SWR

I have a 2004 ML-350 I have been avg. 14.61 MPGs going to work and errands. I put a K & N air filter in place of stock MB OEM air filter and on my first tank driving the normal places I got 23.35 MPG. Wow that is a 63% increase. I'm in heaven. Have others had the same experience with K & N

jacobsung

I have 2004 ML350 too. Getting 23.35MPG from a 2004 ML350 sounds impossible. Replacing spark plugs and wires did make some improvement. You might want to check again next week or next fill up.

SWR

I track every tank. With the K & N in place the ML just seemed to accelerate easier. RPMs at idle are lower by about 33% and at speed RPMs are also lower than ever before. Normally I would see the needle of the gas gauge start to drop after only a few miles, but not with the K & N in. Also this is the first week that I have been using the AC here in MN. I drive short distances and here in the metro of the Twin Cities the free way driving is stop and go a lot of the time. Also this is the first week I have been using the A/C as we went from cold to summer 90 degrees this last week.

Have you tried a K & N air filter? They go about 50,000 miles then you clean them and they are like new again. You never never have to buy another filter for the life of the Car. They have a 1,000,000 mile warranty.

I would enjoy hearing from you if you put in a K & N and others that have tried K & N filters.

Cheers,
Steve

ldotmurray

I have seen several test videos on youtube which proved K&N air systems do not give the added increase in fuel economy as promised. However, your post sounds promising. I don't know if I can justify that investment at this time. Next week I replace the entire front suspension and I'm still hunting down the cause of my ML's slow acceleration. I would like to hear from other owners of the K&N system as well.

SWR

After a few tankfuls of gas, I'm finding the K&N air filter is going to pay for itself quickly.

I have always run Premium fuel purchased from the same station. With the MB paper air filter I was city driving and some metro freeway driving. I was averaging 14.654 MPG

With the same fuel and driving with the K&N air filter I'm averaging 17.199 MPG.

That 2.544 MPG increase works out to a 17.361% increase/improvement in mileage.

Cheers,
Steve

jacobsung

You might see a further improvement if your spark plugs are due.

SWR

Spark plugs are 40K down the road.

Yesterday had to run a bunch of errands put just a bit over 100 miles on the 2004 ML-350 I filled at the end of they day as my gas gauge had not move as much I thought it should. I found I had gotten 22.74 MPG with the half dozen stops. I LIKE MY K & N AIR FILTER!!!!!!!

Cheers,
Steve