any real benefit to a K+N filter - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

RichardLSU · #1 09-08-2010, 10:13 AM

I've had a K&N air filter in my car for about two years now, and my air breather bracket was broke BEFORE I put it in, lol. I guess I'm one of those rednecks that shouldn't be owning a Mercedes but I've had K&N filters in ALL of my vehicles simply for the fact that all you have to do is clean them and put them back in. Its more of a maintenance issue to me than performance, and if the engine breathes better, then that's just a bonus. This is the first time I've ever read anything negative about these filters. I change my oil regularly and keep up with routine maintenance on my car and it still runs as good as it did the day I bought it.

oldsinner111 · #2 09-08-2010, 10:20 AM

Being I'm from Stuttgart I enjoyed getting rid of the hot air intake on my SD.My turbo fans are clean with no dirt.All my vehicles enjoy a K an N filter.

pawoSD · #3 09-08-2010, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichardLSU

I've had a K&N air filter in my car for about two years now, and my air breather bracket was broke BEFORE I put it in, lol. I guess I'm one of those rednecks that shouldn't be owning a Mercedes but I've had K&N filters in ALL of my vehicles simply for the fact that all you have to do is clean them and put them back in. Its more of a maintenance issue to me than performance, and if the engine breathes better, then that's just a bonus. This is the first time I've ever read anything negative about these filters. I change my oil regularly and keep up with routine maintenance on my car and it still runs as good as it did the day I bought it.

Cleaning and maintenance? How often do you even need to touch the filter? I can replace the stock paper element in my car in about 4-5 minutes. I do it every 1-2 years. VERY easy. K&N = junk! Plus, the MB air intake is a cold air funnel by design, why make the engine take in hot air in the engine compartment instead? Makes 0 sense at all.

Quirky Mercy · #4 09-10-2010, 06:25 PM

[QUOTE On my old buggy we would run sand socks over the K&N to keep out the sand.[/QUOTE]

I think I need to refresh this, If sand will get through just think what else is getting in.

I would like to see a bowl of sand/dirt next to those store displays and see what realy works.

pawoSD · #5 09-07-2010, 11:24 PM

A person with the mind-set to run a red-neck style K&N filter on a Mercedes, should not be owning/driving a Mercedes, it is by nature against the grain of what the whole car is all about.

Sigh.

weird beard · #6 09-08-2010, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

A person with the mind-set to run a red-neck style K&N filter on a Mercedes, should not be owning/driving a Mercedes, it is by nature against the grain of what the whole car is all about.

Sigh.

I have to disagree with you on this one. Each persone buys a Merc for various reasons. Some for the comfort, some for the engineering, others just because it has a star on the hood. If they believe something is better for them and their car, good for them. You don't have to agree.

weird beard · #7 09-08-2010, 11:09 PM

More air into the engine will equal more power. Plug your filter and see how much power you loose. To determine if a standard pleated air filter is restrictive, air pressure would have to be measured after the filter. Ideally, there will be no measurable drop between atmospheric and post filter measurement. If there is no measurable drop under full load, there would be no benefit to a K+N. If there is a drop, you are loosing power. How much is anyones guess. Run you engine without an air filter (testing purposes only). This is as much air flow as any filter could ever deliver.

I originally asked the question because I do have a life and really can't justify spending the time to measure my air filter restriction. If I searched instead, think of all the bickering we would have missed! Hey, did someone mention WVO...

Diesel911 · #8 09-09-2010, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weird beard

More air into the engine will equal more power. Plug your filter and see how much power you loose. To determine if a standard pleated air filter is restrictive, air pressure would have to be measured after the filter. Ideally, there will be no measurable drop between atmospheric and post filter measurement. If there is no measurable drop under full load, there would be no benefit to a K+N. If there is a drop, you are loosing power. How much is anyones guess. Run you engine without an air filter (testing purposes only). This is as much air flow as any filter could ever deliver.

I originally asked the question because I do have a life and really can't justify spending the time to measure my air filter restriction. If I searched instead, think of all the bickering we would have missed! Hey, did someone mention WVO...

Somewhere buried in the threads there is a post where one member put a car on an Dyno and tested the stock filter, K&N filter and no filter. But, I do not even remember if it was a Mercedes. But, I do remember the K&N deliverd no more power at the wheels.

What I find interesting is that with Air Filters they give a cubic feet perminute spec on their filters but almost never give a filtration level in Microns.
The 3 that I could find listed Nominal 15 Microns and were not Mercedes Filters.

vstech · #9 09-08-2010, 10:29 AM

hot air intake? what are you talking about? the SD has a cold air funnel right up front and tubing to the air cleaner...

Old300D · #10 09-08-2010, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

hot air intake? what are you talking about? the SD has a cold air funnel right up front and tubing to the air cleaner...

Maybe his SD was already partly converted.

winmutt · #11 09-08-2010, 01:53 PM

If this was a horse there would be nothing left. The stock air system is cold and flows way more than youll ever need without having to move the airbox for bigger toys.

babymog · #12 09-08-2010, 05:02 PM

I'll never understand how removing, washing and drying, oiling, and re-installing is less maintenance than a simple R&R toss the old, but to each his own.

I'm just happy that the K&N sticker comes with the filter, so I'll know it was there when I look at a used car.

pawoSD · #13 09-08-2010, 06:51 PM

I agree on the sticker, if I was looking at a car and saw it, I'd be walking away.

Diesel911 · #14 09-08-2010, 09:30 PM

In the below thread is a test I did to see exactly what the under the Hood temp was (Post #5). What I found out is that as long as the Car is moving; even in City Traffice the outside and under the Hood Temp are about the same.
Only when the Car sat and Idled did the under the hood temp rise (98-110 degrees F).

Hot Air building up under the Hood at Idle is not causing any performance issues and the under the Hood temp drops quickly when the Car is moving; so, I believe there is no performance disadvantage to having the Air Filter drawing Air from under the Hood.

Replacing Stock Air filter with straight flow cone k+n?

Also the above is a different issue from cooling the Air compressed by the Turbo with an After/Intercooler.
When I get around to it I want to stick the Probe inside of my Intake Manifold and see just what type of temps are there due to the Turbo.

Sev · #15 09-08-2010, 11:31 PM

it's a proven fact that you get better airflow with a K&N filter than the stock air filter. anyone who disagrees just doesn't want to believe the science