SVTPerformance 2012 GT : K&N Replacement Filter Test

[SID297]

I don't think it's a matter of allowing the coolant to cool off but more about allowing the heat to disapate from the stock air intake assembley. If there is no air flowing through the motor in between runs, the heat soak's in and stay's until the car has completely cooled down. I can gurantee that if you were to have touched the mass air meter before you started the car, it would have still been really warm. I say try the test again but allow the car to completely cool for a few hours in betweem runs.

let me set up the scenario for you. The intake is made of thin plastic and the engine is mostly aluminum. The car is sitting in a 49 degree sealed room with cold air blowing over it for 30 minutes (I had on a hoodie and leather jacket while working in there). Tell me how anything on it is still heat soaked after that. We actually had to run it for a few minutes to get the coolant back up to 170 degrees.

 

[SD_Stang]

Still -9 rwhp from a drop in filter there is something else there that isn't being considered. Because lets be honest a drop in filter would mostly be used in a daily driver who sits in traffice etc where temps would be much like your last two pulls. To say that by adding a K&N over a stock paper filter we'd be loosing -9 rwhp is kind of far fetched.

Also why are the dates on your data so far apart?

Best run for stock filter is 02/16/2012.

Best run for K&N is showing 06/13/2012.

 

[SID297]

Still -9 rwhp from a drop in filter there is something else there that isn't being considered. Because lets be honest a drop in filter would mostly be used in a daily driver who sits in traffice etc where temps would be much like your last two pulls. To say that by adding a K&N over a stock paper filter we'd be loosing -9 rwhp is kind of far fetched.

Also why are the dates on your data so far apart?

Best run for stock filter is 02/16/2012.

Best run for K&N is showing 06/13/2012.

Which runs are you comparing to see a 9HP difference? What are we missing? Is it a flawed test or a difference in the two products that lead to the results? I tend to believe it's the products. I've seen the stock filter produce more power than a K&N in the stock airbox on a supercharged car too.


The dates on the dyno graphs reflect when they were printed.

 

[oh3snake]

I think its difficult for people to fathom how a highly marketable product with a reputable name would result in loss of hp than that of its factory competitor. I think its hard to understand that just because you buy an aftermarket part and replace it with the stock one it will actually be "better" for your vehicle. This is true test and research on a product. :rockon:

 

[Chris410]

Was the ech reset between runs? If not, the higher flow of the k&n will cause the car's ecu to read lean and pull timing.

 

[Scuba-Matt]

Great comparison, Thanks for taking the time to do it.
Looks like I'll be keeping the stock filter.

 

[SID297]

Was the ech reset between runs? If not, the higher flow of the k&n will cause the car's ecu to read lean and pull timing.

No, and your analysis is incorrect. This book may help you learn a bit more about modern engine management systems:

http://www.amazon.com/Engine-Manage...4421/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1339639020&sr=8-3

Great comparison, Thanks for taking the time to do it.
Looks like I'll be keeping the stock filter.

Thanks. I may post a follow-up to this one in the next few days.:beer:

 

[FoofKiller]

Thanks for running the test SID and for saving me money!

 

[SID297]

Thanks for running the test SID and for saving me money!

NP:beer:

 

[Chris410]

No, and your analysis is incorrect. This book may help you learn a bit more about modern engine management systems:

Amazon.com: Engine Management: Advanced Tuning (9781932494426): Greg Banish: Books



Thanks. I may post a follow-up to this one in the next few days.:beer:

First, thanks for performing the test, I was simply trying to help out.

Everyone knows the ecu will adjust after time but sitting on a dyno will not lead to the full adjustment hence, the ecu reset would have helped or better yet, install the new filter, drive the car for a few hours to allow for ecu adjustment/learning then perform the dyno once the car has cooled. If you read the book you recommended, I am sure they will point out that when changes are made, the ecu wil require a certain amount of time to learn/adjust.

Not starting an argument, you just missed one minor detail.

 

[FoofKiller]

I think members should definetely be more appreciative of SID doing things like this. Not many forums do it with expecting nothing in return from its members. So many forums these completely lack solid tech, let alone a magazine quality write on it's own forum.

Keep up the good work SID .

 

[BlackDragon]

And people wonder why I never installed the K&n with my frpp tune... I took it out of the box, it was almost dripping with oil, had way less filtering material, and didn't appeal to me at all. Looked at my nice, clean oem filter and put that back in. K&n is in the closet. Zero problems and plenty of performance.

 

[SID297]

First, thanks for performing the test, I was simply trying to help out.

Everyone knows the ecu will adjust after time but sitting on a dyno will not lead to the full adjustment hence, the ecu reset would have helped or better yet, install the new filter, drive the car for a few hours to allow for ecu adjustment/learning then perform the dyno once the car has cooled. If you read the book you recommended, I am sure they will point out that when changes are made, the ecu wil require a certain amount of time to learn/adjust.

Not starting an argument, you just missed one minor detail.

The ECU in the 2011+ Mustangs are much more sophisticated than you seem to be thinking. It's not like dealing with a speed density system from the late 80's. Any increased airflow would have easily been detected by the MAF and compensated with a delivery of more fuel. No lean condition would occur, no timing would be pulled. There is absolutely no need to attempt to reset the ECU or waste time driving around for 20 minutes.

I think members should definetely be more appreciative of SID doing things like this. Not many forums do it with expecting nothing in return from its members. So many forums these completely lack solid tech, let alone a magazine quality write on it's own forum.

Keep up the good work SID .

I appreciate the compliment. We work really hard to bring tech articles like this to you guys. We're actually working to ramp it up and produce even more. There's a good chance you may see a full time editor added to the SVTP staff in the next 6 months or so to help take the burden off of me and increase the volume of articles.

 

[RFM50]

Was the ech reset between runs? If not, the higher flow of the k&n will cause the car's ecu to read lean and pull timing.

That's a good point! It's hard to believe it would loose power and not just stay the same as stock. Also you said the date reflects when they were printed. So to me and I might be missing something, that tells me the test were run months apart. Help make this make sense please.

 

[SID297]

That's a good point! It's hard to believe it would loose power and not just stay the same as stock. Also you said the date reflects when they were printed. So to me and I might be missing something, that tells me the test were run months apart. Help make this make sense please.

The test was ran 10-25-11. I printed off one graph a few months ago for another article (just reused it here) and printed off the others last night. I use this software to view and print the files:

WinDyn Software for Dynamometers from SuperFlow...

 

[KingBlack]

heres the bottom line...if you don't believe the dyno and want to drop $60 on a filter, do it. otherwise, stop fighting the data

 

[alex12gt]

heres the bottom line...if you don't believe the dyno and want to drop $60 on a filter, do it. otherwise, stop fighting the data

x100

 

[me32]

Interesting info. Thanks..

 

[slagburn]

I guess Ford did their homework on the stock intake tract.

 

[RFM50]

Guys chill out. I'm just asking questions. I'm very appreciative of the work put in on this test. I am just trying to wrap my mind around the k&n loosing horsepower. I think that's crazy. I personally would not buy one any way. The whole point of a forum is for people to discuss results. Thanks Sid for doing this test. If you say that the car was cooled down enough in between post's then I believe you.