K&N Oil Filters BEWARE!!!

After seeing this thread for the first time today, I am ditching the K&N filter on my Ducati before I ride it again, even though I just installed it recently. My local Ducati dealer did not have an OEM filter in stock (morons), so they sold me the K&N.
 
Gone in 60_imp said:
Both of my bikes are running the ill-fated KN204. I give my filters a quick grab every day now as part of my pre-ride before going to work to check for leaks, and I've got a replacement filter and four quarts of oil at the ready for both bikes at home and the office in case I have to make a quick change at either location. Not going to replace until my normal mileage cycle comes up if nothing leaks before then, but I'm ready just in case.
Click to expand...
Cut your losses and change the filters NOW ! Your life could be at stake over a few $$$
 
A quick look at the amazon website reveals a lot and some very recent negative reviews from customers who all bought the "wrench" version of this filter, it seems more widespread than just our black filter, a lot of them fail for no apparent reason at random, worth a look;
https://www.amazon.com/HP-1010-Performance-Wrench-Off-Oil-Filter/product-reviews/B000C3XD90

Click on; all 61 critical reviews under TOP CRITICAL REVIEWS ( blue text in the middle of the page )
 
Could be somebody returned it, and Amazon just put it back on the shelf and shipped it to the next customer. I buy Motorcraft filters for my Fords at Walmart, cheap as heck. But I always open the box and take a look. Every now and then someone will have swapped filters in the boxes.

Man, there's a cornucopia of failed K&N oil filter stories out there.
Well shoot, after reading about all of the failures, maybe I'll hedge my bets by 50% and change the Bonneville for now. It's not up on it's oil change interval, but if I do it now, it will put the interval back to a multiple of 4k miles, which will sooth my OCD brain.

And thinking about possibly changing oil brands... My mind is aglow with whirling, transient nodes of thought careening thru a cosmic vapor of invention.
 
Gone in 60_imp said:
Could be somebody returned it, and Amazon just put it back on the shelf and shipped it to the next customer. I buy Motorcraft filters for my Fords at Walmart, cheap as heck. But I always open the box and take a look. Every now and then someone will have swapped filters in the boxes.

Man, there's a cornucopia of failed K&N oil filter stories out there.
Well shoot, after reading about all of the failures, maybe I'll hedge my bets by 50% and change the Bonneville for now. It's not up on it's oil change interval, but if I do it now, it will put the interval back to a multiple of 4k miles, which will sooth my OCD brain.

And thinking about possibly changing oil brands... My mind is aglow with whirling, transient nodes of thought careening thru a cosmic vapor of invention.
Click to expand...
Well, you could just drain the oil, change filter, and then pour back the same oil in it.
:-/
 
pdedse_imp said:
Gone in 60_imp said:
Could be somebody returned it, and Amazon just put it back on the shelf and shipped it to the next customer. I buy Motorcraft filters for my Fords at Walmart, cheap as heck. But I always open the box and take a look. Every now and then someone will have swapped filters in the boxes.

Man, there's a cornucopia of failed K&N oil filter stories out there.
Well shoot, after reading about all of the failures, maybe I'll hedge my bets by 50% and change the Bonneville for now. It's not up on it's oil change interval, but if I do it now, it will put the interval back to a multiple of 4k miles, which will sooth my OCD brain.

And thinking about possibly changing oil brands... My mind is aglow with whirling, transient nodes of thought careening thru a cosmic vapor of invention.
Click to expand...
Well, you could just drain the oil, change filter, and then pour back the same oil in it.
:-/
Click to expand...
Well, you could just drain the oil, change filter, and then pour back the same oil in it.
:-/
Just make certain that no "dirt" gets into the oil.
 
Gone in 60_imp said:
Could be somebody returned it, and Amazon just put it back on the shelf and shipped it to the next customer. I buy Motorcraft filters for my Fords at Walmart, cheap as heck. But I always open the box and take a look. Every now and then someone will have swapped filters in the boxes.

Man, there's a cornucopia of failed K&N oil filter stories out there.
Well shoot, after reading about all of the failures, maybe I'll hedge my bets by 50% and change the Bonneville for now. It's not up on it's oil change interval, but if I do it now, it will put the interval back to a multiple of 4k miles, which will sooth my OCD brain.

And thinking about possibly changing oil brands... My mind is aglow with whirling, transient nodes of thought careening thru a cosmic vapor of invention.
Click to expand...
Okay, I think the word "cornucopia" got my attention. However, there appears to be runner-ups laced up in here. :)
 
GO, gotta admit, I was quoting Harvey Corman for part of that last one, can't take all of the literary credit. Cornucopia is mine. Just like that word...

Funny, I was thinking last night "Duh, just change the filter." Probably easy on the Honda, and it's not near a change interval. I have a partial quart of 10w40 to top off if needed.

Speaking of which, if Castrol Synthetic is your flavor of choice, cases are on a great deal on Amazon right now.
 
Chances are one in six................do you feel lucky?


300 say ok 60 say they had a problem with this filter according to amazon feedback.
 
I yanked mine and replaced it last weekend. I felt a slight "sweat" of something slick on the end around the welded nut. Can't confirm that it was leaking oil, maybe a bug splat or something. Just glad I don't have to worry about it. Of the two I was running, the one on the Bonneville is outside the dates of the filter recall, but it's coming up on a change in a few hundred miles anyway. The filter on the CB didn't have a date stamp, so who knows when it was made.
 
The date stamps are meaningless, filters made after the recall continue to have the issue.
 
Gone in 60_imp said:
I yanked mine and replaced it last weekend. I felt a slight "sweat" of something slick on the end around the welded nut. Can't confirm that it was leaking oil, maybe a bug splat or something. Just glad I don't have to worry about it. Of the two I was running, the one on the Bonneville is outside the dates of the filter recall, but it's coming up on a change in a few hundred miles anyway. The filter on the CB didn't have a date stamp, so who knows when it was made.
Click to expand...
Phew! Possible danger averted.
 
curlyjoe_imp said:
I'm glad you made it off the road safely David. I hope the engine is OK.
Click to expand...
I know this an old post, but this may be why. I bought 2 different K&N oil filters for my CB, one in an older box, but sealed. I noticed the older oil filter does not have a pressure relief valve as done the newer one. Any comments as to why K&N started putting pressure relief valves in their newer filters?
 
Never mind overflow valve. K&N LEAK, leading to possible disaster while riding!!! Stay away from it and use Honda OEM oil filters.
 
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