teamtl

For those of you looking at replacement air filters, I had the opportunity to drive the same 400+ mile trip on the same day in just about the same conditions, so I did a little test. For those of you who care, it was a round trip from Fort Collins to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The first trip was with the stock filter and I averaged right at 30 MPG for the almost entirely highway trip.

I refueled, changed the filter to the K&N and repeated the trip. I drove the same route and although traffic was heavier, resulting in a 10 minute time difference as compared to the first trip, I averaged an astonishing 34 MPG! Both trips were driven to maximize each drop of gas, so I actually drove just 5 miles an hour over the posted limit and let many acceleration opportunities go by, but for those of us who drive many miles per year, the K&N seems the way to go.

unlemming

Well the real question is, did you get 34mpg when you were going from ~8200 ft in Steamboat Springs to ~5100 ft in Ft. Collins, or the other way around? Next time do a round trip with one filter and then the exact same round trip with the other filter. Assuming back to back in the same conditions, of course.

marquis

Nice! I can't wait to get mine so I can install it.

Thanks for the experiment and posting the results.

vtechbrain

I'll be getting mine soon I'll see if it makes any difference , Its pretty flat around here.

kws6000

Swapping in a K&n filter cant improve the mileage to this degree.

TLover

Yeah. How many miles do you have on your car? I'm noticing a slight increase in MPG as my car gets broken in.

lindros2

Where did you get the K&N filter?

teamtl

First off, the trips were both round trips from Ft Collins to Steamboat and then back to Ft Collins. Sorry, I should have made that more clear. As far as kws6000, I don't really care what should happen, or can happen, I am just telling you what did happen. Perhaps the wind was more at my back on the second trip or I was lighter on the gas, I don't really know, but even factoring in some of that, the increase in mileage was worth the expenditure.

I now have about 6500 miles on my TL and yes, the MPG has increased over the last several thousand, but I doubt that was a factor in this little test. I bought the filter at a local auto shop, they ordered it for me and charged me $40.37. I probably could have saved a few dollars on line, but I like shopping at local stores.

kws6000

Im not saying that you didnt get these numbers but there is no way the filter swap caused the difference unless the oem filter was plugged solid.Changing to a different brand of battery should make as much difference as the filter swap (assuming the existing filter was in good shape)

caball88

what was the avg mph during the trip each way?

JoganJani

I've posted this in couple of K&N threads. Here I go again, can somebody answer this please? My question is when K&N filter is installed, it lets more air into the engine. I think it will let more dirt since it let more air than the stock. Does this hurt the engine in any way in long runs? If this is not true how can it let more air with the same opening?

teamtl

The average MPH was 63 on the first trip and 61 on the second (I had more traffic). As far as the filter having the same effect on mileage as a battery, I believe K&N claims 2-3 mpg improvement due to a less restricted engine (more air) and I don't know of a single battery company that does the same. Changing the filter and freeing the engine will improve mpg and probably have an increase in you horsepower (I would imagine this is either/or situation and not both) and this claim is what I wanted to test. I am totally satisfied that their claim is true.

As to allowing more fine particles, I am not sure. The filter is a cotton filter with an oil applied to the wire mesh and cotton fibers that is made to trap dirt while allowing more air to pass. I would imagine that with more air you would be allowing more dirt, but after running K&N filters on my truck for over 100k and having had zero engine problems I don't see it as a problem. I work on a construction site with lots of dirt and neither I nor my partners who also run K&N have had any problems. When you clean out the filters (every 20k or so) they are very dirty, as dirty as the paper filters, so just by visual, I would say they do a good job keeping dirt out of the engine. Long winded way of saying I don't know, sorry.

Hybrid

The fuel injection system is programmed to provide a certain quantity of air per amount of fuel. Changing the air filter won't change that. Even removing the filter won't change that. So there's no reason a filter that lets in more air will somehow decrease the amount of gas required to drive a certain distance. In theory, however, if the stock filter really starves the engine for air/gas at full throttle, the new filter could allow more power to be made. On an old car with a carburetor, you just might see some effect of leaning out the mixture a little bit, and therefore increasing mileage.

I too would be concerned about extra dirt intake with these filters. I'm sure K&N's website says it's no problem whatsoever, fo course.

Jimbemotumbo

I can speak from many years of experience in many different cars, the mileage WILL be better using a K&N and there is not damage to the engine from increased flow. Yes, high flow filters probably let more dirt through, but I have never seen any engine problems, premature oil degradation, etc.

I have used K&Ns in all my motorcycles (Japanese and Harley, and old and new) and all my cars (66 Stang hi-po fastback, 63 galaxie, 69 chevelle, 84 VW gti, 90 stang GT, 95 Saleen, 01 cobra, 00 5.3 GMC, 94 Rodeo, 93 and 97 4.0 Jeeps, and now the TL).

All these vehicles saw increases of 2-5 mpgs after the K&N (higher numbers if the stock exhaust flows well or if you add a less restrictive muffler), and all had improved throttle response and a coupla horsepower. Most recently, my 01 Cobra consistently got 24 mpg city and 28 highway. I live in Colorado too and this is round trip mileage.

Additionally, I've had the pleasure (or displeasure depending on your perspective) of rebuilding several of the 60's motors, as well as a major perf build on the 90 and 95 stangs. Mileage varied, but all were at least 30k using the K&Ns. The 90 GT had 90k on it when the s/c and cams went on. All engines were in top condition when rebuilt, and the late model Fords both still had cylinder cross hatching visible. Obviously my religious oil change interval helps, but this also tells me the K&N doesn't add to engine wear or oil contamination.

Sorry for the length, but this is an old argument based largely on personal opinions. Since I have actual experience in this regard, I thought it worth the post.

Of course, your mileage may vary ...

teamtl

My understanding is that when the airflow is increased the computer adjusts and the fuel is burned more efficiently thereby increasing your miles per gallon. I have, as jimbemotumbo has, had several car/trucks running K&N and all of them have experienced improvements in mpg, this is just the first time I have had the opportunity to have a good test of the performance. I'll let you know in about 200k miles if the K&N damaged the engine, but until then, it is all speculation and personal experience. For me, the K&N is worth the coin and the risk of allowing microscopic dirt into my engine is minimal if it exists at all.

Past results are no guarantee of future performance - all investing involves risk...

unlemming

Cold air intakes improve gas mileage also, and they don't damage the engine either. The filter is just more efficient than the factory filter, using oil and better material instead of brute force filtering. Basically, the more oxygen the more combustion; more flow = more oxygen, and by the same token colder air = more oxygen (density). I wouldn't question the benefits of the K&N filter, MANY people use it without problems, I just wanted to verify the testing procedures .

BTW: Cold air intakes DO improve gas mileage, as long as you don't start stomping the pedal to hear the roar

teamtl

But I like the roar! I always figured it was an either/or situation, but at least it gives you the option.

danno

I`ve got the K&N filter and I definitly feel more throttle response:wow:

vandy786

This thread is funny. There's no way a K&N filter resulted in a 4mpg difference. There were definitely other factors that played a role.

blufox

I get 37 mpg @ 55 (while getting a massage)

blufox

thats without the Filter

teamtl

The computer is not 100% accurate, and I don't know how it rounds to the integers, so it remains possible, even probable, that I was on the high end of 30 and the low end of 34 resulting in perhaps a 2-2.5 mpg difference. I have no problem admitting that as I am not trying to make claims to prove I waxed a 7 series off the line or something. I am just passing along interesting information that shows, as much as is possible in an ever changing environment, that your mpg will increase. Take the info however you like, but I would appriciate not being called a liar.

marquis

Again, thanks for the info teamtl...some of us appreciate it.

Vffr1

Teamtl,

I for one appreciate your post and believe your results.

Unfortunately, this forum is full of haters, na-sayers and party-poopers, who love to talk out of turn or without much knowledge, and as you see there’re quick, to attep to destroy one's creditability.

To them I say "Boo Freaktiy Hoo!"

Get off the guys back alreay.

Mike Smeezy,

Almost Jake

I'm another one who has had K&N filers (drop-ins) on my cars, all have shown some improvement in mileage and throttle response. I also noticed more noise under the hood.

Believe what you want to, but my experience is they work to some degree.

If you want to talk snakeoil, then look toward specialized sparkplugs.

vandy786

I'm not being arrogant guys. I've had the same J32 engine for 3 years that you guys just got. I'm sharing the other side of the story: been there, done that. K&N is nice but search around. There are other problems with it (like letting too many particles into the engine, etc.). I'm just pointing out that even the Comptech Airfilter, which is specifically designed for my TLS, doesn't result in an increase in 4 mpg. Not even 1 mpg. I'm just saying that don't believe everything you read on these forums.

casooner90

I didn't know that K&N was already out for TL. I think it was only about a month ago when people on this site were asking about the K&N. I for one have used it in my past vehicles and liked it for 1) slightly better gas mileage, 2) little more power going up a hill and 3) stops the oil change guys from asking if I want to buy one of their overpriced air filters. Thanks for sharing the roundtrip science project - good read.

EluSiOn

where you can buy K&N air filter for 04 TL? what is the part # and what is K&N stand for?

Swat Dude

I second your assumption. The KN won't change the fuel air mixture, but what it will do is let more air, and thus more fuel, into to the engine, resulting in more power. I would more easily buy the increase in horsepower over an increase in gas mileage. One would also assume that the gas mileage test you did was at low rpm's, or typical highway speed. At lower rpm, a free flow filter does not impact the amount of air entering the engine as much as it does at redline, because the more air you attempt to move through the system, the more restriction. This is a basic law of fluid dynamics. The static pressure loss in the intake system(typically measured in inches of water) increases as the square of the flow(typically measured in cubic feet per minute).

Basically the difference in a stock filter and a KN at idle or low RPM's is not as pronounced at redline when the motor is really sucking.

NathanSilver

K&N's have been in my rides (cars) and sleds (motorcycles), for the past 8 years--I love them.

Better breathing = better performance.

Thanks for reminding me about the K&N, another item to put on the grocery list...

NathanSilver

*2004_Acura-TL_Anthracite_Ebony_6MT_Navi_Z600_T-Mobile
*2002_Blue/Silver_Schwinn_Aluminum_Strand-Cruiser_7Speed-Internal-Nexus-Hub

NightRider

K&N Filters truly help. Although there will always be heresey, I have ran my tank down fully everytime, and I was getting around 280-300 a tank mixed driving. Well I have purchased a K&N filter and had it for the last two tanks, getting 330 and now 345 for my mileage. It really does help, I even see a very slight decrease in the "pre 2500RPM lag" that in my opinion is noticable. Worth the money

moeronn

If you are still using a K&N in the '04 TL, you may want to consider returning it and putting back your OEM air filter - at least until K&N re-releases the filter for the '04 TL. There were some problems with the past design. There is another thread on this somewhere.

rets

http://www.acura-tl.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79098

NightRider

Yes, I actually read about this before I bought the filter and realize it's not a complete match. But I talk to my mechanic friend about it and he looked at it. He said that as long as sides don't bow inward, even with "nipped" corners it should let none or a neglible amount of particles through unfiltered. Still, it makes you wonder....I will probably pick up the official whenever it comes out

cullal

After reading the thread about the K&N Filters, I called K&N Engineering and was told by them to remove the filter and return it to them. I used K&N part# 33-2078. They offered a full discount to me on the return. I did ask them about when a filter would be available for the 2004 TL and they could not give me a date.