Handogen

Just got my RX back from the dealership. I talked with the head mechanic/tech. He said he saw a pink film covering the iridium spark plugs. He also noticed a film over the intake sensors. He said this came from the K&N Filter.

Apparently the Air Filter is made up of Gauze soaked in pink oil (hence the pink appearance). This oil gets into the engine (which isn't a problem). But in being released to the engine, it's coating the sensors and throwing them off. This may affect gas mileage if the sensors are reporting incorrect readings. i.e. the computer can adjust too lean or too rich.

He also went on to mention correction factors. Normal tuning correction is 7% or less. At some level, I believe he said 20% correction, the check engine light can come on.



Anyway take it however you want. I'd like to get some feedback from some of you on this forum. Because to be honest, I saw a nice increase in gas mileage at first, but it dropped off since. If using this filter is a danger, I'd rather just stick with stock.

Thanks,
Hando

ShaggyRogers

Damn, I need to know too. I just installed one in my RX this past tuesday.

What to do...what to do...

CK1_RX3

At this very moment I was about to leave work for today and head out to the local auto parts store to buy a K&N for my RX, and I just decided to take one last peek at the forum before the weekend... really glad I did because now I'm going to wait and see how this plays out before buying one!

Kinda wanted the Weapon R cold air box anyways but it's in a different price range - maybe this will be a good excuse to get what I really wanted to begin with!

On a side note, any dangers associated with the Weapon-R? Does installing it void your warranty?

Thanks!

ck

RX300TC

While I'm not an SAE engineer, I am an engineer, and taught to be methodical by training. There's a simplified rule in the Laws of Physics: You Can't Get Something For Nothing.

K & N filters work by allowing more air flow into the engine. This also allows the possiblity of larger air bourne particles to enter your engine over the long term. And if the "oil" in the filter is there to trap said particles, then eventually that oil will suspend those particles and impede air flow. So I guess that's when the folks that use these have to clean them.

So what you are getting effectively is "a crack high"... immediate gratification with no long term results. In order to get that performance back you have to get another "fix"... ie, clean and re-oil the filter. If that is your idea of fun, so be it.

And another thing: if these things were so damn good and increased gas mileage with consistent, long-term results, then why wouldn't all the auto makers use them???!!! The benefits would be enormous in terms of cost savings in meeting EPA regulations, CARB, etc. Think about it.

Like I said... You Can't Get Something For Nothing.

Daddy-O

Hando, walk to the Lexus parts desk and ask about the TRD High Flow Air Filter, Part number 00602-17801-001...and the filter cleaning kit, 00602-17801-CL1

Ask if it isn't the same oiled gauze filter as the K&N. (Yes)
Ask him who makes the TRD Filter. (K&N)

Ask the mechanic to explain why Toyota/Lexus sells the TRD High Flow Air Filter for the RX 300 and other Toyota/Lexus vehicles.

Ask the mechanic to explain how the misted oil survives in it's original pink form in the cylinder's combustion chamber? Wouldn't it burn or at least darken?

........
I've been using the K&N for three months. I've checked my oil for contaminants (Same beautiful golden color), the intake for misting (Pink? None) and my gas mileage rocks.

Gas mileage? It's all in your right foot. I've seen an 8% average gain over the stock filter. Not much, but it works for me. I have had none of the issues your mechanic claims.

Baa..If you question the safety of this filter, remove it.

TC...Is it possible that the design is superior to paper filters, allowing more airflow? That paper filters are a way to keep down manufacturing costs?

These filters are not installed by car dealers because they are a DYI part. Dealers will make no money replacing these filters.

Q: How much money does Lexus make replacing paper air filters?
A: A *****load
Think about it.

EPA? Wrong end of the car.

Sorry, eating mutton in this thread would be cannabalism.
Sheesh, am I in a mood.

RX300TC

I respectfully disagree... gas mileage. Automakers are under pressure to meet certain guidelines. If they could increase their EPA milegae estimates and give the customer a better performing vehicle without major engine re-engineering (designs, new production molds, testing, etc) by dropping in another brand of air filter (though slightly costlier), you don't think they would do it????

C'mon now...

Daddy-O

I'm aware of CAFE, Corporate Average Fuel Economy. Big fines for non-compliance. That's for US mfrs or foreign mfrs that build in the US. It's a good thing. Fleet averages are 27.5 MPG for cars and 20.6(?) for light trucks. With the introduction of hybrid vehicles, compliance will be a snap...until Uncle Sam raises the bar.

Car makers simply offer a few high mileage models and their fleet is compliant, without adding the likes of a K&N filter.

For example, Ford offers 8 different Focus models...All @32-34MPG, but only 4 Windstars @23MPG. They're compliant and they still have the service revenue opportunity from the disposable paper filters.

Handogen

Great info, Paddy. So how about that question regarding the oil... are your sparkplugs getting a pink coating? Have you checked them?

I'm thinking about putting the filter back in it. The dealer did say they couldn't void the warranty because of that. And according to you, it sounds like they sell similar high performance filters anyway... comparable or even identical to the K&N I bought online.

One point that he made that concerns me is the oil can get on the sensors... it makes logical sense if the air is pushing through the filter and the sensors are the next device in line. This filter was only on my car for a few weeks when they were checking the engine out. By the way, my engine problems had nothing to do with the filter. They were just checking things out thoroughly.

The pinging problems I had with the engine were the result of bad bad gas... and the altitude change (500ft to 5500ft(OR to CO)). But that's another thread... After making sure the engine was taken apart, having the cyllinders checked out, and checking for oil sludging, that's what it turned out to be. The pinging is gone now and the RX is adjusting. The computer, much like myself, needed time to make the altitude adjustment.

Thanks,
Hando

Daddy-O

I'm not having the issues you describe, so I can't speak to my sparkplugs. Sorry, Hando, I'd like to help here, but I'm not going
to pull one and look.

Next time you're at the dealer, ask about the TRD filter. My
Service Rep walked into the parts department, bought one
and dropped it in his RX based on my comments.

Perhaps the filter you bought was over-oiled? Did you oil it?

Handogen

Nope, the filter was right out of the box ready to go. I asked the mechanic (me not knowing they were even oiled in the first place) if I should have washed it or at least rinsed it off before installing it. He said no, it doesn't matter because you'd just have to re-oil it anyways...

Daddy-O

Ack, maybe over-oiled at the factory.
Doesn't seem likely, though.

aprairie

For what it is worth, I just had a new engine installed on a 99 CPO with sludge problems. Bought the car in May, installed the K&N one week after and had the vehicle in and out of the service center every other week until they finally diagnosed the correct reason for my engine knock (ie sludge).

In all those service visits, I never once had the tech mention anything about the K&N filter as a potential problem area. The "Do Not Remove" sticker is very visibly placed on the filter housing and I also mentioned it during a couple of visits so that the tech had all the info when looking at the car.

I used K&N filter in a Mitsu Montero from 90K to 150K with no problems.

Drew

Shonuff

good info paddy. it is kind of funny how some of the techs will open their mouth and place their foot directly in it. i had the same problem with a toyota tech trying to explain to me how it was not his fault that my transponder key would no longer work after they "fixed" my car. long story hehe