K&N Engineering

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title: "K&N Engineering" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["filter-manufacturers", "automotive-motorsports-and-performance-companies", "manufacturing-companies-based-in-california", "companies-based-in-corona,-california", "manufacturing-companies-established-in-1969", "1969-establishments-in-california", "american-brands"] description: "American automotive parts company" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K&N_Engineering" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American automotive parts company ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox company"]

Field	Value
name	K&N Engineering, Inc.
logo	K&N Plain Logo.svg
type	Private
industry	Manufacturing
founded	1969
founders	{{plainlist
hq_location_city	Riverside, California
area_served	Worldwide
products	{{plainlist
website
::

| name = K&N Engineering, Inc. | logo = K&N Plain Logo.svg | logo_size = | logo_upright = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = | image = | image_size = | image_upright = | image_alt = | image_caption = | trading_name = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | romanized_name = | former_name = | type = Private | traded_as = | ISIN = | industry = Manufacturing | genre = | predecessor = | founded = 1969 | founders = {{plainlist|

• Ken Johnson
• Norm McDonald | defunct = | fate = | successor = | hq_location = | hq_location_city = Riverside, California | hq_location_country = | num_locations = | num_locations_year = | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = | products = {{plainlist|
• Air filters
• Cold air intake systems
• Oil filters
• Performance parts | brands = | production = | production_year = | services = | revenue = | revenue_year = | operating_income = | income_year = | net_income = | net_income_year = | aum = | assets = | assets_year = | equity = | equity_year = | owner = | members = | members_year = | num_employees = | num_employees_year = | parent = | divisions = | subsid = | module = | website = | ratio = | rating = | footnotes = | embed =

K&N Engineering, Inc. (also known simply as K&N) is a manufacturer of air filters, cold air intake systems, oil filters, performance parts, and other related products. K&N also operates facilities in England, The Netherlands, and China.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/63-2605_Eng2.jpg" caption="K&N cold air intake kit" alt="A K&N intake kit installed in an engine bay"] ::

K&N was founded by Ken Johnson and Norm McDonald in 1969. The name K&N came from the first letters in the founders' first names. Ken Johnson and Norm McDonald sold motorcycles and motorcycle parts and supported a K&N factory race team. Air filters soon became the primary focus of the company. In 1992, K&N introduced bolt-on cold air intake kits. K&N also released a line of oil filters with a stamped hex to accept a standard wrench off filter removal. In 2019, K&N released a line of washable home A/C filters, and began offering motor oil and wiper blades in 2021.

Racing

K&N has maintained very active involvement in racing and motorsports throughout its history, including the NASCAR Pro Series East and West, the King of the West 410 Sprint Car Series, the NHRA, and Formula Drift.

Technology

K&N's claims for their air filters have been the subject of some controversy, with some 3rd-party tests finding that K&N's oiled cotton gauze filters are less efficient and let more dirt into the engine than original-equipment paper filters, and that they become increasingly restrictive as they are coated with particulates. However, air filters in general become more airflow-restrictive as they collect contaminants, but efficiency typically increases for the majority of a filter’s service life. Other 3rd-party testing noted that a K&N oiled filter increased horsepower over its OEM counterpart.

Potential issues have been reported with oiled air filters on modern engines that use MAF sensors, which may stop working correctly when fouled by oil from an oiled-gauze air filter. However, there are several other common causes of damaged MAF sensors, including brake cleaner contamination, extremely dirty/contaminated filters, and loose battery terminals resulting in voltage spikes. K&N has published test results asserting that its oiled filters do not cause MAF sensor failures.

References

References

1. "LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AND MASTER ENTREPRENEUR HONORS TO BE PRESENTED AT THE 2012 SPIRIT OF THE ENTREPRENEUR GALA!". Spirit News.
2. "Company Overview of K&N Engineering, In". Bloomberg [[Business Week]].
3. "K&N Introduces Lifetime Washable Home Air Filters".
4. [http://hometracks.nascar.com/series/kn_pro_series_east NASCAR K&N Pro Series East]
5. [http://dirtracingreport.com/kn-filters-joins-on-as-contingency-partner-with-the-king-of-the-west-410-sprint-car-series-in-2013/ Dirt Racing Report, 14 March 2013] {{webarchive. link. (10 June 2013)
6. "K&N Filters extends multi-year partnership as Official Filter and Air Intake of NHRA".
7. "K&N-Sponsored Formula Drift Drivers Wrap Up Successful Season, Look Ahead to 2018".
8. Spicer, A. (2008). "Comparative ISO 5011 Efficacy Tests of Nine Automotive Engine Air Filters". Testand Corporation.
9. (March 5, 2001). "Discriminating Tests for Automotive Engine Air Filters". SAE Technical Paper Series.
10. (28 January 2019). "Do performance air filters actually work?".
11. (15 October 2019). "P0172 System too rich code caused by K&N or other oiled filters (contaminated MAF) {{!}} RTS - Your Total BMW Enthusiast".
12. (5 December 2018). "Will an Oiled Filter Damage a Mass Air Flow Sensor?".
13. "K&N MAF SENSOR TEST RESULTS".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::