K&N vs. AMSOIL Ea Air Filters

[Mojo72]

Does anyone in Vibe Nation have experience with the K&N oil-impregnated gauze filter and the AMSOIL Ea nanofiber filter? I don't have a CAI, but would like to upgrade my air filter to hopefully squeeze a few more miles out of each gallon of gas. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[Wolfman213]

do you have a link for the AMSOIL Ea nanofiber filter? I've never heard of it before. I tried doing a search but didn't seem to have good results that actually described the filter.

[jake75]

If it were that easy to squeeze out a few more miles out of each gallon of gas it would be standard issue.I have said it before, Amsoil is not an auto parts company. it is a religion.

[Mojo72]

Here's the link to the AMSOIL Ea Air Filter description and specs. http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/eaa.aspxThe filter is warranteed to 100K miles, cheaper than the K&N filter, and AMSOIL claims their filter to be "15 times more effective" than wet gauze (aka K&N oil-impregnated) filters.So what's the story with AMSOIL? If I'm reading Jake75 correctly, it sounds like they're the Amway of auto suppliers.

[jake75]

Quote, originally posted by Mojo72 »Here's the link to the AMSOIL Ea Air Filter description and specs. http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/eaa.aspxThe filter is warranteed to 100K miles, cheaper than the K&N filter, and AMSOIL claims their filter to be "15 times more effective" than wet gauze (aka K&N oil-impregnated) filters.So what's the story with AMSOIL? If I'm reading Jake75 correctly, it sounds like they're the Amway of auto suppliers. Perhaps not just like Amway, maybe a little bit like Scientology.

[Mojo72]

THAT'S a comforting thought. But seriously, I've read assorted GenVibe posts that praise AMSOIL's synthetic motor oil. Are they just drinking the kool aid or is there some value to AMSOIL products?

[Wolfman213]

I'm interested in this as well. I was going to replace my air filter either this or next weekend and was wondering what route to go. Now with this one in the mix, adds more to the dilema.

[THE VIBERATOR]

I dont know about you guys but I'm currently running filterless

[Mojo72]

Sounds very sexy, but isn't there a "filter" at the front of that Typhoon Air Intake? Nice paint job on your Vibe. Do you have any tips for reviving worn out OEM alloy wheels? The first owner did a poor job in keeping them clean and now the wheels are in the early stages of pitting and corrosion.

[THE VIBERATOR]

There is, but i took it off to create better air flow. The filter is restrictive. And thanks thats actually the stock paint job. I just keep it clean by waxing it. The paint really shines. I seem to get alot of compliments about the paint lol. As for the alloy wheels, i really dont know. if theyre corroding you might wanna try taking a sand blaster to the rims and repaint them any color you want

[Mojo72]

I could probaby do that without detaching the tires. The problem would be in keeping the car on jack stands for a few days.

[engineertwin2]

I will insert my opinion that, while I have a K&N air filter, I do so for having a permanent filter - not for performance gains.Performance gains are minimal. The only real advantage to having either filter is the wash/reuse aspect over toss and replace.And flame on...

[Mojo72]

Thanks for the input. I ended up buying the AMSOIL filter for my wife's Explorer because of the lower cost. I've been tracking both of our vehicles' mileage for the past few years and will watch and see what happens w/ the Explorer during the next year.

[THE VIBERATOR]

Your best option is to just leave the car on the ground on the jack stands and take the wheels off if you are going to sandblast the wheels. On the flip side you could also take the wheels to a shop and they can clean them up for you or suggest some ideas for you. Best of luck

[Mojo72]

That's a good idea about taking them to a shop. If the price is reasonable I'll see if I can squeeze the job into this year's budget.

[THE VIBERATOR]

Hopefully everything works out for you.

[keithvibe]

Quote, originally posted by THE VIBERATOR »I dont know about you guys but I'm currently running filterless I really, really hope your JOKING??you have any idea what damage your doing to your car running it with out a filter?If not save for a new ring job, cuz in about two years you will need one.

[THE VIBERATOR]

no i'm not joking....but i'm a kid can you fault me for making a dumb decision? whats wrong with going filterless?

[prathman]

Quote, originally posted by THE VIBERATOR »whats wrong with going filterless?You might start by considering that all car makers consider it an excellent idea to include an air filter in their products even though this adds cost and has a slight effect in decreasing performance and economy. Since they all seek to minimize costs and also to maximize performance and fuel economy there must be compelling arguments in favor of including air filters.The air around us normally contains small dust particles of which some are sand, or silicon dioxide, an extremely hard, abrasive substance. This is especially true on windy days or when near construction zones. Letting those tiny sand particles get into your engine will greatly increase the rate of wear of the internal parts. Note that these particles have a melting point considerably higher than the combustion temperature inside the cylinders so they will remain intact and coat the inside cylinder walls and the other components such as valve seats, etc. Then when the pistons move up and down and the valves operate, the particles act as a grinding agent. I wouldn't expect to see any negative effects immediately, but the lifetime of the engine will be reduced. Some people do choose to run filterless for short periods of time - such as for a drag strip run. But doing so for everyday driving is likely to lead to some very expensive repair bills.BTW, the K&N filter has been shown to be very poor compared to typical OEM paper filters at trapping fine sand/dust particles. See:http://duramax-diesel.com/spicer/index.htmfor a detailed test. Although this was performed on diesel truck engine filters, I'd expect the results to hold true in relative terms for small car engines as well.There's a more subjective test here:http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/...3.htmwhich came to similar conclusions about the K&N.I'd note how much more effective the OEM type filters are at holding large amounts of airborne contaminants before needing replacement. Given the numbers shown in the first test above, it's far more cost effective to replace the OEM filters when needed compared to the more frequent cleanings that would be required for the K&N type of filter - and it's also much more convenient.

[THE VIBERATOR]

Thank you for clarifying. As for the K&N filter I am only going to run it filterless for short periods of time. We have organized race nights in the town that I live so I've been filterless for about a week. I can always put the filter back on and I plan on doing so this week too. I no longer have the OEM intake or the filter, and I am planning on most likely buying a new filter since my K&N is basically black from having it on during winter. It's almost beyond ever being clean again. But I will be more careful with my filter situation from now on.

[ou.grizzly]

Didn't you already rebuild your engine? Why take another chance.

[THE VIBERATOR]

Going filterless was more of an experiment to be honest. I didnt really notice anything much performance wise, other than a pretty nice sounding spool to the intake and just a little better air flow. I'm changing it back soon. And yeah it's been rebuilt. But it wasn't anything mechanical, it was due to not checking the oil. I had less than a quart and I spun a bearing. No worries I'm careful...sometimes....lol.