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K&N Filter Cleaning
rpsmith - 21/9/06 at 02:23 PM

What do any of you use to clean your air filters, i have a K&N filter (on my tin top) and was wondering if there is anything suitable to clean it without buying the over priced K&N stuff

Cheers

Rich

martyn_16v - 21/9/06 at 02:38 PM

go to a motorbike accessory shop and get filter cleaner from there, same stuff but half the price.

rpsmith - 21/9/06 at 03:07 PM

What actually is it, is it just degreaser?

David Jenkins - 21/9/06 at 03:20 PM

Probably some form of detergent...

rpsmith - 21/9/06 at 03:24 PM

Has anyone ever tried using houshold detergent, or am i best to buy the proper stuff

Jon Ison - 21/9/06 at 03:25 PM

For what it costs and how often you do it you may as well get proper stuff, don't use petrol and don't wash it from the outside in if that makes sense ? Any running water from the inside out.

DIY Si - 21/9/06 at 03:25 PM

Probably best to buy the proper stuff. Oh, and make sure you re-oil it too, or it won't filter much out.

David Jenkins - 21/9/06 at 03:29 PM

True - it's a bit pricey, but it lasts for ages as you'll only use it occasionally.

02GF74 - 21/9/06 at 03:36 PM

why can't you use petrol?

iank - 21/9/06 at 04:06 PM

Why use anything but the proper stuff, how much does an engine re-build cost? Compared with that £4 a clean+reoil (even given demon thieves prices) isn't much - it's not as if you need to do it very often unless you're an offroad racer/grasstracker.

You need the oil anyway as it's not normal oil as it's formulated to be sticky.

Sacal - 21/9/06 at 04:21 PM

quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
why can't you use petrol?


It melts the glue holding the filter together and degrades the foam too.....I do a LOT of offroading on the bike and clean the filter every week, a can of cleaner and a can of filter oil last me about a year, you only need a little of each. Use the cleaner first to break down the sticky oil then wash with washing up liquid after....leave it to dry COMPLETELY then spray some filter oil on the outside and stick it in a plastic bag to work it through.

You can work it in with your hands, but you will feel stickiness for a couple of days at least

zetec7 - 21/9/06 at 04:49 PM

I use my parts cleaner bin to clean these. I wouldn't use soap or water - it takes a long time to dry, and it might be difficult to remove all the soap. What is recommended is: 1) rinse the filter clean with a "high-flash point solvent" (such as good old-fashioned paint thinner). As previously stated, rinse from the inside to the outside of the filter (so as not to drive particles deeper into the filter) until the solvent runs clean through the filter element. 2) I use a compressor with low-moderate air pressure to blow the filter dry (again, from the inside to the outside). When it's dry, 3) re-oil the filter - you can use proprietary spray-on filter oil, or you can just put some regular (new) motor oil on a cloth or sponge, and dab it on to the element until the outer surface is LIGHTLY covered. Now you're done!

indykid - 21/9/06 at 06:09 PM

wow zetec7, it's almost like you read the instructions, and then did everything it told you not to do!

if you're not going to use a k&n recharge kit, what was the point in buying the k&n filter in the first place? they obviously have something in their formula.

buy a k&n kit. the instructions are in the box
tom

nitram38 - 22/9/06 at 05:17 AM

I just wash my filter in soapy water and give it a quick spray of wd40.