Beware! K&N oil filters are failing left and right!

[faffi]

Just buy yourself the "permanent" stainless steel 100 dollar oil filter and be done with it. Sure, cleaning it is a semi-hassle but you don't have to worry about buying oil filters.

These do not clean nearly as well as the stock style paper filters, though.

[markstertt]

So, would it be safe to use these K&N 204's if you don't install by using the nut? The reports I read said they were cracking out from the spot welds from under the nut. The only reason I'm asking is because I bought 3 of these filters a month ago and hate to throw them away. I've done 2 oil changes with the K&N's previously and had no problems.  
Never mind...kind of rhetorical as now that there's doubt then that's enough, one cracked filter would ruin ones day.

It's not necessarily the twisting of the nut that ruptures the casing but the weakened casing material in the weld area caused by act of attaching the 'nut' during manufacture. We've seen several at the track simply burst near the nut even when the filter was spun on by hand (nut never used). Closer  examination revealed the filter casing was about as thick as aluminum foil due to welding. 

Ah, thanks for your response mossrider...I will be changing brands.  To bad, I like the nut as I safety wire mine just for grins...I've installed an untold number of aircraft filters with the same construction idea of a spot welded nut and have never seen a failure in over 30 years, whoever is manufacturing K&N's is screwing something up. 

[steezyvt]

Bummer. Just changed the oil over to full synthetic and installed a K&N filter just 3 weeks ago. Oh well, back to OEM I go.

[norcal616]

@#$/$# it... going to go with what my work uses for our products... off to the farm equip stores I go... Hastings supplies our filter media... but don't need the 55gal sized oil filter ? I change weekly
 
HASTING equalivant of the KN-204 is    LF113

[atxjax]

http://www.tobycreek.org/oil_filters/yamaha.shtml

[guylee]

Wow that sucks. I'm able to get the 204's down the street and until now have heard nothing but good things. Guess it's back to OEM...

[snowdriftless]

Just get Napa Gold/WIX, and stay the hell away from Fram.

[rider]

I had a couple K&N filters (among other thimgs) in my Amazon cart and was waiting to see if the wife needed anything before I ordered. Glad I happened on this thread before I punched the button.

[Cruizin]

I had a couple K&N filters (among other thimgs) in my Amazon cart and was waiting to see if the wife needed anything before I ordered. Glad I happened on this thread before I punched the button.

 
That's why forums are better than Facebook. In the fb group, the post about this is already buried and lost. Forum posts last forever.

[ducttapewd40]

I just installed one on each of our bikes. I'm not going to go remove them or anything, but I might take the old one out of the trash and cut it open to see what it really looks like in there.

[ducttapewd40]

 

 
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Well there it is.  Make your own call, but I honestly don't see cause for concern.  The material actually looks thicker under the nut where the failures are reported and has a thick plastic liner directly underneath it.

[Sweeps]

I have been running with a 303 without issue. My two cents.