Are you looking for a way to boost your vehicle's performance? K&N air filters are a popular choice for many car owners, but do they really work? The answer is yes! K&N air filters can improve your vehicle's performance, but don't expect a huge increase in power. More air equals more power, and K&N high-flow filters allow for greater airflow. Replacing the OEM air filter with a K&N filter will add power and increase acceleration, but the biggest gains come from installing a complete cold air intake system. You'll get improved throttle response, slightly better mpg and maybe a few horsepower.
A cold air intake system will make the most of it, but the price increases accordingly. But do these small gains show up in real world driving? Tests have shown that aftermarket air filters improve acceleration times by an average of 1.2-2.74 percent. K&N filters can add a little noise and some extra ponies, but they're reusable so they're worth it. Most OEM filters are made of pleated paper or foam filter elements and fibrous materials with pores small enough to trap solid particles or dust from the air.
They also protect against water ingestion, which can cause hydraulic blockage and destroy an engine. So what kind of power can you expect? Depending on the engine, K&N guarantees an improvement in horsepower, with many engines seeing improvements of between 10 and 15 horsepower with complete cold air intake system kits. To understand the K&N air filter, you need to understand what a common air filter is and what it does. Standard air boxes are designed to have no dead spots so that turbulent air simply swirls and does not enter the engine.
An air cleaner has a conflicting requirement that is not to prevent air flow to the engine (if technically possible, allow an “unrestricted” flow of clean air to the engine). The air filter has a direct impact on the amount of (clean) air that is supplied to the engine. If the pores are too small, it may have better filtration qualities, but it effectively restricts airflow. Upgrading an engine's air filter is the easiest and most cost-effective modification a homeowner can make. K&N filters are reusable and guarantee an increase in power and torque, so they're worth considering if you're looking for a way to boost your vehicle's performance.
