K&N Air Filter Maintenance

slaughterj · January 29th, 2004, 11:21 AM

Anyone ever do it? Much to it? Any tips? I've got ~50k on mine, and was thinking I might should do something about this [img]/images/graemlins/wink[/img] Note, it says 30-50k for service in the FAQ, but it says 50-100k for service on the cleaning instructions...

The cleaning instructions are located at http://www.knfilter.com/clningins.htm, and here's some info from the knfilter.com FAQ:

20. How do I know when to clean the filter?

The general rule of thumb is that the filter needs to be cleaned when the dirt build up gets as thick as the wire mesh. The usual interval is 30,000 - 50,000 miles depending on driving conditions. We recommend that you check your filter about once a year in normal usage.

21. Can I use anything other than K&N cleaner and oil?

We recommend that you only use K&N oil and cleaner. K&N air filter oil is a compound of mineral oil blended with special polymers to form a very efficient tack barrier. We have performed tests on numerous oil combinations and our blend has the required properties for maximum flow and filtration. Petroleum products such as transmission fluid and motor oil will soften and destroy the rubber sealing edges. Our cleaner is a non-detergent degreaser. Solvents and gasoline will harden the rubber seals causing the filter to distort (shrink). A mild detergent can be used in a pinch, but care should be taken to fully rinse it out. Rinsing detergent out of a filter is similar to getting soap out of a sponge; it’s not that easy to do. Always make sure the filter is completely dry before re-oiling.

22. Can I use compressed air to dry the filter faster?

No, this can blow the filter material right out of the wire mesh and ruin the filter. Pick a nice day to clean the filter and let it dry naturally.

23. Should I brush the wire screen with a toothbrush to get all the “crud” off?

No, this could tear up the cotton gauze. A soft bristle paintbrush is a better idea and is recommended on the cleaning instructions.

**_Mark_** · January 29th, 2004, 11:34 AM

Its easy as falling off a log. Just get the K&N filter recharge kit. It has the cleaner and the oil in it.

Just follow the instructions, when you wash it out - you'll see the water run out pink/black and eventually run clear. Then let it dry. Then oil it. The oil is pink which is what makes the filter look pink. The cotton filter is actually white.

What I do is I have two sets. I keep one sealed in a bag that is cleaned/oiled and ready to go. When I take the set on the car out for cleaning, I just put the other set back in at the same time. Then I can clean the dirty set and let it dry and I don't have any downtime.

2001 Sapphire Blue · January 29th, 2004, 12:01 PM

Just buy new ones. Then you don't have to worry about putting too much oil on it or cleaning it improperly. Just my .02.

**McGuireV10** · January 29th, 2004, 12:07 PM

Easy. I do all my vehicles once a year. Right now that's the Camaro, the Viper, the Ram, and the motorcycles. The Viper and the bikes get a lot of junk because the filters are directly exposed to the outside air. The Camaro just hoovers up dirt thanks to what I consider a design flaw. The Ram spends enough time off-roading that it's pretty dirty after only a year. I can do all of them in probably 30 minutes, excluding drying time.

slaughterj · January 29th, 2004, 02:03 PM

So what's the drying time on this? Are the recharge kits available at places like Advance or Auto Zone (seem to recall seeing the filters there)? Would 1 recharge kit be enough for 2 filters? What's the price on K&N filters, and how's the cost of the recharge kit in comparison?

**_Mark_** · January 29th, 2004, 03:08 PM

The recharge kit is available anywhere they sell K&Ns. I'm not sure exactly on the drying time cause I just leave mine out and come back sometime later and they're done. I'd suspect a couple hours when its warm. In the winter time, who knows. Maybe put them down by your heater or something.

The recharge kit is probably $20 or so. A new set of filters is around $75 I think? Throwing away the filters is silly to me - and I have a K&N on my Durango too, so I do several vehicles like JM.

**Jerome** · January 29th, 2004, 06:56 PM

Unless they look like total shit leave them alone.

The dirt will actually help filter out debris.

Nexus-6 · January 29th, 2004, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by _Mark

What I do is I have two sets. I keep one sealed in a bag that is cleaned/oiled and ready to go. When I take the set on the car out for cleaning, I just put the other set back in at the same time. Then I can clean the dirty set and let it dry and I don't have any downtime.

I do the same exact thing. No waiting.

And Mark is right - it really as dead simple. Falling off a log might actually require more effort in fact!

sbkim · January 30th, 2004, 01:13 AM

wow, I've been cleaning once a year no matter the milege. Is this over-doing it??? thanks

slaughterj · January 30th, 2004, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbkim

wow, I've been cleaning once a year no matter the milege. Is this over-doing it??? thanks

I think so, as Jerome says and so does the knfilter.com site, dirt buildup is good to an extent.

**Jerome** · January 30th, 2004, 05:51 PM

20,000+ miles on the one in my VR4 and never cleaned it. Does not need it yet. I put one in Moms car years ago, still never cleaned it. That must have been close to 20,000 also.

K&N makes them, they would know how to care for them. By telling you not to clean them they are losing sales of their cleaning kits. Think about that.

**_Mark_** · January 30th, 2004, 06:01 PM

I just cleaned the one in my Durango after about 40,000 miles for the first time. Honestly, it could have gone longer.

The ones in my Viper however I keep pretty clean - but that is mainly because 1 good off-track excursion out here and you're in the middle of the dust-bowl.