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Heavy Equipment Manufacturer
QUESTION:Leaving the performance/mileage issure aside for the moment let me
share with you why you might want to consider changing to a K&N filter.
Engine wear.
When I was running an oil analysis laboratory for a major heavy
equipment manufacturer I had the opportunity to run a series of studies
of air filtration systems.
First a little background. Wear from dirt entering the intake system is
fairly easily determined from oil analysis. An oil laboratory assays
for wear elements by several techniques. Most common is atomic
absorption spectroscopy but other systems are employed. Various metals
are used as wear indicators and other elements give information as to
the cause.
My first experience was with a new motorcycle. Since I ran the lab I
was positioned to study it well. I ran a series of samples to determine
a baseline and find when break-in was over. After determining the
normals I happened to buy a K&N looking for more performnce.
My first sample after the change was a shock, the indicators for ring
wear were cut in half and the indicator for dirt entry was down too.
What you look for is chrome for most engines moly in Ford engines and
silicon levels over new oil. Dirt for the most part is silicon dioxide
and most rings are chrome plated or alloyed. On this engine chrome went
to below detectable limits in two oil changed. Silicon in the new oil
was 5ppm mostly anti-foaming agents in the used oil Si levels dropped
from 7-8ppm to 5 after a couple of changes.
Finding this interesting I approached a fleet customer of ours and he
put K&Ns in half his fleet of pickup trucks, not telling me which ones.
In short order I was able to identify every truck that had been
changed. Lest the nay sayer rise up and smite me, this fleet was
operated by a firm doing overburden work for a mining operation. The
owners had a very agressive PM program all of their vehicles were
equally well maintained the difference was just the filter change.
So lets leave all the performance stuff aside for the moment and just
consider engine life. In that light it might just be the best $40 you
ever spent.
As much as I would love to spend the next several weeks suufering abuse
from someone who cannot even spell my name correctly I have to run off
to Russia to do some real science. If anyone is interested in planetary
physices drop me a line and I'll tell you about the experiment this is
the wrong website.
When I get back perhaps we can discuss techniques to improve midrange
efficiency of internal combustion engines by improvements in induction
and exhaust systems. Interestingly these techniques seem to improve
both torque and mileage how can that be? Stay tuned.
ANSWER: Tried one on a small block 350. Minimal, if any, performance increase.
Minimal, if any, change in fuel consumption as to be expected on a computer
controlled engine. Maintenance got to be a nuisance. Gave it to a friend.
Went back to paper filters. I suppose this was a major error on my part
as valve guides are now (215,000 miles later) worn and it uses about three
pints of oil between changes. Not knocking oil analysis, just not sure it
is worth the cost.
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