K&N Filters And Intakes Released For 2021 Ford F-150

[Knickell]

I am the original owner of a 2008 4.6l f150 with roughly 230,000 miles on it. I have only purchased one air filter for this vehicle to date. I still have 770,000 miles left on its warranty. I'd say the $40 I spent in 2008 was worth it? Idk, according to some of the internet mechanics/financial planners in this thread, I wasted my money...

HA! Got emmmmmmm!!!!!

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[JAGSarge]

I've run K&N, or comparable oiled filters on every vehicle I've ever owned since I was 17 - 42 now and haven't had a MAF go out yet. And many of these vehicles ended up being high mileage vehicles.

Have had drop-ins, CAIs, etc, etc w/ zero problems. I think, in my humble opinion, a lot of people over-oil them. Spray them until they're red (that's why the oil is dyed) let them sit and soak in, wipe off the excess. Easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy.

I clean mine every other other oil change and that's the true advantage; I end up with a fresh air filter more often than I would w/ a paper element. Plus, you can clean up your throttle body lip while you're in there ?

To each their own, but I will be running one on my 21 too.

 

[ford2021]

I've never had issues with K&n filters either! I was going to get a CAI from K&n but they don't fit the powerboost. They have a note now but at the time they didn't say it didn't work with my engine. Thankfully I messaged in first bud they let me know it wouldn't work. I put the roush CAI on last week and have no complaints. Wouldn't say there is any noticeable power increase although I'm sure there is a minimal one. Like the looks under the hood, and it does give off more engine and turbo noise than stock. Which I like to hear when in the throttle.

 

[don.mullins]

Any real world dyno numbers on CAIs?

I know there is a lot of subjective “feels quicker” but we all have a tendency to connivence ourselves we didn’t just waste those dollars on a performance add-on.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

Aftermarket filters of any kind are for suckers. Ask any true automotive engineer. Same for any aftermarket tuning product, either intake or outflow. You degrade some part of the performance curve and damage resale value. Can you increase power or torque? Maybe. At a price somewhere else. But filters? Magic oil? Additives? The OEM engineers have way more resources and know their stuff better than any tinkerer at a specialty manufacturer trying to convince you that you "need" an upgrade.

There's a reason that oil change cycles have more than doubled in our lifetimes, and engines go way further, with far more power. And it ain't the guys from STP, who used to tell us how much longer our engines would last when engines went 50k between rebuilds. Snake oil, all. I'm sticking with manufacturer parts and service. That costs me with our Porsche, not so much with the Fords, but there's only one way to point the finger.

My grandfather was an engineer and held a late 1920's patent (and subsequent patents through the 1970's) on the device that is still used today to determine octane levels in fuels. He spent his entire career at one company - Ethyl Corporation, which made/makes additives for motor fuels. In the sixties and seventies, when I was becoming a motorhead, he beat into me "aftermarket additives are for suckers." It stuck.

 

[GABAR]

Any real world dyno numbers on CAIs?

I know there is a lot of subjective “feels quicker” but we all have a tendency to connivence ourselves we didn’t just waste those dollars on a performance add-on.

I have to hand it to the CAI kit industry.
Their marketing is great because many people fork over hundreds of dollars for said kits.

 

[GABAR]

And this kids is called "stirring the pot."

10 year 1 million mile warranty on an air filter?

Marketing.

Why put 10 years on the package.
Why put 1 million miles on the package.

 

[NVRL8TE]

Don’t waste your money folks.

A dry filter that can be rinsed and put back in is a better option than one that uses oil.

Your MAF sensor will thank you.

Our trucks don't have mass airflow sensors.

 

[Deleted member 2919]

Aftermarket filters of any kind are for suckers. Ask any true automotive engineer. Same for any aftermarket tuning product, either intake or outflow. You degrade some part of the performance curve and damage resale value. Can you increase power or torque? Maybe. At a price somewhere else. But filters? Magic oil? Additives? The OEM engineers have way more resources and know their stuff better than any tinkerer at a specialty manufacturer trying to convince you that you "need" an upgrade.

There's a reason that oil change cycles have more than doubled in our lifetimes, and engines go way further, with far more power. And it ain't the guys from STP, who used to tell us how much longer our engines would last when engines went 50k between rebuilds. Snake oil, all. I'm sticking with manufacturer parts and service. That costs me with our Porsche, not so much with the Fords, but there's only one way to point the finger.

My grandfather was an engineer and held a late 1920's patent (and subsequent patents through the 1970's) on the device that is still used today to determine octane levels in fuels. He spent his entire career at one company - Ethyl Corporation, which made/makes additives for motor fuels. In the sixties and seventies, when I was becoming a motorhead, he beat into me "aftermarket additives are for suckers." It stuck.

I am an engineer too friend. Your statement would be true if we lived in an utopian society/economy. The reality is that ethics in engineering ain't what it was in the 1920s.

Reoccurring sources of revenue have dominated business in America for the last 30 years at least. If a company can engineer a product for $40 that would last a lifetime vs $10 that needs to be replaced every 20,000 miles, which version makes better business sense for the company?

Why do modern appliances only last ~7 years. Why is it so difficult/expensive to repair common products that we use everyday?

Let us not naively believe that large corporations have their engineers working around the clock trying to save us money folks...

 

[PungoteagueDave]

I am an engineer too friend. Your statement would be true if we lived in an utopian society/economy. The reality is that ethics in engineering ain't what it was in the 1920s.

Reoccurring sources of revenue have dominated business in America for the last 30 years at least. If a company can engineer a product for $40 that would last a lifetime vs $10 that needs to be replaced every 20,000 miles, which version makes better business sense for the company?

Why do modern appliances only last ~7 years. Why is it so difficult/expensive to repair common products that we use everyday?

Let us not naively believe that large corporations have their engineers working around the clock trying to save us money folks...

I said nothing about saving us money. They are building for durability. Yes, cost is always a factor but air filtration systems and oil change cycles are now far longer and more advanced than ever due to more refined engine technology and closer tolerances, combined with computer monitoring systems. Yes, engineers must consider price points, but they are extending product life and considering rational tradeoffs at the same time. We're not changing out our window glass even though we know there are harder, better products currently in use on our latest smartphones. It would simply be too expensive. These oil and air filtration and intake upgrades are for folks who remember when OEM filters were cheap and you could see a difference. Modern cars and trucks have sophisticated intake and exhaust monitoring systems that depend on OEM flows for integrity. Mess with that and you get what you deserve. Every car restorer in the business will tell you that he/she grown when popping a hood and seeing an aftermarket intake system or anything non-stock under there.

 

[Knickell]

Just a slight update from me. Went to install the filter the other day and it didn’t seem to fit properly. Confirmed it was the correct part number for the truck, and yes, I’m sure it was in the right way!

The seal/gasket around the border of the filter appears too thick an will not let the “teeth” of the air box intake cover to fully slide in and lock into place. I’ve read they run tight, but I’m not about to force anything on this brand new truck. The OEM air filter fits back in just fine, and it’s border does appear thinner to allow the cover to close.

I’m waiting to hear back from K&N customer service as to their solution. I’ll let you all know what they say. Again, I’m running the 3.5 EcoBoost V6 gas only motor.

OEM Air Filter

K&N Air Filter

Looking into the engine bay from the left A-pillar area of the truck and at the rear of the air intake box. Note the tabs/teeth not sitting flush.

 

[BLoflin]

It is correct that engineering will try and save a nickel across a part that is purchased a million times in a year. But also true that the manufacturers are hit hard if they don't hit their fleet mpg numbers driven by the Fed. So while they may save a nickel on a plastic door trim piece they are engineering the heck out of any part that will move the needle on tenths of an mpg (not just for marketing rights, but because it saves them money in fines). Same is true for HP and Torque (as if they can design where they can get another HP at the same size engine, that lets them up there Tow rating or payload without having to push a bigger engine (with lower mpg).

So aftermarket air filters that claim mpg or hp/torque gains, are spinning some tales based on way past history. I used to drive some higher performance (ie. sporty more than track) cars. So I did a deep deep dive on high performance air filters claims. (Don't remember if it was K&N or not). Anyway using the internet, I keep digging on performance claims, looking for published papers, published tests, linking test engineer names to papers presented at conferences, etc. What I found for the specific I was investigating, was the claims were extrapolated from a single test fixture using a 4 cycle (basically lawn mower) engine. Seriously....!! And the test was to compare a moderately dirty standard air filter to the high performance one. From that data they created the "up to numbers" (which they can't be held to, as up to does NOT mean guaranteed or even reproducible). That was my ah ah moment.

This doesn't mean aftermarket is bad. Just means take the performance claims it with a grain of salt. And then compare buying standard OEM disposable filters (from Amazon not your dealer) to the the HP one's cost. In most cases you can replace the standard OEM every 6 to 12 months and come out ahead (and be doing a better job, since a brand new filter every 6 to 12months)

My $0.02 worth, YMMV

 

[Canadian owner]

I’ve always stick with my OEM parts, that way I Never had issue with my Car and Truck. drove a mercury sable up to 1.4 million km. 3 tranny. but never had an issue with the engine. was great 3.0 liter engine. High way driving. all the times and no ford didnt give me another car ?

 

[Tosh]

K&N gained fame amongst the off-road racing enthusiasts that I used to hang around with. Their oiled cloth&metal filter didn't collapse when it was caked with a 1"' layer of grime and dirt, and still allowed about 2/3 of it's airflow when clean.

I used them in my 2 Ranger trucks, and my 1997 Jeep. In addition to the K&N in that Jeep (4.0L I6 NA engine) I also added a larger throttle body, CAI, exhaust header, and custom 3" exhaust. Gained about 30 HP (yes, I tested it on a Mustang dyno, and no, I don't know where the printout is anymore) by spending about $1500 dollars. Then it was totaled on MoPac. Not a good investment, there.

I have one in my current Jeep, which is a 3.0 turbo diesel. One filter, 100K miles, no failures, no issues, and no increase in power. They don't do much (if anything) for forced-induction engines.

Re: CAI - the new F150 already has a cold-air intake. Air is drawn in from outside of the engine bay, thus it's "cold". My 1997 Jeep did not have CAI from the factory, so adding one to that vehicle made sense, along with the other intake/exhaust mods.

I might put a Roush CAI on my PowerBoost after it gets here, but it will only be for the look and the name. I doubt it will really add noticeable power.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

One issue is that many aftermarket filters get rid of the induction systems that bring in fresh cool air and instead pull in engine compartment air that is hot. Others simply do less actual filtration in order to boost air flow. Either is bad and can reduce performance. Real world and lab testing has shown little or no added performance form aftermarket air filters, and some have shown both horsepower loss and potentially dangerous degradation of particle filtration. The OEM engineers know what they are doing.

https://www.cars.com/articles/will-...mileage-and-better-performance-1420683927110/

https://www.carthrottle.com/post/are-performance-air-filters-ever-worth-using/

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