I was just wondering if anyone uses a K&N air filter on their genesis or nemesis, and what yall thought about them. I was thinking about purchasing one and was wondering if it was worth it.

Nope not really, the K&N filters were not meant to keep the size particles out that a good foam filter will, so your expensive engine is at risk.

We've been through this topic before. I use a K&N on my Nemesis, and have for a long time. I like it. There is no science indicating that it doesn't filter small particles as well as a foam filter. Small particles are just as harmful to a large engine as a small engine, and K&N has PROVEN itself for years in desert, mx, flat-tack, roadrace, etc., for years. Can't get much smaller particles than desert silt, and the desert racers run these for 100's of miles without servicing. I haven't had ANY trouble. I'm sure you will be well satisfied if you decide to use one. Don't forget to use K&N oil. [8D]

I have used K&N filters on my motocross bikes and I have one on my carburetted '80 MG midget and one on my fuel injected cavalier.
I have never had any issues, but I always clean and oil my filter every second oil change or every oil change if it is a dry dusty summer.

When I was a service consultant at a GM dealership, we found that K&N filters specifically, worked fine. Never had an issue. But with some of the cheap knock offs, like you get on ebay etc... The filters just weren't as good of quality. The Duramax diesels would suck the filter right into the intake due to the weak construction, and there were a few vehicles that had valve seating issues because of these filters.

I know that RC engines aren't the same as a 1:1 engine, but it is the same idea.

As long as you were to clean and oil the filter after every outing, your K&N should be just as effective as a foam or paper filter.
But, it would not take very much dirt to clog up a carburettor needle on these little engines, nor does it take much to put excessive wear on a sleeve.

So really, it is a potential risk. I guess it is really just up to the owner to decide if the powergains are worth the possible risk.

Just my 2 cents.

you can use one, they do well for breathing, as said, not the greatest for the stuff nitros go thru, BUT, they also make good prefilter bags the DO help with the small stuff and dont impede the filters purpose of drawing more air, we all know if you can put more air in the mix, you can add more fuel and get more power.
but personally, maybe on the 1/5onroad, but not on a nitro. the standard filters properly oiled work great.
Timmahh

thanks everyone for the information.

Ing, i figured that the topic has been gone over before, but i did a search and did not see any info about it.

I design Air Induction Systems for the automotive industry and so I have done some research into different filter material.

Here are a few excerts form article I wrote on the topic for GTR.co.uk (UK Nissan Skyline web site), some of it is full size car specific, but alot of it applies to out nitro engines:



Working as an Air Induction Designer for 13 years for a few of the worlds automotive companies, (Ford, VW, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Saab, Opel etc.) has given me a good insight into what does
and doesn't make a good induction system. I recently removed my air box and after quite a lot of research I decided to go for an M's system. This is just two aluminium adapter funnels, the same as Blitz, with K&N's.

My logic behind this decision is as follows:

HKS type foam filters allow a lot of dirt to enter the engine, especially if they aren't changed
regularly. As they use an open cell foam the dirt particles rattle around in the foam structure,
as the air does, and eventually finds a way through.

Blitz Mesh filters boast the filter down to 20 microns. I have extensive engine wear data showing
that particles down to 3-8 microns actually wear big ends and the rings. Being only a thin filter
medium there is no where to trap the dirt and it only takes a little effort to such it through. It may
be good for flow, although I seriously doubt this, but you want this power and the engine to last.

K&N type oil treated cotton filters do offer better filtration by virtue of the oil sticking and
trapping the dirt particles. Our suppliers of air filters have done a lot of work on oil migration
to the air flow sensor and have found little proof of this. I know people will claim that theirs
was effected by the oil, but as long as the filter isn't soaked in oil, there is little evidence.
We only treat ours with only 10-20 grams of oil. So be warned when cleaning yours. The use of
oil on a filter can not only improve its efficiency but can also triple the amount of dust it can hold.
This is why we only use oil when the vehicle only has room for a small filter and/or works in a
dusty environment, (e.g. S/America, Africa etc.).

Apexi's cone filter has a combination of all the others virtues with NONE if the down sides.
It has the bell mouth and other air flow aids, and the filter medium they use is recognised in
our business as the best. It has good flow characteristics as well as exceptional filtration
capacity down to the real fine stuff. The only down side for myself as a designer is the fact
it 3 times the price of paper, and making 1 million air box's a year we tend to look at price first.
But for us as an after market item the expensive price of the filter isn't as important and there
is only pennies in it. In my opinion they are the BEST filter on the market.

So why did I chooses the M's system. Well not wanting to sound like a tart, but the M's system
looked a lot neater and factory fitted look when compared to the Apex'i, and the performance
isn't that far behind the either. So for me K&N offered adequate protection as well as aesthetics.

All/most aid induction kit should offer lower restriction as long as it is clean and in good order.
But there is the problem of under hood heat. As long as the is some baffling and cool air ducted
in this shouldn't be an issue. The worst condition is actually when stationary, but this isn't a
problem as no power demand is being made on the engine. As soon as you do move off then
cool air will purge the system quite quickly.

Well I hope this has help in some way clear up some of the misleading quotes and claims
these manufactures put out.



As a comparison I have just got hold of some test data:

........................................Standard.. ...........K&N..................Jetex............. ..Green...... ......Pipercross
Type:.................................Paper....... ...Oiled Fabric......Oiled Fabric.....Oiled Fabric.....Oiled Foam
No. of pleats:......................89................... ..22.......................25..................... .34.....................n/a
Media area m2:................0.87..................0.09..... ...............0.06..................0.08......... ..........0.04
Face velocity m/min:.........8.0...................75.8........... .......107.2.................86.7................. .194.4
Initial restriction kpa:........2.91...................2.51........... ........2.46..................2.48................ ....2.7
Dust capacity g:................88.7..................51.2...... .............26.2..................22.1........... .......155.4
Initial efficiency %:.............99.2................90.77.......... .......51.84................93.91................. 61.29
Final efficiency %:..............99.5...............95.86.......... ........55.35................94.31................ .39.59

This test was done on a Ford Focus air box with after market panel filters fitted.
The Japanese brands don't make any for this vehicle, but it show the typical characteristics
for the filter type. I would expect Blitz mesh to be as pipercross but with the lowest dust
capacity due to no oil and very thin media.

Notice the face velocity, High velocitys can suck dirt off of the element
Also note the differance in restriction. Not much in it concidering the down sides.

Now you can all see for your self where I am comming from.



Anyway, that is just my 2p worth, I hoope I have not bored anyone.



Also there is a good article here showing the differences between the different types of filter:

http://www.mkiv.com/techarticles/filters_test/2/

http://www.mkiv.com/techarticles/filters_test/1/

Thanks Scott_GTR for the info. personaly I think it was more then 2p worth. And very usefull.

There is also a wealth of info on filter design on K&N website. Google it.