K&N Engineering

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K&N was founded by Ken Johnson and Norm McDonald in 1969.{{cite web|title=Company Overview of K&N Engineering, In|url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=4470261|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929174927/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=4470261|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 29, 2013|publisher=Bloomberg Business Week|accessdate=July 16, 2013}} 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,{{cite press release |last1=K&N |title=K&N Introduces Lifetime Washable Home Air Filters |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kn-introduces-lifetime-washable-home-air-filters-300806580.html |website=PR Newswire |access-date=26 October 2021}} and began offering motor oil and wiper blades in 2021.

K&N has maintained very active involvement in racing and motorsports throughout its history, including the NASCAR Pro Series East and West,[http://hometracks.nascar.com/series/kn_pro_series_east NASCAR K&N Pro Series East] the King of the West 410 Sprint Car Series,[http://dirtracingreport.com/kn-filters-joins-on-as-contingency-partner-with-the-king-of-the-west-410-sprint-car-series-in-2013/ Dirt Racing Report, 14 March 2013] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130610015859/http://dirtracingreport.com/kn-filters-joins-on-as-contingency-partner-with-the-king-of-the-west-410-sprint-car-series-in-2013/ |date=10 June 2013 }} the NHRA,{{cite web |last1=NHRA |title=K&N Filters extends multi-year partnership as Official Filter and Air Intake of NHRA |url=https://www.nhra.com/news/2019/kn-filters-extends-multi-year-partnership-official-filter-and-air-intake-nhra |website=NHRA |access-date=26 October 2021}} and Formula Drift.{{cite web |last1=K&N |title=K&N-Sponsored Formula Drift Drivers Wrap Up Successful Season, Look Ahead to 2018 |url=https://www.knfilters.com/blog/kn-sponsored-formula-drift-drivers-wrap-up-successful-season-look-ahead-to-2018/ |website=K&N |access-date=26 October 2021}}

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.{{cite journal |last=Spicer |first= A|year=2008 |title=Comparative ISO 5011 Efficacy Tests of Nine Automotive Engine Air Filters |publisher=Testand Corporation}} 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.{{cite journal |last1=Ptak |first1=T.J. |last2=Richberg |first2=Puenpit |last3=Vasseur |first3=Thierry |title=Discriminating Tests for Automotive Engine Air Filters |journal=SAE Technical Paper Series |date=March 5, 2001 |volume=1 |doi=10.4271/2001-01-0370 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290052838 |accessdate=18 October 2019}} Other 3rd-party testing noted that a K&N oiled filter increased horsepower over its OEM counterpart.{{cite web |last1=Szymkowski |first1=Sean |title=Do performance air filters actually work? |url=https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1120932_do-performance-air-filters-actually-work |website=Motor Authority |access-date=26 October 2021}}

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.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rtsauto.com/p0172-system-too-rich-code-caused-by-kn-or-other-oiled-filters-contaminated-maf/|title=P0172 System too rich code caused by K&N or other oiled filters (contaminated MAF) {{!}} RTS - Your Total BMW Enthusiast|date=15 October 2019 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-16}} 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.{{cite web |last1=Cote |first1=Mike |title=Will an Oiled Filter Damage a Mass Air Flow Sensor? |url=https://www.autoanything.com/resources/will-an-oiled-filter-damage-a-mass-air-flow-sensor/ |website=AutoAnything |date=5 December 2018 |access-date=26 October 2021}} K&N has published test results asserting that its oiled filters do not cause MAF sensor failures.{{cite web |last1=K&N |title=K&N MAF SENSOR TEST RESULTS |url=https://www.knfilters.com/maf/maftestresults.htm |website=K&N Filters |access-date=26 October 2021}}

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• {{Official website|https://www.knfilters.com/}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:KandN Engineering, Inc.}}

Category:Filter manufacturers

Category:Automotive motorsports and performance companies

Category:Manufacturing companies based in California

Category:Companies based in Riverside, California

Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1969

Category:1969 establishments in California

Category:American brands