K&N KN-153 oil filter
This K&N oil filter is a direct replacement for Ducati 444.4.017.1A and Ducati 444.4.003.4A oil filters, which are commonly used on many of Ducati's motorcycles including the Superbikes and the Monsters. Normally, I recommend to my friends and family to buy OEM oil filters. That means AC Delco filters for GM cars, and Ford Motorcraft filters for Ford cars (as an example). I normally avoided buying K&N oil filters because I felt they were always overpriced and overengineered. The 17mm nut on the bottom is useful, but not necessary on a car. The extra burst strength of the shell, and the high flow media isn't needed and not worth the extra coin.
However, in the case of my Ducati 696, the OEM Ducati filter was more expensive than the K&N! It made no sense to buy the OEM filter if the K&N was less expensive. The K&N filter is very well made, with index markings on the side of the can to help you with finding that 7/8 turn to properly torque it. The 17mm nut comes in handy with the 696 where I have limited room with a traditional filter wrench, although that nut isn't mandatory.
Each K&N filter comes with the gasket pre-oiled and wrapped in shrink-wrapping to prevent debris from contaminating the filter media. The shell is somewhat shorter than the OEM filter, but I had no issues running this on my 696. The anti-drain back valve seems to be working, as a cold start on my 696 does not result in any odd noises.
Overall: 5/5 stars, it is well made, and less expensive than OEM filters. It makes it a no brainer for a Ducati.
UPDATE 14 MAR 2012, downgraded to 3/5 stars
I have noticed some oil seepage at the oil filter seal for some time. I had originally hand tightened it like every other car oil filter. I then torqued it to 11 N-m after noticing a puddle on the garage floor. I cleaned up the filter area and observed that the oil would seep out once the engine warms up to normal operating temperatures. I torqued it to 2.4 kg-m as per the K&N spec on the side of the oil filter case, but it was still seeping. I contacted K&N and they are taking back all of my filters to inspect it. I purchased these filters from Amazon and the cardboard K&N boxes were kind of old/beat up. I didn't think of it much at the time, but Amazon might have some old/defective stock that they are selling to buyers. The batch codes on my filters were all 1111006.
I downgraded my rating to 3 stars because I expected K&N oil filters to be Tier 1 products, and as a result I will be unable to ride the Ducati until I get replacement oil filters.
UPDATE 18 MAR 2012, back to 5/5 stars:
I contacted K&N to ship my defective filters back, but I needed a filter to get my bike running. I ordered another KN-153 from Amazon, and this time the box wasn't beat up and the filter seemed newer. I installed it with some lube on the gasket seal, torqued to 11 N-m as per the Ducati spec - which BTW seemed to be 1 turn after contacting the gasket, and fired up the engine. After several days of using the engine and riding the bike, I didn't find any puddles or signs of seepage. I guess the filter I had before was defective.
UPDATE 14 APR 2012, no change in rating:
K&N had shipped me replacements for each of the filters I sent back. They were all the same lot code as the one I purchased from Amazon so I could actually ride the Ducati while K&N did their investigation. The new filters they shipped me were all the same lot code as the new filter I purchased from Amazon: 0111118
K&N tested the old filter and said nothing was wrong with the filter or gasket, and that it must have been because I didn't torque it enough (I had actually torqued it to the K&N spec, which is significantly higher than 11 N-m, it still leaked). The new filter from Amazon was installed on the bike, and I torqued it to 11 N-m as per Ducati's specification. After about a month of riding, and several 9000+ RPM shifts, there isn't a drop of oil seeping from the filter.
| Brand | K&N |
|---|---|
| Product Grade | Performance Part |
| Vehicle Service Type | All-Terrain-Vehicles |
| Item dimensions L x W x H | 3.5 x 3.5 x 3.5 inches |
| Outside Diameter | 3.063 inches Inches |
| Item Weight | 11.68 ounces |
| Manufacturer | K&N Engineering |
| Model | Oil Filter |
| Item Weight | 11.7 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 3.5 x 3.5 x 3.5 inches |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item model number | KN-153 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Exterior | Machined |
| Manufacturer Part Number | KN-153 |
| OEM Part Number | KN-153 |
