Air Filter K&N?
11-17-03, 10:51 AM
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Air Filter K&N?
I have to get a new air filter for my SC430. I called the dealer and it was $48.00. Should I get a K&N filter instead? Also, does anyone know where I can get quality lexus parts cheaper?
11-17-03, 04:45 PM
#2
Allowing more air into your engine sounds appealing, until you find out your engine DOESN'T need it in stock trim. Furthermore, the exhaust is more limiting than the intake in most cars, and if you don't open it up, you can completely remove the filter and don't see any power increase on most modern automobiles (a dyno run would verify that). Finally, even if you open up your exhaust and install a freer-flowing air filter, you need to make sure your stock ECM is compensating with enough fuel (need an exhaust gas analyzer for that), or you could run your engine even leaner; BAD. EPA limits how much the ECMs can compensate, so don't assume just because the car has EFI it'll do that automatically. Somebody with access to a dyno could run the car with a stock filter, then with no filter element at all (even better than a K&N, so you don't have to buy one just for the test) to confirm there're no power gains just with a filter swap.
Bottom line? Use the stock filter, at least while the car is under warranty. I'd be more concerned about dirt entering my engine than extra power or cost savings, so even if a K&N filter made more power and was free, I wouldn't use it anyway. One messy cleaning would probably change your mind as well. And a 'wet' filter like the K&N can mess up your MAF (which sits very close to the filter element on the SC) by coating it with a film of oil, sending the wrong message to the ECM. Are you worried about $40 every 15K miles?? I said 15K because your engine will have peak performance up to that point; after that the filter might start restricting airflow at WOT. I change it at 10K miles because I live in a very dusty area, and I see 10K every 2 years. Same with oil change intervals; I don't follow the book. I do it every 3K miles, because I rarely use the freeway, and most trips are very short (<10 miles). Fully synthetic oil (Mobil1), of course.
As far as lower prices, Steve Ganz (Carson toyota/lexus) offers a small discount, but don't know exactly how much. There're a couple of dealers offering good deals over Ebay; I think one is Sewell Lexus. The other goes by 'Lexus-parts.com', so I guess you can type that on your browser and see who it is.
Keep us posted on where to get good parts deals.
JC
Bottom line? Use the stock filter, at least while the car is under warranty. I'd be more concerned about dirt entering my engine than extra power or cost savings, so even if a K&N filter made more power and was free, I wouldn't use it anyway. One messy cleaning would probably change your mind as well. And a 'wet' filter like the K&N can mess up your MAF (which sits very close to the filter element on the SC) by coating it with a film of oil, sending the wrong message to the ECM. Are you worried about $40 every 15K miles?? I said 15K because your engine will have peak performance up to that point; after that the filter might start restricting airflow at WOT. I change it at 10K miles because I live in a very dusty area, and I see 10K every 2 years. Same with oil change intervals; I don't follow the book. I do it every 3K miles, because I rarely use the freeway, and most trips are very short (<10 miles). Fully synthetic oil (Mobil1), of course.
As far as lower prices, Steve Ganz (Carson toyota/lexus) offers a small discount, but don't know exactly how much. There're a couple of dealers offering good deals over Ebay; I think one is Sewell Lexus. The other goes by 'Lexus-parts.com', so I guess you can type that on your browser and see who it is.
Keep us posted on where to get good parts deals.
JC
11-18-03, 04:51 AM
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Thanks for the info JC. I think I will just go with the stock filter then.
I remember a website that sold Lexus parts at a resonable price. I had bought a spoiler there for my RX in the past and can't seem to remember what it was. Maybe it was Lexusparts.com but the site looks a little different. They were about 25% cheaper than my local dealer and it basically came from another Lexus dealership. I'm all for saving a buck without compromising quality.
I remember a website that sold Lexus parts at a resonable price. I had bought a spoiler there for my RX in the past and can't seem to remember what it was. Maybe it was Lexusparts.com but the site looks a little different. They were about 25% cheaper than my local dealer and it basically came from another Lexus dealership. I'm all for saving a buck without compromising quality.
11-19-03, 01:02 AM
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I beg to differ ELP_JC! I installed a K&N air filter and the performance was dramatically increased. You can notice the biggest difference off the line.
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11-24-03, 07:10 PM
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Where's the dyno sheet to back it up? Even if true, it'd be at redline (how often do you go there?), but you'd be getting dirt into your engine ALL THE TIME (bigger holes = more air (you don't need) + more DIRT).
I don't understand why people think there's free horsepower with just a darn filter. Equally restrictive as the exhaust is the entire intake, NOT THE FILTER, which provides all the air volume your stock engine needs. If you really want more power, you need exhaust, intake, chip, and then a filter. Remember your engine is a pump (more air in + more FUEL + more exhaust out = more power). And then you'll change a ton of things in the process, like reduced torque at midrange, excessive intake noise, exhaust resonance, higher fuel consumption, etc....... You didn't think power is free, did you???
This is the last time I say anything, but just think about how oxymoronic their claims are: more power AND better fuel efficiency? More air AND better filtration? And more power with only a filter? Millions of R&D dollars are spent on EACH engine to perfectly match each component and maximize their efficiency within the myriad of restrictions and design goals (emissions, noise levels, durability, fuel mileage, etc, etc), and you think a stock filter doesn't provide enough air? Come on. This is the automotive equivalent of those 'lose 15 pounds a day with a pill, without exercising or dieting'. But hey, people buy them, or they wouldn't be advertising them... Nationally! To each its own.
JC
PS. Has anybody seen the filter of a BMW M3? It's tiny. And the same size of the 323/330, AND the M3 has a bigger engine and revs to 8K rpm, and makes 333 hp!!! But still a ton of those were putting K&Ns on their puny engines, and claiming it made more power. Hmmmm. I rest my case.
I don't understand why people think there's free horsepower with just a darn filter. Equally restrictive as the exhaust is the entire intake, NOT THE FILTER, which provides all the air volume your stock engine needs. If you really want more power, you need exhaust, intake, chip, and then a filter. Remember your engine is a pump (more air in + more FUEL + more exhaust out = more power). And then you'll change a ton of things in the process, like reduced torque at midrange, excessive intake noise, exhaust resonance, higher fuel consumption, etc....... You didn't think power is free, did you???
This is the last time I say anything, but just think about how oxymoronic their claims are: more power AND better fuel efficiency? More air AND better filtration? And more power with only a filter? Millions of R&D dollars are spent on EACH engine to perfectly match each component and maximize their efficiency within the myriad of restrictions and design goals (emissions, noise levels, durability, fuel mileage, etc, etc), and you think a stock filter doesn't provide enough air? Come on. This is the automotive equivalent of those 'lose 15 pounds a day with a pill, without exercising or dieting'. But hey, people buy them, or they wouldn't be advertising them... Nationally! To each its own.
JC
PS. Has anybody seen the filter of a BMW M3? It's tiny. And the same size of the 323/330, AND the M3 has a bigger engine and revs to 8K rpm, and makes 333 hp!!! But still a ton of those were putting K&Ns on their puny engines, and claiming it made more power. Hmmmm. I rest my case.
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