Is a K&N cold air intake worth it?

Wondering if anyone has a K&N or any other brand of cold air intake, I'd like to know if they are worth the $300 and if they'd be functional fr my truck and won't damage any sensors or anything.

 

good question, i would like to know the same.....

 

Nope. One: Tacos come with a true cold air as is. Two: The oil on the K&N will eventually cause havok on the MAF sensor.

 

Same as below, you can get the replacement K&N air filter and call it a day, that's about it. The only other CAI I would suggest for you specifically is the URD CAI. People call it a "TRUE" CAI because the actual intake and filter runs out in front of the radiator taking in the coldest air possible. The stock intake is as close as you will get besides the URD.

CAI's are mostly for sound at best. I know a couple have been proven to increase hp by a tiny bit, but they do not help MPG, that all has to do with your right foot
K&N is good but if you just want to stick with just the K&N brand, just get their replacement washable filter for the stock airbox and call it a day. URD CAI will not work for you truck, only for 2005-2011's.

 

I've never heard of the K&N oil causing damage? Do you have a link to that? I'm just curious because I have the K&N filter for the stock airbox myself and I have never had problems after a recharge. I've taken the MAF sensor out before and checked for residue but nothing.

 

Gonna have to drive a lot of miles getting better MPG's to get that $300 back. Not worth it to me.

 

The filter is oiled. They sell re-oil kits for it. The oil on the filter has to go somewhere right?

 

Yes, I know the filter is oiled, and yes I use the recharge kit after I clean it. I've never had a problem before with the oil getting caught anywhere, goes through the engine just like Seafoam does, goes through and gets burned off. I've taken the airbox off and felt inside the airbox itself including running my finger in and around the throttle body, never had a lick of residue on my finger. I was just asking where you got that because if the oil is messing with my MAF, might as well stop using it.

 

The way I see it, why fix something that's not broke? A stock AF doesn't need oiling and are cheap to replace.

Even if you get 2 mpg better, which you won't. it will take many, many miles to break even before it starts to pay you back.

You might get 30 more miles per tank.

You won't get a pay back for 60 fill ups. But it it won't work that well.

 

Most people I've known that have gotten them like the extra "noise" a K&N produces and can't help but stand on the throttle all the time, which negates any fuel economy gain they may have gotten. There are lot's of other mods you could spend that $300 on.

 

I'm thinking a couple plane tickets to anywhere.

 

I have the K&N intake on mine, but it was already there when I bought it. I really don't think it does any good, other than maybe de-clutter the engine a bit. If I can find a stock intake from a salvage yard for cheap I'd probably buy it and sell the K&N on eBay.

 

It's a $300 noisemaker

 

X2!

 

I put a Volant intake on my '13, it has the dry filter and the filter box is plumbed into the fender like factory is . I gained throttle response, a little low end pickup and deeper exhaust tone.

 

If you live in the southwest or any other desert areas you may be gambling with using a k&n filter. The increased air flow comes at the cost of less filtering, the less filtering is believed to have resulted in reports of increased silica levels from oil sample analysis. Silica isn't something you want pumping through your engine.

Issues of MAFs being damaged can sometimes to attributed to over oiling filters, however how much oil is too much and how much is too little so it's letting in extra contamination? Fuck if I know, I was using a k&n with the idea that it would save money over the long run but the cleaning kits cost a bit and it's a pain in the ass it is to clean it they just simply are not worth it to me. I pulled the fucking thing out and went back to OEM.

I'm not saying that the reports of these issues are reliable or even completely accurate but if there are not really any practical benefits to using a CAI or oiled filter why even fuck with it if theres a chance of damaging something.

 

It is common for people to over-oil the K&N and other "wet" filters, and when that is done foul the MAF sensor...

The good news is however that K&N's filters are just snake-oil coated gauze--here's my rant about them from 12 years ago--nothing has changed since then...

 

I can understand that entire rant, and I truly already know K&N sells BS filters. I've never "over oiled" so I have never experienced the MAF failure. I usually spray a little on the actual filter area and rub some around the gasket just to ensure a tight seal so I have no leaks. That's about it, I may just go back to a stock filter someday but its fine for me now as a filter.

 

Do yourself a favor.

Get a ultragauge, scangauge, or obd2 dongle like an elm327 and use torque app.

Find the intake temps of your stock intake.

Now as for the location of the filter housing being right over the engine most likely getting heat soaked, thats a possibility. But at around 40 to 50 mph i bet stock pulls ambient air across the maf.

Now, gadget said he dynoed with the stock intake with stock filter.... then took out the filter AND the emissions filter further up.... dyno showed zero gains that were not within acceptable dyno variations.

The issue is the stock intake... its made with chambers/baffles to quiet things down just like any mainstream oem intake. These are the limiting factors, and even then.... by how much?

I run the afe stage 2 si because it removes the entire housing away from the engine, and is made of plastic which im assuming resists heatsoak more than steel (urd). Its loud unless u have a blower tho... so loud its hard to converse while merging or passing and sounds like your glove box is about to have a honeybadger come thru it.

Urd sounds great outside, and inside its not very loud at all. At high rpm like merging in rain, it WILL pull water across the maf sensor causing ur truck to stumble on its face for about a second. Unlezs u run the hydrophobic sock which will also kill responsiveness. The 2nd one i had also had a leak where the maf sensor mounts, and the plug n play connector does not fit well at all.

K&n will pull ambient air, isnt too loud, but its an oiled filter. The line is drawn about 50/50 id say over years of debate... some say even oiled per directions they cause maf fouling, some deny that. Ive had 1 come over oiled brand new in the bag! They also used to state "no need to clean more often than xxx miles as the particles that build up on the filter help it filter better".... really? Make a filter that filters right from day 1 please!
K&n/aem also built the newer plastic "trd" intake for the 2nd gen tacomas incorrectly and it runs lean...yeah, great job guys.

 

Damn things come out of the boxed way over-oiled lol; I've never had an issue with the K&N filters and considering there is a carbon filter right after the air filter; I really don't see how any oil can come into contact with the MAF sensor. Unless people oil the shit out of the K&N filter and it soaks through the carbon filter thus making its way to contact the MAF sensor?

Still I've used K&N for many years and no troubles with MAF sensors; if it gets dirty clean it and your good. I've never seen the oil damage the sensor that everyone speaks of.

Get on Amazon and buy the AEM Dry filter; it works wonderful and I've been using in my truck for a long time; plus its cheaper than the K&N. Both are good quality filters.