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Pipercross VS K&N panel filter (Astra GTC 1.6T) - Printable Version

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Pipercross VS K&N panel filter (Astra GTC 1.6T) - Kieran - 10:th-Oct-2016

Hey guys!

Recently picked up a 2013 GTC (1.6 Turbo 180ps) and I am currently looking into smaller tuning options, at least for now anyways.

After looking at cone filters, I've pretty much ruled them out due to the limited amount of kits out there, the price of the kits available, the effort of making one myself and heatsoak issues.

So back to the question, as far as I know the Pipercross is about £15 cheaper and is a dry filter, vs the K&N which I believe is oiled.


So all I really want to know is:
A - Is there any sound differences between the kits? Which sounds better?
B - Which will make the car feel/run better? I know the car won't feel vastly different if different at all, but are there any minor factors which makes one filter superior to the other?
D - Oiled vs dry filter, advantages/disadvantages? Or am I right in thinking dry is the way forward? (at least for my car)
C - Are there any other better options out there which I should consider?

Cheers, Kieran

RE: Pipercross VS K&N panel filter (Astra GTC 1.6T) - Shorty S91 - 10:th-Oct-2016

Hi mate. It is personal preference at the end of the day but both have there advantages and disadvantages when it comes to choosing.

The first thing you asked was about sound, most cases with a replacement filter have very little or no noise difference at all.

When I had a K&N panel on my last car before the gtc I would definitely say that accelerating felt more smooth and the car did seem to be running healthier/breathing easier.

Your basic panel filter is a dry filter and in most cases so are foam type filters. k&N is an oiled filter and this can be a tricky one. Loads of people have said that after installing an oiled filter they have had their MAF sensors break, I for one had to replace mine shortly after installing it, even though the brand claims that it doesn't affect them I found it a little coincidental.

Foam filters usually require less servicing than oiled filters over a longer range of miles to. K&N 's filter will obviously need oiled again and its worth mentioning that if there is to little oil on the filter you run the risk off smaller particles like dust and dirt finding there way int the engine.

As I said it is personal preference at the end of the day, i've heard of folk saying that foam filters tend to sag after a while and can breakdown just as much as any other filter. I've just ordered a pipercross filter for my gtc so we shall see

RE: Pipercross VS K&N panel filter (Astra GTC 1.6T) - Kieran - 10:th-Oct-2016

(10:th-Oct-2016, 21:00:35)Shorty S91 Wrote: Hi mate. It is personal preference at the end of the day but both have there advantages and disadvantages when it comes to choosing.

The first thing you asked was about sound, most cases with a replacement filter have very little or no noise difference at all.

When I had a K&N panel on my last car before the gtc I would definitely say that accelerating felt more smooth and the car did seem to be running healthier/breathing easier.

Your basic panel filter is a dry filter and in most cases so are foam type filters. k&N is an oiled filter and this can be a tricky one. Loads of people have said that after installing an oiled filter they have had their MAF sensors break, I for one had to replace mine shortly after installing it, even though the brand claims that it doesn't affect them I found it a little coincidental.

Foam filters usually require less servicing than oiled filters over a longer range of miles to. K&N 's filter will obviously need oiled again and its worth mentioning that if there is to little oil on the filter you run the risk off smaller particles like dust and dirt finding there way int the engine.

As I said it is personal preference at the end of the day, i've heard of folk saying that foam filters tend to sag after a while and can breakdown just as much as any other filter. I've just ordered a pipercross filter for my gtc so we shall see

That pretty much answers my question mate, come to think about it I remember seeing something a while back mentioning a problem with the MAF sensors after fitting a K&N but was unsure on wether it was a coincidence, I should have looked that up further! Cheers, would love to hear about how your pipercross goes for you once you get it in there!

Pipercross VS K&N panel filter (Astra GTC 1.6T) - Rusty2009 - 10:th-Oct-2016

I've had no issue with MAF sensor and my K&N panel filter been almost 4yrs now.

The pipecross filters do sag on the J thou so I would keep an eye on it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

RE: Pipercross VS K&N panel filter (Astra GTC 1.6T) - Kieran - 10:th-Oct-2016

(10:th-Oct-2016, 21:30:14)Rusty2009 Wrote: I've had no issue with MAF sensor and my K&N panel filter been almost 4yrs now.

The pipecross filters do sag on the J thou so I would keep an eye on it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Suppose it must just be hit and miss with the MAF sensors, although I would prefer to replace a saggy filter than MAF sensors! I can imagine it being tedious depending on the lifespan of the filter however. Do you have any idea how long the filter lasts before it can begin to sag or is it hard to say?

RE: Pipercross VS K&N panel filter (Astra GTC 1.6T) - tucpal - 10:th-Oct-2016

Pipercross filters are oiled foam filters the one I got sagged within a year swapped it back for k@n as said above most problems occurs when they have been over oiled

RE: Pipercross VS K&N panel filter (Astra GTC 1.6T) - sanj424 - 11:th-Oct-2016

I have the pipercross foam panel filter on my J (1.6T 180ps with a EDS stage 1 tune). I've had the filter in for 35,000 km (3 years), cleaned it twice. No sagging issues so far.

RE: Pipercross VS K&N panel filter (Astra GTC 1.6T) - Kieran - 11:th-Oct-2016

(11:th-Oct-2016, 03:45:13)sanj424 Wrote: I have the pipercross foam panel filter on my J (1.6T 180ps with a EDS stage 1 tune). I've had the filter in for 35,000 km (3 years), cleaned it twice. No sagging issues so far.

If you don't mind me asking, how long have you been running that map? How many years/months and how many miles? what are the figures/results like and have you experienced any problems with the gearbox?

Just when testdriving my car a couple weeks ago I noticed the unfamiliar whining noise, and of course it was the dreaded M32.. This was at 20k miles but the dealer had a brand new gearbox from Vauxhall fitted and supposedly its a newer superlative gearbox, wether that's true or not I don't know, if anyone would like to confirm if the newer boxes come fitted with uprated bearings that would be great thanks!

But yeah I would like to hope a map/chip wouldn't run me a much higher risk of destroying my gearbox, at least I would hope to get way more than 20k miles out of it!

RE: Pipercross VS K&N panel filter (Astra GTC 1.6T) - sanj424 - 12:th-Oct-2016

(11:th-Oct-2016, 07:48:23)Kieran Wrote:
(11:th-Oct-2016, 03:45:13)sanj424 Wrote: I have the pipercross foam panel filter on my J (1.6T 180ps with a EDS stage 1 tune). I've had the filter in for 35,000 km (3 years), cleaned it twice. No sagging issues so far.

If you don't mind me asking, how long have you been running that map? How many years/months and how many miles? what are the figures/results like and have you experienced any problems with the gearbox?

Just when testdriving my car a couple weeks ago I noticed the unfamiliar whining noise, and of course it was the dreaded M32.. This was at 20k miles but the dealer had a brand new gearbox from Vauxhall fitted and supposedly its a newer superlative gearbox, wether that's true or not I don't know, if anyone would like to confirm if the newer boxes come fitted with uprated bearings that would be great thanks!

But yeah I would like to hope a map/chip wouldn't run me a much higher risk of destroying my gearbox, at least I would hope to get way more than 20k miles out of it!

I have an automatic gearbox, the 6T45 which can go up to about 330nm. I'm probably running about 200-210hp, 280-300nm with the tune. Had the tune since 16,000 km. I did have an engine problem though, but I believe is not really from the tune - the tune only highlighted it more. Had hesitation on hard acceleration and eventual misfire (after a couple of weeks). I've read in different forums from astras and cruze's (same A16LET) that is quite common regardless of tune. Root cause would have been failed ignition pack which then damaged the spark plugs, and eventually the integrity of the block (compression leaks) from the misfires. Had a brand new engine put in under warranty at 24,000 km. I flashed back the tune at 27,000 km and still have it on now.

RE: Pipercross VS K&N panel filter (Astra GTC 1.6T) - andy2174 - 12:th-Oct-2016

I have the K&N in my 2.0cdti, with no issues at all, it was fitted about 10months ago my other car has a pipercross filter and there have been no issues with that either

Noise wise?, couldnt tell any difference to be honest compared to standard filter

RE: Pipercross VS K&N panel filter (Astra GTC 1.6T) - Kieran - 12:th-Oct-2016

(12:th-Oct-2016, 00:26:51)sanj424 Wrote:
(11:th-Oct-2016, 07:48:23)Kieran Wrote:
(11:th-Oct-2016, 03:45:13)sanj424 Wrote: I have the pipercross foam panel filter on my J (1.6T 180ps with a EDS stage 1 tune). I've had the filter in for 35,000 km (3 years), cleaned it twice. No sagging issues so far.

If you don't mind me asking, how long have you been running that map? How many years/months and how many miles? what are the figures/results like and have you experienced any problems with the gearbox?

Just when testdriving my car a couple weeks ago I noticed the unfamiliar whining noise, and of course it was the dreaded M32.. This was at 20k miles but the dealer had a brand new gearbox from Vauxhall fitted and supposedly its a newer superlative gearbox, wether that's true or not I don't know, if anyone would like to confirm if the newer boxes come fitted with uprated bearings that would be great thanks!

But yeah I would like to hope a map/chip wouldn't run me a much higher risk of destroying my gearbox, at least I would hope to get way more than 20k miles out of it!

I have an automatic gearbox, the 6T45 which can go up to about 330nm. I'm probably running about 200-210hp, 280-300nm with the tune. Had the tune since 16,000 km. I did have an engine problem though, but I believe is not really from the tune - the tune only highlighted it more. Had hesitation on hard acceleration and eventual misfire (after a couple of weeks). I've read in different forums from astras and cruze's (same A16LET) that is quite common regardless of tune. Root cause would have been failed ignition pack which then damaged the spark plugs, and eventually the integrity of the block (compression leaks) from the misfires. Had a brand new engine put in under warranty at 24,000 km. I flashed back the tune at 27,000 km and still have it on now.

Ahh I was assuming you had the same car as me, my bad haha. And is that problem with the engine common when tuning? I know the corsa VXRs had problems with the A16LET but I heard somewhere that the GTC s had upgraded injectors which fixed these problems?

RE: Pipercross VS K&N panel filter (Astra GTC 1.6T) - sanj424 - 16:th-Oct-2016

(12:th-Oct-2016, 07:41:34)Kieran Wrote:
(12:th-Oct-2016, 00:26:51)sanj424 Wrote:
(11:th-Oct-2016, 07:48:23)Kieran Wrote:
(11:th-Oct-2016, 03:45:13)sanj424 Wrote: I have the pipercross foam panel filter on my J (1.6T 180ps with a EDS stage 1 tune). I've had the filter in for 35,000 km (3 years), cleaned it twice. No sagging issues so far.

If you don't mind me asking, how long have you been running that map? How many years/months and how many miles? what are the figures/results like and have you experienced any problems with the gearbox?

Just when testdriving my car a couple weeks ago I noticed the unfamiliar whining noise, and of course it was the dreaded M32.. This was at 20k miles but the dealer had a brand new gearbox from Vauxhall fitted and supposedly its a newer superlative gearbox, wether that's true or not I don't know, if anyone would like to confirm if the newer boxes come fitted with uprated bearings that would be great thanks!

But yeah I would like to hope a map/chip wouldn't run me a much higher risk of destroying my gearbox, at least I would hope to get way more than 20k miles out of it!

I have an automatic gearbox, the 6T45 which can go up to about 330nm. I'm probably running about 200-210hp, 280-300nm with the tune. Had the tune since 16,000 km. I did have an engine problem though, but I believe is not really from the tune - the tune only highlighted it more. Had hesitation on hard acceleration and eventual misfire (after a couple of weeks). I've read in different forums from astras and cruze's (same A16LET) that is quite common regardless of tune. Root cause would have been failed ignition pack which then damaged the spark plugs, and eventually the integrity of the block (compression leaks) from the misfires. Had a brand new engine put in under warranty at 24,000 km. I flashed back the tune at 27,000 km and still have it on now.

Ahh I was assuming you had the same car as me, my bad haha. And is that problem with the engine common when tuning? I know the corsa VXRs had problems with the A16LET but I heard somewhere that the GTC s had upgraded injectors which fixed these problems?

Hopefully they have been building in new more reliable parts as they find out about these common problems. Even the A14NET have these issues. As mentioned, I think a proper tune would not be the cause of it but if there is an underlying fault the tune would highlight it even more.