Thread: K&N air filter

Originally Posted by rick130

actually, only the best synthetic medias (Donaldson's Synteq, Fleetguard/Cummins Microglass, Baldwin's HPG) get down around 50% @ 5 micron. Their cellulose medias are generally around the 25-30 micron range @ 50%.

Thanks for correcting me Rick. Since I work in R&D, the stuff I see is usually 5-10 years ahead of what people can actually buy. We come up with great ideas and the production guys tell us it would be too expensive to make...

Also work more in air than liquids...

As I mentioned previously, studies have shown that particles much smaller than the smallest engine tolerance can cause significant wear - so more and more engines are being produced with bypass filters to remove soot and wear metals.

Originally Posted by isuzurover

It is not a theory, it is a well known fact (amongst anyone that works in filtration) that filters become more efficient the more particles they collect. Have a look on the caterpillar website if you don't believe me.



http://www.cat.com/cda/layout'm=37503&x=7
http://www.cat.com/cda/layout'm=37499&x=7

Cat are one of the few honest engine/vehicle manufacturers, who tell you to buy/replace filters only when they NEED it - rather than at a specified interval which makes the vehicle/filter manufacturer more money.

hm,, ok. from my time in Local Council, their medium duty trucks have filtration indicators that "pop up" when a filter needs changing,,

is this a vehicle requirement, or a filter message?

and yes , lots of councils and private companies wash filters

Got this from the K&N site: 11. What is the micron rating and filtering efficiency of the K&N filter?

Air filters are not rated by micron size on an absolute basis. (See technical service bulletin 89-5R from the Filter Manufacturer's Council) The proper rating system for air filters is a testing procedure developed to measure the efficiency of the filtration media at varying micron sizes. We routinely subject a sample of our air filters to this testing procedure conducted by independent laboratories. The primary purpose of this testing is to ensure that our air filter designs meet or exceed automotive industry standards. Until recently filtration tests were performed in accordance with the Society of Automotive Engineer's (SAE) J726 testing procedure, however, we now use the ISO 5011procedure which that superseded the SAE procedure.

The content of the test dust used in accordance with the SAE testing procedure is as follows:

Particle Size in Microns/ % by Volume (+/- 3%)
<5.5 13
5.5 to 11 /11
11 to 22 /13
22 to 44 /19
44 to 88 /28
88 to 176 /16

Our testing has demonstrated that on average, K&N air filters have an overall efficiency rating of between 97 and 99%. With proper cleaning K&N air filters will protect your engine for the life of your vehicle.

i have a ram air one on the 90 , which is the same sort as the K&N. Gives alot more mid range grunt around town. But that is all i use it for , around Brisbane. Because the foam ones are crap with dust. Took it out and replaced it with a land rover gen one for when we went around aus (paper one)

Has anyone else listened to this I think some should:http://www.knfilters.com/facts.htm

Just click on the red parts.

Originally Posted by Pedro_The_Swift

hm,, ok. from my time in Local Council, their medium duty trucks have filtration indicators that "pop up" when a filter needs changing,,

is this a vehicle requirement, or a filter message?

and yes , lots of councils and private companies wash filters

A Shire Engineer once said to me that Caterpillar should supply spare parts free, as they have already charged for them in the inflated cost of their equipment. His opinion, nothing to do with me. He had just finished reaming me out for my employer's notoriously poor spare parts service. He told me that when he ordered parts for the Caterpillar equipment everything arrived within 3-4 days. When he ordered parts for the brand I represented, he said, a few gaskets, o-rings, and seals would arrive within a few days and the rest would trickle in over the next few months. True, too. The company's "stock fast moving bits only" policy cost us countless sales.

Originally Posted by rick130

actually, only the best synthetic medias (Donaldson's Synteq, Fleetguard/Cummins Microglass, Baldwin's HPG) get down around 50% @ 5 micron. Their cellulose medias are generally around the 25-30 micron range @ 50%.

Brian, I know a bloke in Queensland that runs his entire DD60 Series fleet using Mann centrifuges and 30 micron stainless basketts in place of full flow filters. He previously used Donaldsons excellent ELF Synteq media filters, and found them clean at 100,000km thanks to the centrifuges.
His fleet average OCI is 96,000-100,000km running Delvac 1 and used oil analysis, and has reduced his running/service costs, including eliminating the required valve gear adjustments every 250,000km.
MTU in Brisbane pulled down one his engines last year after 1,000,000km as a demonstration and found all tolerances within new spec with minimal sludge to demostrate the effectiveness of tailoring filtration/lubrication.

Over twenty years ago Detroit Diesel recommended to clients to go into an oil analysis programme and only change oil if they told you to, which may be never, depending on usage and condition.

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

(snip) The company's "stock fast moving bits only" policy cost us countless sales.

Sounds like our local Landrover dealer. I have yet to find a single part I've needed that they stock or can supply as quickly as going to an independent interstate.
John