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FRAM air breathers!!!!

19K views 67 replies 34 participants last post by  Lou Montanti 
#1 ·
I saw a hotrod show yesterday,and they was talking about Fram air filters ,and KN air filters.. They had this air machine ,with a plastic ball in a tube that was up right . when the machine was on, the ball would raise to the top of the tube. When they put the fram air filter in place,the ball droped all the way down to the bottom of the tube,but with the KN air filter, the ball didnt drop.
The reason why im saying anything is ,i have allways believed that seeing is believing,and i have seen were alot of guys on here didnt like FRAM oil/air breathers,and now im one of those guys now.. just my 2 cents
Robbie
 
#2 ·
its a pretty cool demonstration. all of the Canadian Tires, and performace parts stores in my area have them. they let you try it for yourself. it really shows how much better a k&n is.
 
#3 ·
Air flow is only one aspect of an air filter. Another one which is more important IMO is the filters ability to trap particles. Of course this is a balancing act. A really high flow filter element will let more particulate matter through it. I have seen some independent tests that actually show that K&N is really not that good of an air filter. The thought is that K&N uses an oiled cotton gauze that is more restrictive and does not offer as much surface area as an oiled foam filter. FYI, K&N advises an oiled foam outer filter layer for their filters when they are employed for offload use.

Vince
 
#5 ·
dont forget they turbulance that is created when the air passes through the filter, a k&n does this well yet adding another reason it gives you more power.
 
#6 ·
you might gain 5- 10 hp with going to k&n, but is letting all of those particles in your engine worth it for that little of hp? fram is such a better filter than k&n! may not flow better, but it traps better, and that is the main goal of an ail filter, to keep unwanted things out of the engine!
 
#8 ·
Yeah, any paper filter is going to filter better than a cotton/metal mesh.

Fram filters are just like any other paper filters out there, they dont flow any better, or worse than other paper filters. I have used them alot and they always seemed to work good.

They are not ment for performance, nor are they ment to flow any better than other brands.
 
#9 ·
Ok after reading info on serveral sites I have come up with a conclusion, proving my original theory somewhat wrong. K&N filters filter 97%-99% of particles in the air entering your engine, all K&N filters pick up particles 10 microns and up, which most quality oil filters can not even manange to do. Paper filters pick up 99% of particles, but retain extremely poor flow.

Conclusion: It is certainly worth the horsepower gain to use a K&N over a Fram paper filter, the 0-2% increase in filtering you have with a paper will not be significant to your engines life span in any measurable way. The performance, cost, and economy benefits of a K&N filter are clearly better than using a Fram paper filter.

Mike

Not exactly what the topic is about, but it shows the best flowing fitlers.

http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2000/01/airfilters/index2.shtml
 
#11 · (Edited)
Ghetto it hard not filter particles when your still in the lab testing room...

did you see there disclaimer, " Based upon a true story"

Ghetto, im not picking on you but, You also listed a Kn website for tests.. I havent looked at it yet, but let me guesss... did you know Im a psychic also?... Let me see, uummmm ummmm huummm, I see an image.... hummmmm its a KN filter test.... ummm it shows..... oh my! it shows they are the best filters made on the planet.... hummm i am seeing test numbers too.....

:)
 
#12 ·
brainsboy not to pick on you but if you actually read the K&N site you would have seen that there was no test showing K&N's filtering abilities in comparison with other brands. Only a micron level that their product catches, which the numbers they show on their site are truthful. I could have posted other sites showing the same information but to me it seemed redundant.

I couldn't find a disclaimer saying based on a true story? Could you please tell which of the two sites I posted contained that and where it is.


If anyone is in disbelieve do research and post info.



Mike
 
#13 ·
Ghetto,

I guess you didnt read the section on independent lab tests, .... And you must of passed the section where they commented on SAE poor requirements. Im not looking for a fight here mike, but lets not fall into large companies marketing....its all sales... You could probably make toilet paper come out better under certain lab tests and conditions. If you think there numbers are truthful, great. I can probably find a site with different numbers for every site you find thats the same. Numbers are numbers, heck throw in some odd numbers like .00571 then they must be true, find two sites with the same info and its from the bible.

Kn may be a better a filter, Im not against it, but everything you have stated is from their site. Im sure its a great filter, but I still dont believe it all. Show us some non-profit organization tests.

The part about based on a true story was joke. because every one always believes what they read. I remember when CD's came out, they were advertised as a NEW SCRATCHLESS, un-destroyable way to have music.... so much for those facts..

Im not attacking you Mike, I'm attacking large companies making it hard to know the truth from fiction when it comes to us consumers and cars. These companies have gotten carried away with creative ways to bend the truth and nothing governs them.

Ben
 
#15 ·
im sure it is, but every thing is these days.
 
#16 ·
An independent SAE test on air filters is on the Motor Oil Bible website.

http://www.motor-oil-bible.com/index-test9-new.html

You have to subscribe to see the results. The results are suprising. As expected Fram falls well short of the mark, but what is really suprising is how BAD K&N filters do. Believe their hype if you wish, but I use nothing but Amsoil oiled foam air filters.

Vince
 
#18 ·
302/Z28 said:
An independent SAE test on air filters is on the Motor Oil Bible website.

http://www.motor-oil-bible.com/index-test9-new.html

You have to subscribe to see the results. The results are suprising. As expected Fram falls well short of the mark, but what is really suprising is how BAD K&N filters do. Believe their hype if you wish, but I use nothing but Amsoil oiled foam air filters.

Vince
You anger me!

Dont put links up here trying to sell sh*t!!!!
 
#19 ·
If in doubt of your filter's breathing ability just run it down the track (WOT) with a vacuum gauge hooked up. My p.o.s. Fram CA353 filter shows NO restriction at any rpm (up to 5500) on my engine. I checked this after numerous people told me I should buy a bigger air cleaner or a K&N filter.
 
#20 ·
87442lover said:
You anger me!

Dont put links up here trying to sell sh*t!!!!
Woa chill out dude, I'm not trying to sell $%#@. I have no connection whatsoever to that site. You best hold you thoughts until you have slept on them. Maybe then you will not get so angry over nothing

Vince
 
#23 ·
jmark,
I agree with you about amsoil produts. I worked at a truck shop for about 14 years , and we had a guy that bought a new peterbuilt truck with a 350 cummins diesel ,and he ran it until it was time to redue the bottom end, (meaning changing the bearings). Im not sure how many miles was on the engine at that time,but the bearnings that was took out had copper showing threw. My boss at that time was just starting to sell amsoil,and he told the driver about how good the oil was,and how it would make the engine last longer,and he wouldnt have to change the oil as often, so to prove his point,my boss didnt charge him nothing for the oil at that time,but the driver would have to keep amsoil in his engine until his next bottom end job was due.So the driver brought the truck back in after it had about the same amount of miles on it like before,and when we took a few bearnins out,they was still like new. so yes .,,i know ams oil is good.

Robbie
 
#24 ·
I have run the K&N filters, and I dont think they are that special. While they may flow more, most paper filters are sized large enough to not really rob that much power. My dad ran a K&N on his dodge diesel that he uses for a farm truck. He told me that the first time he went to clean the filter there was a bunch of fine dust in the intake tract that was getting past the K&N. He threw it away and told me since he did not think it was worth premature ring wear to get a tiny bit of power. BTW, it is chipped and makes about 35psi. With the paper filter he put back in it, it still has enough power to slip the clutch under full throttle so I dont think the filter is too much of a restriction.

Chris
 
#26 ·
Interesting argument. I want to ask a few silly questions though. Has anyone ever lost an engine due to substandard filters? Has anyone noticed a measurable loss in performance of their grocery getter from using a sub standard filter? Can anyone explain how an old GM 235 straight 6 can get 250,000 - 300,000 miles without an oil filter and with an un-maintained oil bath air filter? Ditto for early SBCs?
 
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