was giving us a nightmare. (Its just my son and I setting everything up) It probably should have been scraped but I thought the general idea was there to share my experience. Thank you for watching anyway and hope you will give us some leniency and like the other videos. Take care!

@AR9ify

2 ай бұрын

😂

K&N filters are over priced and over hyped. Use the ordinary paper filters and change them often and you will still spend less money than relying upon a K&N filter. If you have to add grease to a K&N then it's not a well designed product now is it? They also allow more dirt into your engine due less pleats per filter plus due to their oily nature can damage Mass Airflow Sensors.

06 Ram 5.7 404000 km kn N from day one still goin strong

@DownShifting76

10 ай бұрын

@tomchumko5536 now that is awesome and thank you very much for watching!