Hi to everiibody,
I would like to tell you my story about K& N and may be save some MAF......
I have a CLK 430 since 2 years with 180.000Km now , 7 months ago I decided to put K&N filter because i was doing maintenance and i had to change MB filters.
Aftre installing these i was thinking to have more power in particular at low RPM but may be waspalcebo effect..........but after a while i had code P173 and p170 and car start tu run bad at idle and loose power at high RPM.
I tried to clen MAF with alcool and with special product to clean electronics, dry with soft compressed air..........but no result...
So i cnahged MAF and put new MB filters and the car i beck to normal.
This just to say you that for me this kind of filters are not working with car wich MAF like this.
I hope thse can save some owner to buy expensive MAF.
Many thanks guys.
Alberto

The K & N will kill any cars MAF..... many people are finding out the hard way.

The only gain you will get from using a K&N filter is intake noise, big waste of money.

When the oil dries out they no longer filter particles. Too much oil will bleed out and destroy the MAF.

The whole idea of a "washable air filter" makes about as much sense and "washing" your oil filter and reinstalling it!

Overpriced junk and a big scam! If K&N they gave me one of those turds, I'd throw it back at them.

Duke

Some manufacturers specifically mention that washable or oiled air filters will void warranty just for that reason.

On the flip side, some people reported these filters can work okay as long as they aren't over-oiled.

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95 E320 Cabriolet, 169K

The MB Club website technical director posted a warning about K&N, of course some people got all bent out of shape. The over oiling distroys the sensor was part of the comments. If you want more speed get a bigger engine go AMG, "Renn Tech" , I toured their facility and did not see any K&N stuff

K&N filters are used extensively in the racing community for two reasons. One is that the manufacturer sponsors the racers. The other is that the filters do allow more air flow. It should be noted that they don't filter fine particles as effectively as quality paper or oiled foam filters. That's not a concern on a racing engine where it will be torn down after the race anyway. Their main concern is to keep the big chunks out. It would be a major concern on a street engine expected to go for 500k.

Jorg

Waaaaaaay back, K&N ruled the modding scene 'cause OE filters were lame and engines suffered from strangulation.

No more. OE filters are of very high quality today, and in terms of overall operating costs, cheap. Modern engines experience little or no benefit from having the intake alone opened up, the downside of potentially ruining expensive emissions and FI components outweighs any gain you might see.

20 years ago many 750SS racers simply left the intake horns on their flat-slide carbs open. During the short race, the odds of sucking something in were low, and the need to have as much as air flowing as possible was high. The only guys running K&N filters were those being paid to. On the street, many of us with modified bikes ran K&N's because the stock airboxes were either too small or did not fit bigger carbs.

The drag racing scene was similar. I couldn't make the OE filter work with my roller small block, meaning a K&N was pretty much the only option.

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John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

http://img31.exs.cx/img31/4050/tophat6.gif

We ran stacks with rags stuffed into them in the pits. Some stacks had screens, most did not. K&N's had just made the scene. We were running Amal's and Lucas ignition. Kept us on our toes.

John, what bikes did you have?

Jorg

Alberto, I bet your MAF would've failed at the same day, same time anyway. Imo efi is a smog device, and the maf is the weakest link. I do not believe the K&N caused it to fail. There is no way that you or I can prove either way, but I had to throw in my 2cents.

Hey, I've been dying to take one these MAF sensors apart. If you would be willing to ship it to me I'd pay you the $5 or whatever shipping. I'll also post pix of the inside if anyone cares to see.

K&N is all hype. I have a Mustang I drag race and last time at the dyno we replaced the stock paper element with a K&N and got no HP increase!!!! Waste of thime and money.

Dan

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81 240D 4speed with 300D engine
87 560SL
2005 E320
Yukon Denali
Sierra Denali
850 Turbo Volvo
1996 Mustang
1984 Mustang race car
3 Boats

In 1982 I ran a Honda CB750F-SS Super Bike, but was not very talented. I had some Honda money through a dealer. Had lots of fun, but Freddie Spencer I was not. Good enough for some semi-pro, but no further. I raced 125 and 250 motocross on a local level with better results until a I had a season ending get off with broken ribs, finger and toes.

My "big" street bike was a heavily modified 81 CBX (yes, the ridiculous six) with a Vance & Hines big bore kit, lots of head work and six monsterous Mikuni flat-slide carbs. The thing handled like it had a hinge in the middle from day one, and with 180rwhp, it was unsafe. I added a Cal-Fab swing arm and upside-down Marzocchi (sp?) forks and it really changed the bike. Brakes were Honda racing bits with steel lines. My toodle around town bike was an 82 CB650, the last of the weak SOHC models. Nice little bike, easy on gas and great for around town. Even took it on a few trips into deep Alaska where there was lots of gravel and it held it's own very well. As I worked for Honda, I got bikes and parts at cost, sometimes even less.

A few years back I returned to biking with a Honda 750ACE, and HATED it. 40hp? Cripes, it was slower than some cars. I got a good deal on it, but it had to go. My neighbour bought a new BMW K1200GT and I bought his 2000 Hayabusa and sold the Honda. Love it. Big enough to tour, very, very, very quick and fast. I've just finished a big bore kit and might add NO2 in the spring. Without the NO2 it should pull about 220 rwhp and might break 9's in the Q.

Might be the last summer for the 'Busa though. I have been toying with the idea of something fun with four wheels, and if I find something, the 'Busa will be sold to raise $$.

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John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

http://img31.exs.cx/img31/4050/tophat6.gif

I too agree that fitting an aftermarket airfilter is a waste of time and money. The stock one has had thousands of dollars thrown at it in order to achieve the best mix of flow vs protection. why screw with it?

Same goes with the exhaust. Unless you remove cats, polish and flow the head, modify the intake and re-tune the injection to suit, you are wasting your time.

In the modern dirt bike scene, almost everybody puts an aftermarket exhaust on their bike. Why? Did yamaha purposly put an over-restricted exhaust on their motorcross bike so that it sufferes in the horsepower stakes? Yeah right. What they did do is spend millions of dollars designing an intake, combustion and exhaust package that compiment each other. Change one on its own and you destroy the harmony.

When the exhaust on a bike is replaced and the dyno says more power, there is more power. BUT, where is the power being made now? Usually what is created is a razor thin power band of good increased peak power but because it is in such a small rev range it can be almost impossible to use to it's full potential. The original stuff was designed to win races! Of course, it is a bit different if the exhaust was designed to meet noise emission regulations. Then the engine can usually benifit from a re-jetting and freer flowinf exhaust.

I would imagine that the oil in the filter has damaged the MAF rather that dust particles.
If you want to go fast, buy a $5000 sports bike with a litre engine and flatten Enzo's!! Then go cruising in your benz.

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Andrew
300e 294,000mi
380sel 185,998mi
380se 309,980mi

[QUOTE=AF300E
I would imagine that the oil in the filter has damaged the MAF rather that dust particles.
[/QUOTE]

And exactly how many thousands of MAF's have been replaced that were NEVER subjected to a K&N?
DO NOT OVEROIL !!!!!

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2007 C 230 Sport.

These K&N debates are always fun…

DANSMB:
Easy answer, your stang either had enough air already, or it wasn't tuned to take advantage of the new filter. A stock engine probably isn't going to see much if any bennies. I like it because it's reusable and doesn't get restrictive as it collects dirt. But on my chevota I can tell blindfolded if someone were to switch in a paper filter, the benz motor I cannot.

AF300E:
Sorry, the motors air/fuel system are not factory tuned for performance like we hot-rodders call performance. Unless you meant tuned to the lowest production costs and California emission standards? If they really only had performance and filtering in mind, then most all filters would be much larger. The factory is a business, which filter/airbox combo is cheaper to produce? Every single part goes thru the bean counters, if they don't pick the cheapest one that’s “good enough” today, it's because they believe it won't be cheaper down the road. Eg; recalls, emissions, politics, tarnished image, etc.

I’m really surprised you chose to attack pipes (you said dirt so I'm assuming 2-stroke).
There is no single mod I’m aware of other than nitrous and forced induction that makes such a HUGE gain in performance. And they’re not a razor thin band either. Most people I know don't even bother to ride their bike until they buy a pipe, and quite often it's negotiated into the original purchase.
I have no clue why the bike mfg's do not put better pipes on their bikes. Maybe it’s “power fixing”, remember when the Japs got busted for price fixing???