[SandJunkie]

OK...this is yet another issue everyone can weigh in on. As I was putting my bike together for the weekend...with my new and improved intake (aka "help I need another intake box because I butchered the stock one instead of being smart like Clone")...I decided to do the "grease test" for you guys. I kinda already knew the answer to this one because I tried it on my car once but I didn't take pictures at that time so I had no evidence to give you.

Here's the filter clean

Filter after riding in silt and dust...it was totally blown out at Landers OHV park...wind was so bad you could barely see because of all the dust in the air...AND there was a line of 7 quads so you know how dusty that alone is...

Clean grease in the intake

Took a swipe of the dust with my finger

So...in my experience?...I have always had good luck with K&N. I always hear about "K&N lets more air in...therefore it lets in more dirt" arguements BUT...this is a simple test you can perform yourself. Most of the time I think people do NOT use the K&N oil for the filter...and you have to use that for optimum performance

IN MY OPINION...there's really no bad filter except NO filter

 

[Clone]

Cool. Thanks for sharing.

What is your thoughts on that light coat of dust? It is good to see the grease clear instead of brown no doubt. I usually just take a swipe with my finger in the intake boot as it is usually a little oily from the breather tube. It collects some dust so I get to feel and see the grime.

Most of my riding is in the sandbox and sand is easiler to filter as its grains are bigger than dirt particles so the K&N with outerwear is my choice.

 

[SandJunkie]

Personally?...I think that there is more dirt in your oil than in the air that comes through the K&N

And no filter short of a HEPA filter (which is what they use in hospital operating rooms and such) will keep the air absolutely clear of partuculate matter. In MY opinion I would have to think that the developers of the enigne knew what they were designing it for and took into consideration the conditions it would be used in

 

[quadracer450 52]

I'm not sure I totally understand. But it looks like you just swiped some dust off the intake. If Im not mistaken, there shouldnt be any dust there?? It looks like your engine would suck that right up. Correct me if Im wrong.

 

[BCGIrish]

Okay don't rip me apart for this. This is what I heard from my bro in law about K&N. Keep in my he races stock mini trucks, but he is fairly good at it. He heard that a dirty K&N actually gets a higher performance gain than a brand new clean one. Now I know this is third hand information but I have heard this from a couple sources. They also filter better when they are dirty.

I'm not talking so dirty it wont let air in, you can blow an engine up that way.

 

[medicdad2005]

I have always had goodluck with K&N.

 

[AL Elks]

Okay don't rip me apart for this. This is what I heard from my bro in law about K&N. Keep in my he races stock mini trucks, but he is fairly good at it. He heard that a dirty K&N actually gets a higher performance gain than a brand new clean one. Now I know this is third hand information but I have heard this from a couple sources. They also filter better when they are dirty.

I'm not talking so dirty it wont let air in, you can blow an engine up that way.
[/b]

A slightly dirty K&N will filter better because the holes get smaller as the filter gets dirtier but you will decrease performance of the airflow. This is most likely what he is referring to. So the the filters ability to filter smaller particles is better when it gets a little dirtier.

However if you don't maintain it properly these particles of dirt will break loose and find their way through the filter as the oil dries up. This is why it's a good idea to keep it properly cleaned and oiled.

 

[SandJunkie]

Al is correct once again...a slightly loaded up filter will be inherently more restrictive than a clean one...thus helping filter out more dirt...he is also correct that there is a breaking point when the filter becomes too restrictive...this guy should be teaching this stuff

Quadracer...you can never have a 100% totally clean air intake unless you go to a HEPA style filter like the hospitals have (Read my second post in this thread) The problem with any high density filter like a HEPA is that you have to have some kind of inline booster fan to push the air through the filter...thus rendering them inpractical for internal combustion engines. So Quad...you are ALWAYS going to have some kind of infiltration through your air filter...the finer? the better...The object of this thread was to inform people that what some people are saying about K&N filters letting in too much dirt simply isn't true

However since the experiment is something you can duplicate?...you can go buy a couple of different filters and see for yourself

Hope this was informative to everyone

 

[Clone]

Hope this was informative to everyone
[/b]

Ab-so-frickin'-lutely! Thanks for your great posts as always!

 

[fatv]

JUNKIE ......is that KY on your intake.


FUELATV

 

[NWltr450]

Fuel we all luv our LTR's, some just show their luv in different ways. You go Junkie, you go all night long!!!!!




Oh Junkie just don't use the water based stuff, rust and all, ya know

 

[SandJunkie]

Dang...I never saw THAT one coming...no pun

 

[kheft]

I rode at rausch creek w/ my K&N, blew my top end.
I rode at rausch creek w/ my UNI, not a spec of dust.
My theory is:
K&N's are good for cars, trucks, drag racing, and decent for rec riding, but any type of offroading, I think a foam filter is better. AMSOIL foam filters are execellent.

 

[SandJunkie]

There's always going to be a difference of opinions. I know a couple of guys that I raced Porsche's with and they swore they too blew their engines with K&N's...thats when I first heard of this test...I still think it's a unfortunate series of events that leads to catastrophic engine failure and it's all a culmination of stuff...BUT

Like I said...just my opinion

 

[fatv]

There's always going to be a difference of opinions. I know a couple of guys that I raced Porsche's with and they swore they too blew their engines with K&N's...thats when I first heard of this test...I still think it's a unfortunate series of events that leads to catastrophic engine failure and it's all a culmination of stuff...BUT

Like I said...just my opinion
[/b]

But did they run KY?

FUELATV

 

[SandJunkie]

I still don't know what Kentucky has to do with my air filter? Is this some kind of private joke?

 

[[email protected]$$Rider]

thats too funny i have always ran k&n filters and i have never had a problem as long as you keep them well oiled (I'll have to try ky LOL ) they will work extremely well.

 

[CernicsRacing.com]

the problem is everyones riding experiences are different. What works fine for one isnt always the best for the next guy.

I can clearly see a thing layer of dust the whole way up that intake, and if you ask me thats scary.

A weekend warrior and trailer rider may have to clean their air filter once a month.

Racing the MX nats. I have to clean or change my filter nearly every moto.

I believe it just comes down to what conditions you use your ATV in.

 

[kheft]

I agree 110% with Cernics. I swear by my foam filters because I ride in dusty and muddy condiditons and my wallet has felt the rath of K&N's. Yet, I'd put a K&N in my car anyday.

 

[usedtobeadmin]

and my wallet has felt the rath of K&N's.
[/b]

It's not K&n's fault you went in a 30ft deep mudhole :lol: