Ford Technicians - K&N Question

[Phoenix-IT]

I remember talking to a Ford tech a few years ago and he had mentioned that MAF sensors were not covered under warranty if an aftermarket air filter was used. He said the problem was that there is an oil in the reusable aftermarket filters that collects on the sensor wire and causes false readings. He said, in fact, that they couldn't even touch them... they had to be sent directly back to Ford for inspection when anything went wrong with them.

Is this still true today? Will a K&N jackup my massair?

[Julio]

what he told is true. If thefilter has excessive oil on it, it can contaminate the sensor, remember the things read in grams/sec.

[Walt]

Originally posted by Phoenix-IT
I remember talking to a Ford tech a few years ago and he had mentioned that MAF sensors were not covered under warranty if an aftermarket air filter was used. He said the problem was that there is an oil in the reusable aftermarket filters that collects on the sensor wire and causes false readings. He said, in fact, that they couldn't even touch them... they had to be sent directly back to Ford for inspection when anything went wrong with them.

Is this still true today? Will a K&N jackup my massair?


Yep. The former Mustang Chief Engineer has cautioned about
the same thing with the oil contamination of the MAF sensor.

The major symptoms are rough idling and stalling.

[Phoenix-IT]

So is there a safe way to use a K&N or a non-destructive alternative?

[34Ford]

I've said it before and Ill say it again.

The problems of K&N filters ruining the mas sensor is largly due to the person who put the oil on the filter.

How do you control someone who is not sure if he has enough oil on the filter. They spray the red oil on it not really knowing how much is enough. How red do you have to have it to be enough.

Lets face it, you can put too much!.

Im sure K&N gets letters about this all the time.

Dennis

[Phoenix-IT]

So, how much IS enough?

[34Ford]

Good question.

I have used one now for years now and I always wondered if I have enough oil on it.

And I think thats how many people make the mistake of getting to much on them. And that can be bad.

Leaving the public up to the amount of oil they should put on them is probably a touchy situation with lawsuits I bet.

Next time I see the box for instructions on the oiling of the filter Im going to see if K&N has a footnote not taking responsability of over oiling. Betcha they do.

[Vegas Mach1]

What I do is oil it the night before hold the spray can 6-8" away from the filter. Light strokes. Let it drain overnight and check it after the first day, clean out any that have have dripped into the filter housing. No problems even with the silencer removed...

[Darkhorse]

What i have done on the Gt's I own is this: I buy a new one everytime it needs replacing. Most of you guys won't be putting twenty thousand miles per year on your Mach 1's so you would only have to buy one every 1.5-3 years on average so why not buy a new one each time. $50 every couple of years isn't much.

[Phoenix-IT]

I've actually just read that there is a cure, if done preventatively. If you use electrical contact cleaner (spray-stream, not wipe it) on the sensor wires every couple of days after you re-oil the filter you should be okay. :HOPPY:

[Julio]

Technically, you are not supposed to allow anything on the sensor, although I have cleaned them with electrical contact cleaner till a new MAF came in for the customer...

[Phoenix-IT]

The contact cleaners I have used are 100% flush removal, 100% evaporative. That is, no residue... it flushes away the deposit in the stream and then evaporates from the surface completely.

Hopefully....