The Powerstroke is a workhorse with a lot of power and torque built in for doing the tough duty of towing a big load. To handle the air flow, Ford fit the truck with a large OE air filter that does a good job of keeping the motor running strong. The design of the stock filter incorporates not only the filter element, but also the filter housing, making it a pricey replacement every time it needs changing. In addition, the design didn"t take the ease of removal or installation into account and it can be a struggle when it"s time for service.
The engineers at K & N Air who designed the K&N Performance Intake System (57-2546), currently being run on over 10,000 Powerstroke engines also designed a replacement filter option (E-0780) for those who want their trucks running in top performance, wants to retain the stock sound of the engine, and are satisfied with a 10 HP boost in performance. They removed the entire air filter assembly and replaced it with an air box designed to hold a K&N filter (RC- 5102). It flows 37% more air on the flow bench versus the stock filter (486 CFM vs 356 CFM) and has a filtering efficiency of 99.55%. They also eliminated the hassle of trying to seat the original filter.
The cost of the air box/filter replacement is roughly two and a half times a stock replacement filter but it"s the last filter a truck will ever need. When it gets dirty simply clean it, re-oil it and put it back in the truck. And as everyone probably knows by now, K&N filters are lifetime filters and carry a million mile warranty. For more info, go to www.knfilters.com. To order call 800-284-9840 or go to your nearest 4 Wheel Parts Performance Center.
