Their billet aluminum oil filter series uses magnets to remove road debris from unfiltered engine oil. The filter media has many pleats which offer a greater surface area for filtering. K&N filters are compatible with a variety of vehicles and are not limited to high-performance cars. The ultra-premium wrench off series is guaranteed to maintain oil flow even when clogged and has remarkable burst strength.
Their unique use of rubber impregnated cellulose fiber media boasts high oil flow rates while there 1-inch exposed nut designs makes it easy for even the novices to install and remove. Named after its two founders Ken and Norm, K&N oil filters are very popular with high-performance vehicle owners and race enthusiasts. It is somewhat pricier than other oil filters in the same category K&N Oil Filter.Its synthetic filter media causes slightly less oil flow.Its hard casing and heavy-duty base makes it durable and perfect for extended OCIs.Provides longer oil change intervals of up to 15,000 miles.Designed to withstand hot temperatures and rough conditions.The filter media is synthetic which does a better job of cleaning engine oil.Its silicone anti-drain back valve prevents oil from draining back to the pan and prevents dry starts in cold weather.
Wix oil filters use metal end caps that are firmly fixed to the filter media, ensuring only clean oil flows to the engine. Metal end caps are reputed to hold the filtering media more firmly and are not susceptible to saturation.
End CapsĪnother similarity between these two brands is their choice to use metal end caps as opposed to cardboard/fibreboard end caps. The only downside is its inability to efficiently trap small dust particles, which is sort of a big deal since they usually collect in the engine to form large hard lumps that precipitate wear and damage. Their filter media is therefore made of cellulose, which allows a higher flow rate than synthetic media. K&N oil filters, on the other hand, were initially designed for race engines that use denser oil. Wix uses synthetic filter media in its oil filters.
Now, synthetic filter media is known to be finer, and this allows it to trap more contaminants. The filter media is what traps dirt particles from unfiltered oil. This allows the oil to flow to the engine even when the filter is clogged or when the oil is too thick to flow through the filtering element. Once oil pressure rises inside the filter, the coiled spring is pushed downwards, allowing the bypass valve to open. It is, therefore, no wonder that Wix filters 95% of particles at 20 microns, while K&N filters only 85% at 20 microns.Īdditionally, both Wix and K&N use coiled steel loaded bypass valves, which are more efficient than stamped metal in relieving oil pressure inside the filter. This makes K&N oil filters perfect for high-performance vehicles whose engines require a faster supply of filtered oil.Ī higher flow rate, however, is often indicative of a less efficient filter medium. K&N oil filters have a higher flow rate than Wix, which can be attributed to their long history of involvement in the racing arena. It should also allow the oil to flow even when the filter is clogged or plugged. To avoid engine starvation, the filter media should allow steady oil flow while still efficiently filtering out contaminants. Good oil flow is one feature that should not be overlooked when choosing an oil filter for your vehicle.