hi all,

i have seen/read numerous discussions concerning air filters and the quest to find/install the BEST.

now my OEM filer needs replacing and i am heavily considering to put a drop in K&N. however the feedback seems mixed about this. if the HP gain is negligible why bother putting something in that MAY screw up the MAF?

no i am going to put a poll up to see the consensus from 5th gen max owners. hopefully this will be a definitive gauge for other max owners who are considering this switch.

regards

supa

 

I put in a Microguard filter, bought it from AutoZone for less than $10. I put well over 7k miles on it without a MAF problem.

Drop-in filters really don't give you that much HP. I replaced mine as the OEM was *very* dirty.

Glad that i did, i noticed throttle response to be better after replacing the filter and over the next several hundred miles i noticed better MPG (+3 on average).

 

i use a k&n ru-2820 and a rr-3003. no maf problems on 01 for 1.5 yrs and cleaned maf once.

 

Btw, it seems Nissan's filter is a wet-type filter. I left the old filter in the Microguard box for a couple of days and noticed that the box bottom became soaked in the oil from the filter. The Microguard i got is dry-type.

 

i guess the Nissan filter carries the swing since the drop in K&N etc., doesn't add more horses.

supa

seems the marginal gain does not justify the need for a K&N.

 

Well, K&N's 1,000,000 mile lifespan on their filters is justifiable enough.

Though i really can't foresee re-using K&N drop-in's for more than 60k at most (i've seen some K&N's that are in need of replacement even after cleaning at that point)

 

now the results are split evenly 4 ways...

i really thought this might have been a cut and clear winner, but i guess not.

 

You also have to consider that cone filters will make things a bit louder than if you stuck with your stock airbox and a drop-in filter.

 

How do you connect the cone filters, do you have to buy an adaptor or can you just put it on without anything, I just returned a cone air filter becuase I thought it wouldn't fit, how in the hell do you do this, it seems too easy for me to be asking this...thanks!

 

Hmm, I was wondering why the Nissan filter was wet. I put in a dry Purolator filter in mine (didn't notice much of a difference)... perhaps I should throw a Genuine Nissan filter in there in case the Purolator ****s my MAF sensor. I doubt it's worth splurging for a K&N replacement panel filter (although the local Advance Auto has them in stock for $45). I may do an intake some day, no time soon though.

 

Stillen cone because its bigger, and it has the air accelerator that comes with it. not sure if it really dose anything.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed the stock filter was wet. Not water wet, more like slightly WD-40 oil wet. I don't know how to describe it really.

 

well i ended up going for the OEM nissan filter...and yes it is a bit damp, which further reinforces my choice. i got it for C$21, which is way cheaper than the k&n (which is also oiled).

however, the dealer can't tell me **** if it screws up my MAF b/c it was purchased at the dealer and it OEM, whereas the k&n has the same oil on it, which can damage the MAF, however if u take it back to the dealer they MAY tell u to **** off.

as such, since the HP gains by the k&n is negligible my thoughts is that one should stick with oem unless u are putting in a cone.

supa out.

thanks for the feedback everyone.

 

well i ended up going for the OEM nissan filter...and yes it is a bit damp, which further reinforces my choice. i got it for C$21, which is way cheaper than the k&n (which is also oiled).

however, the dealer can't tell me **** if it screws up my MAF b/c it was purchased at the dealer and it OEM, whereas the k&n has the same oil on it, which can damage the MAF, however if u take it back to the dealer they MAY tell u to **** off.

as such, since the HP gains by the k&n is negligible my thoughts is that one should stick with oem unless u are putting in a cone.

supa out.

thanks for the feedback everyone.

 

I didn't go with K&N for HP gain, I went with K&N for the superior quality and re-usability. You can get the oiled OEM one for much cheaper, but you'll need to replace it 4 or 5 times before you even need to consider replacing a K&N filter. Do the math on that and suddenly the K&N doesn't seem that expensive.

 

Just to skew the survey, I put in the Amsoil drop in - not for hp but for superior filtering and long life. I have about 30k mi. on it, ready for second cleaning, no MAF problems.

 

K&N drop in panel filter here. 36k on my '02 SE. I clean it every 10K. Had the MAF checked at 30k service (due to questions over the ECU bulletin,) and zero problems reported.

(BTW, if the service dept gives you problems over your non-OEM drop-ins, find another service dept. There is a law that protects consumers on this issue, and I wouldn't want to deal w/jacks like that.)

 

I've had my K&N drop in for 2.5 years. Zero problems.

 

Where is "Other" in the poll?

Jet/$tillen Pop w/FirmFabrications mid pipe.

 

I went back to stock recently and put back in my original OEM filter and noticed better throttle response than my Frankencar, Injen, and JWT intakes. The filter is a little dirty since its the original and I'm going to purchase a used K&N filter from an org member here for $20.00

 

I just put in an OEM this morning. I replaced what the previous owner had in there - some red napa one. It was dirty and it looked cheap. Considering I got my OEM part for $9.99 I'm not sure why somebody thought it would be a good idea to put a napa one in. Interestingly the front (where air comes in first) was cleaner than the back, where I noticed some scud and even a few tiny dead insects somehow stuck to the back of it.

 

I don't recommend using K&N at all, I have lost count of the number of air flow meters damaged by K&N.

Besides if anyone really believes they can get extra horse power by changing out an air filter needs help, serious help

 

Are you really a Nissan Master tech or is that just a catchy screen name?

 

 

 

I dropped in a K&N filter not too long ago, and so far have had no problems.

I don't suspect that just dropping in a K&N filter, in a stock airbox, will produce more horsepower. I however, performed the GAB mod and figured a K&N would take the most advantage of any extra airflow.

Has anyone with a GAB bothered to dyno their car after the mod? I'm curious to see if it does any good at all.

Even if the powe is minimal... I love the sound it makes!!!

 

It's normal for some filter to have some oiliness on them. The dry filter just do fine but it does help if it had some little bit of oil. If you think about it, that when dirt stick on the oil, it stays there. It actually does help the filtration. When I did a second filter change on my own for the first time, I was looking at the Nissan filter, it looks like a cheap corrugated filter like it's made of poor construction material. I bought the Fram Filter, it only cost $7 a pop, i spray a little WD-40 before install it. It works perfectly fine.

 

Thats interesting. You went back to stock and had better throttle response?? I have an injen intake on my car now, and although the VQ seems to have a little less low end torque with it, i thought it was a little more responsive than stock. Maybe I should go back to stock and see how it feels now...

 

Yes I really am a Nissan Master Technician.
I have worked for Nissan for 15 years.

 

I also had the Nissan dealer do "two" TSB flash ECU upgrades (another one just got released a couple of weeks ago) and I also had a low voltage drop on my MAF sensor, I had that replaced too under warranty. I'm sure with all that work it helped even with the stock airbox/filter.

 

Can you shed some light as to why our MAF's go out when an aftermarket intake is added (2002 - 2003's)?

 

k&n so far no problem. a little better MPG with it.

 

Drop in K&N with the ram air gutter intake. I have 65,000 on mine no problems with MAF

 

I too recently went back to my stock airbox and filter config. from a Berk midpipe and Stillen POP intake setup. I originally put it back because I had to take the car back to the dealer for a SES light problem. I actually thought I lost a bit in terms of throttle response, but the reduction in intake noise was worth it (yeah, I know I'm too old).

 

MaximaDave:

This is the first I'm hearing of a brand new flash for the ECM. Could you provide me with more details like the TSB # and what it is supposed to fix? I already have the older flash update for the hesitation/loss of power issue. Thanks!

 

should the ECU be reseted after changing an air filter?

 

no, its no necessary. the ecu will pick it up on its on.