Harry Madan

A new study about K&N air filters, if you are using them in your car? The study is showing that the K&N air filter are not the best for your car, they may save you gas and you may not need to replace them for the life of your car, but they damage your car as you drive, because some mechanics have found dust/dirt or sand in the oil during an oil change due to the fact that the K&N air filters let dirt through the filter and in does get into your car and causes your engine damage.
I’m currently looking into getting a different type of Air filter for my car any recommendations I have been looking all over the net to find the best ones, that can do the same things as the K&N but does not harm my engine?


QUOTE BY : Altered Sprinter at mbcanada.com

OILS' Aini't OILS' and neither are the Filters.
You hit the jackpot on this one, there have been issues specific to the Dodge/Sprinter with engine problems in the US, with out going into the total reasons , it was basically fuel and oil and filters combined.
In My Home state via the local University as we need mass air filters for measurements for emission comparisons, including the transport department to verify our comparisons over a three week testing period , Of which the engines being of diesel format, not petrol.
Ten different oil filters from top of the price range down to your local budget price units, were found to all have the same filter of 30 to 31 microns way to high for the latter engines to comply to Euro standards , but it was an interesting point there are no updated standards for the filters of compliance since 1998 Euro1, someone slipped up? The cabin filters for K@H are 40 microns again out of date they might stop a moth from blowing through but vey little else, Mercedes cabin filters OEMare 9 microns but expensive over the one dollar AU mark,
Ultra low Diesel is an issue in the states as it has a higher contamination rate as to the corrosive nature of the fuel , lack of lubricating oils for the engine creates more carbon bulidup on the value and piston crowns with coking Diesel fuel in the US and the reference to ULS Fuels in the US of which is only just starting to come on line, is proven by testing to be more contaminated than specified it appears to being contaminated not from the refinery's but from the holding tanks, mixed with water and other gasoline products which also does not help the engine perform as good as it should, the Mercedes engine was not designed to run on Ultra low sulphur fuels but low sulphur fuels, all engines from 2006 onwards will however at least with the new V6 engines.
By changing the oil specified by Mercedes which is a Mobeil product and upgraded to Mobil Devalac MX Extra which is fully compliant to the latest US regulations of particle emissions of 0.28 and adding an upper cylinder lubricant , These engines are now showing in the first three days , marked increase in fuel consumption no less than an extra five miles to the gallon on the seven sprinters being tested each has gone over the thirty mile to the gallon mark , all engine vibrations are now non existant, particle emissions tested on the 2005 Sprinters with the 313 CDI and 311 CDI motors are showing from the mass censors of exhaust emissions less than 0.10 ppg/pm in effect the vehicles are compling to 2008 emission controls, there are no smells present even in heavy traffic, zero cabin smells inside of the cabin, when tests are compleated in three weeks we will have a full analylst to compare the accurate facts.
There is a difference between synthetic and paper filters, the syntetic one, last longer to the paper units.
The conclusion is, before hand that quality oils fuels and upper cylinder lubricants work for best performance overall including particle emission compliances.
Mercedes Cabin filters are rated 9 micron new filters for 2007 rated 3micron


LOOK INTO GREEN.. I'M DOING SOME RESEARCH LET U KNOW WHEN I COME UP WITH SOMETHING

pshek

LOL, and I just ordered the K&N for the C32 today. I know the oem paper filters filter particulates better than the cotton filters from K&N, but they are more restrictive. This seems to be more of a problem on naturally aspirated cars with MAF sensors. It seems to me that K&N and Green filters are the same.

So basicaly, the K&N/Green filters are less restrictive than the stock oem paper filter, but don't filter particulates as well. Only thing better would be ITG foam filters.

MJ50

when i removed stock air filters to put on K&N, there were tons of dust/dirt/sand in the air box... now, i have much much less with K&N... no MAF sensor problems...

BabyBenz6spd

I noticed most of the dust/dirt/sand now stuck on the K&N filter instead of on the bottom of the air box. Paper filter no doubt filters better than K&N, but I guess it's a sacrafice for better "air flow".

I've seen reviews of many air filters, and the best one is Apexi filter. Good flow and filters the particles out pretty good too, too bad Apexi only makes filters for Japanese cars.

MB-BOB

This topic has been discussed several times (STFF). People here have run dynos on the MB engines with the airbox in place (OEM filters in the loop) and airbox completely removed (i.e. no filter at all). No difference in the dyno results, indicating there is no difference in performance between "restrictive" OEM filters and ZERO filters (which would be even less restrictive than K&N, Green, etc.).

There even was discussion about a V8 stuffed into a C-Class that performed just great using the stock airbox and stock air filters, because testing proved there was no performance increase with anything other than the stock airbox/filter combination.

Therefore, IMO, the debate about air filters is moot. The choice then comes down to simple customer preference. Given that choice, I'll stick with the OEM filters that do a better job, since they perform just as well as no filter at all. YMMV.

mleskovar

...oiled air filters can have the oil sucked off the filter material and end up contaminating the MAF. Why does anyone think changing an air filter type will help their engine? With engineers doing everything possible to increase hp and mpg don't you think they have looked at the possibilities?

C43AMG

# 1 ) more air = engine breathes easier, better performance

# 2 ) no - it all comes down to cost per unit ( vehicle ).Paper filters are cheaper and they get replaced at recommended service intervals = $$$$ for the $tealership.

TA-9FF

I agree. This is why I havent bothered getting an aftermarket filter. You get what, a 5-7hp gain? Does a 5-7hp gain justify the cost of fixing the car after it gets gunked up with contaminants??????

pshek

It all depends. On a stock motor, there would be minimal HP performance gain. But, I bought the K&N because I do not have a stock motor, and I don't like the idea of a restrictive paper filter on my built motor. All of the intake and exhaust ports were ported and polished, with Shrick camshafts placed. ~15% higher flow on the flowbench test. I think it will make a difference on my car.

C43AMG

I've been running K&N's in my vehicles for 20 yrs with no problems.All 3 of my Benz's have'm....no problems.

SeaCoupe

Ok, my negative side is going to come out....

This is without question the STUPIDEST thread.

K&N is a LEADER in air filters. You can go run what you want. But when my dollars are on the line, only a K&N will do. I know someone mentioned a foam filter. All respect to your opinion. That is the WORST you can do. A foam filter allows so much more particulate. If you want to prevent the particulate with a foam filter you need lots of oil. Of course we all know that oil is bad for the MAF. Lets say that one or two mechanics have a bad opinion, does this mean that EVERYONE should trust those two bad mechanics?

I understand I didn't elaborate. Look at it this way. K&N has been in the business for SOO many years. If their products were bad, they would be out of business.

Yes I could provide data, yes I could provide references, I just don't care to change the opinion of someone who is swayed by a silly article.

E

C43AMG

mleskovar

OK, I'll bite.........#1 - LOL...if just adding more air increases horsepower then the design or engine mapping is faulty. Even 1 hp means alot for marketing and they squeeze everything they can at a price point. See earlier post about hp increase with NO filter. #2 - Paper filters are more efficient and do not contaminate the MAF, that's why they're used. Even AMG uses paper. As far as more $ for MB service goes I bet they would make more money cleaning and oiling a filter than just replacing it. Most people do not service their own cars.

C43AMG

............please explain Dr. Z.

C43AMG

You just re-enforced my 2 point.

mleskovar

Oiled/foam filters pass a larger particulate size than the OEM paper filters. That's the only function of an air filter and the oiled/foam are inferior.

mleskovar

I'm saying MB would make MORE $ in service if they used reusable filters .

ctC230K

this is coming from a person that joined a month ago and has 7 posts...hmm...do you smell something?

Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Vehicle I drive: 2003 C32 AMG
Posts: 7

C43AMG

I don't trust anything from Canada.

2MANYCARS

I use K&N's on all my cars, from dometics to imports to euros, no problem at all, I wouldn't get any other filter than K&N.

MJ50

either his ex-gf works at K&N or new gf works at Green... j/k

NG C-Klasse

Careful, they might sick their NAVY on us!!

C43AMG

ctC230K