[s-cars] Re: K&N filter products

[CyberPoet]

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All customer testimonials aside, have you ever wondered why K&N's
website isn't littered with actual dyno test result graphs everywhere?

K&N filters and similar foam-oil filtration products provide benefit in
very high-flow situations, and are actually a minor detriment in low
flow situations, according to all the pre/post dyno tests I've seen
(which have not specifically included any Audi's to date). To put that
into context, if you look at HP and torque curves for a standard car
fitted with a paper filter and then a K&N filter, the HP and torque
numbers at 1k - 3.25k RPM  are actually lower than the stock (paper)
filter, and about break even from about 3.25k to 4.4k RMP. Only at the
upper end of the curves does the K&N flow significantly easier, thus
increasing the HP and torque curves over the stock filter a noticeable
amount on the graphs. Thus, the real question is where in the
performance curve do you want that power benefit?

 From K&N's website:
7. Will a K&N filter cause my vehicle’s mass air sensor to fail?

No. A properly oiled K&N filter will not contaminate a mass air
sensor.  However, if extremely over oiled, it's possible for
contamination to occur.  In the last few years certain vehicles have
had design problems with the mass air sensors. Some dealers have
attempted to blame the problem on a K&N filter, however, of all the
sensors we have sent off to be tested, we have yet to find one that
failed due to oil contamination. The defect in all cases was within the
mass air sensor unit.  

On a related note, K&N filter testing facility in Eindhoven
(Netherlands) is looking for owners of 1800cc Audi TT
and TT Quattro vehicles ('99 and later) for use prototyping their
intake kits. See:
http://www.knfilters.com/vehicles/needueind.htm
for more information.

For an interesting real-world read concerning dust retention and
air-cleaning values, see:
http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Upgrade/Air_filter.htm

Best Wishes,
=-= Marc Glasgow

On Monday, March 3, 2003, at 03:50 PM, s-car-list-request at audifans.com
wrote:

> If the maintenance of the K & N filter is so finicky that it could
> hurt the
> MAF this easily, what's the point?  After all, are there any really
> significant gains to running a K & N filter?  If there are quantifiable
> results, please post 'em.  There's no real difference in the seat of
> the
> pants analysis, does the dyno tell otherwise?
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