any real benefit to a K+N filter
 

as the title says. Worth the expence or not? Any performance gains in the real world?

if you drive a suupercharged race car or a HUMONGUS vehicle with a gasoline engine there are mild benefits to the things. not on our cars though. the diesel engine is fuel managed, not air managed, so all you will be doing is ingesting increased particulate to the engine. and the motors have waaaay more air than then need with the mild horsepower they produce. put in a HUGE turbo and double the fuelflow from the IP and it'll still not be out performed by the K&N filter...
in other words,
No.
it won't help and it can hurt.

Any improvement is obtained at very high rpm where the stock airfilter on gasoline cars might be seen as an obstruction at high air flow rates. Basically enabled as a less than ideal filter with a lower contaminate capture rate by k&n. As mentioned no advantage using one especially on our engines.

Want more power? Do a good tune up by reading the archives of areas and methods of doing so. On most older cars will be worthwhile and make an improvement. Most of the tuneup approach is very cost effective on these engines. Primarily just time and effort.

what about a K+N sticker on the air filter housing? It works for the ricers.

Stickers = Free HP

K&N filters are proven to increase airflow and do work to increase power in diesel engines. It's a proven fact not worth arguing about

They work great at increasing internal wear. Higher flow with smaller pleats = bigger holes for dirt to get through, plain and simple. You just need a good paper filter with deep pleats and you'll be set.

On this one I disagree with you Sev. Every year or so we have the local sales guy out here who is their agent. He can not provide properly conducted tests that show any improvement in operation from just the air cleaner change. For any one in dusty conditions they will cause increased ware to your motor. The motor manufacturers do not support their use.
Weird's idea of the sticker is a good one!!
I have a car alarm sticker on each of our cars, never had a problem.
You may as well paint stripes on your car to make it go faster.

Not on a MB, the air filter assembly already flows more than enough air for the engine. The only way to get more power is by turning up the fuel, which increases the temps, which melts the pistons. MB did know what they were doing when they designed the air intake believe it or not. A redneck K&N slapped in there is not going to improve anything, and will just allow a lot more dirt through the engine.

Still waiting for your proven facts' evidence...

I did not change my Air Filter to gain any power but what I did has a similar setup to the K&N so called performance intake manifolds sold on eBay. And, the Air Filter uses no Oil but is washable and made by a well know company.
Washable Air Filter and Intake Mod , With Larger Breather
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/280376-washable-air-filter-intake-mod-larger-breather.html

K&N stuff for a previous thread I started
Washing K&N air filters
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/212563-washing-k-n-air-filters.html

Not sure on MB but on VW TDI diesel putting K&N means get ready to change a lot of MAF's.

I wonder which would ruin Mercedes Benz engineering sooner, K&N, or WVO...

Not changing the brake fluid. Oops... wrong thread :)

Sixto
87 300D

Dean,
Why not do both !! I think WVO would do it quicker unless you were in a dusty location.