Anyone tried the K&N Drop-in filter?

[MissE]

Ok, so technically it isn't a "bolt-on", it's a "drop-in"... but I'm wondering if anyone has tried the K&N drop-in filters on their 2012 Si? http://www.knfilters.com/search/product.aspx?Prod=33-2473

Any difference/improvements when using it (whether it be fuel economy or power related)? I heard that they were supposed to be pretty good compared to OEM but curious to see if anyone has actually bought one.

 

[webby]

Very nice! If history is any indication, you'll see slight gains with the drop in. For those who don't want to do a short ram or a cold air...this is a nice choice.

 

[KennyGS]

I know this doesn't answer your question, but I've used K&N in many of my internal combustion engines over the years, and still do today. At the moment I have one in my Harley-Davidson motorcycle, and my Exmark riding mower.

Their filters offer reduced restriction of available air, and cleaning/reusability. I get two so I can change one out immediately, and clean the dirty one at my leisure. IMO, over time, they will be less costly.

Certainly I would expect some increased performance, albeit very minimal. I use a tuning program in my Harley to maximize any increase offered by their filter.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[MissE]

Very nice! If history is any indication, you'll see slight gains with the drop in. For those who don't want to do a short ram or a cold air...this is a nice choice.

Well the reason I was asking is because I had an AEM short ram in my RSX-S and was interested in one for the civic, but I had heard that in the new Si's the K&N drop-in was actually providing similar results as most short rams were without the extra work/cost of installing a short ram. I was curious to see if anyone had legitimately done it and what they thought, it's certainly the easier route to take since parts seem hard to find for our cars at the moment.

And KennyGS, when they came out with the AEM dry flow I switched my short ram filter over to that from my K&N filter. Cleaning was sooooo much easier when I didn't have to deal with the messy re-oiling!

 

[KennyGS]

I had an AEM CAI on my '07 Si. You're right, it was nice not having to re-oil it, but I spent extra time carefully digging out the collected debris and bugs from down in the folds.

 

[webby]

found an 06 civic si that had a dyno done -

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I have 2 baseline runs and 2 runs with the K&N drop in filter. The car is completly stock, has about 9,000 miles on the odo. The car was run on a Dynojet.

Stock: 182.83 hp, 133.46 tq

K&N: 182.90 hp, 133.18 tq

There's really no difference between the two filters when driving on the street, as proof from the dyno. VTEC is a little louder, and my fuel economy went up about 2 mpg.

So is it really worth it? For performance gains, you can get a real intake. But it's not a bad deal for $45 and its reusable. But for anyone who claim they feel a power increase with the filter, it's just the louder VTEC playing with your mind. Overall though, it's 10 out of 10..

 

[MissE]

Thanks for the info Webby! I do miss the sound of my v-tec (it was much louder in the RSX-S, though it also had the intake on it) but I wouldn't buy a filter just for that fact alone. At least I know there are some fuel economy gains if I decide to get the filter.

 

[A8r9b]

found an 06 civic si that had a dyno done -

=======
I have 2 baseline runs and 2 runs with the K&N drop in filter. The car is completly stock, has about 9,000 miles on the odo. The car was run on a Dynojet.

Stock: 182.83 hp, 133.46 tq

K&N: 182.90 hp, 133.18 tq

There's really no difference between the two filters when driving on the street, as proof from the dyno. VTEC is a little louder, and my fuel economy went up about 2 mpg.

So is it really worth it? For performance gains, you can get a real intake. But it's not a bad deal for $45 and its reusable. But for anyone who claim they feel a power increase with the filter, it's just the louder VTEC playing with your mind. Overall though, it's 10 out of 10..

Out of simple curiosity were the runs back to back? Although I'm positive as well gains are minimal, it seems strange there would be any loss in power. Seems like it might have just been from a good ol heat soaking.

 

[webby]

unfortunately it didn't say how he did the dyno runs -
http://honda-tech.com/showthread.php?t=1768602

 

[Nix]

I noticed better mileage with mine. 1-2mpg consistently. Power? Eh. I was after the $$/mile

 

[webby]

plus it'd pay for itself after a while, because you're not buying replacement paper filters

 

[MissE]

Very true, a bit of savings on gas and never needing to replace it would cover the cost of the filter itself. I'ce already got the K&N filter cleaning kit so that cost is taken care of for now.

 

[webby]

did you decide if you're going with the drop in, or waiting for an aftermarket intake?

 

[MissE]

I've decided to wait til spring (April-ish) and if there still isn't an intake on the market to my liking then I'm going to go the filter route instead. With the cold we're having today a CAI wasn't necessary... -25C (-13F) according to my i-mid!

 

[Winnn420]

Thanks for pointing out they actually have one available. I checked with local auto parts stores but they all said there isn't one available for 2012 Si yet. K&N has them available on their site according to the link and since there isn't a cold air intake available and probably wont be for a few months, I ordered a drop in...I don't mind 2 more mpg, and I have the cleaning kit & oil so why not.

 

[MissE]

No problem! Let me know how you like it once it's in

 

[MissE]

Thanks for pointing out they actually have one available. I checked with local auto parts stores but they all said there isn't one available for 2012 Si yet. K&N has them available on their site according to the link and since there isn't a cold air intake available and probably wont be for a few months, I ordered a drop in...I don't mind 2 more mpg, and I have the cleaning kit & oil so why not.

Ok... so I put in an order for one today anyway (despite just saying I wasn't going to buy one yet, lol) because it turns out I was able to get it through a friend that works for an automotive place here in town at a pretty good price. Anyways, were you told that there was a few week wait because they are backordered? That's what I was told here but it may route through a different warehouse/supplier for the Canadian market, not sure, so I won't have it right away anyways. It sure can't hurt my gas mileage any... I find it's pretty crappy gas mileage-wise but I'm hoping maybe it just has to go through a break-in period or something

 

[Nomar06]

If the noise level difference is the same as it was on the 8thgen cars then your going to want to keep hearing that sweet VTEC sound, therefore, more right foot on the floor causing the MPGs to drop.

 

[webby]

Mpg should increase some once winter additives are removed.

 

[MissE]

If the noise level difference is the same as it was on the 8thgen cars then your going to want to keep hearing that sweet VTEC sound, therefore, more right foot on the floor causing the MPGs to drop.

Ok... so I DO happen to have a heavy foot, lol.
It's no heavier than it was with my old car though (02 RSX Type-S). I had an AEM intake on it, but even without it I think it would certainly have been louder than the new Si for sure when v-tec kicked in and I kind of miss that sound.

Webby, gas milage in Canada is usually worse in the winter anyways because the cars are running cold so often and seem to burn through it faster (plus we have a bad habit of letting them idle for a bit so they aren't a solid iceblock when we go to get in them). Hopefully that, combined with any possible additives, will make for an improvement in the mileage come Spring.