cleaning a K&N cone filter

I find performance much better than from Original Equipment... and more temperamental (but then aren't all fast cats the same?).;)



I've never seen any fuel saving benefit... but then, since I fitted the K&N I guess I've always driven my car harder (just for the sheer joy of it).:xyxthumbs



Car enthusiast friends always tell me they like the sound of the car (induction roar). My exhaust system is standard OEM (I'm not into culvert sized tail pipes... they kill torque anyway).



I agree with most posters above, and Dave with the paper towels – it's just too easy to overoil. Aim for that original pale pink.



I hope some of the above (just my personal experience) might be helpful.



Happy driving!

Cal :D
 
Hope you're still debating, and I caught you in time!

I used to clean the K&N filters on our vehicles every spring. The full hose rinse from inside-out, dry, re-apply oil.

I knew that K&N stated that the filters actually worked better when partly dirty, but I had no idea how right they were.

I blew my MAF sensor last spring, not too long after the filter's annual cleaning. It was NOT over-oiled, but too clean!

It was so clean, the gauze could'nt filter tiny particulate well enough, which got thru the filter and coated my MAF, leading to premature failure.

They're not kidding about it working better when partly dirty; tap out the worst of the dirt, use an old toothbrush to GENTLY remove what you can from the pleats, vacuum it, and re-apply SOME oil- just enough to coat it. Check after a few minutes, that you can't blot any oil from the filter's surface with a paper towel. If not, you should be okay to re-install. If you do get oil on the paper towel, blot it until the paper towel comes off dry; no excess oil.

The dirt caught in the filter pleats catched more dirt.

A clean filter does not filter small media nearly as well as a semi-dirty one.

I might totally clean our filters every 2 years from now on- we'll see.

Hope this helps you out; DON'T just buy new filters- that would be worse than cleaning the existing ones too often.

hope you can benefit from my experience.

:wavey
 
Heh actually I was considering on just buying new filters since some people warned about overoiling. I'm going to wait until next year and then I guess I'll either buy a new one or attempt to clean/oil my old one.
 
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