Real World K&N Performance

I looked at several of the old threads but decided to start anew. Anyone follow through with some before and after G-Tech runs, etc.? I took my '99 3.4 to the track yesterday with the K&N intake and muffler bypass pipes installed. It became clear after running next to a 997S on the long straight at GIR all day that my car slightly pulled the 997S. If you go by the factory numbers that's a 3100 lb car with 355 hp (8.73 lbs/hp) vs. a 2900 lb car with 296 hp (9.79 lbs/hp). Where'd my extra 36 hp come from? No CEL's by the way. Discuss amongst yourselves.

If you got more power, the vast, vast majority of it came from the exhaust mod. Interesting piece in Excellence on this subject recently, in the tech column. They claim that most intakes give you nothing, and the few that give you anything do so in a very narrow band. Exhaust mods, on the other hand, as legitimate tuners will tell you, are the only true bolt on horsepower, and only then at higher rpms.

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you have no idea what you just started... Well, if you have been to the track, you know that a lot of it depends on the driver as well...not everyone goes 100%. Also, sometimes a lot of that could be in your head as you hear the car singing to you, maybe you were shifting a little better and the other guy was not driving it as hard as you were. I have an exhaust and K&N intake as well and am very happy with it...

I don't think there's any doubt I got more power. Can't get any more real than a side by side 100mph to 130 mph drag. No dyno voodoo, just physics. I seem to recall Fabspeed's dynograph showed well under a 15 hp improvement with their muffler bypass alone. I doubt they were downplaying it's effectiveness.

Sure a lot depends on the driver but when you exit the big oval at the same speed (we did) and you both have your foot on the floor (we did) then it's just a drag race.

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There is an anecdotal, scientific, statistical, fact on why your story is not true.

I have an 00 996, with M030 suspension, Cargraphics headers & exhaust. Debated between the Evo and K&N intake, then decided on the K&N due to the price ($250 vs $595) and existence of dyno tests. Installed the K&N in May and was pleased with two aspects; improved sound to complement the headers/exhaust and noticed slightly quicker acceleration. Unfortunately I kept tripping the CEL with MAF codes. I would reset the ECU, and then they would re-appear about 75-100 miles later. Finally removed the K&N...cleaned the MAF with CRC MAF cleaner, reinstalled the factory intake, reset the codes and have not experienced any CEL issues since. Fortunately I do not believe that my MAF was permanently damaged by the K&N oil residue. As a next step I am looking to replace just the K&N oiled filter with an AEM dryflow filter and then reinstall the K&N intake kit to see if the CEL problem will be eliminated. Since removing the K&N I was immediately able to notice a difference...albeit only slightly. But as everyone knows, over time we each become acutely aware of the idiosyncrasies and performance characteristics of our cars…I could definitely notice a difference. I also noticed an immediate difference when I switched back from my staggered 19" RG5 Champions which weighted 17 & 19 lbs, to the factory BBS wheels which weigh in at 24 & 29lbs (ouch)! I have also considered chipping the car, either GIAC or Revo Technik, but will want to do a before and after dyno to verify results. Local tuner shops have advised me NOT to chip the car because I will be disappointed with the results… Revo Tehcnik will allow you to flash the chip for “5 hours” of driving time before you make you final decision…well see!

5 hp gain from a K&N is not worth the engine damage they cause. Is K&N's filters even measured in microns of filtration?

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By all means, do tell. One, it's not a "story". Two, does anyone have first hand experience of their stock 3.4l 996 pulling a 997S at the track? ...................... yeah, I thought so. Three, everyone dismisses the "scientific" evidence (02 Carrera's before and after dyno) that these intakes are worth serious hp. Too much dyno voodoo the naysayers proclaim. I'm not sure how a power comparison between two cars can be more "real" than a drag race from 100 to 130. No dyno corrections there, that's for sure. I'm under the impression that most posters here want as much first-hand factual information as possible to make decisions about their cars and their mods.

Does a 997s really weigh 3100 lbs?

Good question. 3131 lbs according to Porsche though. You think in most cases it's heavier, I take it?

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Sort of a silly debate. Exhaust made the difference. But, to your point: I did an oil test last spring just before installing my EVO intake. I'm going to get another oil test when I service the car this fall, and I'll post the relevant differentials. IMHO, that's the objective way to settle the debate about filtration.

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Well, I dont have access to a lab but I can tell you of all the S/Cs I have opened and found random debris imbedded into the scrolls or cases. K&N's are detrimental to an engine. Besides, wont the oil filter, filter out the contaminants anyways? Oil test isnt going to prove one way or the other IMO.

If the oil filter caught everything, there wouldn't be a problem, right? Oil tests are quite conclusive about certain things, and one of them is whether contaminants from outside the engine have made it to the inside. Anyway, you've declared that you won't believe whatever I post about this (despite the fact that I myself have no idea how it will turn out), so for you I guess I'd be wasting my time posting. But I probably will anyway. Others may be interested, since it's a pretty pure A-B comparison.

Sure, I am all for it. I am curious about the results too, please post. I am going on visual inspection alone, that was my evidence. To me it was obvious.

Fact: Paper elements remove more particles than cotton elements. So, to me, what doesnt get caught by the filter gets injested into the engine, imbedded into the cylinder walls and valve seats if not burned away.