stock air filter vs. simota or K&N

[niky]

I/H/E generally won't hurt gas consumption unless it's poorly done. Poor gas consumption MAY result from IHE mods in the following cases:

1. MAF malfunction due to aftermarket filter: if the aftermarket filter doesn't filter well enough, or if you over-oil your K&N when using the recharge kit, you can damage the Mass Airflow Sensor, which will cause poor running.

2. Improperly fitted exhaust components: Poor joints and gaskets cause exhaust leaks, causing increased fuel consumption.

3. Improperly tuned exhaust components: Too large an exhaust will destroy low rpm driveability and fuel economy. While you generally want your exhaust to flow as freely as possible, if you make the tubes too large, this causes poor flow and turbulence at low exhaust velocities.

From experience, most Simota filters don't provide much more power than stock. Maybe 1-2 hp if you're lucky... and less than none if you're not. Hardly worth the money. An original K&N filter will give you 3 hp or so on a stock car. It doesn't sound like much, but it helps sharpen throttle response, and will provide even more power when combined with a good exhaust system.

[ufd869]

yung "kit" ramdam mo agad improvement kahit stock pa exhuast and headers mo. plus mas maganda tunog pag naka racing filter kit kaw. hehe.

[baludoy]

lifetime ba talaga ang knn (given na you clean it properly)? kasi ang simota disposable naman din daw according to some fellow tsikoteers

[niky]

They're supposedly life-time, but if they get crumpled or squashed, or some idiot pokes a hole in one with a screwdriver, you'll still need to replace them.

[baludoy]

what are breathers for? are they standard stuff for aftermarket air filters?

[niky]

Crankcase breathers. So you don't have to deal with crankcase recirculation into your intake tube. They're common with old Simota kits because the universal tubes they had didn't have bungs for the PCV hoses.

I haven't experienced any problems with them in the past, but it's always best if your kit has a PCV line attachment.

[baludoy]

Crankcase breathers. So you don't have to deal with crankcase recirculation into your intake tube. They're common with old Simota kits because the universal tubes they had didn't have bungs for the PCV hoses.

I haven't experienced any problems with them in the past, but it's always best if your kit has a PCV line attachment.

ano po ang pcv?

correct me if i'm wrong bos, but i'm getting the impression from your post above that the newer models of simota and knn (and other brands for that matter) do not require or need breathers anymore, sir?

[niky]

PCV = positive crankcase ventilation. Air is recirculated from the valve cover to the intake hose to prevent buildup of hydrocarbon residue (which causes sludge) inside the engine.

It's not the type of filter that dictates whether you need to place a breather on the PCV valve. It's the tube. If you replace your stock intake tube with an aftermarket one that has no bung for the PCV hose, then you need a breather. You can't just seal up the PCV connection on the valve cover (or wherever it is, on your engine) as this is bad for your engine.

Of course, it's also bad to have a breather, as this vents unburned hydrocarbons into the atmosphere... causing more pollution. Thus, most modern intake pipes have bungs for these hoses.

[IGNITED]

guys,

what do you think? what are the pros and cons of changing to performance filters? is it true na you have to change oil more often when using performance filters dahil mas madali daw makapasok yun dirty air?

I'm planning kse to install simota on my ride. thx!

Hey bro don't use simota, a bit of a tuner myself and based on facts simota filter has low filtrating capabilities unlike Kn'N or Apexi filter etc. that would lead to dust going thru ur throttle chamber. You will also notice that Kn'N filters are "oiled" na (thats y it's redish in color), that oil helps trap dirt and dust from entering thru it.

[emongedmund]

ang maganda sa k&n na nabili ko meron syang parang SpiralMax sa loob ng filter para maganda pasok ng hangin unlike sa dati kong simota cone filter na walang laman. K&N parin

[LexTer]

i dont know how true. nakakabawas daw ng 30% ng engine life ang simota gawa ng di maganda filter.

[niky]

30% might be a bit OA, but Simotas can lead to pretty dirty engines. Not a big issue if you follow a frequent oil change program, but it gets irritating losing power after awhile, as Simotas often lose flow over time... much quicker, in my experience, than other aftermarket filters.

I'm pretty happy with K&N... flow doesn't degrade as badly as my old Simotas did (I had them on my Sentra before)... and it's very free-flowing. I guess the only way I could get better air-flow is by using the steel-mesh filter, but that doesn't keep anything out. Looks damn cool, though... (still have one at home... )

[baludoy]

do knn drop-in filters also last for a "lifetime" too? where are they available?

[niky]

Lots of places. If you want, you can shop around for best price... or just haggle at one shop till they meet it. Prices range between 3.5k - 4.5k, depending on the model and size.

They supposedly have a lifetime guarantee. But the cost of claiming it from the US (with shipping fees and all) probably means you're better off just buying a new one if your current one ever wears out.

[baludoy]

^so it's as expensive as the cone type ones too. which is better sir?

[niky]

A cone-type will give you more power... as long as it's not heat-soaked... when it's heat soaked, it's not far off from stock... you need to invest in a heat-shield or box to protect it in traffic if you don't want performance to degrade, but it's not really harmful, and you can leave it as is.

A drop-in type will give you less power, but will maintain the stock cold-air tubing, which is better in traffic. It'll also retain your car's stock water-fording abilities. Good if you've got a high air-intake (at hood level), bad if you've got a low one (headlight or bumper level).

[laracroft]

anyone here has used or heard
of hurricane stainless steel
drop-in filters?

dito sa singapore forum ng kia,
parang mas preferred nila to
over K&N filters. am planning
kasi on buying bago ako umuwi.
mas mahal siya compared to K&N.

thanks!

[cyrusblutrooper]

performance shop here is selling me K&N drop in air filter for about 4500...my ride is diesel trooper. EXPENSIVE

[niky]

Yup... that's about going price for that one. The cheaper K&Ns are the simple universal cone filters.

RE: Hurricane steel mesh filters... Steel mesh flows better, ostensibly, than K&N, but filtration ability is much lower. You'll need to clean out / change oil more often to keep performance from degrading.

[laracroft]

thanks sir niky!