My son installed the K&N for me as a present and I thought nothing of it other than "thanks son". That was about 2 years ago. I cleaned it twice since installed!! The A6 2.8 has only 80,000 Kms. and well maintained. CEL started coming on about 6-8 months ago but it was intermittent. VAGGED (a friend) the car shortly after and it suggested a misfire with cylinder 2 and 5. I replaced all the plugs - which came out quite easily and were actually in very good shape. I replaced the 2 ignition wires and all appeared normal again. Not long after the CEL was on again. Car was running OK so I let it go for a while. A good friend who now is service manager to a VW dealership in the GTA plugged in VAG COM and told me the MAF was shot! Then he said "cuz you're running with a K&N filter". New MAF installed with a new paprer filter - CEL cleared and away I went!! Improved gas mileage better running overall and enjoying it once again!

I read previously some of the trouble with K&N filters but I left mine in as it was given to me as a present. Lesson learned.

 

I've had it since 2001, clean it myself and I'm very careful not to over-oil the cleaned filter element. That seems to be where the problem lies. I got it before my SC because I needed every advantage I could out of the stock 200bhp @ 6800rpm 2.8!

 

You won't go back o the K & N.

 

as a precaution. Who needs to invite problems.

 

How does the tech know your K&N ruined your MAF?

Check out the videos on the K&N website.

As someone whose own company is the subject of BS urban legends spread by people who don't have enough information to make the claims they make, I'm willing to give K&amp;N the benefit of the doubt.<ul><li><a href="http://www.knfilters.com/MAF/massair.htm">http://www.knfilters.com/MAF/massair.htm</a</li></ul>

 

Not a bad argument -

 

These things just aren't worth it. I ran them in C1's with a Weber carb--no prob, nice sound. C3 with same basic air box, no prob. But, fast forward to C5 with MAF, problem. I fried my first MAF at 40K. I oiled very carefully--done it lots of times. But, if you pull apart the intake over 10's of thousands of miles, I see the telltale tiny bits of oil; little red tinge is the give away.

Meanwhile, the math here is simple. No way it's a cost saver--at new parts price, first MAF is like 10-15 air filters. Even at the rebuilt price at ecs parts, that's like 5 air filters. Thus, the other simple performance mod is change the air filter every 15K miles. And if you are savvy among the filters, some have more pleats than others, so if you pick right you can get more effective surface area that way.

Performace wise, I'm not convinced these things do anything anyway. Look at the S6. They didn't change the filter, they changed the ducting into the box to get more air into it. On a 4.2, it's pretty obvious to me the restriction to focus on first is that narrow plastic duct from the front grille to the top of the air box. THe S6 runs a second hose into the side of the box with a simple port valve to open it up. If it can flow the added air up to 7000RPM against the 4.2 at 6400 and pull 40 more HP (or the S8 at 60 more) as it does so, it isn't a filter block in my estimation by a good margin

Thus waste of dollars, no likely performance, and it melts down MAF's.

Thus, off my list. And yeah, if I were going to mod it, I would run a hose into that box with starting from behind the fog light grill area.

 

I think the key is making sure it's not over-oiled. I have a MAF on my 911, I had one on the B5 S4 and I have one on my S6 without problems, but I make sure they're not over-oiled.

 

Granted I have dual 3" exhausts (La Bree) but the very noticeable difference with these easy-to-install, fits-like-factory, lightly oiled permanent filters is a no -brainer. The factory paper units cost a ton and look like a drunk pleated them. These breath so much better, that my wife can take a leave from the light w/o screaming, and the roll-on at speed is hugely improved.

Added the Huber Optik tint...which really works...the leather dash is no longer baking in the sun, but I would suggest the lighter tints given the black leather interior.

Hear that AWE is coming w/ a SC for the V-10...sign me up!

Won the Redline Time Attack at Cal Speedway for "Muscle/Legend" last weekend in the Lister-Chevy..ran 1:50 but was balked by lap traffic on my 3rd hot lap...maybe a 1:49.

JM

LA, CA