I see these K&N oil filters all over. I really don't think there is such a thing as a 'Performance' oil filter, but I was curious and never read anything about it here. So I'll ask. My buddy swears up and down that he felt a HP gain out of it... -Crazy?

I can see in high HP applications running high oil pressure, these filters are supposed to withstand higher pressures. I've allways used the AC filters, or Fram.

Difference in filtration quality? Flow?

Thanx guys/gals.

 

They are "perfromance" in terms of their oil filtration efficiency. There is no way a particular oil filter will provide a SOTP HP "performance" gain. some low quality filters may filter poorly enough to eventually damage your engine, and cost you some power, but screwing on a K&N oil filter will not magically provide a HP gain.

There are a few oil filtration studies floating around. Some just look at the physical makeup of the filter (FRAM comes out near the bottom), and others attempt to measure filtration efficiency and pressure drop with simulated oil/particle combinations. There is definitely a difference in filtration efficiency between different types of filtration media and different filter designs, and brands.

 

Heres a great read for both of you. im sure fred will enjoy it. http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilterstudy.html

 

My race car uses a System 1 filter. I can take it apart and clean it as many times as I like. My daily driver gets a Wix filter with whatever name brand is on the side of it as long as it was made by Wix. Fram filters are not made by Wix. There's only 4-5 different filter manufacturers supplying filters to all the brands. Don't go by just a brand name.

The above link is getting old and outdated but is still good reading material. I was it was kept up to date.

 

I noticed no performance gain but I will swear to you that I get a little bit more pressure with a K&N oil filter.

 

The mobile 1 filters are the thickest and most durable when it come to high oil pressure. I am in the process of ordering the stuff needed for a dual filter setup. I also run a neodendyum<sp> mag that wraps around the filter.

 

I've noticed this myself...My oil pressure stays much higher with my K&N then it did with Fram or M1.

 

Thanx yall. Exactly what I was looking for. I really didn' think there was such thing. I'll keep the pressure thing in mind..

 

The problem with crappy filters, is they don't flow well enough (especially at high RPM's) to keep up. Maybe under "normal" driving they do a fine job of filtration and supply, but the "high performance" filters can flow much more oil, but they don't sacrifice filtration quality to do so . After reading an analysis of different oil filters, I avoid Fram like the plague. I'm kinda bugged though, 'cause Walmart used to stock AC Delco filters, but in the last year or two, they've switched to selling ONLY Fram!? And of course, our "tried & true" Canadian Tire store has to sell Fram as well, but they also sell Quaker State, Valvoline (made by Purolator? ) and their own "Motomaster" filters. I wish I knew who actually manufactured the Motomaster filters? (they're cheap, but I wonder who makes them??)

...I wish there was a normal retail store who sold AC Delco filters, or "affordable" performance filters . For now I've been using the Valvoline max-life filters, but they're a little pricey (but less than K&N filters).

 

Bobistheoilguy's study showed that a M1/AC combo was the best compromise for flow and filtration.

I've had very good results so far. I cut mine open after every oil change. So far better results than other combos I've ran. The M1 is too restrictive for my tastes, plus the price.

Several ACs also have longer versions available to fit most chevrolet motors.

 

usulay filters madeby purolator have a pl somewhere in the filter number.

 

NAPA gold filters are affordable and rate fairly well in the tests that I have seen.