I was just checking my stock air filter to see how thick/restictive it is and found about 4 or 5 big leaves stuck in the grooves already! I removed them with a can of air. I'm glad I looked, my car has less than 700 miles on it and the weather has been great here!

This car really pulls in some seriuos air! Gobs of it!

Anyone who hasn't checked their's yet I think I would ASAP. I can't beleive someone ran their's here with no air filter! That's scary.

Just thought I would post this because I was quite suprised to see such big leaves clogging my filter already!

The way the filter holder pop out and slides straight up is a really nice touch! Think I should spend 45 bucks on a K&N now or wait awhile and see what the CAI etc companies do?

 

Isn't there some sort of wire mesh or something further up in the intake tract that should prevent large things like that from getting all the way to the filter?

 

Nope. Check your intake. You can actually see the filter and touch it too. A true CAI/Ram Air design...hehehe.

 

the K&N filter is good for maybe 1 or 2 hp, maybe not. sounds will be not huge. their benifits are mainly their reusability, and the fact that it increases gas mileage, power slightly, without making it loud, and for reletivly cheap.

if you can handle or want the deeper louder tone, more power, and of course the aftermarket looking intake, short ram and cold air are directed more towards you.

 

There's one more very important benefit to K&N filters. As they get dirty, their airflow doesn't drop off nearly as quickly as a paper filter. K&N has an explanation of this on their website along with a chart showing approximate drop-off rates of air flow of a K&N vs a normal paper filter.

For example, a K&N might not have too much more flow than a good paper filter when they are both brand new and clean. However, after 10k miles, the K&N will have much better flow than the paper filter, as dirt doesn't affect the K&N's flow nearly as much.

 

A good habit for those of us w/ a stock air filter or the K&N replacement...


Anytime you're under the hood of the car, take a moment and release the air filter from the housing and shake it off a bit. If you have access to compressed air, then use it to blow out the debris opposite the way the air comes in. I've done this 3-4 times already with only 4,000 miles on the Z and have removed some interesting things and a good deal of dust/dirt/leaves, etc.

Total time: 1 minute.

-iboost

 

That's a good point Iboost-- bang the dirt/debris out of any filter when you get a chance.
Just a note on K&N filters. I have used one for years. Initially in an old Monte Carlo and recently in my Dodge Avenger for years. This past summer when I took my whole intake apart --- I found something quite disturbing.....
After years of using the K&N and cleaning it and re-oiling it several times.... the entire inner surface of my intake plenum and intake manifold were COATED with oily grimy gunk!!!!! that came from the K&N!!!!
Subsequently, I cleaned the crap out--- and the car performed like it was BRAND NEW!!!!! Needless to say---- no K&N for my Z when I get it. A quality paper filter changed with every (or every other) oil change will do more than adequately.
Just thought I would share my .02
Rizz

 

That is true, most people think that K&N is great. Sure it is, but their is ups and downs. Next time compare your K&N filter and put it next to a light or sun and look how the small particles can easily go into your intake system hence (small particles) compare that to a standard paper type. With the paper, it is so hard for the smallest particles to get through. That's the extra 1-2 HP gains you get because of the smallest particles. That's why they use oil to block those little holes and have the dirt stick to it. But reality is that the intake system is very powerful (Stick your hand and find out!) and will also suck the oil off your filter and get your intake manifold all oily and then be dirty. For me 1-2Hp isn't worth it. Just change the filter every other oil change. That is just my .02 cents...

 

Waste of money IMO. Get a CAI.

 

I will get a CAI or FIPK but this stock intake seems pretty good for now. Good job Nissan! The air goes straight in without much restriction when stock. Plus you have the matter of calibrating the MAF too. Ever get your MAF too lean or too rich and get KR?

It sucks to pinpoit at that point.

 

Don't all the CAI or HAI kits use oiled filter elements, too?

 

Hey,
Ive been using a K&N for about a year now and have cleaned it once or twice. The oily grimy stuff on the inside of your intake most likely isnt dirt and oil from the filter. Most newer cars, besides high performance cars, have a coating on the interior of the intake manifold that helps to "smooth" out the air flow. This is done to have better fuel economy and gas mileage from a better mix of air. You will definitely have more power if this gunk is off because more air can be moved through the system, however I highly doubt that in your car the oily gunk came from the K&N unless you were not following the intructions properly on how to reuse it. I am sure an excess amount of oil on the filter would give you the effects you are describing, but nothing like "gunk" would be on the inside unless there was no filter or it was put there by the manufacturer. I can't wait for my z, only a few short weeks!

 

my reason for saying that isn't b/c of the oil in the filter; it's b/c of the location.

 

The Maxima comes from the factory with an oiled paper filter. Does the 350z come with the same filter?

 

It's dry paper.

 

Are you sure? Mine was pink when I got it. I thought it was a little weird and laid it on a piece of paper while I was cleaning some things. When I moved it, it left oil residue behind.

I brought this up at maxima.org and everyone responded that it was just paper. 2 months later those same guys finally got around to actually looking/testing and found it was oiled paper. Weird.

 

Hi,

I am sure of the one in mine, I pulled it. It's white paper.
No pink or oil residue on it at all.

Others may vary, I can't speak for that. I can post the last 4 of my vin if that helps.

 

Interesting...wonder why certain vehicles got an oiled paper filter. Maybe Nissan was trying to squeeze that extra 15 hp out of my 240 hp engine (but thats another rant all together).