Is there a real benefit in purchasing one of these for my 4th gen? How do they compare to other brands? At autozone, its $45, while the Duralast is $7. This is obviosuly for the stock intake system.

 

From what I know, airflow is improved with K&N filters, but the filtration is not as good as paper filters.

 

NO.

When I got mine in 1998, this forum claimed "2-5 HP" gain with a panel K&N. I fell for it. It's been 8 years of cleaning and reoiling and I can assure you it was money poorly spent. Nissan OEM is a better way to go.

 

I like it because its good for almost 100k miles without needing to be cleaned. Saves alot in air filter replacment.

I did notice some slightly better pull at WOT.

 

Is that something that can be substatiated in any way? Maybe a stopwatch? In my g/f's industry they refer to it as the "placebo effect."

 

Might be a placebo effect, but some people (on other forums) have tested the airflow and the K&N does flow better than most. However, a MANN paper filter's airflow was almost identical to the K&N filter, so take that for what it's worth.

 

Long long ago I bought a K&N panel filter for my first integra. I felt it was worthwhile. After removing the lower resonator it made a noticeable difference for sure. Made a slight difference in noise, just a soft little growl at WOT. I think you can do the same on a max and maybe get a couple hp.

Or since you say it costs $45 you can probably find some cheapo intake for near that price.

 

I seem to remember that brand new they flow better, but after they get a little dirty they flow worse. And the "recharge" kits or whatever don't restore them to where they flow better than a normal filter.

 

i dont think i felt any gains when i installed my filter. i wasted my $50 but im still using it just so that i dont feel bad for wasting money behind it.

ive also heard that overoiling the filter can mess up the maf. some orgers claim that oil residue make its way up the maf and screw up the element in there.

 

You're totally right. Back in 1998 K&N had charts showing the typical airflow. They claimed that a brand-new K&N had more airflow than a brand-new OEM. True, but one costs $7, and the other $49. They also showed that a cleaned and reoiled K&N had LESS airflow than a new OEM. DOH!! The marketing dept. must have had a bird as this information has been removed from the box and the website. Gosh, if everyone knew that fact, who in their right mind would buy a K&N?

 

.

 

Same here, anyone noticed an increase of gas mileage?

 

I also bought the K&N filter....stuck it in, the computer got seriously messed up and the car was idling too high, the SES light was on...the idle was so high that when i threw it in reverse it made a 'clunk'...oops...took the damn thing out, got my $ back, never thought twice about doing it again. Now I throw a fresh fram in there for $7 every 10,000 mi or so and feel good that im getting a fresh free flowing brand new filter in there every time. I agree the monry savings with these $50 K&Ns is nothing but hot air. I mean you would have to reach 84,000 miles @ $7 a filter with changes at every 12k as reccomended ti break even...think about how negligible that is.

 

There was actually an independant study and it was proven AC Delco air filters were better. You talk of K&N as if they are gods.

FYI if you want the best mileage stick with the stock setup and just use a clean air filter. I use the ones from the dealer.

I had a Intake, just a cone and the rest of the intake was stock. I drove 210 miles all freeway and only got 31.4mpg

Put the stock system back in with a clean new filter from nissan dealer and drove to vegas 70+mph and drove around Vegas on the stip in heavy traffic for 3 days and got 33.8mpg

Drove all freeway numerous times and with the stock setup always get 35+mpg.

 

WTF are you driving that gets 35+ mpg? cuz it's not a Maxima!!

 

Because of the K&N vs. OEM?? Absolutely not.

Because my K&N was cleaned and reoiled? Yes--but that has nothing to do with K&N. That has to do with comparing a dirty filter to a less dirty one.

The first time I cleaned and reoiled my K&N in 1998, my highway mileage was 22 mpg. Overoiled it. I cleaned it again without adding any more oil and my mileage went back up.

What I'll always find hilarious is the people who bought into the mighty K&N propoganda--they're the ones who say the filter becomes more effective as it gets dirtier, because the dirt forms a barrier which stops well, more dirt.
Those are the type of people who fall prey to a new credit card with a "0%" APR, but a $7/mo. fee for each $1000 borrowed. $200-$1000 = $7, $1000 to $2000 = $14, etc. Amazing how we can not do math in the USA. Might as well lease a Ferrari while we're at it, and take out 50 or even 100 yr. mortgages too!

 

This is absolutely good advice.

 

LOL

 

My last tank was 30mpg, which is mixed driving. I'm saying I get 35+ on the freeway. Aero mods can go a long way at freeway speeds.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2309978

 

^^ sure looks like an altima to me.
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2309978




15th post, FTW

 

It is. What really surprised was I can do 100 mph freeway driving, race civics and I still managed to make a 25mpg tank. I posted my story in the weekend battles.

 

You know this is a MAXIMA forum... correct? And your Altima doesn't share anything with our Maximas..... Unlike the L31...

 

It doesn't share anything???

Please don't make me laugh. Having 12,000+ posts and you don't know what it shares is sad.

 

12k+ posts on a Maxima forum doesn't mean I know anything about an Altima...But feel free to Enlighten me

 

I'm not going to waste my time telling what parts are common. Anything I type you'll disregard anyway.

 

They share a "Nissan" badge...

 

Ahhhh it is the Hamburger that binds us....

.. .

 

I think a few screws in the center consule are the same also...

So please stop slammin this guy...

 

gears in the transmission..

 

So which gear ratios were shared from the factory in the 4A and 5MT?

 

You can't be serious. You're comparing a manual and an auto. Why am I even wasting my time with this??? Where is that block button....

 

... ... ...

Maybe I should rephrase the question..

In your 94 Altima, as 2 transmissions were available, which gear ratios are interchangeable between the Altima 4AT AND Maxima 4AT? Also, which ratios were the same in their suposed shared 5MT, meaning in the 5MT Maxima and 5MT Altima?

 

K&N IS WORTH THE MONEY. You will get a more responsive performance than Nissan OEM, and you will never have to buy another filter in your lifetime. I personally know of people who are simply anti-K&N, and that's their only motivation for cracking on it.

Have someone do the swap for you without your knowledge on three trials. Let them flip a coing to see which filter goes in first. Then you drive it under several conditions, and have them put in the other brand. Drive it again under the same conditions, and then do the third and final swap.

You make the choice as to which condition was best, and then have them tel you which flter they used.

I've used K&N in every car I've owned and they are the best investment you can make for $45 that I know of.

Period!

 

You're missing the point. Nobody said K&N sucks. When you put a air filter like K&N or even a cone filter your performance will improve but you lose gas mileage. The reason is the stock nissan filters are very restrictive and they improve fuel economy. When you put a filter that lets more air in the engine will suck more air. When the engine sucks more air it compensates with fuel. Not to mention that some people love hearing their engine scream with a filter or a K&N filter which will waste more gas.

 

I'm missing the point?

OK, let me restate my point:

I've used K&N in every car I've owned and they are the best investment you can make for $45 that I know of.

Especially gas mileage.

Gas mileage has INCREASED on every single car in which I have switched to a K&N panel filter, including two Integras, two Maxes, an I30 and most recently on a Saturn SL-1 with 200k miles on it (my sister's car).

Case in point:

My sister IMMEDIATELY gained an average increase of 4mpg after switching to a K&N filter. On her drive up to my house from S. Florida, she travelled 362 miles and averaged 40mpg on a stock filter that was changed three months ago when she had an oil change. While she was here, i swapped in a K&N filter, and on her return trip of 368 miles, she averaged 44 mpg. She takes trips of 300 miles or more about 12 times a year, and around 12,000 total miles per year.

Do the math. Just for those 3,600 miles of highway travel per year, she will save around 9 gallons of gas. That will translate into a savings of $27 (if you figure an average price of gas at $3.00/gal. Now imagine how much she will save for an entire year? She will actually MAKE MONEY on the deal.

The K&N panel filter is better than any stock filter in every possible way that you can measure panel filter value: performance, gas mileage, longevity, durability, and even fit.

Now, which point did I miss?

 

I use a paper filter in my 03..

 

she could of had some crappy filter. When she switched to K&N it gained mileage.

 

Yes.

But the only reason a better flowing filter will decrease gas mileage is because you'll have your foot in it more.

 

TOUCHÉ, mon ami!

 

well just to update, I've had it in for about 2 weeks, and there is no real difference. Im just happy i dont have to buy another filter