Does the K&N 496 Magnum Flame Arrestor really make an improvment over the stock one?

I put one on my bro's boat and at the end of the day I'm not going to say 100% it didn't make a difference but it wasn't noticeable.

I read somewhere that there is very little difference in flow characteristics between the stock and K&N.

We have specifically tested several aftermarket air filters/flame arrestors on 496 engines and I can tell you with certainty that the stock Mercury flame arrestor with its internal bell mouth opening flows the most air effectively for this engine. There was no improvement with the other aftermarket units and in a couple of cases there was a slight loss of flow. If you boat in a dusty or dirtier enviroment, then the K&N would be a good choice for dirt control because it filters better than the wire mesh factory flame arrestor. If your engine area is clean then save your money and use it for better purchases.

Best Regards,

Ray @ Raylar

Thanks ray and everyone!!!

My real-life results back Ray's statements up. I run one soley for filtration. There was zero difference in performance. it also did nothing to quiet the whistling noise you get on these motors (and yes, I have an IAC muffler in place).

Yes but it looks COOL... hey man it must be fast - there's a KN filter on it!

Lol