K & N Filter Installation Question on 4.2l S5

[rezzbo]

Hi All, I just purchased my 2010 V8 6-Speed S5 three weeks ago, and decided to get my hands dirty with some overdue maintenance. Windshield wipers were a breeze, in cabin air filter was a bit of a pain, but not too bad... and I'm also installing a K & N air filter, which fits in place of the oem paper air filter. However, I noticed that the OEM filter has a rubber gasket between the plastic intake pipe and the body of the filter. I can't figure out if this gasket is necessary with the K&N filter. Has anyone upgraded to one of these yet? Any ideas?

[GotRS?]

Not answering your question, but in an engine without the air intake being a bottleneck with two paths compared to the one on the B7, I would recommend the stock paper filters because... well they really do filter well. People look at a dirty paper filter and think, wow this is full of dirt and must be bad. Well the surface area is huge and catching dirt rather than letting it through is a good thing. I really don't see K&N, or any on that bandwagon as an upgrade.

Edit: Congrats on the car btw ;)

[rezzbo]

Thank you :). You're quite correct; there is no need to "upgrade" the intake. However, the K&N was $40 and is cleanable (and supposedly has somewhat better flow) whereas the paper filter was $20, is one time use.. I just feel that the K&N is better quality and a better value, even if I threw it away and got a new one every two changes (which, of course, is unnecessary).

[GotRS?]

Sure it has a better flow, but at the cost of filtering. Don't get me wrong, I've spent plenty on K$N's over the years. Looks like I'm not familiar with the S5 V8, there's only one filter, not one each side?

[rezzbo]

Yes, it is a single filter. I thought you were referring to the fact that it sucks air via separate vents coming from the air box.

[GotRS?]

ok, I didn't know it is a single filter arrangement for that engine. The K$N cleaner kit works really well if you didn't already know.

[Steve_K]

Sure it has a better flow, but at the cost of filtering. Don't get me wrong, I've spent plenty on K$N's over the years. Looks like I'm not familiar with the S5 V8, there's only one filter, not one each side?

Hey GotRS,

I believe you might be thinking of the RS5 engine with duel intakes going into the throttle body. The S5 just has the one, similar in fact to the RS4 engine, but with a very different air box and air filter.

rezzbo, to answer your question, I also stuck in a replacement high performance air filter, albeit a BMC and not a K&N. The rubber washer/gasket/ring that you refer to will need to be removed from the stock paper filter and put on the K&N part, as far as I'm aware. My air filter replacement was also a DIY job and replacing that rubber ring on the BMC filter is what the instructions advised. Maybe you need to check your insrtuctions for the K&N, if it came with any.

[rezzbo]

I wasn't able to put the large o-ring in place on the K&N or in the air box.. there simply isn't a place to put it without the stock filter (it actually sits inside a slot in the filter). The pipe which goes to the throttle body fits (very) snugly into the K&N filter, though, so I do not believe the o ring is necessary. I'll let everyone know if my engine explodes.

The instructions from K&N were vague and did not mention the o ring at all.

[xuandatou]

K&N 1987?

[rezzbo]

Yes, E1987.