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K&N cold air intake filter, pros? cons? should i put one in?

27K views 28 replies 12 participants last post by  jdgarza 
#1 ·
Hello, well ive already replaced the cat converter in my car with a header and i was told i should get a K&N cold air intake for my 2006 engine in my 2002 Nissan Altima 2.5L (replaces 2002 engine with 2006), and well i would love to hear any input from people who have already done this.....i read some things online and most are saying its a rip off due to water sucking and it being some kinda oil filter. I would love to hear some feedback, give me your honest and factful opinion.
 
#2 ·
Get one if you're looking for a bit more power plus a deep sound. As long as you have the fender liner mounted securely, you should be safe from hydrolock. Other cars have slits in their fender liners which puts their engine easily at risk if they have a cold air intake installed and run through a puddle. But you can always convert it to a warm air intake during the winter as a safety precaution.
 
#3 ·
Whats your definition of "winter" though cause im in Florida the most winter we get is maybe 40 for one of two days they its back up.
 
#4 ·
I like my K&N. Did give it a deep sound. The filter isn't really low to the part where water can splash into easily.You'd have to be hauling ass through a puddle to get it wet
 
#5 ·
Well I can't speak about the cold air intake but I do have the K&N short ram for my 3.5 and I love it... It's not hard to maintain... Filter doesn't have to be cleaned and re-oiled very often at all... I'm willing to bet I could go up to 40 or 50k miles without cleaning and re-oiling... I decided to go with short ram because I'm here in Houston and we get heavy rain often in the summer... Great sound, slightly better throttle response... Overall worth the money for me...
 
#6 ·
Thank you for all the responses, it really helps on my decision and I think I am going to get one.
 
#9 ·
i read some things online and most are saying its a rip off due to water sucking and it being some kinda oil filter. I would love to hear some feedback, give me your honest and factful opinion.
your not going to suck in any water if you put it in the right place, and hae all the fender liners and under panels still installed around it. another note don't soak the filter in a ton of oil, then you might get problems, moderation is key
 
#10 ·
^Qft... I thought about buying a CAI recently to replace my SRI, but I discovered soon after that my splash shield ripped almost completely off lol... So with heavy summer rains approaching, that thought has gone into the trash...:)
 
#11 ·
would it be worth dropping just a K&N Air filter in the stock air box? or should i save my $40-50 bucks?
 
#12 · (Edited)
OEM Replacement filter vs K&N Typhoon



If you plan on buying the CAI I would suggest not to spend your money on the OEM replacement. I have the K&N Typhoon and love it. I also have an OEM K&N replacement filter sitting in my garage collecting dust! Waste of $50! Here are the pros about the Typhoon; it can be made into the WAI for winter mode and the CAI for the rest of the time. It comes with a filter dry charger (filter condom) to keep the water out during wet times and it works pretty well. I noticed a difference in throttle response right away! It does have more power now. The cons... GAS! I use more gas! I don't know if it is because I am putting my foot into it more or it's just burning it quicker. The other is the price, but the price is common for a CAI.
Here are pics:

Short ram (WAI) Winter mode, for me at least.

Cold Air Intake

Take your baffle out for both because if you don't have fogs, air is forced up into the wheel well towards the filter in WAI mode. And when you don't have fogs, the filter sits right behind the opening where the light would be and acts like an intake port. Because of that NO FOGS FOR ME! The only thing you have to watch out for is if you take your car through a car wash with high pressure sprays, it might shoot into the fog light hole and hot your filter. It's a good mod.
 
#13 ·
there isn't a airbox housing for the filter? I know Volant, AEM and few other CAI have the black housing that box in the filter.
 
#16 ·
No airbox for the K&N. I couldn't find one for the 2.5. I had one on a Jeep that came with the air box, but there was less air flow in it. With the baffle removed and in the WAI mode the air pushes in the empty fog light hole up into the wheel well compartment and straight to the filter... Like it was designed that way. K&N is a quality product. I like the fact that they designed it to be used as a WAI and a CAI. I believe AEM's have to be modified to make a WAI. With the K&N you just leave the last tube off and put the filter directly on the MAF. The AEM Dryfilter would work perfectly with the Typhoon. Good luck.
 
#14 ·
also, (dumb question): aren't you supposed the car tuned after a CAI and exhaust upgrade?

has anyone done a 2 degree timing advance?
 
#17 ·
I may get the K&N then. now... second dumb question:

what is the WAI?

-dave
 
#20 ·
Stick with the WAI, or SRI,
I think it's been agreed upon that 2.5's tend to run and have better response with a SRI/WAI, Besides the fact that there was some shit about the the Air from CAI's is only about 1-2 degrees less, often the same. I've been using a SRI for a while now and the response time is pretty good.

I'm running a Blox filter with a Velocity stack.

Look up the velocity stacks.
 
#21 ·
I have to agree and disagree. I do not have fog lights, all I have are the plastic inserts with many hole in that spot, which allows air to be forced in the area where the filter sits in the wheel well. It is right behind the fog light hole, so I have fresh air being pump in surrounding the filter. If I had fog lights, then that area would be the same temp as the engine bay. I use both SRI and CAI, and I notice a difference with top end response with the CAI. I notice more of a low end response when I'm in SRI mode. I get more power out of the CAI, but less gas mileage and with the SRI I get better gas mileage. So, I agree that if you have fogs it really doesn't matter if you do CAI or WAI because that area where the filter sits is closed off. But I disagree if you have no fog lights and have open air flow going to the filter.
 
#22 ·
Intakes are cool, they sound neat and seem to improve throttle response. I wouldn't expect a ton of power regardless of whether it's CAI or WAI. Most of that power increase is perceived and not actual since they're louder and the throttle reacts quicker. Personally I don't love K&N (or any oiled cotton/gauze) filters and I'd rather use something like the APEXi, AEM Dryflow, AMSOIL Ea Nano-Fiber, etc. The oily filters flow well but they're messy and they don't filter worth a damn, which is what a filter's job is to begin with.
 
#23 ·
This is true and I'm thinking about changing my filter to a AEM Dryflow, because of the oil reason, but I like the K&N intake design and I like the fact that you can do either CAI or WAI with it. Some intakes you have to cut inorder to make them into a WAI. They are louder, especially once the air baffle is removed.
 
#24 ·
the K&N intake has a great sound (via youtube). the adjustability is a big plus.

i would consider doing the install too since i want the power, just don't want all the sound. "i don't want you to know coming and going"
 
#26 ·
the K&N intake has a great sound (via youtube). the adjustability is a big plus.

i would consider doing the install too since i want the power, just don't want all the sound. "i don't want you to know coming and going"
The sound is only really noticeable at WOT... No one else will hear your intake unless you floor it...
 
#28 ·
Not really anything to do with your qoute but your car is nice...
 
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