I asked this at the end of the other air filter thread but no one has said anything so I thought I would start a new thread. Is there any reason for a high performance filter if I don't get aCAI, besides the cost savings over time? That article that someone posted (severedistortion) I think showed that there wasn't much of a difference between them all.

 

I noticed a little difference in both my Ram and the Charger. It might not be much but it is some. The charger seems to get up and go more from what I've seen. Just get what YOU like not what others tell you is better since people who seem to sell them will say anything to make the sale.

 

You'd be surprised at how many gearheadsstick with paper filters. It's a give and take situation, you give up a little flow for filtering ability with papers...and the opposite for "high flow performance" filters. The difference in flowisn't huge but the paper filters do need to be changed every 15k ish miles because they actually do their job.

I switched years ago away from oil filters and back to paper. Mainly because right out of the box I was getting lots of oil on my MAF filaments in my maro...the car started running like crap but I caught it in time before damage was done. I'm going to buy a amsoil synthetic filter and give her a go...on paper it looks like the best of both worlds but we'll see.

Cliff notes** You won't feel any gain with just a drop-in filter...might as well stay with papers and do proper maintenance.

 

Have had K&N filter on two MAF vehicles and never an oil issue on either. The RAM (at least the Hemi) doesn't have a MAF so it doesn't really matter.
There has been no sign of oil or dirt on either vehicles air intake tubing. The Mustang (88 5.0 LX) has a scoop that hangs down close to the road. I have had leaves, cigarette butts and many large bugs in the filter housing, but never any dirt or oil in the back side of the filter housing (after the filter) or in the intake tubing. I installed it a 9000 miles and the car now has 163,000 on it. I just had the intake tubing off when I installed a larger MAF, TB, Cobra style intake and E303 cam. Still clean as it was new.
It can be a problem if the filter is over oiled. I am sold on gauze type oiled filters because the minute dirt particles stick to the oily surface.
Parper filters do a great job of filtering, they are just a bit more restrictive.