K&N garbage, need replacement recommendations Options

[vitamin914]

My 2.4 L with Weber 44 IDF carbs, came with no name air filters. Could not find a source for the weird sized ovals and decided to replace the entire assemblies. I found a kit from K&N made for the Weber 44s (K&N 56-1170). Didn't think much of the flimsy quality but better than nothing - or so I thought.

After I installed them I drove around very little, maybe 50 miles at most before the 914 went into winter storage. I noticed one of the tin caps had lost the screw - I hope like hell it fell out onto the road and not someplace where it can do damage.

I know I tightened them down to the point where I was afraid I would crush the filter or bend the tin cap. Checked the other side that still had the screw, it was not as tight as I had originally made it. It too had backed off. Took off the cap and pulled out the filter element on the carb where the screw went missing... WTF? it is warped? Looked closer and the damn thing is full of holes. Like some have said an old sock over the carbs would be better than a K&N filter. See the photos.

Not going to have the screws fall out again - I replaced the taper flathead screw with a screw from below (with red loctite) and jam nuts on top of the tin cover.

I have joined those who hate K&N - never again. So much so, that I want to get rid of them and replace them with something more reliable that actually filters air.

I need some help sourcing air filter assemblies for Weber 44 IDFs. Is there anything you would recommend, readily available, that is a better filter (paper element?) and looks nice?

[Superhawk996]

K&N not necessarily bad for what they are but expecting high flow and high filtration are at odds with each other.

The holes you’re seeing in the rubber surround are a defect and should be sent back for replacement.

With a single nut you would be better off using a Nylock nut than jam nuts. Nylock will be far better as resisting loosening due to vibration.