Keith,

your post, along with Stuart's are the best and most informative information
offered so far on the K&N filter....

logic is beginning to prevail...

kudos to you both....

Bill

----- Original Message -----
From: "Keith Adams" <keith_adams@TRANSCANADA.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2001 11:04 AM
Subject: K&N, from K&N...

> What I got from K&N....
>
> Keith
>
> "Blum, Richard" <RichardB@knfilters.com> wrote:
> >
> > Dear customer,
> >     Our filters are tested by an outside, independent laboratory.  They
have
> > been proven to stop at least 99% of particles on a SAE dust test.  This
test
> > uses particles in the 0 - 5 micron range and goes up to 20 microns.  For
> > comparison, a paper filter also stops 99% on the same test and the OEM
> > minimum standard is 96%.  Foam is generally the worst media with a
typical
> > efficiency rating of 75 - 85%.  To get higher ratings, the foam must be
more
> > dense and therefore way more restrictive. The "tack" characteristic of a
K&N
> > allows for increase filtration without loss of flow as well.
> >      The testing procedure used is SAE J-726 using ISO Coarse Test Dust.
> > This test is the standard of the air filter industry. The test procedure
> > consists of flowing air through the filter at a constant rate (airflow
rate
> > is determined by the application) while feeding test dust into the air
> > stream at a rate of 1 gram per cubic meter of air.
> >       As the filter loads with dust the pressure drop across the filter
is
> > increased to maintain the prescribed airflow rate. The test is continued
> > until the pressure drop increases 10" H2O above the initial restriction
of
> > the clean element (in this case .78" to 10.78" H2O). At this point the
test
> > is terminated. The dirty filter element is then weighed. This weight is
> > compared to the clean element weight to determine the total Dust
Capacity.
> > The amount of dust retained by the filter is divided by the total amount
of
> > dust fed during the test to determine the Cumulative Efficiency.
> >
> >                         The K&N filter achieved the following results:
> >
> >                         Dust Capacity:                        305 grams
> >
> >                         Cumulative Efficiency:            99.05 %
> >
> >      Holding the filter to the light is useless, pin holes are normal.
That
> > is what makes a K&N filter.  There are actually hundreds of microscopic
> > fibers that cross these holes and when treated with oil, capture and
hold
> > the very fine particles.  On the same hand, they allow the filter to
flow
> > more air than paper or foam.  The filter is 4 ply cotton gauze unlike
some
> > competitors synthetic material filters.  The synthetics do not have the
very
> > small fibers that natural cotton does.  Also, the oil can be pulled off
of a
> > foam filter contaminating electronic sensors.  It will absorb into
cotton
> > and stay in the media.  In fact, Honda and Toyota only recommend K&N
filters
> > when using aftermarket high flow filters as K&N is the only oiled brand
of
> > filter the oil does NOT come off of.
> >      We got started over 30 years ago making filters for motorcycles and
off
> > road racers. The filters did so well that these guys wanted them for
their
> > cars and trucks.  We started making filters for these applications and
here
> > we are today.  If they did not work, we would not still be here and
growing
> > every year.
> >      We now make filters for Chrysler/Mopar, Ford Motorsports,
Edelbrock,
> > Rotax Engines, and Harley Davidson.  We come as original equipment on
the
> > 2000 Ford Mustang Cobra-R.  We even made the filters used in the Apache
> > helicopters used in Desert Storm and the US Marine Corps new Osprey
> > tilt-rotor aircraft.  If they work in these conditions they will work
for
> > you.
> >           Thanks for writing, Rick
>