KN filter noise

[codeblue]

I have used K&N in my car, i chose not to use the drop in version instead I went with the cone shape filter. Of course I ended up eliminating the airbox, this allowed more airflow into the engine (in theory). The only consequence that I noticed was that my car had a humming sound. You're right about the "noise" being difficult to describe. Best I can say besides the humming (mid to high pitch) was that it sort of reminded me of a small jet engine. Did notice the improved gas mileage and horsepower but not significant enough to scream praises about it. Hope this answers your original question.

 

[jaybird]

I worked for a Honda dealership a few years ago and talked to the KN rep.....your bike is taking in about 25% more airflow and the motor isnt working as hard...the rasp can be considered a sigh of relief from your bike:Sport:..and I qoute him on that!!

 

[jamesfz6]

Good questions. I am looking forward to possibly installing this K&N filter this Friday as well. I have stock exhausts and am curious to see whether the filter is worth the extra $$$. They say that the filter will last a lifetime with proper care/cleaning. Does anyone have any input on the Cleaning of the K&N filter?

Very easy to clean. Just make sure you do it when you know you wont be riding for awhile. You have to let it dry for 4 to 6 hours after you wash it off then you have to let it sit an hour or 2 after you oil it.



Some people will say you just wash it, dry it, oil it, and put it back in. I try not to rush the process, but to each his own.

 

[nimzotech]

Good point above jamesfz6. Our FZ6s would not appreciate any liquids (especially filter oil) contaminating the engine.

 

[HavBlue]

Very easy to clean. Just make sure you do it when you know you wont be riding for awhile. You have to let it dry for 4 to 6 hours after you wash it off then you have to let it sit an hour or 2 after you oil it.



Some people will say you just wash it, dry it, oil it, and put it back in. I try not to rush the process, but to each his own.

Folks, I want you to read this real good and let it burn in. I generally hang the filter overnight in a clean corner of the bike storage area to let it get set up. Too much oil is a bad thing and the FZ6 is not a 2 stroke so we don't need oil injection.

Excellent point James....

Charlie

 

[trailblazer87]

I have used these for years, the big thing is it only takes a light coating of oil.
The K&N by itself should not give you too much of anything, our exhausts are pretty restrictive, that said, if you change your exhaust you may have the airflow outside of the parameters set in the ECU by the factory and have to run a PC to compensate. The added mileage is NOT enough to pay for the filter. Your not saving any money by buying gone of these. But i do think they are a great product.:thumbup:

 

[HavBlue]

The K&N by itself should not give you too much of anything

Tell ya what, I won't bother to put it on a Dyno but I will offer you this: Come over to my place and I will go down to Harley and buy a brand new out of the box stock air filter for my stage 1 1200 Sporty. I'll put it in and you can go for a ride. When you come back I will put the K&N filter in and you can again go for a ride. In both cases I want you to run the crap out of that engine and push it all the way to the rev limiter. When you come back you will be telling me to launch that factory filter as it does make that much difference on that bike.

I will grant you it did not make as much difference on my FZ6 but there is a difference and it isn't all noise.

 

[Hellgate]

Usually I stay away from three topics 1) Politics, 2) Motor Oil, 3) K&N air filters.

I had used K&Ns for a number of years on every thing from VW Golfs, to Suburbans, race bike, street bikes, etc.

I have had two bad experiances with them.

1) on my old GS11 I took the air box off and put on individual pod filters for each carb. Two problems, with the old CV carbs I could never get them jetted right, ran lean. The other problem was in a heavy cross wind like 40 to 50 mph, the bike would loose power, severly. The wind blew through the filter and the fuel/air mixture was jacked. Also the GS wouldn't run faster then 115 with the filter. After screwing with this for 9 months I threw the stock air box back on and all of a sudden I got ALL of my power back and the bike ran great.

2) I had an 87 Porsche Targa, beautiful car. It had the dreaded valve guide problem and I figured if I was taking the heads off I do a whole motor. Installed SC Cams, High compression pistons, stainless steel exhaut, custom muffler, cleaned the heads up, Ti valves and valve caps, a custom e-prom mapping and a big honkin' K&N filter and runner in front of the mass flow sensor. The motor as AWESOME. In a 3.2 liter we went from 217hp stock to 263 hp, all verified on the dyno. She flew. So one day I was cleaning the engine and pulled the K&N off. What did I see.....the runner in front of the MFS full of fine DUST! F*ck That! I just spent about $8,500 on that motor. Screw the K&N, the stock air box went back on and re-ran it on the dyno, the HP dropped 1.5 hp, that is it. That gain was because the K&N kit replaced the stock air box that has a sound baffle in it. For how little gain there was it was not worth dirt in the motor.

On track bikes I dont care, the motors were getting top ended once a year and the bottom end the next. For my dailies no thanks. In fact I once used cotton bandage gause held on to the velocity stack with a rubber band. It kept the rocks out.

As far as noise, the stock paper filter acts to quiet the intake honk, yes K&N, UNI and other will make your engine louder. Every vehicle I've had that I put them on was louder.

Finally on my 02 Carrera we had a dyno day and I ran it bone stock to baseline, 294 at the wheels, 315 crank. After two baseline runs I pulled the paper air filter, not a bit of difference any where in the power curve.

 

[HavBlue]

Usually I stay away from three topics 1) Politics, 2) Motor Oil, 3) K&N air filters.

I had used K&Ns for a number of years on every thing from VW Golfs, to Suburbans, race bike, street bikes, etc.

I have had two bad experiances with them.

1) on my old GS11 I took the air box off and put on individual pod filters for each carb. Two problems, with the old CV carbs I could never get them jetted right, ran lean. The other problem was in a heavy cross wind like 40 to 50 mph, the bike would loose power, severly. The wind blew through the filter and the fuel/air mixture was jacked. Also the GS wouldn't run faster then 115 with the filter. After screwing with this for 9 months I threw the stock air box back on and all of a sudden I got ALL of my power back and the bike ran great.

2) I had an 87 Porsche Targa, beautiful car. It had the dreaded valve guide problem and I figured if I was taking the heads off I do a whole motor. Installed SC Cams, High compression pistons, stainless steel exhaut, custom muffler, cleaned the heads up, Ti valves and valve caps, a custom e-prom mapping and a big honkin' K&N filter and runner in front of the mass flow sensor. The motor as AWESOME. In a 3.2 liter we went from 217hp stock to 263 hp, all verified on the dyno. She flew. So one day I was cleaning the engine and pulled the K&N off. What did I see.....the runner in front of the MFS full of fine DUST! F*ck That! I just spent about $8,500 on that motor. Screw the K&N, the stock air box went back on and re-ran it on the dyno, the HP dropped 1.5 hp, that is it. That gain was because the K&N kit replaced the stock air box that has a sound baffle in it. For how little gain there was it was not worth dirt in the motor.

On track bikes I dont care, the motors were getting top ended once a year and the bottom end the next. For my dailies no thanks. In fact I once used cotton bandage gause held on to the velocity stack with a rubber band. It kept the rocks out.

As far as noise, the stock paper filter acts to quiet the intake honk, yes K&N, UNI and other will make your engine louder. Every vehicle I've had that I put them on was louder.

Finally on my 02 Carrera we had a dyno day and I ran it bone stock to baseline, 294 at the wheels, 315 crank. After two baseline runs I pulled the paper air filter, not a bit of difference any where in the power curve.

Pete, I want you to know that I totally understand what you are saying but I think that folks often don't understand how stuff works when it comes to adding more air. As you know adding more air does not actually mean you will make any substantial gains at all. In the case of my 1200 Sporty the difference or need for more air is relative to a modified exhaust, ram air and more fuel through re-jetting that CV-carb. Without that filter the difference above 3,000rpm is flat huge as is the pull factor. In terms of the FZ6 the difference to a stock bike is minimal by comparison but there is an observable difference above say 9,000rpm when that engine says feed me. I feel certain that difference could be exploited if I had an aftermarket or custom exhaust and a PC. In any case we both know it comes down to cause and effect where that filter is only one piece in the overall puzzle.....

Thanks for sharing your thoughts as I know you generally avoid these types of threads. Good points all....

Charlie