K&N help please
 

Hey whats up. Im new to the fourm, but ive been readin a lot and this is a geeat fourm. I am the new proud owner of a 99 986, ocean blue. Pretty much stock so far. My question, on sunday i installed a k&n air filter( before i read what they can do to my sensors) the next day i went to drive it, and the car was bucking and loosing power. Im thinking that the filter is oiled too much and i plan to take it out and go oem. Anyone have this problem, or have and ideas? thanks

COuld be too much oil, goto PepBoys and buy CRC Mass Airflow Sensor cleaner and clean any oil or dirt off your MAF, reinstal the stock filter and see if the problem comes back. If you really want the KN installed, wash the oil out of it and install it w/o oil but if you do this it will filter less.

Are you sure it was installed correctly? Make sure you did not put the new filter back in backwards. It has to be facing a certain way. I would also check your hose to the M.A.S. and make sure it did not come loose. :cheers:

Ok ill do that. The MAF is at the bottom of the air box right?

The MAF is on the intake hose near the air filter box.

i think i got it. Thaks alot

Dude take the k&n filter out, even if you wash the oils out you will screw up your Maf, i had the filter for 5 months and had to replace my maf!!!! last week!!!

I have purchased a K & N and when I get back this week I'm going to install it. I've never had a problem with K & N's and have had them in over 10 different types of cars over the years.

I had a K & N filter in my 911 cab and B & B tri flow exhaust a few years ago when I had that car and never had a problem with that MAF on that car, I have K & N on almost every one of my limos which some of them can get 75K miles in one year, and none of these cars have MAF problems or any other problems related to the K & N.

1. Why would the boxster be so hurt by K & N's and none of these other cars including my 911?

2. Also I'm thinking that alot of the problems occur when people are cleaning their K & N and over oil it too much?

3. What is your take on how much oil comes in the K & N filter when its brand new out of the box? I don't think they overoil it at the begining , maybe wipe a little off ?

4. Do these MAF go bad on their own? Is it possible they need to be cleaned / replaced every few years even without a K & N? Has anybody had MAF problems without a K& N?

I have a 1997 that has only had the paper air filters.

My air flow sensor was replaced a few yeas ago for a smog inspection. I can look at the invoice for the details.

I am sitting on the fence, which is contrary to my position 8 years ago.

But sometimes you can live and learn.

You may want to try the TRUEFLOW air filter. I did some research before buying my filter and to ME this one actually works better than the K&N filter. I have the completer cool-air kit with Trueflow filter in my Boxster and it works great. It's been in for over a year now and no problems. They NO LONGER make the complete kit, but do still sell the filter. It also comes pre-oiled. Again, no problems with my M.A.S. and looks like a better design to me.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y15...ed75b1746d.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y15.../true_flow.jpg

what does the true flow usually cost?

The filter is only $38.31!

WTF! I've been looking for a foam/sponge filter for the Boxster, Where is this filter sold?

Like I said, I always do a ton of research before I buy anything. Here is the web link for our filter.
http://www.shopatron.com/product/part_number=85201/576.0.9362.2108.0.0.0

Or go to Trueflow.com They have some very good information about there products and how well they work. They are very popular in Europe Racing. Unfortunately the complete Cool Air Kit for our Boxsters had poor sales due to the fact that the people who were installing them had trouble with the instructions. I got one of the last ones before it was discontinued. I did my install in just a few hours. It uses the stock airbox but replaces the plastic tubbing and removes the stupid noise box supressor that sticks out on the side just before the trotle body. It's basically 2 metal tubes with a rubber cupler to connect them together and the trueflow filter. :cheers:

Thats a noise supressor... that plastic box thing that clamps to the intake tube just before the throttle body!?!?!? Im thinking of removing it and pluging the hole.

Thanks for the link.

I have had the true flow kit on my car for about 4 months now and have had no problems. I am planning on cleaning the MAF this weekend. I think it would be common sense to clean your MAF once every few months if you are going to use a filter with oil.

Also-I let my filter sit out on paper towels with a weight on top for a few days before the install. There was not a large amount of excess oil but enough to make me think that it would be prudent for anyone intalling this filter to do it before installing it.

I have seen the arguments about the oil/MAF issues and from the number of MAF issues I have seen I think it is unfair to blame the filters on the MAF problem. Too many have gone bad and been replaced with normal filters to blame the oil based air filters entirely.

Thank you.

Good point Martin. I think an even larger number of MAF failures could be blamed on user error and people over oiling the filters which gives them a bad rep. Just for the record I've used a BMC cotton filter for over 3 years with no problems.

here is the update. took out the k&n, replaced it with the oem filter and the problem went away.I didnt get a chance to clean the MAF yet. but plan on just incase sunday. But i drove for about 50miles on rt 33 and no problems at all,

Dan,

It sounds like you installed the filter wrong or backwards like somebody else said on this thread. If your MAF was dirty or damaged then just putting the old filter in wouldn't have reset the light. Your air intake box might not have been put back correctly or not aligned where it would have created a vacuum leak and set the CEL light off.

no there was no light. Wierd, but i drove it anothr 60 miles to work today and its back to normal. I definatly didnt instal the k&n wrong i made sure of that. my guess is like people said too much oil.

I'm pretty much on the fence on this issue. Coming from a motorcycle racing background (both motocross and roadracing) I'm very familiar with foam based filters and their efficiency. However, if you look at most good race teams, they still either swap the air filter for a clean one every race, or go through multiple "filter skins" which are basically a piece of oiled cotton that goes over the filter to catch the heavy stuff in the air. Key difference between my Honda CRF450R motocross bike and my Boxster? No MAF in the dirt bike.

I'm also very familiar with K&N filters, and their widespread use in motor racing. Unfortunately, the simple laws of physics apply here, and even K&N will tell you if you ask them that while their filters do, in fact, flow more air, they also flow more dirt. This has been verified by a few independent test labs to be the case as well. Race teams go through motors on a very frequent basis, so engine longevity isn't a concern to them. Performance is.

What it comes down to in my opinion, is what do you really think you gain by running an aftermarket filter in these cars? MAYBE a horsepower or two? I don't know about you guys, but on my street cars, especially a Porsche (which we all know does not have a cheap engine replacement plan) I am rather concerned about engine longevity and doing anything I can (within reason) to keep engine wear down. So why would you knowingly install a device into the car, who's purpose is to filter dirt from incoming air which is to be used in internal combustion, when it has been proven to also let in more dirt, while on the upside gains MAYBE a horsepower or two?

There unfortunately aren't easy ways to get more power out of these cars, and if you bought your Boxster to win stop light races, you bought the wrong car. I have an exhaust on my car for the purpose of sound only (which maybe improved throttle response a hair), and I de-snorked my car for the purpose of sound as well (again, I'm not sold on the "dyno proven" 3HP gain from that, and at the end of the day, don't really care either). I just don't see the point of risking MAF damage, and what is pretty much guaranteed increased engine wear by running an aftermarket filter in a car like this for no appreciable gains.

My advice, stick with the stock filter and airbox.

Just my $.02.

Patrick

Well it finally happned, the cel came on. Had it scaned, MAf. Im gonna repalce it and burn that k&n...

Does the EVO cold air intake , can cause similar damage?

clean it first.