[cornflakes]

Has anyone had any experience with K & N products (particularly air filters)?

Stock car air filters might not let as much air through but don't they do that for a reason? So that it filters out all the pollution and junk from getting into and ruining your engine?

How can certain air filters (like K&N) let more air through but still keep out all the particles and pollutants?

Is it true that if you have an air filter that lets in more air (so u can have more hp) at the expense of letting in more pollutants...that your engine could be facing more damage than if it was using stock air filters?

Just prodding....please respond as best you can. Thanks!

[Raine]

You have to bear in mind HOW more air is let thru. The stock air filter is paper, where as a K&N is a fabric. More precisely, the K&N is an oiled fabric wrapped in mesh. Although not as restrictive, the K&N has more "pockets" in it's surface by which to trap and hold particulate debris that may enter the intake, and the oil holds more dust than the paper repels. For that reason, the K&N may well prevent more pollutants from entering the engine while still improving on airflow capacity... but there is of course a higher level of maintenence required.