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Been using K&N drop-in air filter for 2 weeks

Naresh

By Naresh,
in Performance and Tuning

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Naresh

Naresh

1st Gear

After driving for about 2 years on stock air filter, I decided to try the K&N drop-in air filter for my Suzuki Swift 1.5A.
Been using it for 2 weeks, and I am really surprised to find how smooth the engine feels. With the stock filter, when I would step hard on the accelerator, the engine would sound a little strained, and the RPM would climb slowly. But with the K&N drop-in filter, the engine revs more readily, the gear changes are lot more smoother, and it feels as if some blockage has been removed. rolleyes.gif

I know the filtration for aftermarket drop-in filter is not as good as the stock filter. Contemplating if I should be reverting back to stock filter to preserve the engine, or enjoy the smoother ride. Any comments?

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Naresh

Naresh

1st Gear
  • Author

I've been using K&N for my past few cars. Still loving it... [drivingcar]

Wanna mod dun worry. Wanna worry dun mod lor... [:p]

 

HaHa... well said. :D

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Ken4555

Ken4555

1st Gear

i have a feeling your original filter was very dirty... hence the 'wow' feel now that your car breaths better...

 

 

imo....

 

i first started with KNN (haha like scolding mother) open pods on my first crx... wow the sound was great and shiok to drive... then came the cleaning part... put oil???? i can imagine when i rev at 9k up... the engine i am sure would have sucked in some of the oil...

 

so i decided to use simota stainless steel filters (open pod)... logically i would think since it does breath better more dirt would be sucked into the engine... so i saved some engine oil from my dip stick every 500km since new oil change from using KNN paper filters... and then stainless steel filters... seriously no difference in engine oil colour...

 

benefits of stainless steel filters... i simply wash with soap and blow dry.. and its as good as new.... more responsive than KNN filters i feel...

 

i do not feel we live in a dirty enough country to aversely affect the car's engine by using aftermarket filters... maybe those Abras in dubai middle east deserts might face more problems with faulty dirty air sensors....

 

 

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Naresh

Naresh

1st Gear
  • Author

i have a feeling your original filter was very dirty... hence the 'wow' feel now that your car breaths better...

 

 

imo....

 

i first started with KNN (haha like scolding mother) open pods on my first crx... wow the sound was great and shiok to drive... then came the cleaning part... put oil???? i can imagine when i rev at 9k up... the engine i am sure would have sucked in some of the oil...

 

so i decided to use simota stainless steel filters (open pod)... logically i would think since it does breath better more dirt would be sucked into the engine... so i saved some engine oil from my dip stick every 500km since new oil change from using KNN paper filters... and then stainless steel filters... seriously no difference in engine oil colour...

 

benefits of stainless steel filters... i simply wash with soap and blow dry.. and its as good as new.... more responsive than KNN filters i feel...

 

i do not feel we live in a dirty enough country to aversely affect the car's engine by using aftermarket filters... maybe those Abras in dubai middle east deserts might face more problems with faulty dirty air sensors....

 

Ah! I see.

 

No, one thing is for sure... the original filter is not dirty. Been servicing my car every 7-8 months, and I get the the service center to change the stock air filter at every servicing, and my driving distances are short. In over 2 years, I have done less than 20,000. So I am not too worried about the cleaning... it will take me a while before I have to clean the air filter. [laugh]

 

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Yuan

Yuan

6th Gear

After driving for about 2 years on stock air filter, I decided to try the K&N drop-in air filter for my Suzuki Swift 1.5A.

Been using it for 2 weeks, and I am really surprised to find how smooth the engine feels. With the stock filter, when I would step hard on the accelerator, the engine would sound a little strained, and the RPM would climb slowly. But with the K&N drop-in filter, the engine revs more readily, the gear changes are lot more smoother, and it feels as if some blockage has been removed. [rolleyes]

 

I know the filtration for aftermarket drop-in filter is not as good as the stock filter. Contemplating if I should be reverting back to stock filter to preserve the engine, or enjoy the smoother ride. Any comments?

 

In my opinion, engine won't spoil. Just clean your TB every 20k or 40k mileage. I do that even when I was with paper filter. It is a good aftermarket product. Company has been around for 40 years. If engine spoil, they won't last even till today.

 

Take it easy with cleaning and oiling the filter element. Follow the instructions and it should be fine.

 

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Yuan

Yuan

6th Gear

Nowadays i just wash and blow dry the K&N filter on every 20kkm interval and put it back w/o oiling.

My engine oil looks normal so far. ^_^

 

I understand from their webby, blow dry must use non-hot air on the filter element.

 

I have not washed it for the past 1 year liao (more than 20k mileage). Yeah, it is dirty...So I might just flip it upside down and use the other corner (not so dirty). [laugh]

 

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Ken4555

Ken4555

1st Gear

I understand from their webby, blow dry must use non-hot air on the filter element.

 

I have not washed it for the past 1 year liao (more than 20k mileage). Yeah, it is dirty...So I might just flip it upside down and use the other corner (not so dirty). [laugh]

 

:wacko: ...

 

 

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Yuan

Yuan

6th Gear

:wacko: ...

 

Don't be like that....[smash]...I know today is Friday and you are excited about it...[laugh]

 

A dirty air filter is very effective in blocking and trapping dirt or better than a clean air filter.

 

Go read BITOG forums.

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Ghostrider

Ghostrider

3rd Gear

when you use K&N filters...do not adopt the Chinaman mentality where more is better. ie when you wash and re-oil your filter...do not over apply the oil. The red colour in the oil is a dye only...the oil is actually colourless. So follow the instructions and do not over oil the filter and you should be ok.

 

I have been using K&N for many of my rides...even the current one. I have tried different filters in the past like popular brands like HKS, Hurricane etc...

 

HKS also good for power....but cannot clean and need to buy the replacement from time to time.

Hurricane...I use for 3 months...I send for servicing (my car) and ask the mech to clean the filter for me...they took it out and I see...machem like I just installed the filter yesterday !! Still look so new....and I dun believe our air is so clean lor....which means all those that are not filtered out has been going thru my exhaust.

 

On my ride...after I installed the K&N...it registered a 5bhp increase on the dyno.

 

I read somewhere that USMC uses the K&N filters for their Apache AH64 in Desert Storm for their excellent filtration capabilities.

 

 

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Ken4555

Ken4555

1st Gear
(edited)

Don't be like that....[smash]...I know today is Friday and you are excited about it...[laugh]

 

A dirty air filter is very effective in blocking and trapping dirt or better than a clean air filter.

 

Go read BITOG forums.

 

not excitec 2molo got even working till very late... [:(]

 

and yes i heard a slightly used filter is better at trapping dirt than a brand new... but to turn over??? :wacko:

 

 

u thought underwear ah? [laugh]

Edited by Ken4555
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Yuan

Yuan

6th Gear

not excitec 2molo got even working till very late... [:(]

 

and yes i heard a slightly used filter is better at trapping dirt than a brand new... but to turn over??? :wacko:

 

 

u thought underwear ah? [laugh]

 

I mean turn it upside down not the other side (facing the engine). :D

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So_nice

So_nice

6th Gear

i also thought of changing to k&n drop in..where to get the cheapest for vios (old model)? the cheapest i noe is $90 at speedworks..(genting lane..so far for me!)

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Yuan

Yuan

6th Gear

i also thought of changing to k&n drop in..where to get the cheapest for vios (old model)? the cheapest i noe is $90 at speedworks..(genting lane..so far for me!)

 

Unlike other products like Hurricane which are priced the same throughout all the outlets, I think K&N stuff are priced differently at the various retailers.

 

From my understanding, Speedworks' prices are one of the more competitive ones as compared to some other shops.

 

You might want to give Mr Loo a call to find out further.

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