Clean Your MAF
However the first gen LS400, SC400, MK3 supra, and other Toyotas uses Karman Vortech AFM, which cant really be cleaned without destoroying it. And replacement units cost well over a grand.
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Washington
I don't want to turn this thread into a K&N bashing, but this really is a case of a company selling a bill of goods. I was in the Automotive business when K&N first made their big push, the old "Filtercharger" implying that the addition of their filter would somehow supercharge an engine. We used to get a big laugh out of that one. More recently, I talked to an automotive engineer. This guy was NOT a K&N fan by any means. He told me:
1) Every air filter passes some dirt into the engine. The size of these particles is so small as to be a non factor in engine wear. K&N uses a gauze type filter media that is considerably coarser than the accepted paper found in traditional filters. The only way this can work is with the addition of oil to attract and keep the dirt from passing into the engine. As a result, the K&N filter lets LARGER size dirt particles in than the stock paper element. These particles are still very small and not considered to be a factor in engine wear, but in any case, they are larger.
2) The average MAF was never designed to run anywhere near an oil soaked air cleaner element. There is a very fine line between sufficient and way too much oil. The average person tends to over-oil the K&N element. Since the MAF sits within a couple of inches of the air cleaner element, any excess oil ends up in the exact spot where it will do the most harm, the sensor wires and bulb on the MAF.
3) While the K&N does flow more air, most late model stock cars do not benefit as the stock air cleaner system is not a restriction.
I think I am going to go back to a stock filter.
1) Every air filter passes some dirt into the engine. The size of these particles is so small as to be a non factor in engine wear. K&N uses a gauze type filter media that is considerably coarser than the accepted paper found in traditional filters. The only way this can work is with the addition of oil to attract and keep the dirt from passing into the engine. As a result, the K&N filter lets LARGER size dirt particles in than the stock paper element. These particles are still very small and not considered to be a factor in engine wear, but in any case, they are larger.
2) The average MAF was never designed to run anywhere near an oil soaked air cleaner element. There is a very fine line between sufficient and way too much oil. The average person tends to over-oil the K&N element. Since the MAF sits within a couple of inches of the air cleaner element, any excess oil ends up in the exact spot where it will do the most harm, the sensor wires and bulb on the MAF.
3) While the K&N does flow more air, most late model stock cars do not benefit as the stock air cleaner system is not a restriction.
I think I am going to go back to a stock filter.
Gawd... ive been stalling on the MAF cleaning.. to lazy to go bout MAF cleaner .. n its $6 a can =/
i should tho.. since for some odd reason i Stalled while idling over a speedbump.. i didnt even make it over n i stalled =[ wierd..
i should tho.. since for some odd reason i Stalled while idling over a speedbump.. i didnt even make it over n i stalled =[ wierd..
guys if u would learn how to oil your k&n you'll never have ne problems. had my k&n in my gs430 for bout 2 years and in my es300 for bout 5 years NOOOOOOOOOOOOO problems....only reason i cleaned my MAF (which was very clean btw) was cause i was cleaning my TB and that was filthy
if u don't over oil the filter you'll never have problems
if u don't over oil the filter you'll never have problems
Well GS400 also uses a hotwire maf like the GS430, however its design is different, and its more difficult to clean. The GS430 MAF has the exposed sensor wire which is very accessible and very easy to clean. Its more difficult with GS400, because the wire is inside a tube, but luckily the GS400 MAF is not very expensive either, runs around $150.
However the first gen LS400, SC400, MK3 supra, and other Toyotas uses Karman Vortech AFM, which cant really be cleaned without destoroying it. And replacement units cost well over a grand.
However the first gen LS400, SC400, MK3 supra, and other Toyotas uses Karman Vortech AFM, which cant really be cleaned without destoroying it. And replacement units cost well over a grand.
i have K&N's on almost every vehicle ive owned, never once had a problem to be honest. like everyone stated above just try not to over spray the filter and let it dry outdoors in the sun a bit before replacing it back into the filter chamber.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 376
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From: Washington
guys if u would learn how to oil your k&n you'll never have ne problems. had my k&n in my gs430 for bout 2 years and in my es300 for bout 5 years NOOOOOOOOOOOOO problems....only reason i cleaned my MAF (which was very clean btw) was cause i was cleaning my TB and that was filthy
if u don't over oil the filter you'll never have problems
if u don't over oil the filter you'll never have problems
I am not so quick to condemn the K&N now. I think the MAF in my car has been in need of some attention for a long time, based on the performance increases I experienced cleaning it. The biggest mistake when using a K&N is over oiling it.
Do you have to take the throttle body off the car to clean it on a 430? Removing it entails draining the cooling system, not a big deal but I would have to budget more time if I decide to do that.
I am not so quick to condemn the K&N now. I think the MAF in my car has been in need of some attention for a long time, based on the performance increases I experienced cleaning it. The biggest mistake when using a K&N is over oiling it.
I am not so quick to condemn the K&N now. I think the MAF in my car has been in need of some attention for a long time, based on the performance increases I experienced cleaning it. The biggest mistake when using a K&N is over oiling it.
k&n is fine as we all said IF u dont over oil it
