[Bullitt1853]

Hi All

Just a quick question to those of you that know much more than me (probably everyone here) :smile: I was reading through another post and ran across one that said the oil in K & N filter will void my new bullitt air flow sensor warranty. I was wondering first if this is true. (considering I have had K & N's on all of my Mustangs and I have not yet had a problem let alone a warranty issue. But alas, as you might guess, I am concerned as this is my first "new mustang" I don't want to ruin it. So, if anyone has any insight into this issue, I would be very thankful for the hints. Semper Fi

_________________
1996 GT (very modified)
1998 ZX-9R (heavily modified)
1993 Geo Storm (hey, its my first car :smile:
2001 Bullitt (K&N so far, after the warrenty runs out, here comes a supercharger)

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Bullitt1853 on 2001-10-19 17:26 ]</font>

 

[Rob00GT]

Void warranty? No, it shouldn't. But there are a few things you should know. A K&N filter uses the oil on the cotton cloth to actually "filter" the air entering your engine. The cloth needs to be washed and re-oiled periodically, K&N calls it "recharging" the filter, usually at the same interval you would normally replace the air filter. When the K&N is new and after it's recharged it is possible that some of the excess oil can get sucked into the intake tube. This oil is perfectly harmless to your engine but if it coats the wire-shaped sensor in your MAF (Mass Air Flow sensor) it can cause it to not function properly. A prime symptom of this is poor idle quality.

Now the good news: cleaning the MAF is a very simple procedure. Simply unbolt it from the intake tube and filter housing, unplug the wiring harness, and carry it over to your workbench. Hold it up to the light and you can see the wire in the sampling tube. Take a can of aerosol electrical contact cleaner and spray it into the tube. Hold it so that the excess drains out the back of the sampling tube. Gently blow it dry and reinstall. If you want to be really thorough you can take the MAF apart but you'll need a Tamper-proff Torx bit to unscrew the two bolts holding it together.

The K&N filter is almost universally considered a "good" mod and should not affect your warranty. A recharge kit costs about the same as an air filter and is good for a couple of recharges, the filter itself has a "million mile" warranty and should last forever. If a dealership ever tries to give your grief about it (especially if it's a "performance" dealership) just ask the service tech to follow you into the showroom and pop the hood of the nearest Steeda/Roush/Saleen and point at the factory K&N filter.


And no I don't work for K&N, I just did a lot of research when I had one on my '00 GT. I got a little too liberal with the oil when I recharged the filter and learned firsthand how to clean the MAF.

 

[Bullitt1853]

Rob

Thanks, that was the answer I was hoping for. I really appeciate the answer. I was beginning to worry.

 

[JP DEMOLET]

I went to my zone Ford Rep when introducing the intakes to market. I had several local customers having the install done at my shop and all were concerned about the warranty issue.
The rep checked with some higher ups and this is what I was told...." There won't be a problem since the intake and the K&N don't modify, relocate, or alter the MAF meter or throttle body hose sensors". He also stated that since the factory doesn't supply free filter replacements that an individual can use any filter of his choosing without warranty concerns.
I'm anxious to get some customer feedback as to whether the racing K&N filterchargers really won't pass an emissions test.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: JP DEMOLET on 2001-10-20 16:38 ]</font>