K&N filter failures

[borislav]

OEM filters are good but in my instance I have to drive 45min one way to get to Yamaha dealer which makes that filter cost me something like $45.
I go online, get my Hiflofiltro on amazon and guess what FREE SHIPPING.
BADA BOOM BADA BANG

 

[Thunderace]

I always buy my filters online. Pricing is better and I have no lost time driving around Baltimore.

 

[Emerson]

FWIW, HiFlow is an OEM manufacturer, who provides OEM filters to a number of manufacturers. It is very possible that they actually manufacture the OEM filters for either the R6 and/or the GSXR. They are also TUV certified (AFAIK, the only filter manufacturer that is). Were it not for the "nut", I'd probably just get OEM also, but I also like having the end nut it being pre-drilled for safety wire.

They actually used to manufacture the filters for K&N but K&N wanted to save a few bucks so they switched manufacturers and thats when their filters went to s*$t

 

[Dave561]

I use Napa gold filters cause they're local, a good filter and I can pick one up a pair as I'm driving through town

 

[fowlplayracing]

Started using OEM as soon as heard there was an issue. I liked the safety wire nut as well but a nut driver on a clamp is way easier than the dealing with a filter that has failed

 

[mdhokie]

That's alarming! I've used the K&N filters since initial break-in, 5 years and 15,000 miles. Until my first track day this year though, never had it safety wired. Any chance the tension of the safety wire itself is contributing to failure, if it's failing at the nut weld?

 

[mdhokie]

http://www.knfilters.com/oilwarranty.htm

Don't know if anybody's claimed the warranty; I'm sure it wouldn't be easy to prove cause, but it's good to know there's some recourse.

I'd also wonder if the initial installation stressed the nut if it were tightened with a wrench (I always tighten it by hand, and I've only used the nut when removing the old filter).