Are K&N filters worth the extra $$?

I had one on a '94 Splash (4.0, 5 spd 2wheel drive). I don't remember if I noticed any differences or not... too long ago. An auto parts store has them 25% off and I'm looking for ways to improve mileage, as $3.45 per gallon is killing me.

 

it'sa start. u talkin' bout a drop-in??

 

If it's cheap it couldnt hurt

A bike does wonders to gas mileage too!

 

yep... for $45 I can get a drop in filter. Or for $130 (shipping included) I can get a tonneau cover. Seems that would help more than a filter, at least on the highway.

 

Tonneaus help greatly with gas mileage.

 

Tonneaus are sweet too. I just got one and love it.

 

A drop in will help some, filter and exhaust would be a nice bump for you....

 

Tonneau will save more MPG. But a K&N can be worth the money for it.


I really needed a filter that could be washed and put back in the truck. I work in a place that is very dusty. So I am constantly sucking more dirt than a normal vehicle will. Not to mention offroading causes filters to get dirtier more often. Then there is the times I have gotten water in my airbox this turned the filter to a mudpie. With the amount of filters I would have had to purchase over the last 25,000miles the filter has paid for itself.

 

didnt they prove the tonneau cover a myth? i know people that run with there tail gate down lose mpg. something to do with the wind. i guess with the tail gate up it actraully pushes against the back of the cab and with it down it just flows out.. it was a proven study they did ill have to look for it again

 

I've had a tarp on every truck I've had, except this one (thus far). It really helped on the first truck I had, a little S-10. The rest was maybe a mile or two. Nothing would help the last truck I had, a '95 Nissan POS (fill in the blanks), 4x4 X-cab, 3.0 v6, auto, 31x10.50x15's.

As for Myth Busters, contrary to their findings, I had to drive from Indianapolis to Detroit last fall. Going I averaged about 18-19mpg w/ the tailgate up. Comming back I averaged 20-21 mpg with the tailgate down. Now nothing matters on it.

As far buying the tarp, its awaiting approval from domestic management (wife.)

 

Tonno hasn't helped me out much at all, gas mileage is the same with or without it.

 

my truck from the factory had about 12 MPG when i put the K&N drop in filter in it went to 16MPG and you never have to buy another filter

 

drop-in improves it, then cutting the airbox open on the bottom adds to it, then a tonneau helps too.

 

with the tailgate down you incease aerodynamic drag, with it up you decrease drag.

 

I'm a fan of high flow filters. But it will not get you a return on your money in gas milage.

Rich

 

I figured what the hell and bought one. We'll see how it does. BTW, I filled it up this morning (a painful $50) and its getting about 15.5 mpg, mostly city. Up from 12 the last tankful, same gas station basically same route.

 

or you could just buy a K&N cold air intake system
i did this after a while and it helped even more with MPG and also had more power, and added a nice whistle tone to the truck when running, really sucks a lot of air in

 

I've had just about all of them. The stock setup with paper filter, the stock setup with a modified airbox, the stock modded box with a K&N drop in, and a K&N air intake kit. Out of all them, nothing significant changed with mileage or power and I didn't particularly care for the "shop vac" sound with the K&N intake kit with the open filter. The WOT sound is nice though. I made the best compromise and am running the stock opened up air filter box with a K&N drop in along with the slightly shortened intake tube from the K&N kit so it fits with the stock air box in place. I think the smooth air intake tube is better than the stock one because it doesn't have the "accordian" section in it that can disrupt air flow. I have found that with the K&N filter it is a good idea to occassionally clean the interior of the MAF and the throttle body plate with CRC electrical spray cleaner as the oil from the filter can build up on them over time. I've always been concerned about getting water in the intake while running an open air filter if you were to hit a big puddle at speed or get into really heavy rain at speed.

As a side note, the Gibson exhaust is my favorite engine mod so far (besides the Bama tuner) and actually did help slightly with mileage.