[Dan_UK_1984]

I'm running behind in my oil change schedule, I would usually be running a winter oil by now but what with a house move and stuff that hasnt happned. However it's first on my list of things to do in the new year, so I've ordered one of these K&N Oil Filters they are a direct replacement for the LR filter.

Usually I like to keep to stock, but I've read that the LR filters can break up in the housing and also I've had two genuine filters side by side that were blatently fron different manufacturers so am less inclined to think that they are high quality.

I'll let you know if there are any problems with it, but at £12.00 it's not going to break the bank, although it's about 25% more expensive than the LR filter.

 

[brad s1]

I ran a K&N filter, plus an STP, both caused oil to spew around the cap of the filter canister... Upon closer inspection I noticed the o-rings that come with both the stp and the K&N are slightly different than the filter you'd buy from land rover...

Case in point, I only go with the land rover filter now.

 

[RossoCorsaItaly]

The O-Ring they come with will cause oil to spew from top of filter, I got to do two oil changes in a day.

 

[Monty]

I've had 2 Land Rover filters break up, both were well within the LR sevice schedule - was very disappointed as vehicle has always been serviced at LR using genuine parts.

I'd hope that by now they've modded them to stop this happening!

Let us know how you get on.

 

[Dan_UK_1984]

Ok, well now I'm worried. Should I go for the K&N or not? I dont want to dump all my oil over my drive. Nor do I want the substandard LR filter.

 

[RRToadHall]

Have you checked to see if you can purchase the LR oring seperately or perhaps from another source?

 

[brad s1]

Ok, well now I'm worried. Should I go for the K&N or not? I dont want to dump all my oil over my drive. Nor do I want the substandard LR filter.

Dan, grab a land rover filter... None of the other ones work past a couple of hours.

 

[Dan_UK_1984]

Hmmm, I'm going to go for the LR one. Thanks guys, dodged a bullet there maybe?

D

 

[03rangiemark]

Hi, Dan-
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

I've used K&N for my last 3 oil & filter changes, never had a problem. Matter of fact I just picked one up tonight today to change my oil soon.
Brad seems really adamently against K&N, and must've had a really bad experience; sorry to hear that, Brad.
Only thing I can guess is that if you properly install the o-ring, it'll be alright. After all, it is only an o-ring.

The only way that I've heard of an o-ring failing (other than pressure failure, which should NOT be a problem with ANY of our lubrication systems) is:
a) the installer fails to lube the o-ring sufficiently to ensure that it allows the screw-on filter (in our case the cap)to seat properly
or
b) the installer fails to ensure that the old o-ring is in fact removed prior to installing the new one, resulting in 2 o-rings and a bad seal.
The latter happened to me on my good old Explorer on about the 50th oil change I've done on it. The oil pours out when there are 2 o-rings installed. Ususally the o-ring comes off with the old filter. This time it was STUCK!

Either way, operator error. From your proven knowledge & experience, you can handle it.

I'll keep using the K&N.
I'd never use a STP filter though.

 

[Dan_UK_1984]

I guess I'll fit it and keep an eye on it on the drive to make sure it's ok. I might just order a LR one to have spare incase it all goes wrong!

D

 

[brad s1]

Hi, Dan-
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

I've used K&N for my last 3 oil & filter changes, never had a problem. Matter of fact I just picked one up tonight today to change my oil soon.
Brad seems really adamently against K&N, and must've had a really bad experience; sorry to hear that, Brad.
Only thing I can guess is that if you properly install the o-ring, it'll be alright. After all, it is only an o-ring.

The only way that I've heard of an o-ring failing (other than pressure failure, which should NOT be a problem with ANY of our lubrication systems) is:
a) the installer fails to lube the o-ring sufficiently to ensure that it allows the screw-on filter (in our case the cap)to seat properly
or
b) the installer fails to ensure that the old o-ring is in fact removed prior to installing the new one, resulting in 2 o-rings and a bad seal.
The latter happened to me on my good old Explorer on about the 50th oil change I've done on it. The oil pours out when there are 2 o-rings installed. Ususally the o-ring comes off with the old filter. This time it was STUCK!

Either way, operator error. From your proven knowledge & experience, you can handle it.

I'll keep using the K&N.
I'd never use a STP filter though.

I installed both the STP and the K&N proper, after they BOTH caused a massive oil leak I started looking more closely at the actual parts included in the kit and noticed the O-rings are in-fact different. Once I fit the land rover part the issue found remedy. I was not double up on o-rings, the issue roots from the K&N filter coming with a trash ring, if you look at the stock land rover ring vs the K&N the difference is obvious. Perhaps they've updated this since, but my experience with it wasn't great.

I also asked the parts guy at land rover dealer and he admits customer come in all the time complaining about aftermarket filters causing leaks...

IMO it isn't worth fitting an aftermarket filter. Glad the K&N works for you though.

 

[03rangiemark]

No offense intended, Brad. Just sharing my experience with K&N filters, which differ from your own.
Just out of a technical curiosity, when you disassembled the oil filter can & removed the faulty K&N filter/ o-ring, what did you find was the root cause of the problem? What was the problem with the "trash" o-ring? What was the diameter? Was it too small? Too big? Was it cut? Was it made of paper? What can we look out for from your experience?
Have you ever had a LR brand oil filter fall apart on you? Apparently several of our fellow posters have experienced this, which is more intimidating to me, since I check for oil leaks when my oil change is complete.

I may be wrong, but I believe that LR has their oil filters made from a couple of different suppliers. Which supplier source do you use? What do you think about Mahle or Mann filters; should they be avoided as well? I've considered the both of them, but haven't used either yet.
Thanks for any technical feedback and detail you can give us.

 

[Guest]

I agree that the K&N oil filter are a bad solution to the LR filter. I also think that the LR filter is bad because of the filter breaking up. I've use both and can say that both are bad but the K&N left me with a bigger mess. I ordered a filter from Atlantic British which was an OEM replacement. I found that it to also experienced deterioration of the filter but at a faster rate than the LR filter.

In the end, we are back to the LR Filter and changing oil every 7K and checking filter every 3K.

 

[SGW]

I have been using Fram oil filters on both cars for some time now and had no problems with them.
Stewart.

 

[brad s1]

No offense intended, Brad. Just sharing my experience with K&N filters, which differ from your own.
Just out of a technical curiosity, when you disassembled the oil filter can & removed the faulty K&N filter/ o-ring, what did you find was the root cause of the problem? What was the problem with the "trash" o-ring? What was the diameter? Was it too small? Too big? Was it cut? Was it made of paper? What can we look out for from your experience?
Have you ever had a LR brand oil filter fall apart on you? Apparently several of our fellow posters have experienced this, which is more intimidating to me, since I check for oil leaks when my oil change is complete.

I may be wrong, but I believe that LR has their oil filters made from a couple of different suppliers. Which supplier source do you use? What do you think about Mahle or Mann filters; should they be avoided as well? I've considered the both of them, but haven't used either yet.
Thanks for any technical feedback and detail you can give us.

No offense taken!

I've never had a land rover filter fall apart, then again I do an oil change every 5000-6000 miles. The issue I found with the off brand filters was the o-ring was a loose fit and a thinner more ridged material. This could also be from sitting on the shelves for years, those o-rings unused for years dry out and lose their shape. The land rover ring fits perfectly and produced a nice seal. My experience with the off brand is oil shooting by the threads, around the o-ring and all over my engine bay.

 

[03rangiemark]

Well, of course I can't speak for you, Brad, but I just changed my oil & filter a few days ago. Used the K&N again. No problems thus far with the filter. Drove it around town & to it's 75k mile service check & back and round trip Orlando to Tampa (about 140 mile trip) and have had nary a drop leak.
I think your experience is the exception rather than the rule. The o-ring looked fine too.

 

[Dan_UK_1984]

Well, my oil arrived today Fuchs Supersyn 5W40 Synthetic so weather permitting I'll change the oil tomorrow and drop the K&N in. I ordered a LR filter too just incase I get problems and both look identicle inc O Ring.

Cost:
Oil 2x4L = £33.00
Filter = £12.00
Total = £45.00

Dan