During these tough times, car owners should strive as much as they can to save on gas. And even though there are some common methods of increasing gas mileage we already use such as going easy on the pedal and regularly checking tire pressure.
You might need to explore other options like K&N filters that are popularly known to increase gas mileage.
You may have come across this information from your favorite car thread, or you may have received such a suggestion from a colleague at work when you were chatting about how to increase gas mileage.
Before switching from your ordinary air filter, you need to make sure whether these claims are true.
After all, K&N air filters are more expensive than ordinary filters. And if there is one thing car accessories have taught us, is that expensive is not always better.
Table of Contents
- Other Ways to Increase Gas Mileage
So, Do K&N Filters Increase Gas Mileage?
Yes, they do. Unlike your typical air filter, K&N air filters allow more air into your engine. This helps increase fuel economy as well as offers your vehicle more gains in horsepower. Switching to a K&N filter is an effortless method of increasing gas mileage.
Because when you look at other methods such as going easy on the pedal to save on gas, there are days when you may be in a hurry. And this solution may not work for you.
That is not all you get from K&N filters. Understandably, you may be reluctant to get the K&N filter and recharger kit because it is double or even triple the price of your ordinary filter.
However, unlike your regular filter that you have to replace now and then, K&N filters are guaranteed for 1 million miles.
Chances are, you will never have to buy another filter again. Add that to the benefit of improved fuel economy, this is practically the best filter you can ever find in the market.
Is It True that K&N Filter Doubles Gas Mileage?
This is false. A K&N filter won’t double gas mileage but it will improve it significantly. Even though it may not double gas mileage, considering the prices of fuel at the moment, it is a worthy investment.
How are K&N Filters Different from the Normal Ones?
After talking a great deal about how these filters can help with fuel economy, you may be wondering what is so special about them.
As we have discussed earlier, K&N filters allow more air into the engine. This is made possible by the cotton gaze which is used in a K&N filter. Ordinary filters use very restrictive paper, unlike cotton gauze.
Don’t be misled to think that just because K&N filters have a less restrictive medium they can easily let through contaminants.
These filters contain an oil that is soaked into the cotton and its role is to trap dirt and anything else trying to pass through. As a result, you not only get advanced airflow but also your engine is fully protected.
Another key difference between K&N filters and ordinary ones is that the manufacturer claims their filters can last 1 million miles.
The much you have to do is clean them after every 50k miles. They are washable if you were wondering. Also, they do sell their filters with a recharger kit which you will be using to re-oil the air filter after washing it.
Before we look at how much gas mileage you can increase with a K&N filter, you should know that these filters are available for nearly every car model. And they can fit easily without the need for modification.
What are Drivers’ Experiences with K&N Filters?
Different drivers have varying experiences with K&N filters. Some had a good experience and observed an increase in MPG compared to an ordinary filter.
However, this is not the case with all drivers. For you to decide whether a K&N filter is the right choice for your car, you must know what other motorists think of these filters.
Let’s start with the negatives. On various threads, car owners have referred to K&N filters as having a placebo effect on motorists.
In that, they do not increase gas mileage, it’s what your mind tells you. And you believe it. The argument is that modern engines rely on many inlet conditions and airflow shouldn’t have any effect on fuel economy.
There have also been complaints about the K&N filter because it is less restrictive, it does let in more dirt than a normal filter.
However, we already disputed this claim above when we mentioned how the oil in the traps dirt and anything else that may be headed toward your engine.
Those are the negatives. There are, however, positive attributes of the K&N filters. There are car owners who have noticed up to a 5% increase in gas mileage.
This is a very huge margin especially when you consider how expensive fuel is nowadays. This however depends on the vehicle in question. Not all car owners realize an increase in gas mileage when they use K&N filters.
Now that you know K&N filters increase gas mileage and are reusable. To fully determine whether they are ideal for your car, you just have to try them out. This is the only way you can be sure.
Don’t let the cost scare you, because it is reusable, and considering how long you can have it on your car, it will be more affordable than ordinary filters.
Other Ways to Increase Gas Mileage
It may take more than just switching to a K&N filter to increase fuel economy. Other methods can help you save money on gas as well as reduce the emission of harmful gasses to the environment.
If you are researching whether K&N filters can help improve fuel economy, chances are you have had enough with high fuel rates. And you are looking for ways to cut down on costs.
Here are some ways you can do that;
• Avoid pushing the pedal to the metal. Poor driving habits are the leading cause of high fuel consumption in cars. Even with a K&N filter, you end up using more gas if you are always speeding and braking.
• Driving light. The more you carry, the more fuel your vehicle will consume. A lot of us drive around with unnecessary cargo in our vehicles.
Did you know that using cruise control can improve fuel efficiency by 14%? If you haven’t been, it’s never too late to start, especially on highways.
• Idling also wastes a lot of gas. Embrace the habit of turning off the car whenever you are not driving.
• Ensure that you are driving with the right tire pressure.
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