K&N air filter

[PA FJ CRUISER]

not a big fan of the oiled type filters. but at this time for the 2010 FJ , K&N is the only game. they just released it. waiting for the AFE DRY FLOW or AMSOIL EA dry filter for the 2010. its a old debate with the K&N. some like them, some claim their trash. i know most of the bad rep as been from over oiling. do you run the K&N? if so, how as it been for the FJ? or would you hold out for the others to release their dry filters?

 

[land cruiser kid]

PA, I'm looking for a dry flow for my wifes 2010 also, I don't think they're out just yet.

 

[Romain]

Maybe not the best idea with a KN Filter on an Offroad vehicle

KN Filters are ok for all sporty cars on road and circuits but destroyed a few motors when driving in dust.
The airflow is better, the motor gets a fresher air and would go a bit faster. But wheeling in dust will mean that other particles also can reach your engine

 

[PA FJ CRUISER]

Maybe not the best idea with a KN Filter on an Offroad vehicle

KN Filters are ok for all sporty cars on road and circuits but destroyed a few motors when driving in dust.
The airflow is better, the motor gets a fresher air and would go a bit faster. But wheeling in dust will mean that other particles also can reach your engine

totally agree. going to wait for a dry upgrade filter...

 

[Mtbcoach]

Maybe not the best idea with a KN Filter on an Offroad vehicle

KN Filters are ok for all sporty cars on road and circuits but destroyed a few motors when driving in dust.
The airflow is better, the motor gets a fresher air and would go a bit faster. But wheeling in dust will mean that other particles also can reach your engine

I couldn't disagree more.

I've been using K&N filters on off-road vehicles for DECADES and have not suffered any such failures.

The fact of the matter is that the dirtier a K&N filter gets, the MORE if filters, not less. The oil attracts the dirt as designed and as the filter does its job, it "plugs" the filter with the dust particles.

I've not had any issue with over-oiling, never heard of it until the problems with some and the FJC and the advent of the newer "dry" air filters. The dry air filters offer a fine alternative.

Its my experience that I've NEVER had any oil penetrate beyond the inside of the filter element. This is user error, not filter error. Maybe its because I've used this type of filter for many years (racing motocross and other off-road motorcycle events) and learned how much oil is appropriate. Yet, if one simply follows the directions of the manufacturer, there is not problem.

I've posted pictures of my MAF sensor with ~50k miles on it, using only a K&N filter and there are no signs of oiling as others have described. Not in the intake, the MAF sensor or any internals.

I'm not suggesting that the K&N products are the end all, I'm simply stating that its a fine filter, works as designed (with appropriate user care/cleaning/maintenance). If I were to purchase something new, I'd consider a "dry" filter since it does eliminate the need for oil.

Just my 2 cents and over 30 years of using K&N filters...

 

[Tools R Us]

I couldn't disagree more. ...

There was a time when I would have agreed with you but that time has passed. I also started using them 30 or so years ago, off road raced with them, etc, but don't run them anymore. It true that they can flow more per square inch than most other filters, but they also allow much more dirt in, especially when freshly cleaned.

Read this: K&N air filter or OEM, why OEM is better

Some manufactures don't do a good job in designing their air intake systems, so aftermarket systems can make a significantly detectable difference on those rigs. IMHO Toyota does a very good job of air filter design, especially on their off road rigs. The stock filters are not old school wood pulp paper, they are waterproof, synthetic fiber mat, much more efficient. It's slightly more restrictive per square inch than gauze, but Toyota designs the filters with plenty of surface area to provide needed flow.

Toyota's cyclonic filters are especially well designed. Most of my testing/experience is with the 80 series, but the later FJC has a similar cyclonic design. They are very good at rejecting dust and stay clean for a very long time.

I run a filter minder restriction gauge on mine. Cleaned the filter before Cruise Moab last year, put ~12Kmi on it, lots of dusty trails and it never moved from baseline reading. For this years Cruise Moab, I put in a new filter and it showed the same reading. I wanted a "baseline", but now wish I have left the other filter in and done a long life test to see when it produced enough restriction to cause efficiency reduction. From what I have seen, would bet it would go 50K mi in my conditions or much longer in a less dusty environment.

Getting to or exiting many of our trail require long dirt roads across the desert. Some 50+ miles where you can hardly see the rig that your following. In the year that filter was run, there were at least 6 runs were we ran 12+ rig caravan for 50+mi, tons of shorter runs and often I was tail gunning, so taking huge dirt loads.

It's easy to say it works, I have never had a problem, I would expect that and the aftermarket manufactures count on it. Additional abrasive particles in the oil aren't going to cause immediate motor failure, even in the case of huge amount the motor will likely still run. The wear is slow, long term loss of efficiency, reduced engine life. The proof is in testing, locally several of us have done oil analysis on rigs that run about the same trails and it's easy to pick out the rigs with aftermarket air filters, the silicon/insolubles (abrasive particles) are much higher, sometimes alarmingly so.

For me it is a choice; do I want the last .01% horsepower now or protect the motor more for long term efficiency. I intent to keep the rig long term, want to maintain it's efficiency over it's life, so the stock from the dealer filter is my choice.

 

[Mtbcoach]

There was a time when I would have agreed with you but that time has passed. I also started using them 30 or so years ago, off road raced with them, etc, but don't run them anymore. It true that they can flow more per square inch than most other filters, but they also allow much more dirt in, especially when freshly cleaned.

Read this: K&N air filter or OEM, why OEM is better

Some manufactures don't do a good job in designing their air intake systems, so aftermarket systems can make a significantly detectable difference on those rigs. IMHO Toyota does a very good job of air filter design, especially on their off road rigs. The stock filters are not old school wood pulp paper, they are waterproof, synthetic fiber mat, much more efficient. It's slightly more restrictive per square inch than gauze, but Toyota designs the filters with plenty of surface area to provide needed flow.

Toyota's cyclonic filters are especially well designed. Most of my testing/experience is with the 80 series, but the later FJC has a similar cyclonic design. They are very good at rejecting dust and stay clean for a very long time.

I run a filter minder restriction gauge on mine. Cleaned the filter before Cruise Moab last year, put ~12Kmi on it, lots of dusty trails and it never moved from baseline reading. For this years Cruise Moab, I put in a new filter and it showed the same reading. I wanted a "baseline", but now wish I have left the other filter in and done a long life test to see when it produced enough restriction to cause efficiency reduction. From what I have seen, would bet it would go 50K mi in my conditions or much longer in a less dusty environment.

Getting to or exiting many of our trail require long dirt roads across the desert. Some 50+ miles where you can hardly see the rig that your following. In the year that filter was run, there were at least 6 runs were we ran 12+ rig caravan for 50+mi, tons of shorter runs and often I was tail gunning, so taking huge dirt loads.

It's easy to say it works, I have never had a problem, I would expect that and the aftermarket manufactures count on it. Additional abrasive particles in the oil aren't going to cause immediate motor failure, even in the case of huge amount the motor will likely still run. The wear is slow, long term loss of efficiency, reduced engine life. The proof is in testing, locally several of us have done oil analysis on rigs that run about the same trails and it's easy to pick out the rigs with aftermarket air filters, the silicon/insolubles (abrasive particles) are much higher, sometimes alarmingly so.

For me it is a choice; do I want the last .01% horsepower now or protect the motor more for long term efficiency. I intent to keep the rig long term, want to maintain it's efficiency over it's life, so the stock from the dealer filter is my choice.

I have read that, good reference. And, I agree with much of what you posted. For the reasons you stated, I don't clean mine right before an event. Obviously, your region has a much higher level of that type of dust, something I don't see unless I'm lucky enough to visit out West.

For me it's a cost issue, not HP gain. I like buying one air filter for the life of the vehicle, I hope...

 

[1BiGGuy]

I bought an Extra-cab Toyota pickup brand new in 1990 and shortly after they became available I added a K&N air filter. I just got rid of that pickup with over 475,000 miles with the original 3.0 V6 and no problems with it. I took it to Moab 7 different times and ran many trails during the Easter Safari. I tail gunned several trails and checked the filter after wards and it was filthy on the outside but clean on the inside. I even wiped down the inside behind the filter and the rag came away clean. I also had one on my 4Runner and I put one in my FJ.

 

[cruiser88]

K&N is over rated.

 

[Aztech]

I like my K&N filter. Almost 30K miles and still no problem on my 08. Granted, I put that filter in almost 15K miles ago, and in Toyota engines, that's hardly any time at all. Still, I'm happy with the better flow I'm getting and the slightly deeper sound. I don't know if I'm getting the claimed increase in horsepower, but it sure as heck sounds better.

 

[gaylonw]

I had a K&N CAI for 100K on a Dodge Dakota...

...I had several cracking issues and K&N replaced the intake tube twice.
I have had the TRD CAI on my 2007 TRD for about 80K, 3 years.
It was a perfect fit and the CAI is still like new.
I have 88K on my TRD and love every minute of it, however, based on my experience with K&N vs. TRD; I would recomend TRD.
For 80K I have checked the filter every PM, cleaned the box, wash out the filter, let dry, then reoil.
To be fair K&N has had 8 years to get it right since I got rid of my 1997 Dodge Dakota.
Good luck..........gm

 

[Aztech]

^I think OP is asking about just filters, not complete intake systems. I wouldn't buy a complete intake from K&N, as I think there's much better systems out there for the money. However, I think their filters themselves are top notch.

 

[Mtbcoach]

^I think OP is asking about just filters, not complete intake systems. I wouldn't buy a complete intake from K&N, as I think there's much better systems out there for the money. However, I think their filters themselves are top notch.

X2...

 

[dILzNAK]

WORD, what he /\ said

 

[PA NC Cruiser]

^I think OP is asking about just filters, not complete intake systems. I wouldn't buy a complete intake from K&N, as I think there's much better systems out there for the money. However, I think their filters themselves are top notch.

I agree...I have had no problems...again, just as MTBCoach said, do not clean before off roading....I mean the instructions say not clean but every 50k anyway...

Also, I have the Cyclone Pre-cleaner in my '10 Trail Teams ed..

How 'bout this....I keep the K&N in service for 85% of the time (my daily, highway use) and I saved my OEM filter for any "dusty" off road driving...pop it in and good to go!!! I get the HP and MPG increase with K&N on a daily basis and I get the dry protection of the OEM when I wheel......

 

[Mtbcoach]

I agree...I have had no problems...again, just as MTBCoach said, do not clean before off roading....I mean the instructions say not clean but every 50k anyway...

Also, I have the Cyclone Pre-cleaner in my '10 Trail Teams ed..

How 'bout this....I keep the K&N in service for 85% of the time (my daily, highway use) and I saved my OEM filter for any "dusty" off road driving...pop it in and good to go!!! I get the HP and MPG increase with K&N on a daily basis and I get the dry protection of the OEM when I wheel......

I'd say...no need to swap. The K&N will outperform for sure.

I keep the stock paper to drop in while the K&N is drying from cleaning and oiling...