K&N Air filter: worth it?
 

im talking about their OEM replacement filters that are supposed to last for a lifetime

it seems that i have to clean it every 40,000~50,000 miles

is anyone here using these?

i have a 2001 GS300 with stock intake and just want to see if K&N is worth getting?

The K&N air filters are actually pretty crappy. I used to use them on all my cars but when i used to get my oil analysis back it would always have a high silica or silicon(dirt) numbers. Believe it or not the best air filters i have used have been the cheapo fram. Make you oil the filter edges before setting it in place. That helps capture dirt particles.

I have used K&N on past vehicles and you do notice a nice improvement in engine response, improve mileage, I would not wait 40K-50K, I would refresh it every 20K miles

ah cool, good to know
thanks

i think ill get one

Improved performance is debatable.

I have a new one in the box I drove a few days and had no change in mileage or performance.

It did cause a MAF failure due to the filter oil, factory installed.

That was a $187 expense above the $24 for the filter itself.

Currently running a OEM filer.

In my opinion, I think one of the main reasons why it has a slight improved performance is because it allows more air to flow through, thus filtering less. It actually shouldn't have better gas mileage. K&N filters are basically compromises for having more air flow giving less filtering.

If they were that much better in performance and even fuel economy, I'd think Lexus would've put it in there in the first place.

Even the OEM paper filter is a compromise, all filters must balance filteration and flow. If one believes OEM filter never let in dirt, then owners with OEM filter would never need to clean and replace MAF, which is mounted after the filter, right?
Also Lexus is in the business of making $, its priority is very different than an individual owner. For example, most people would love to have better OEM tires for longe wear, low noise, and better traction but Lexus tend to find the cheapest tires to get us out of dealership's door. For RX300, OEM Goodyear Integrity and Bridgestone Dueler have the worse Tire Rack ratings from owners, Lexus choose these tires for a reason: low cost.

that sounds scary

so would u say i should really stick with genuine toyota parts then?

will the K&N filter really let that much crap into the engine that it will screw things up?

thanx

I've been running one for about a year (~18,000 miles) and have never had a problem, never had MAF issues although they are common. I wouldn't be able to tell you about performance increase or not, since even if there was it would most likely be negligible, however I've noticed slightly better gas mileage for both city and highway since I've switched to K&N.

Import Tuner did a test on OEM paper vs. K&N and they found that K&N traps about 96% of the dirt that an OEM does while allowing higher flow rates, and over a period of time all the dirt allowed in was so minor that it was well worth the purchase of a K&N. The fact that you never have to replace the filter is another plus.

-Tc

When it comes to air intake on a Lexus, stick with OEM. The potential risks associated with a K&N filter are too great. JMHO:D

Well performance wise, they probably give a small negliable amount. Because if they do give 3-4hp, I'd think Lexus would use a filter like that to increase their advertised hp.

Well I'm not completely against K&N, since I purposely went looking for one for my Camry, but in my RX330, I feel better with the OEM Lexus ones, even if their made by Denso.

Here's a comparison of air filters, including K&N:

http://bobistheoilguy.com/airfilter/airtest3.htm

In the long run yes it is worth it, HP wise? dont expect feelable difference
I vote yes for K&N

i bought mine cause i think it might give a little performance, and have heard theyre better. but now that i think of it, id rather just buy fram for 1/3 of the price and throw it out when im done, get a new one, and that way i dont have to worry about cleanin it.

True, but Fram recommends every 12,000 miles of replacement. I don't clean my K&N I just replace it every 40-50K(when K&N recommends cleaning) which still ends up being about $35 every 3 years because I haven't replaced mine yet.

-tc

i just added a poll option

but im not convinced if i should get K&N and risk dirt getting negligible benefits isnt encouraging either
hmm...