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2011-2014 Kia Optima & Hyundai Sonata Models Gain Estimated 7.6 Horsepower with K&N Air Intake

13 Mar 2013

K&N Air Intake Installed on 2013 Kia Optima 2.0L

Kia and Hyundai have done it again. The 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 Optima and Sonata have created such a buzz in the car world that they are flying off the shelves. Sharing the same power-plant, the Kia and Optima boast a powerful 2.0 liter motor force fed by a twin scroll turbocharger cranking out an impressive 274 horsepower. This is Subaru WRX territory. Both 2013 models were named by the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) as top safety picks for the 2012 year. The rise to global recognition results in more aftermarket options for the Sonata and Optima. This is where K&N comes into the picture. A globally recognized company as well, K&N wasn't satisfied with a measly 274 horsepower from these mid-sized sports sedans.

K&N Air Intake for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 Kia Optima and Hyundai Sonata 2.0L

In comes the 69-5309TS air intake system for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 Kia Optima and Hyundai Sonata models with the 2.0 liter turbo charged motor. Replacing the restrictive stock air intake system with this free flowing, mandrel bent, aluminum intake system, Optima and Sonata owners can see an estimated 7.6 horsepower increase to the wheels at 4,861 RPM. More horsepower and more torque gives the discerning owner more to play with on the highway. Air intake 69-5309TS provides fittings for the existing blow off valve, EVAP and vent hoses. It comes with a heat shield to block hot engine air and pull in cooler outside air. Owners of Kia Optima and Hyundai Sonata models below are guaranteed to increase horsepower by installing this performance air intake system.

Dyno Chart for 69-5309TS Kia Optima/Hyundai Sonata Air Intake

K&N air intake 69-5309TS comes with a high flowing air filter (RF-1048) that protects your motor from harmful dust and contaminants. Performance air filter RF-1048 is washable, reusable and it can perform up to 100,000 miles between cleaning, depending on driving conditions.

Installing a K&N air intake system is pretty easy and only requires a few common hand tools. K&N 69-5309TS comes with detailed installation instructions that take you through each step of the process with photo illustrations from an actual install. Performance air intake system 69-5309TS is also backed by K&N's legendary Million Mile Limited Warranty^®. It is available for the following Kia Optima and Hyundai Sonata models:

2014 KIA OPTIMA 2.0L L4
2014 HYUNDAI SONATA 2.0L L4
2013 KIA OPTIMA 2.0L L4
2013 HYUNDAI SONATA 2.0L L4
2012 KIA OPTIMA 2.0L L4
2012 HYUNDAI SONATA 2.0L L4
2011 KIA OPTIMA 2.0L L4
2011 HYUNDAI SONATA 2.0L L4

For all K&N Hyundai Sonata air intakes or all air intakes for Kia Optima visit KNFilters.com. Some related articles include the 2011 and 2012 Hyundai Elantra 1.8L Owners Gain Horsepower with K&N Air Intake System and 2010-2012 Hyundai Genesis Coupe with 2.0L Turbo Engine Releases More Power with K&N Air Intake. Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.

K&N Reusable Air Filter for 2013 to 2016 Nissan Altima 2.5L Offers High Performance and Filtration

12 Mar 2013

Replacement Air Filter for 2013 to 2016 Nissan Altima 2.5L

Ever wonder why there are so many Altima's on the roads? Nissan's breadwinner has sold more than 3.8 million cars in 20 years and four generations. Now in its fifth generation, the 2013 Altima is cited as the most refined, efficient and upscale Altima ever. Motor Trend, for example, lists the 2.5-liter inline-four with the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) "America's most efficient traditional midsize family sedan that's not a hybrid or diesel."

K&N 2013 to 2016 Nissan Altima 2.5L Replacement Air Filter

According to Nissan, their 2013 to 2016 automatic transmission uses two pulleys with a steel belt running between them. To continuously vary its gear ratios, the CVT adjusts the diameter of the "drive pulley" that transmits torque from the engine and the "driven pulley" that transfers torque to the wheels at the same time. Unlike conventional transmissions that use sets of fixed gears, the CVT provides smooth and "stepless" ratio changes that avoids shift-shock and delivers exceptionally smooth and efficient driving.

K&N Nissan Altima Performance Air Filter 33-2478 in Box

The fifth generation Altima 2.5-liter engine also packs 182 horsepower, that's seven ponies more than the last model. As tested the 2013 Nissan Altima's required only 7.4 seconds to go from 0-60 mph, making it a full second quicker than earlier models and a good deal faster than you'd expect for a midsize sedan.

To complement the 2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 liter's performance even further, K&N offers the 33-2478 high flow replacement air filter. By simply upgrading the factory installed filter with K&N's high performance air filter, your Altima's engine can breathe easier for better performance. K&N's 33-2478 air filter is designed to increase horsepower and acceleration, while at the same time providing exceptional filtration and engine protection. Installation is very simple because it fits directly into the existing factory air box.

K&N performance air filter 33-2478 is washable, reusable and easy to clean. Servicing is as easy as following the instructions in a K&N 99-5050 Recharger Kit. Depending on your driving conditions, servicing intervals can run up to 50,000 miles before cleaning is necessary. With K&N's celebrated Million Mile Limited Warranty, this will be the last air filter you'll ever purchase for your 2013 to 2016 Nissan Altima.

The K&N 33-2478 high flow replacement air filter fits the following Nissan Altima models:
2016 Nissan Altima 2.5L L4
2015 Nissan Altima 2.5L L4
2014 Nissan Altima 2.5L L4
2013 Nissan Altima 2.5L L4

To see all air filters K&N has to offer the Nissan Altima, visit the Nissan Altima Air Filter page or find K&N products for any vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.

Did you know that select Nissan Altima and Maxima Models gain power with a simple to install K&N air intake, or that 2007 through 2012 Nissan Altima owners gain an estimated 9.36 horsepower with a K&N air intake, or 2007, 2008 and 2009 Nissan Altima models can add 6.88 horsepower with a K&N air intake kit.

Guthrie Racing's Father and Son Team Win the 2013 King of the Hammers UTV Title

9 Mar 2013

Guthrie Sr. and his son Mitch took the win at the 2013 King of Hammers in his Polaris RZR XP 900 SxS UTV.

Out on the Means Dry Lake located at Johnson Valley, California, Mitch Guthrie and his chip off the old-block son, Mitch Jr., co-piloted the Guthrie Racing Polaris to victory in the 2013 King of the Hammers. Guthrie Sr. backed up his 2012 King of the Hammers UTV triumph and scored his fourth KOH win at what many claim was the gnarliest, vehicle munching course yet. Guthrie Jr., a highly talented young UTV driver in his own right, ran the winch line out to help navigate the seemingly impassable boulder sections when it was required, helping dad to capture yet another WORCS SXS Production 1000 victory.

"This year was a lot more challenging," confirmed Guthrie Sr. "Last year a lot of competitors complained the course was too easy and that there was too much desert and not enough rocks. So this year they made a 115 mile race with 10 rock canyons that are some of the hardest rock canyons in Southern California."

Guthrie's experience rock crawling in the area paid off big time during the race.

The King of the Hammers off-road race was founded by Jeff Knoll and Dave Cole in 2007, with the intention of combining the most challenging aspects of desert racing and rock crawling. The vehicles used in the event are known as Ultra 4 vehicles, and some are capable of reaching speeds over 100 mph for the desert sections, but still contain gear ratios of 100-to-1 or lower for rock crawling. The torturous nature of King of the Hammers becomes more obvious after identifying some of the more infamous trails along the course, with names like Wrecking ball, Jackhammer, Chocolate thunder and Aftershock, you get the picture that this is no leisurely Sunday cruise.

"This year there was also a time limit of eight hours and only three UTVs out of 35 finished the course," continues Guthrie. "This year was one of the most rewarding races due to the difficulty; I also could have never won this race without my son Mitch Jr. There was a lot winching up the rocks which takes a lot of running back and forth and being 16-years-old he is in great shape and recovers quickly. We won this race with eight minutes left on the clock, and by only 16 seconds over the course of an eight hour race. It was a good day!"

Many of the 2013 King of the Hammers competitors felt this year's race was the most technically demanding event yet.

Guthrie Racing had an hour lead on their competition at one point, until a ball joint broke, which they had to fix on the trail, but not before Matt Enochs and his UTV passed them. "With about 10 miles left we retook the lead when they had a flat," Guthrie adds. "This put us first and the UTV behind us driven by Jon Crowley into second. Big thanks go out to K&N for keeping my engine running perfect through eight hours of the worst desert and rocks in Southern California!"

Guthrie credits his familiarity with the Johnson Valley area for much of his ongoing success at the King of the Hammers race. "I know this area very well and have been rock crawling here since 1999 when I used to compete in the unlimited classes. I also won a championship in 2004. I feel this gives me an advantage in the rocks. I am also very comfortable in the fast desert sections. I also know how to setup a UTV for this type of event, to make it strong and last."

After the King of the Hammers event Guthrie Racing continued on to the second round of the WORCS series without touching home base first. "Mitch Jr. won the Production 1000 class so the second round went great, we drove straight from the King of the Hammers the next day, to Primm, Nevada. We practiced Friday and raced Saturday. It was a very rough course and Mitch Jr. had a pretty uneventful day, though he only won by 3.5 seconds."

Is there one overriding goal for Guthrie Racing in 2013? "To have Mitch Jr. win the production 1000 class in WORCS," says dad.

Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.

2011 and 2012 Ford F150 Trucks with 6.2L Engines Get Simple to Install Performance Air Intake

8 Mar 2013

K&N Air Intake Installed on 2011 Ford F150 6.2L

Being regarded highly as a top light duty truck manufacturer, Ford has brought new life to the market by offering one of the widest selections of high performing models on the 1/2 ton market. This includes the 6.2 liter option of 2011 and 2012 Ford F150 trucks. Packing a punch with its impressive tow capabilities and throttle response, the 6.2 liter models offer power to drivers looking for a strong 1/2 ton. A near 7 second 0-60 time just wasn't good enough for the team at K&N, so they designed the 57-2584 Aircharger performance air intake system.

K&N Air Intake System for 2011 and 2012 Ford F150 6.2L

The 57-2584 air intake is an easy to install, bolt-on system, designed to replace the restrictive factory air box and filter. Engineered with a custom rotomolded polyethylene intake tube, large conical cotton air filter (part number RC-5173), and a powder coated heat shield, designed to insulate the filter from ambient engine heat, the 57-2584 offers a number of special features that can improve engine performance and provide excellent filtration. When dyno tested, the 57-2584 air intake boosted performance by an estimated 27 horsepower at 5347rpm and 16.9 lbft torque at 3578rpm. More horsepower and torque are never something to go amiss, especially when under heavy load.

Dyno Chart for K&N Ford F150 Air Intake 57-2584

The included RC-5173 washable and reusable air filter offers excellent filtration and engine protection. It can be used for up to 100,000 miles before cleaning is needed, depending on your driving conditions.

The 57-2584 air intake system is also backed with K&N's world famous million mile limited warranty giving you peace of mind. Serving as a perfect upgrade and way to improve engine performance and throttle response, the 57-2584 air intake from K&N is guaranteed to increase horsepower.

The simple to install 57-2584 Aircharger air intake system fits the following Ford F150 trucks:

2012 Ford F150 6.2L V8
2011 Ford F150 6.2L V8

Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.

2012 SEMA Featured Bright Orange Ford Mustang GT with Matching Wheelchair Trailer

8 Mar 2013

Jarrod Holly featured his 2007 Mustang GT at SEMA show 2012

2012 SEMA show featured this 2007 Mustang GT with wheelchair trailer

The bright orange 2007 GT Mustang parked on the floor of the 2012 SEMA show symbolizes many things to many people. To 19-year-old Jarrod Holly, the car's owner, it represents a lifetime passion for drag racing, hot rods and in fact anything with an engine. To Ethan Holly, Jarrod's dad, it embodies a deeply emotional bond between himself and his son. And, for everyone that saw the car at SEMA, or watched it drive by on the 2012 Hot Rod Power Tour from Detroit to Arlington, Texas - it will forever stand for the symbol of a hero.

Ford Mustang GT with trailer at SEMA

The bold black double-strips dividing the Ford in half extend over the matching orange trailer where Jarrod stores his wheelchair. Jarrod was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy when he was 7, and he's been battling it with grace and dignity ever since. Doctors aren't optimistic he'll live past 25.

True heroism is staggeringly sober and remarkably undramatic. Ethan would be the first to say that his son doesn't see himself as a hero, and that he doesn't let the disease get him down, he goes about his business and doesn't complain. It's been said however, that heroes are people who involuntarily answer a calling with unfathomable courage. They transform compassion through their personal virtue, into heroic action, which then becomes a public virtue. By definition then Jarrod is nothing short of a hero.

SEMA featured GT Mustang owner considers another Optima Batteries Ultimate street car challenge

The 2012 show was the Holly's second SEMA visit, but the first time they displayed a vehicle. Ethan sites the SEMA show and being able to take his son on the Power Tour as two of his prouder moments.

"We have been planning and working on the vehicle since the beginning of the year (2012).This vehicle started out as a project for the Hot Rod Power Tour," explained Ethan. This involved a trip to K&N so that they could design and test out a cold air intake system for our particular set up. This was a tremendous effort involving many phone calls and communications to line up sponsors, products, and completing most of the modifications on the vehicle itself.

2012 SEMA show featured this 2007 Mustang GT with wheelchair trailer

Since my son and I did most of the installations and modifications on our own, this involved a lot of blood, sweat, and meeting deadlines. I did the grunt work and my son read the instructions to me to keep me on track. When K&N let us know that we would be displaying the car at SEMA, it was another deadline to meet, with much organization work involved to make sure Jarrod's Mustang and wheelchair trailer was ready to go after a long road trip on the Hot Rod Power Tour."

Ethan has been a loyal K&N fan for over 15 years, that's when he bought the first air filter for his truck. That's why it was such a fortuitous encounter when Ethan met with Devin Rickey, Sr. Manager of Special Projects for K&N Engineering.

Ford GT mustang at SEMA started out as a project for the Hot Rod Power Tour

Ford Mustang GT at SEMA started out as a project for the Hot Rod Power Tour

"I met Jarrod and his father, Ethan, at the 2011 SEMA show through a mutual friend," commented Rickey in an earlier story (K&N Joins 19 year-old Jarrod Holly's Quest for Bucket List Power Tour). "After hearing about Jarrod's plans to participate in the Hot Rod Power Tour and what he wanted to do with the car, I thought that there is an opportunity for the aftermarket community to help this young man's dreams come true."

Jarrod Holly and his Bright Orange SEMA featured Ford Mustang GT

This is the Vail, Arizona father and son team's first build together, although they share their extensive background in drag racing. "My specialty is building drag race cars," said Ethan, "Although I have enjoyed putting together this project for my son. I consider the Mustang to be a street machine project."

Their goal for this year is to participate in the Hot Rod Power Tour 2013. Jarrod is determined to do the Hot Rod Power Tour as long as he possibly can. "Other plans include car shows, cruises, and drag racing," Ethan adds. "He is also considering doing another Optima Batteries Ultimate street car challenge."

"We want to give a special thanks to K&N for everything they have done for Jarrod and his car. And special thanks to Devin Rickey in having a vision for making all of this happen. Our plan is to create a hot rod wheelchair van to use as a support vehicle for Jarrod's medical equipment, and will be keeping you updated on its progress."

2007 4.6L GT Mustang modifications include:
K&N -filters, cold air intake system (custom)
Saleen Speed Lab- Super charger system
Royal Purple- Oil and maintenance products
Ford Motor Co.- Ford Racing Exhaust, Valve Covers
MSD- Ignition coils and technical support
American Muscle after market body parts
CDC- Classic Design Concepts after market body parts.

Jarrod Holly's Mustang inspires people in a range of ways everywhere it travels.

Drivetrain: Custom computer tuned transmission, aftermarket axles and gears (3.73) to create a stronger setup.

Suspension modifications: Steeda lowering springs (1.5") - aftermarket rear sway bars, and Steeda Rear Control Arms

Exhaust: Ford Racing Exhaust Headers, Ford Racing X pipes, and Ford Racing Mufflers

Brakes: Stop Tech 14" front brake rotors, and Stop Tech Rear Brakes

Tires: Nitto NT05, Front is 275/35R20, Rear 315/35R20

Wheels: Steeda Spyder wheels, 9" wide front, 12" wide rear

Exterior modifications:

CDC front chin spoiler and splitter, GT 500 rear wind valence and bumper cover Exterior sticker provided by Wolf Design

Interior modifications:

Carbou Racing Seats with racing harnesses, Carbou Harness Bar

Awards, magazines, news articles, and features:

K&N featured News article, K&N Website, Drag Racing Online Newsletter, IHRA DRM (Drag Review magazine), Ford Racing Newsletter (Internet), Newspaper Article in Tucson Paper, Featured on the Southern AZ Mustang Club website
Personal blog for 2012 Hot Rod Power Tour

Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.