K&N filter for '98

Guys,

After waiting nearly a month I finally received my K&N filter for my '98
VFR. The filter in the bike was FILTHY and I just about couldn't ride
it anymore for fear of screwing something up. I'm sure it is the
original with nearly 14K on it.

A couple of things:

The K&N seems to have a much smaller filter media area than the
stock-type filter. The K&N filter element size has to be only 2/3's the
size of the stock. This looks really weird to me as the K&N is supposed
to flow so much more freely -wouldn't having the greatest area of
filtration help even more? Anyone else notice this on their K&N's?

There is just a tiny bit of oil splooge coming out of the rear cylinder
air re-breather. Probably less than a 1/4 teaspoon but it is there and
there is a slight haze of oil on the plastic around the inlet and up and
around the trumpet intake of the right rear throttlebody thingie. I
felt down inside and it is just slightly damp from oil residue. I have
not noticed any oil consumption or anything like that at oil change.
This is such a small amount of oil but enough to show up in the pristine
under-filter area as a light misting of oil. Should I be worried about
this? The oil seems really clean at least and not black in the
slightest bit or smell burnt. I change oil every 3K. Is this
something anyone else has seen before? Bike was crashed once (hard) but
the frame and wheels are true and straight. Is it possible that
something in the rear valve area is throwing oil up and out into the
re-breather tube?

Jim
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My take on filtration is that the more surface area, the better the
filtration.

Example, I recently purchased a 99 Suburban. I was looking around to
see what might need maintenance and one item on my list was the air
filter. I had opened it up and saw a red filter and figured the
previous owner had spent the money on a K&N. There was no label or
sticker telling me so, though. The next week I ordered an AmsOil
filter to replace it.

I have used K&N in the past, with a Jeep XJ. Though I never had any
engine problems, I read more and more about the K&N philosophy. Great
marketing, but not the best filters.

Filters are supposed to take particles out of the air going directly
to your engine's fuel+air mixture system.

When the new filter arrived my first impression was that it might be
the wrong filter. I removed the FRAM filter, not a K&N.
The AmsOil was about an inch larger in diameter and almost a 1/2"
longer. There was rubber on each end instead of plastic and the metal
framework was substantially heavier construction. Upon inspecting the
FRAM closer it had a much more porous filter (determined by looking
through the filter in sunlight). The filter also had extremely
defined areas that were blocked by what looked like oil and debris.

I am not saying that FRAM makes a bad filter, but I have to believe
that it was not up to the OEM specifications. Then again, I have no
proof of that because I do not know what a GM/Delco filter looks like
for this application.

What I am trying to say is that you will typically get what you pay
for. However, you will definitively know a quality filter when you
see it. For the price of K&N, you could buy several OEM filters. I
paid more for the AmsOil filter than another FRAM or OEM, but I also
know I am getting my money's worth from previous experience.

Remember to check the filter periodically, regardless. Your riding
conditions will determine how long the filters last.

As for the re-breather tube, I have to ask, is that what it is
designed to do? One of those tubes is supposed to be drained from
time to time... IIRC?

Deward R. Knapp, MBA, CCS
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On May 15, 2006, at 1:22 PM, firefly wrote:

> Guys,
>
> After waiting nearly a month I finally received my K&N filter for
> my '98
> VFR. The filter in the bike was FILTHY and I just about couldn't ride
> it anymore for fear of screwing something up. I'm sure it is the
> original with nearly 14K on it.
>
> A couple of things:
>
> The K&N seems to have a much smaller filter media area than the
> stock-type filter. The K&N filter element size has to be only
> 2/3's the
> size of the stock. This looks really weird to me as the K&N is
> supposed
> to flow so much more freely -wouldn't having the greatest area of
> filtration help even more? Anyone else notice this on their K&N's?
>
> Jim


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