Hi fellow H3 owners. I was using the search feature to find out about a question: What would be the advantages by changing the stock filter for a K&N one.
2007 Birch white, Lux package, sunroof,towing package.
purchace the H3 last saturday.

 

If you are talking about the flat panel type filters, the difference is the medium material. K&N uses a gauze type fabric impregnatated with oil to capture the dirt. It has less restriction thus a few more horsepower. The trade off is the OEM Paper filter traps more dirt and takes better care of your engine. Also give thought to the larger conical filters like the K&N.

 

My H3 did not come with a panel filter. Mine came with a paper cone filter. I switched to the K&N one about 3 months after I purchased it, but the problem is you have to clean the oil off the resistors of the Mass Air-Flow sensor once in a while, or they will produce inaccurate readings. The oil from the K&N filter starts to build up on the sensor. If you don't, over time the MAF will become so dirty your H3 will start to run bad.

 

This topic is old..but I will still add my 2 cents..

On my H3 the stock filter is round and cylindrical and also oil coated...But I have the K&N CAI now and I feel since K&N has been aroud for a very long time in this type of business, that they know what they are doing..So I think the protection is goodif not better than the paper filters and will allow more air flow compared to the paper ones when they are dirty...On the K&N, Cleaning and re-oiling is where people get into trouble by over oiling the filter...So I gree though if you are off roading in real dust conditions a paper filter maybe better..but not to worry aboput a K&N in everyday driving...

Bottom line..you only need to buy one K&N for the life of the car, whereas, you will spend 10 times that amount of one K&N to keep replacing your stock filter every year.

 

Thanks for the reply Dvader. The one I talking about is the cilinder looking one on the K&N site. More or less how many HP more. I donot want to use the CAI system because it makes to much noice.

 

Dennis: Have you ever checked your MAF resistors? If they are black, you should clean them. Every K&N filter I have had (about 5 on various cars) has caused the MAF resistors to accumulate caked-on oil. The H3 is a little tricky because the oil makes them look like they should be black, when in reality they are a silver color. I use rubbing alcohol on a Q-tip to clean the resistors and the H3 usually runs better. I'm thinking about going back to a stock filter, or one of the newer premium dry filters. I'm starting to like my quiet ride more then my power.

 

And just so you know, I DO remember us having this conversation before, BEFORE you post a link to another post from when we had this conversation, and I remember you saying your MAF was clean, but I would take a Q-tip to it, DRY, and see if anything comes off of it. I bet it's black after you do so.

 

I'll check it this weekend again..But yes it was clean after a year with the K&N on...I'll check it again and give it a squirt of contact cleaner too for good measure.

 

I wouldn't use contact cleaner if I were you. Besides it being a liquid based oil and not a solid, the pressure from the spray may break the resistor lead. They are very sensitive to bending. I take it back; I would use 70% isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swap and very gentaly go over the resistor itself. As I said, mine looked normal, until I found out they weren't supposed to be black It's hard to tell the oil is on there because there are/were no caked-on dirt particles or dust sticking to it, so it looked clean. I'm also going to check it today or this weekend. I may just replace it with a stock filter. My H3 has alot of miles on it already and I'm starting to get a little weary about putting thingson there that may minutely cause engine problems. I'm also looking into the extended warranty (well, Mike is looking into it for me). I'm willing to shell out 2K if it means I'm under warranty for another 5 years with no worries.

 

I use this stuff and it works fine without actually touching anything and bending the leads..No oils or residue