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K&N Oil Filter Failure


lazyeye

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Posted

Also rubber seal is not the correct diameter and does not mate up properly to VFR's. Too many other reputable filters to chance a catastrophe.

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Posted

I never knew changing an oil filter could be so challenging. I've had a few get stuck on my bikes, the original on my VFR broke a screwdriver, then just ripped when I got a beefier one, but some of these posts take it way too seriously.

Posted

I had 2 fail at the welded on nut (dripping, not catastrophic).  After that, I only ever used the hiflo with no issues. 

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Posted

I would regard myself as well informed and moderately intelligent, and I had no idea that the nut on a K&N filter was NOT to be used for installation. I don't recall there being any advisory text on the filter or packaging either. 

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Posted
2 hours ago, DriverDave said:

I had 2 fail at the welded on nut (dripping, not catastrophic).  After that, I only ever used the hiflo with no issues. 

The one good thing I've learned from this post is I will NEVER bother with a K & N oil filter. Only ever used the OEM or HiFlow HF204's with no issues at all. 

Posted

Again, these filters can fail WITHOUT USING THE NUT TO TIGHTEN.  It is simply a bad design.

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Posted
15 hours ago, DriverDave said:

I had 2 fail at the welded on nut (dripping, not catastrophic).  After that, I only ever used the hiflo with no issues. 

 

Ironically, I read that HiFlo makes the K&N filters...

 

Sorry, I cannot buy the idea that "over-torquing" the nut on the end of a metal filter housing could cause any kind of failure.  How much torque are we talking about, anyway?  Enough to start to twist the welded nut off the sheet metal?  Who TF uses that much torque installing an oil filter?

 

If the failures are related to the nut area, the apparent manufacturing defect was most likely present before (and after) anyone got near it with a wrench...

 

Ciao,

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Posted

My memory fails me, is the nut welded to a plate that is spot welded to the filter body? 

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Posted
4 hours ago, JZH said:

 

Ironically, I read that HiFlo makes the K&N filters...

 

Sorry, I cannot buy the idea that "over-torquing" the nut on the end of a metal filter housing could cause any kind of failure.  How much torque are we talking about, anyway?  Enough to start to twist the welded nut off the sheet metal?  Who TF uses that much torque installing an oil filter?

 

If the failures are related to the nut area, the apparent manufacturing defect was most likely present before (and after) anyone got near it with a wrench...

 

Ciao,

According to the 2002-2009 Honda FSM, 20 ft. lbs is called for on the Oil Filter (Engine Oil Filter Cartridge). Oil drain bolt is listed at 22 ft. lbs.

Posted

It isn't really a nut.  It's thin metal sheet that's stamped into the shape of a nut with a small flange on the bottom that is then spot welded to the filter.  I think on some of them, the welder is set too hot and it burns through a little bit, causing a thin spot that eventually either leaks slowly, or fails suddenly with a large fracture.

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Posted

It seems odd to me that there have been reports of this type of failure from owners for at least the last 5 years and yet they just keep churning them out.  Like it seems with everything else, something extremely serious will probably need to happen for it to change. 

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Posted

Apparently, a picture is worth a thousand words...

 

 

4f8c385c5fb774681b246f6f1c245b69.jpg

5f4de906d6f22a016230816aca03be91.jpg

72eac5888b7c1f91041089320000297d (1).jpg

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Posted

Well that worked for me!

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Posted
3 hours ago, Terry said:

Apparently, a picture is worth a thousand words...

 

5f4de906d6f22a016230816aca03be91.jpg

 

 

I've saved this pic in my archives...

 

Ciao,

Posted
6 hours ago, Terry said:

Apparently, a picture is worth a thousand words...

 

 

 

 

72eac5888b7c1f91041089320000297d (1).jpg

 

Jeez. How much of that trail is from the filter, and how much from the pilot's trousers?

Posted

On the K&N website it does mention that the nut can be used for both installation and removal.

 

http://www.knfilters.com/search/product.aspx?Prod=KN-204

Quote

K&N powersports oil filters contain a modern synthetic filter media, designed for ultimate flow with less pressure drop, yet engineered for outstanding filtration. K&N powersports 'spin-on' oil filters feature a heavy-duty metal can.

Most of these have a 17 mm nut affixed onto the end that allows for easy installation and removal. The 17 mm nut is crossed-drilled so racers can safety wire the filter to their bike.

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Posted
Posted

It is not worth saving a few pennies on oil or filters, stick to an original Honda oil filter, at least you may have some redress if it all goes wrong.......

Posted

I use the K&N filter mainly for the ease of the front nut install but I don't torque the filter down just do it up to a resistance I'm happy with, but I have had one leak from o-ring over time & heat cycles. After reading this thread I'm not using them anymore, it is better to be safe than sorry, thanks for posting op.

Posted

With my old CBR600F4 after so many years of using the Fram filter I had 2 choices to pick from, the K&N, and the OEM Honda filter because Fram stopped making the filter I used for years on that bike. The fram cost me $6.99, the OEM Honda cost me $10 if I remember right (it was a much longer drive to get one), and the K&N was $12.99 or so. I used a K&N for around 3 oil changes, there was a very small leak from under the nut on K&N filter number 3 (3rd year using K&N oil filters), but it was small enough that I had to look closely to see where it came from. That K&N filter was difficult to remove (not sure why, I always hand install oil filters snug only), it was the first time I ever used the nut on the filter to remove one, it started to round off and suddenly the spot welded sheet metal nut just popped off of the filter easily revealing a very small leak where one of the spot welds (there are a few small spot welds holding the sheet metal nut on only) burned right through the filter casing, or it rusted through the spot weld. The nut was rusted around the edge, rusted on the spot welds, and rusted under the nut, the other K&N filters did not have this problem, I wonder if they found another supplier to get their filters made at some point in time. After this experience I never bought another K&N filter, a few years later I see thousands of complaints online about K&N oil filters leaking under and around the nut on all types of vehicles, the nut breaking off, rusting, and some of the filters leaking suddenly and very badly while riding/driving. For my 2014 VFR800 I will only use the OEM Honda filter unless I can find Fram filters for it, maybe. I pay $10.99 for an OEM filter at the dealership. Just changed the oil today in fact. My original oil filter put up a big fight coming off at 600 miles, I had to punch a hole through the filter with a long screwdriver and turn the filter loose, why would anyone ever tighten an oil filter that much? I always clean the contact surface on the engine with a rag and check the new filters gasket, then put a bit of oil on the oil filter gasket before installing it by hand only. I dont know the amount of torque because I have installed oil filters by hand for 26 years plus and never measured it. I believe its turn until gasket contact, then tighten 1/2 turn by hand only.kQaVqyFN9MaOTr0kmXVezoL9r8AKHlrxEnKk7vPF

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