Pros&Cons of Aftermarket Filters

[Fuad]

Experts,

i would like to know the pros&Cons of after market filters and precautions taken while installing it. @Gaurav @Rahimdad @Emmanuel

[Srikumar]

I have always used a OEM air filter for my Jeep. If you are referring to the cheaper after market ones then I would say definitely forget it, as you wouldnt want to take the risk of sanding entering your engine while offroading.

 

Regarding the performance air filters, like K&N, they work with the principal of letting your car breathe easier, which in a way means that more sand can enter your engine. Also, there is a huge headache of cleaning the air filter after each drive as it gets choked with sand. The only person I know who is using a K&N air filter in our group is Gaurav, and I dont think he also feels there is a big difference compared to the headache of weakly cleaning.

[Fuad]

15 minutes ago, Srikumar said:

I have always used a OEM air filter for my Jeep. If you are referring to the cheaper after market ones then I would say definitely forget it, as you wouldnt want to take the risk of sanding entering your engine while offroading.

 

Regarding the performance air filters, like K&N, they work with the principal of letting your car breathe easier, which in a way means that more sand can enter your engine. Also, there is a huge headache of cleaning the air filter after each drive as it gets choked with sand. The only person I know who is using a K&N air filter in our group is Gaurav, and I dont think he also feels there is a big difference compared to the headache of weakly cleaning.

I was preferring the Performance Dry Flow air filters preferably AEM for Pajero

[Javier M]

I would go with a cold air intake they already have the filter and will add more horsepowers to your car

[Srikumar]

Yes a cold air intake would enjoy much better in performance.

 

Regarding the cone filter, check once on the legality and whether you can get your vehicle passed annually.

[Frederic]

Those aftermarket cone filters that suck up the air from inside the engine bay are not advisable. A decent cold-air intake unit would be better and might indeed gain you a few horses, but then again it might not.... (depends on so many things).

I am using a K&N drop-in filter which replaces the OEM filter in the original housing, but do not see much improvement on power. Sound is slightly more.

I don't believe that K&N will allow more dust or sand to enter the engine, it is just a different type of technology in comparison with your OEM filter. But yes it needs maintenance and re-oiling after 20 to 30000kms.

After every drive i clean out the air filter. K&N or OEM does not make a difference.

I use the OEM and the K&N one alternately and that gives me time to clean and maintain it. Would i buy it again ? Maybe not, but then again i paid like 250dhs for it so it was worth the try.  

[Frederic]

There is tons of information available on the web and so many contradictory results:

https://nicoclub.com/archives/kn-vs-oem-filter.html

Maybe the most experienced mechanics on this forum can tell us if they have ever inspected the inlet pipe after the air filter and see if there is more debris or dirt that came through from an aftermarket filter vs the OEM one. 

[Gaurav]

First of all @Fuad you should be specific in your question. For all time reading your question, I was thinking about engine oil filter and then Sri comment made me think on Air filter.....lolololol.

For air filter, K&N drop in is the safest bet you can add for adding 5-10 hp but the headache of cleaning, re-oiling and gaining little makes me use once in a while when I'm doing something extreme. And immediately after those attempt, I switch back to OEM paper filter, easy to clean and use.

@Frederic K&N need once in a month cleaning (MAX) if you are doing regular offroad drives, as after 4 drives your filter will become like a dry brick and make you lose more power than gaining. It might even break or crack your filter or crumple for sure. Please don't wait for 20K.

I'm myself desperately looking for K&N type freeflow drop in filter replacement, if you try this AEM, please update here with your feedback.

For cone filter, I also heard a lot of mix stories and about 80% time RTA inspector will fail and that's why I never went that route to have 1 more headache on every renewal.

[Frederic]

1 minute ago, Gaurav said:

First of all @Fuad you should be specific in your question. For all time reading your question, I was thinking about engine oil filter and then Sri comment made me think on Air filter.....lolololol.

For air filter, K&N drop in is the safest bet you can add for adding 5-10 hp but the headache of cleaning, re-oiling and gaining little makes me use once in a while when I'm doing something extreme. And immediately after those attempt, I switch back to OEM paper filter, easy to clean and use.

@Frederic K&N need once in a month cleaning (MAX) if you are doing regular offroad drives, as after 4 drives your filter will become like a dry brick and make you lose more power than gaining. It might even break or crack your filter or crumple for sure. Please don't wait for 20K.

I'm myself desperately looking for K&N type freeflow drop in filter replacement, if you try this AEM, please update here with your feedback.

For cone filter, I also heard a lot of mix stories and about 80% time RTA inspector will fail and that's why I never went that route to have 1 more headache on every renewal.

@Gaurav thanks for that. What i do now is rinsing out the K&N after every offroad drive, and re-oiling it every 20000kms. But like you i don't use it on every drive as i still have my OEM filter which is in good condition.

[Gaurav]

12 minutes ago, Frederic said:

@Gaurav thanks for that. What i do now is rinsing out the K&N after every offroad drive, and re-oiling it every 20000kms. But like you i don't use it on every drive as i still have my OEM filter which is in good condition.

Isn't reoiling is needed every time you wash or rinse.....?

Another thing I like to add which I missed earlier: K&N filter does deliver extra HP (god knows the number) but made my car perform better by an inch. This is for freshly oiled for first 2-3 full drives.