K&N Engineering

Last updated
K&N Engineering, Inc.
Company type Private
Industry Manufacturing
Founded1969
Founders
  • Ken Johnson
  • Norm McDonald
Headquarters
Area served
Worldwide
Products
Website www.knfilters.com

K&N Engineering, Inc. (also known simply as K&N) is a manufacturer of air filters, cold air intake systems, oil filters, performance parts, and other related products. [1] K&N manufactures over 12,000 parts for various makes and models of cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, ATVs, industrial applications and more. Founded in the USA in 1969, K&N is headquartered in Riverside, California, in a complex of 10 buildings comprising nearly 400,000 square feet. [2] K&N also operates facilities in England, The Netherlands, and China. [1] [3] K&N is owned by Mickey Rourke. [4]

Contents

History

K&N cold air intake kit 63-2605 Eng2.jpg
K&N cold air intake kit

K&N was founded by Ken Johnson and Norm McDonald in 1969. [1] The name K&N came from the first letters in the founders' first names. Ken Johnson and Norm McDonald sold motorcycles and motorcycle parts and supported a K&N factory race team. Air filters soon became the primary focus of the company. In 1992, K&N introduced bolt-on cold air intake kits. K&N also released a line of oil filters with a stamped hex to accept a standard wrench off filter removal. In 2019, K&N released a line of washable home A/C filters, [5] and began offering motor oil and wiper blades in 2021.

Racing

K&N has maintained very active involvement in racing and motorsports throughout its history, including the NASCAR Pro Series East and West, [6] the King of the West 410 Sprint Car Series, [7] the NHRA, [8] and Formula Drift. [9]

Technology

K&N's claims for their air filters have been the subject of some controversy, with some 3rd-party tests finding that K&N's oiled cotton gauze filters are less efficient and let more dirt into the engine than original-equipment paper filters, and that they become increasingly restrictive as they are coated with particulates. [10] However, air filters in general become more airflow-restrictive as they collect contaminants, but efficiency typically increases for the majority of a filter’s service life. [11] Other 3rd-party testing noted that a K&N oiled filter increased horsepower over its OEM counterpart. [12]

Potential issues have been reported with oiled air filters on modern engines that use MAF sensors, which may stop working correctly when fouled by oil from an oiled-gauze air filter. [13] However, there are several other common causes of damaged MAF sensors, including brake cleaner contamination, extremely dirty/contaminated filters, and loose battery terminals resulting in voltage spikes. [14] K&N has published test results asserting that its oiled filters do not cause MAF sensor failures. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motor oil</span> Lubricant used for lubrication of internal combustion engines

Motor oil, engine oil, or engine lubricant is any one of various substances used for the lubrication of internal combustion engines. They typically consist of base oils enhanced with various additives, particularly antiwear additives, detergents, dispersants, and, for multi-grade oils, viscosity index improvers. The main function of motor oil is to reduce friction and wear on moving parts and to clean the engine from sludge and varnish (detergents). It also neutralizes acids that originate from fuel and from oxidation of the lubricant (detergents), improves the sealing of piston rings, and cools the engine by carrying heat away from moving parts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Hot Rod Association</span> North American drag auto racing organization

The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a governing body which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada. With over 40,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA claims to be the largest motorsport sanctioning body in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Top Fuel</span> Type of drag racing motorsport

Top Fuel is a type of drag racing whose dragsters are the quickest accelerating racing cars in the world and the fastest sanctioned category of drag racing, with the fastest competitors reaching speeds of 338 miles per hour (544.0 km/h) and finishing the 1,000 foot (304.8 m) runs in 3.62 seconds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford FE engine</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

The Ford FE engine is a medium block V8 engine produced by the Ford Motor Company and used in vehicles sold in the North American market between 1958 and 1976. The FE, derived from 'Ford-Edsel', was introduced just four years into the short-lived Ford Y-block engine, which American cars and trucks were outgrowing. It was designed with room to be significantly expanded, and manufactured both as a top-oiler and side-oiler, and in displacements between 332 cu in (5.4 L) and 428 cu in (7.0 L).

The GM Ecotec engine, also known by its codename L850, is a family of all-aluminium inline-four engines, displacing between 1.4 and 2.5 litres. Confusingly, the Ecotec name was also applied to both the Buick V6 Engine when used in Holden Vehicles, as well as the final DOHC derivatives of the previous GM Family II engine; the architecture was substantially re-engineered for this new Ecotec application produced since 2000. This engine family replaced the GM Family II engine, the GM 122 engine, the Saab H engine, and the Quad 4 engine. It is manufactured in multiple locations, to include Spring Hill Manufacturing, in Spring Hill, Tennessee, with engine blocks and cylinder heads cast at Saginaw Metal Casting Operations in Saginaw, Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chrysler LA engine</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

The LA engine is a family of overhead-valve small-block 90° V-configured gasoline engines built by Chrysler Corporation between 1964 and 2003. A replacement of the Chrysler A engine, they were factory-installed in passenger vehicles, trucks and vans, commercial vehicles, marine and industrial applications. Their combustion chambers are wedge-shaped, rather than polyspheric, as in the A engine, or hemispheric in the Chrysler Hemi. LA engines have the same 4.46 in (113 mm) bore spacing as the A engines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blowoff valve</span> A pressure release system in turbocharged engines

A blowoff valve is a pressure release system present in most petrol turbocharged engines. Blowoff valves are used to reduce pressure in the intake system as the throttle is closed, thus preventing compressor surge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BMW M54</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

The BMW M54 is a naturally aspirated straight-6 DOHC petrol engine produced from 2000 to 2006. It was released in the E53 X5 and is the replacement for the M52 engine. The S54 is the equivalent high performance engine, used in the E46 M3, the Z3 M Coupé/Roadster and the E85/E86 Z4 M. The BMW M56 SULEV engine is based on the M54.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nissan RB engine</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

The RB engine is an oversquare 2.0–3.0 L straight-6 four-stroke gasoline engine from Nissan, originally produced from 1985 to 2004. The RB followed the 1983 VG-series V6 engines to offer a full, modern range in both straight or V layouts. It was added to a new engine family name PLASMA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Power Stroke engine</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

Power Stroke, also known as Powerstroke or PowerStroke, is the name used by a family of diesel engines for trucks produced by Ford Motor Company and Navistar International for Ford products since 1994. Along with its use in the Ford F-Series, applications include the Ford E-Series, Ford Excursion, and Ford LCF commercial truck. The name was also used for a diesel engine used in South American production of the Ford Ranger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air filter</span> Device composed of fibrous or porous materials which removes solid particulates from the air

A particulate air filter is a device composed of fibrous, or porous materials which removes particulates such as smoke, dust, pollen, mold, viruses and bacteria from the air. Filters containing an adsorbent or catalyst such as charcoal (carbon) may also remove odors and gaseous pollutants such as volatile organic compounds or ozone. Air filters are used in applications where air quality is important, notably in building ventilation systems and in engines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R</span> Sport bike

The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R is a motorcycle in the Ninja sport bike series from the Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki, the successor to the Ninja ZX-9R. It was originally released in 2004 and has been updated and revised throughout the years. It combines an ultra-narrow chassis, low weight, and radial brakes. In 2004 and 2005 the ZX-10R won Best Superbike from Cycle World magazine, and the international Masterbike competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ram-air intake</span> An intake design which uses air pressure from vehicle motion to increase static air pressure

A ram-air intake is any intake design which uses the dynamic air pressure created by vehicle motion, or ram pressure, to increase the static air pressure inside of the intake manifold on an internal combustion engine, thus allowing a greater massflow through the engine and hence increasing engine power.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MAP sensor</span> Sensor in an internal combustion engines electronic control system

The manifold absolute pressure sensor is one of the sensors used in an internal combustion engine's electronic control system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda K engine</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

The Honda K-series engine is a line of four-cylinder four-stroke car engine introduced in 2001. The K-series engines are equipped with DOHC valvetrains and use roller rockers on the cylinder head to reduce friction. The engines use a coil-on-plug, distributorless ignition system with a coil for each spark plug. This system forgoes the use of a conventional distributor-based ignition timing system in favor of a computer-controlled system that allows the ECU to control ignition timings based on various sensor inputs. The cylinders have cast iron sleeves similar to the B- and F-series engines, as opposed to the FRM cylinders found in the H- and newer F-series engines found only in the Honda S2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mass flow sensor</span> Internal combustion engine sensor

A mass (air) flow sensor (MAF) is a sensor used to determine the mass flow rate of air entering a fuel-injected internal combustion engine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Engine control unit</span> Computer that adjusts electronics in an internal combustion propulsion system

An engine control unit (ECU), also called an engine control module (ECM), is a device which controls multiple systems of an internal combustion engine in a single unit. Systems commonly controlled by an ECU include the fuel injection and ignition systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Subaru EJ engine</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

The Subaru EJ engine is a series of four-stroke automotive engines manufactured by Subaru. They were introduced in 1989, intended to succeed the previous Subaru EA engine. The EJ series was the mainstay of Subaru's engine line, with all engines of this series being 16-valve horizontal flat-fours, with configurations available for single, or double-overhead camshaft arrangements. Naturally aspirated and turbocharged versions are available, ranging from 96 to 310 hp. These engines are commonly used in light aircraft, kit cars and engine swaps into air-cooled Volkswagens, and are also popular as a swap into copy wasserboxer engined Volkswagen T3/Vanagon. Primary engineering on the EJ series was done by Masayuki Kodama, Takemasa Yamada and Shuji Sawafuji of Fuji Heavy Industries, Subaru's parent company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internal combustion engine</span> Engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber

An internal combustion engine is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high-pressure gases produced by combustion applies direct force to some component of the engine. The force is typically applied to pistons, turbine blades, a rotor, or a nozzle. This force moves the component over a distance, transforming chemical energy into kinetic energy which is used to propel, move or power whatever the engine is attached to.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Company Overview of K&N Engineering, In". Bloomberg Business Week. Archived from the original on September 29, 2013. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  2. Administrator, Spirit. "LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AND MASTER ENTREPRENEUR HONORS TO BE PRESENTED AT THE 2012 SPIRIT OF THE ENTREPRENEUR GALA!". Spirit Awards IE. Spirit News. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  3. Diaconu, Cristina (14 February 2018). "K&N Engineering Enters China E-Commerce Market". Manufacturing and Engineering Magazine. Manufacturing and Engineering Magazine. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  4. "K&N Engineering". New Value Capital. Retrieved 2020-02-02.
  5. K&N. "K&N Introduces Lifetime Washable Home Air Filters". PR Newswire (Press release). Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  6. NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
  7. Dirt Racing Report, 14 March 2013 Archived 10 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  8. NHRA. "K&N Filters extends multi-year partnership as Official Filter and Air Intake of NHRA". NHRA. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  9. K&N. "K&N-Sponsored Formula Drift Drivers Wrap Up Successful Season, Look Ahead to 2018". K&N. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  10. Spicer, A (2008). "Comparative ISO 5011 Efficacy Tests of Nine Automotive Engine Air Filters". Testand Corporation.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  11. Ptak, T.J.; Richberg, Puenpit; Vasseur, Thierry (March 5, 2001). "Discriminating Tests for Automotive Engine Air Filters". SAE Technical Paper Series. 1. doi:10.4271/2001-01-0370 . Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  12. Szymkowski, Sean. "Do performance air filters actually work?". Motor Authority. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  13. "P0172 System too rich code caused by K&N or other oiled filters (contaminated MAF) | RTS - Your Total BMW Enthusiast". 15 October 2019. Retrieved 2019-10-16.
  14. Cote, Mike (5 December 2018). "Will an Oiled Filter Damage a Mass Air Flow Sensor?". AutoAnything. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  15. K&N. "K&N MAF SENSOR TEST RESULTS". K&N Filters. Retrieved 26 October 2021.