cleaning air filter

[Mattyfats420]

i was just under the assumtion that i had to clean my air filter under the sink. then wait for it to dry and oil it back up? i just wanted to make sure i did this the right way.

 

[Lessen]

yeah, that's good. just clean it well under the faucet with detergent/soap. IMO you don't need to wait for it to dry 100%, you can squeeze it pretty dry in a paper towel. then just lube it up with filter oil and your set.

 

[jetmechG550]

I use PJ-1 Foam air filter cleaner available at most MX shops. It will turn the dirtiest of airfilters white and it dissolves the dirt. Just spray and let stand for about 5 minutes and rinse.

 

[Mattyfats420]

ill have to pick up some of that cleaner stuff once i get some cash. sounds like a great thing to have. i cleaned mine under the faucet but its still stained back with dirt. is that okay?

 

[Cupooterluvr]

For drying I put mine in a towel then twist it really hard, almost like squeezing the water out of a washcloth only with the filter in the twisted part.

 

[Mattyfats420]

how much oil should go on it? a few drops? saturate it? I'm not to sure on that

 

[rckid91]

yeah mine all stay a grey color unless i do like was said by jetmech and bust out the ol quad airfilter cleaner

 

[jetmechG550]

I've used simple green and hot water and fantastic or 409 as well as Dawn dish detergent. Nothing cleans like PJ-1 FAC.

 

[pitbull14218]

I used my buddys K&N recharge kit on mine just now. I spray the cleaner wait 5 minutes then rinse under water and it turns out very clean but just a couple lil stains. Then i spray the Red OIL on it. looks nice and thats what i do.

 

[itsalifeworthliving]

how much oil should go on it? a few drops? saturate it? I'm not to sure on that

just run lines up and down the sides and top put it in a plastic and squish it around, it doesn't have to be saturated but, you want the oil to be evanly distributed around the filter

 

[CharliesTheMan]

You don't want it to be sopping wet, but you want it to be oily all the way through to the middle. I was surprised how much it took. I do lines like itsalifeworthliving said. Put the filter in a plastic bag and then put your oil on it and squish it around with it in the bottom corner of a bag and your hands on the outside... Voila! now your filter is oiled and you dont have oil all over your hands, work bench, kitchen counter, etc...

 

[Mattyfats420]

I used my buddys K&N recharge kit on mine just now. I spray the cleaner wait 5 minutes then rinse under water and it turns out very clean but just a couple lil stains. Then i spray the Red OIL on it. looks nice and thats what i do.

thats great to know that i can use my K&N cleaner, i got a bunch of those kits laying around! thanks for saying that. saves me some money from having to buy other stuff when i already got something that will take care of it :bow:

 

[jack_mcgill]

coulnt you just clean it with nitro fuel? dry it good then oil it....
nitro is alchool and it just ''eats'' dirt and brings it brand new white.
or you can just use rubbing alchool. that stuff is pretty safe and i clean carbon buildup from aircraft turbine with that stuff, that should do it i imagine

 

[jetmechG550]

A) Nitro causes the filter to swell, B)Nitro is expensive to be using as a cleaner

 

[SublimeRevo]

You don't want it to be sopping wet, but you want it to be oily all the way through to the middle. I was surprised how much it took. I do lines like itsalifeworthliving said. Put the filter in a plastic bag and then put your oil on it and squish it around with it in the bottom corner of a bag and your hands on the outside... Voila! now your filter is oiled and you dont have oil all over your hands, work bench, kitchen counter, etc...

That is probaly the best way to oil a foam filter. That is how I was taught to oil foam filters when I went to school for motorcycle mechanics.

 

[CharliesTheMan]

wish I woulda thought about that back when I was riding dirtbikes!

 

[jetmechG550]

oh yeah, the foam air filter oil from the mx shop is the same stuff, you just get 100% more for the same price!

 

[CharliesTheMan]

I used to use it on my dirtbike and my 4 wheeler, and I know the PJ1 lubricant (like for chains) used to be the best out there, so I trust the brand. I was planning on getting the filter oil from my buddy who owns a MX shop, now I know of filter cleaner too which is just what I've been looking for. I'll pick them up at the same time. Thanks to everyone for the useful info!

 

[Cupooterluvr]

Is it OK to use K&N paper filter oil in a foam filter? That's what I use since my dad has a large spray can of it in a kit for foam filters.

 

[SublimeRevo]

Is it OK to use K&N paper filter oil in a foam filter? That's what I use since my dad has a large spray can of it in a kit for foam filters.

I have found that the oil for K&N filters is probaly a little bit thinner than foam filter oil, because it is made for gauze filter material. A good brand of foam filter oil is Belray. You can usually get a quart of it for about $7 in a motorcycle shop and it should last a really long time useing it on rc's.

Edit: Seems as though the price on belray oil has gone up to about $10-$11 a qt.