Air Filter (wash or replace)???

[ElvisWedgely]

Can anyone tell me if this air filter is one I wash in paraffin and spray oil then refit? or is it one I throw away and replace. Thanks in advance for any replies.

Tony. TCB.

[Number 7]

Looks like a K&N (or a variation of). If its got cotton gauze covered with mesh, it's designed to be cleaned - but not paraffin! I always clean mine using a shallow tray and warm, not hot, soapy water. Try to avoid getting too much of the dirty water inside the filter. Do this with several changes of water, finishing off in the kitchen sink by running the cold tap (or spray attachment) through it. Allow to dry naturally (overnight should do), re-oil (with proper filter oil from K&N) and re-fit.

[adam quantrill]

Wait till Mrs goes out. Stick some washing-up liquid on it.

Put it in the washing machine on a cool wash, for delicates.

Stick it back on the car and dry it by running the engine, then spray with WD40 or use the K+N oil.

Put your overalls in the washing machine to cover your tracks. Job's a good'un.

[SLB]

Looks the same as my K&N one. I put mine in bowl of white spirit then use WD40. Never had any issues.

[Number 7]

I think using any form of solvent is a bad idea, as it may affect any glue (or even plastic / rubber parts). As for WD40, never considered it, but it's very thin and not likely to last very long. The proper oil is not that expensive and lasts almost forever.

[Number 7]

Changed that for you:

adam quantrill said:

Wait till Mrs goes out. Stick some washing-up liquid on it.

Put it in the washing machine on a cool wash, for delicates.

Stick it in the tumble dryer back on the car and dry it by running the engine, then spray with WD40 or use the K+N oil.

Put your overalls in the washing machine to cover your tracks. Job's a good'un.

[mrzigazaga]

Why use all these other products that were NOT recommended for these filters...Use the wrong oil and you could actually clog it up..Just buy and use the correct stuff FFS!!!....


http://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&a...

Also when you rinse it you rinse from inside out to wash the dirt out....

[ElvisWedgely]

Thanks for the replies gents. If I ever come round to yours Adam and you offer me a cup of tea, I'll make sure I have a spare mug in the car. I think the dish washer idea is out, unless you all want to attend my funeral.

I get the general idea now, that it is washable and reusable. The only problem is the cleaning kit costs around a tenner and the whole filter itself costs about 30 quid, so I'm sort of wondering if it's worth cleaning, or just buying a new one. Mmmmm. I'll have to think about this one. Am I right in saying the standard filter has the 3" diameter? and fits the Wedge. Still, I have the car here so I suppose I could pop in the garage and give it a measure. Thanks for all the advice.

Tony. TCB.

[Toby Tram]

ElvisWedgely said:

The only problem is the cleaning kit costs around a tenner and the whole filter itself costs about 30 quid

But the cleaner will do more than one clean, surely!

Adi

[ElvisWedgely]

Toby Tram said:

ElvisWedgely said:

The only problem is the cleaning kit costs around a tenner and the whole filter itself costs about 30 quid

But the cleaner will do more than one clean, surely!

Adi

True, very true. I wonder how many times the filter can withstand cleaning. I suppose it does work out a lot cheaper when put like that.

Tony. TCB.

[ElvisWedgely]

Sorry Adam. I thought you said put it in the dishwasher, that's why I thought of bringing my own cup. As it's the washing machine, that changes things. Mind you the clothes might still come out a bit stinky in the following wash. The Mrs likes them smelling of roses not wd40.

Tony. TCB.

[KKson]

Tony, similar comment - looks like a K&N style unit. I bought a pukka K&N cleaner and re-oiler set for mine. Didn't want to scrimp on that side of things. Gave mine a damn good clean, following the instructions and then re-oiled also as per instructions. All is good. Just bought a new K&N filter for the 390SE. Fire up has been delayed until tomorrow after it's camshaft change and virtual engine rebuild.

[Number 7]

Tony, I've had my K&N on the Wedge for about 15 years, and always clean it as I described. Still works fine.I wouldn't bother with special cleaning fluid, but I've always used the correct K&N spray oil. I reckon one clean per year, and the spray can has lasted maybe 10 cleans or so.

[adam quantrill]

ElvisWedgely said:

Sorry Adam. I thought you said put it in the dishwasher, that's why I thought of bringing my own cup.

Tony - after that remark you had better bring your own tea bag and boiling water too! ;^)

[ElvisWedgely]

I took the filter off yesterday and I put it in a bucket. Then I poured washing up liquid on and jet washed it while in the bucket. It is in fact a K&N filter and I did the jet washing on the softer spray, mainly from inside out of the filter. A lot of dirt came out and I was very pleaded with the results. Next, I wiped it dry and used a hair dryer to finish the job. Then, I mixed WD 40 and some filter oil I had at home from my model petrol racing car and gave the filter a good coating. After letting it all drain overnight, fitted it back on today. Job done and results look excellent. Cost, next to nothing.

Tony. TCB.

[Milky400]

Personally I would have used the suggested k and n kit and certainly wouldn't have jet washed it, also it's not recommended to dry it with a hair dryer type thingy as it drys it to quickly and can cause splits (I've seen it happen)

I've always used the proper kit and it does a really good job, one kit is plenty for 2-3 clean/re-oils

But what do I know.

[ElvisWedgely]

Milky400 said:

Personally I would have used the suggested k and n kit and certainly wouldn't have jet washed it, also it's not recommended to dry it with a hair dryer type thingy as it drys it to quickly and can cause splits (I've seen it happen)

I've always used the proper kit and it does a really good job, one kit is plenty for 2-3 clean/re-oils

But what do I know.

It could be true, but the way I look at it when it splits I can replace it with a new one. I went to four different car spares shops to buy the correct cleaning and oiling stuff, including Halfrauds. Not one of them had even heard of it, let alone sell it. I know you can buy them on line but it's too much of a hassle and I'm too impatient. To tell you the truth, I was considering replacing it this time round, but when I took it off, it looked too good to scrap. Hence the home remedy.

Tony TCB.

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Tony....I think Howlfrauds stopped stocking the K&N kit...Why i don't know....They did have a piper cross filter cleaning kit which is almost identical....In future i would be careful using un-recommended oils especially on new filters as the sticking properties of the recommended oil was formulated for a particular purpose which is collecting particles and keeping them on the outside...Some oils like WD40 are penetrating oils so the dirt is likely to stick to it but get sucked through the filter and into the plenum...Sometimes even clogging the filter in a very short period of time.....I would check the air intake hose after a week to see if the hose has any oil in it....Just a thought....Ziga

[Number 7]

mrzigazaga said:

Hi Tony....I think Howlfrauds stopped stocking the K&N kit...Why i don't know....They did have a piper cross filter cleaning kit which is almost identical....In future i would be careful using un-recommended oils especially on new filters as the sticking properties of the recommended oil was formulated for a particular purpose which is collecting particles and keeping them on the outside...Some oils like WD40 are penetrating oils so the dirt is likely to stick to it but get sucked through the filter and into the plenum...Sometimes even clogging the filter in a very short period of time.....I would check the air intake hose after a week to see if the hose has any oil in it....Just a thought....Ziga

Yep, probably wouldn't do the airflow meter sensor much good.

[ElvisWedgely]

Number 7 said:

mrzigazaga said:

Hi Tony....I think Howlfrauds stopped stocking the K&N kit...Why i don't know....They did have a piper cross filter cleaning kit which is almost identical....In future i would be careful using un-recommended oils especially on new filters as the sticking properties of the recommended oil was formulated for a particular purpose which is collecting particles and keeping them on the outside...Some oils like WD40 are penetrating oils so the dirt is likely to stick to it but get sucked through the filter and into the plenum...Sometimes even clogging the filter in a very short period of time.....I would check the air intake hose after a week to see if the hose has any oil in it....Just a thought....Ziga

Yep, probably wouldn't do the airflow meter sensor much good.

At the moment it's running sweet. In fact better than ever. I have to say though, I didn't dunk the filter in the oil, and I used a mixture of WD40 as a base mixed with proper filter oil manufactured for this purpose. It was merely a light smear, so I'd be very surprised if any oil was to accumulate anywhere. As an added precaution, I left the filter hanging overnight and no excess oil appeared, inside or outside the filter. I've only been working on cars for some forty years, so I think I may have gained some experience during that time. Still, I guess it is advisable to be cautious but doing things by the book isn't always the best option.

Tony. TCB.