Plan to do a plugs and air filter change this week as, well its due

thoughts on a OEM vs K&N? im happy with the airbox at the moment so im not wanting to change to a cone, unless i can get one cheaper

worth noting its booked in for a map at flea next week and i want it service and in the best condition for the map

Cheers,
Sam

I did the air box mod on my 16VT + BMC race filter.
The old filter was very.very dirty and stuffed, so compared to that it was a good move. I would not know the difference between stock new and k&n/bmc tho!

OE paper filters generally have a much larger surface area. If they are well made (some are better than others) they are as good if not better than a KnN panel. KnN also needs to be oiled and that's not good for MAF sensors.

Is that right? Because i have compared the surface between the original and my BMC, and they where the exact same size. I don't think that i suffer from the MAF with my 16VT.

i have a k&n induction kit on my 20v, which i know will be slightly different to a 20vt, but it makes a very nice sound, improves pick up and overall i would have to give it a thumbs up.

the only issues, is that at idle you can hear it 'sucking' if that makes sense, and also i am not sure how you can ever clean it, i think they come with a kind of oil on the cone, which inevitably attracts bugs and grot.

worth the £45 though. (20v price)

The K&N can be cleaned. Just need to re-oil it after washing.

K&N's are fine, I've run a panel filter for 1,000s of miles - there is no issue with the MAF provided you don't go mad re-oiling after a clean.

And if you don't want to keep re-oiling Sam, get a Green Cotton panel filter.

Green Cotton still need oiling they are exactly the same as K&N just different colour of cotton. I've had both over the years hence when Green Cotton sell oiling spray

update.....

i did try a K&N induction kit, and to be honest, i hated it. the noise was not very nice, the sound of a drilled airbox is much nicer. its a bit more basey on the induction.

so i just cleaned out the airbox and put a new oem filter in it today much better!

yep - that's why I kept my standard airbox with a K&N panel - suits me best.

K&N and Green just two versions of the same product. The cotton isn't any particular colour, (Normally white), but the filter oil has a dye in it.

To clean just run a hose over the filter until all the colour has gone, let it dry then re oil, let the excess oil dissipate then re-install.

As for induction kits, I have tried (in various cars):

K&N Panel Filter
Pipercross Panel Filter
Green Panel Filter
Pipercross "Viper" induction kit
K&N 57i induction kit

First of all I would ignore the outlandish claims made by the manufacturers regarding huge increases in BHP.

Both Pipercross filters (including the £250 Viper), fell apart. (The Viper was total snakeoil in my opinion). On the panel filter the rubber seal came away from the foam elements.

In respect of induction kits, they sound nice but, have a tendency to breathe in warm air from the engine bay. (Warm air is less dense, or in English has expanded and has less oxygen molecules per given measurement of air volume). More Oxygen = good performance Less oxygen=lower performance. One of the reasons why your car will feel less powerful when driving through mountains is that air is denser at Sea Level.

The stock induction uses a relatively good cold air feed and think about it for a moment, if you are producing a performance car, then the manufacturers would fit as standard a kit if it genuinely gave better performance for a low price.

I have read tests where they tested relative airflow through a stock paper filter and then various other filter types and discovered.......That a new paper air filter element flowed more air than the foam or cotton ones... However a dirty paper filter flowed slightly less.

The moral to this story is don't believe the hype. Induction Kits may not be as good as claimed. Paper Filters may be better if you change the element every 6 months.

I think its understanding that an induction kit should be a complete revision of the air intake, not just a filter slapped on the end of the OE intake.

a cone induction kit will be better with supporting attachgments like a sip so its out of the way of the engine heat and getting fresh air all the time, the oem air filter maybe good but still up high in the engine so will still breath hot air