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Warning about K&N Intake

66K views 307 replies 50 participants last post by  stefcio007 
#1 ·
Let me preface by saying this is what I think caused the problem.

So I was traveling down the road and looked to the side just as my car went over a huge pothole. The car seemed fine and I wasn't worried. But when I got in the car later I noticed what seemed like loss in power at lower RPMs. I pulled over and found that the filter had come off the MAF housing...no biggie. But, as I was putting the filter back on, I noticed that there was a crack straight through the housing. It seems like the weight of the filter being banged around cracked the housing. Anyways, I'm gonna patch the crack with some duct tape until I get a new housing.

Moral of the story: pay attention to where you're driving!
I'll post pics in a bit when I go out to patch the crack.

Any of you Steeda Intake folks willing to part with your MAF housing? [:(] I'm willing to pay of course!
 
#4 ·
I have the part # for the MAF housing at home if you need it. It will only be $7 from your Ford dealer. I cracked the filter flange on mine from overtightening, but I think I may have weakened or cracked it when I was forcing the tight "hump" hose onto the housing.

Was the crack through the flange that the filter attaches to, or through the center of the housing? If it was through the center of the housing, I would blame that fact that the hole in the heat shield isn't centered properly for the MAF housing, and the housing makes constant contact with it. This is an issue that K&N is aware of, but I have no reason to believe it's been fixed yet. I have modified mine to eliminate that problem.

I mentioned this in the K&N CAI thread, but I will mention it again. It is very important that you don't overtighten the filter to the MAF housing. Tighten the clamp until the filter no longer "slips" on the housing as you try to rotate it, then turn the screw on the clamp just a bit more.
 
#5 ·
That was one if the things I didn't Like about the k&n is the fact that it uses the stock maf housing. Hope its an easy fix with getting a new housing

Sent from my SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2
 
#7 ·
That was one if the things I didn't Like about the k&n is the fact that it uses the stock maf housing. Hope its an easy fix with getting a new housing

Sent from my SGH-I777 using FF Mobile 2
I really do love the design. I love the sound. I love the pickup. I love the stupid little K&N logo imprint on the heat shroud. I HATE that it uses the stock housing.
 
#20 ·
I had the same problem today, less than 2 hours after install... I thought I hadn't tightened enough. No cracked housing... Just popped off from a big bump :(
 
#21 ·
That sucks. :( I think this issue is related to the fact that the factory MAF Housing has a taper where the K&N Filter goes on. Kinda paranoid about mine now.
 
#22 ·
I hope k&n sees this is this problem, and has a fix coming up for it. I would be upset paying $250 for an intake that has issues.

Now I will play devils avocet but I did check my intake and the filter had become lose but not enough to fall off. But anytime a filter and clamp are used its good to check it at least once a week or every time you get gas of your paranoid lol
 
#23 ·
I will agree with Craig. It's not totally K&N's fault. I was discussing how dumb it was that Ford made the MAF housing taper in instead of having an outward taper or equal size and a lip with my Step-Dad while I was installing. Now, a hybrid with a Steeda Velocity stack... Hmm...

I'm trying to devise a plan of attack to keep this thing together... Bungies...? Zip Ties...? Adding a small bracket...? Sonic will find a way ;)
 
#24 ·
I really wish I had access to a lathe. I would just turn my own version of Steeda's MAF Housing. It would be too easy. I am curious if K&N realized the taper and didn't think it would have an impact so they decided not to make a MAF Housing.
 
#26 ·
I hope Troy chimes in here. When the other thread went to PM's it didn't look good. You paid for something and now you have to fab something to keep it from wrecking your car. I'd be [:(!]
 
#34 ·
Can't wait to see these ideas. New part is ordered. It's all of $4 at the Ford Parts store here in Allentown.

I looked at the flange on the housing, and I definitely overtightened the filter. Just have to be more careful.
 
#35 ·
Hello Everyone,

I will be reviewing the issue with the engineers as soon as they are in, however it may take a while longer for me to respond because they are out of the area.

I can say that overtigtening is easy to do on any of our kits when using a driver to tighten the hose clamps, never use a driver or ratchet to tighten hose clamps. Always use a flat blade screwdriver when the engine is cool to make adjustments and tighten hose clamps.

As soon as I hear back from the engineers I will let you all know, I appreciate your patience and I know it's been a weekend without answers (we do not work weekends) so I will do my best to post as soon as I have some answers for you as well as the OP.


Troy.
 
#37 ·
Did you take pictures of the crack in your MAF housing? I would like to see if it was the result of over-tightening, or possibly the mount to the heatshield.
 
#38 ·
Lemme see if I can figure this out...



So, as you can see, it looks like the result of over tightening. But I swear I didn't tighten the filter nearly as much as this picture suggests. I guess the combination of tightening and going over a large bump at 30 or so MPH could do this...
 
#39 ·
Hey Guys,

I will make sure the engineers look at this photo, just from looking at the photo myself you can see where the housing has actually caved in and it cracked at the seam around the MAF. See circled / rectangle areas on the edited photo, thank you again guys.




Troy.
 
#42 ·
WTF?!?!?! Popped off AGAIN...

On my way home everything was good and then, loss of power, sluggish... I didn't hit any big bumps that I would have noted as different... Everything was fine this morning when I checked it.

I don't have any cracks...

Anyway...

I'm off for the next two days, I may just make a "Sonic" bracket to fix this stupid issue.
 
#43 ·
I haven't had fine pop off since that one time. But its only a matter of time until it does it again. I hope K&N comes up with a solution for the problem
 
#44 ·
Mine has never popped off. I have about 2500 miles on it.

I have not heard anything from Troy since 6/22/12. Correspondence with Steeda began on 6/7/12. My advice at this point is to buy Steeda. K&N has issues with their product, and I'm not sure they're willing to do anything about it at this point.
 
#45 ·
I disagree; I can't imagine a reputable company like K&N not rectifying the situation and continuing to sell products with a persistent issue. I'm sure their engineers/finance people are scrambling to come up with a feasible solution. Unfortunately for those with the problem, it may not occur at the immediate moment.

K&N relies on their brand name and recognition of producing quality products. I have faith in them.
 
#46 ·
Hi guys, even though I don't run the K&N setup any longer (it's now on Sonic's car), I've put some thought into this problem and suggest the following.

When installing my filter, I realized that the plastic MAF housing was going to be an issue. It is smooth plastic, and pretty soft, so if you do overtighten the filter clamp, it's going to break, no doubt. Mine didn't crack like the pic above, but it did fold over itself and crush slightly until I realized that I had overtightened it.

Instead of tightening the clamp until you crush the housing, which will ultimately leave the filter loose and allow it to fall off, what we need here is more friction between the filter shell and the MAF housing itself, without having to overtighten the clamp. My thoughts were to get some of that industrial velcro and with a little Super Glue to help hold it, wrap a strip of the hook side around the MAF housing, or the inside of the mouth of the filter. This will create a nice amount of friction between the two pieces that would allow you to run the clamp down snugly, but not overtighten it. If that didn't work, I was considering using a strip of 200 grit sandpaper instead. Same concept, just glue it to the inside of the mouth of the filter, or around the edge of the MAF housing to increase friction.

Just a couple of ideas to help those that may be experiencing the problem.
 
#48 ·
Instead of tightening the clamp until you crush the housing, which will ultimately leave the filter loose and allow it to fall off, what we need here is more friction between the filter shell and the MAF housing itself, without having to overtighten the clamp. My thoughts were to get some of that industrial velcro and with a little Super Glue to help hold it, wrap a strip of the hook side around the MAF housing, or the inside of the mouth of the filter. This will create a nice amount of friction between the two pieces that would allow you to run the clamp down snugly, but not overtighten it. If that didn't work, I was considering using a strip of 200 grit sandpaper instead. Same concept, just glue it to the inside of the mouth of the filter, or around the edge of the MAF housing to increase friction.
That could possibly work. Thanks for the suggestion.

In my experience, the overtightening can be avoided, and yet still get a good seal and retention with the current setup. Just tighten the filter until friction will not allow you to rotate it by hand, then give the clamp screw another 1/4-1/2 turn. It will seem by the force required to turn the clamp screw that it's not tight enough (and thus why we tend to overtighten I think), but it has worked very well for me.
 
#49 ·
Well mine popped off about 3 times when I was home visiting my parents...of course I haven't replaced the MAF filter housing yet, cause the part just came in, so I'm sure the filter keeps falling off due to this.

Sonic, if you make a bracket, let me know. I'm sure others of us are thinking the same thing.
 
#50 ·
In no way have I lost faith or am willing to throw the intake in the trash... It's just becoming bullsh!t. Every time it comes off I put it back on, it's tight to where I can't move it at all by hand, and still it pops off after a few days/week of driving. I looked at the MAF housing last night... No cracks, no bends, no folds...

My concern is being a secondary owner that anything K&N sends out as a fix is something I'm going to have to pay for, or if damage is ever done because of it K&N isn't going to stand by their own corp warranty.

I'm just barely getting out of bed, so I'll let you know if/when I get something figured out today.
 
#54 ·
Sonic,

If you have a problem with the product please call in to our tech center 1-800-858-3333 so we can help you, I don't show any records of 2012 Focus owners calling in with your issue. Give us an opportunity to assist you before jumping to conclusions. K&N will stand behind the product 100% and if any damage is done as a result of a properly installed and maintained kit K&N will make things right with the customer.

As always if anyone does not wish to use the K&N intake system they can return it to us, no questions asked for a full refund. All we ask is that you give us an opportunity to fix any problems you may have.

The one thing that could be causing the filter to slip off is if the hose clamp isn't at the very edge of the filter securing the filter inlet to the MAF housing. As you know the MAF housing has a bit of a taper towards the end and this could cause this issue even though the filter is tight.


Troy. [cheers]
 
#51 ·
Another thought I had would be to put a small "bead" of epoxy around the O.D. of the MAF flange, and let it fully cure before reinstalling the filter. This would give the clamp a "lip" that it couldn't slide over.
 
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