K&N filter cleaner alternative

[softailgarage]

Picked this up from another forum...and it works!

After doing a fuel induction cleaning on the Silverado and seeing all the carbon and **** burning off, I figured a good filter cleaning was next. Now, I have plenty of the oil but was out of the cleaner and really didn't want to go drop $12.00- up for new cleaner and found this trick. Using a 5 gal NAPA bucket, I dumped 2 scoop fulls of OXY laundry booster (any kind of OXY cleaner will work), then poured (5) 1 liter bottles of club soda (generic is fine) into the bucket, mixed it up, placed the filter in and agitated for about 2 mins, then let it sit for another 10min. Pulled out the filter and hosed it off from the inside blowing out and let it sit over night. This works better than the cleaner and less expensive, less work. I wish I would have taken a pic of the filter before, but you can see the **** in the bucket...

 

[C_F]

Gotta love an inexpensive alternative like that!

 

[rlitman]

K&N cleaner is sodium metasilicate.

I just used OxyClean on my coffee cup this morning. It's the best at removing that coffee patina.

 

[rburke65]

OXY CLEAN n club soda!..... Thanks guys. I'm sure other uses!

 

[Ruger_556]

Or you could just use the OE paper filter and not worry about it...

 

[bullnerd]

Or you could just use the OE paper filter and not worry about it...

Yeah, I'm with this guy.

Have you ever done any research on those crappy KN filters?

Your ruining your engine.

 

[az45]

You probably would have gotten the same or a similar result without the Club Soda, Ive used several different cleaners and had similar results. Simple Green works well too.

K&N filters flow better than paper and if they are not over oiled they are a good choice. Also, the pleats are deeper so there is more filter area than paper, so you can run them dirtier than paper and still get air and decent filtration.

You can find a test that will make anything look good or bad, I have 1000's of miles on K&N filters and have never had a problem.

 

[BADSIX]

what ever you do don't use Brake Clean! I had just changed the oil on my 2001 s10 and pulled the K &N filter out to see how dirty it was, wasn't bad. but there was a can of Brake Clean setting near by so what the heck. I soak it down good and took the air hose to it form the back side and dried it out. I didn't have any oil but was going to get some the next day. popped the filter back in and fired up the engine. wow it filled my whole driveway and yard with a eye burning white smoke. this went on for 5 minutes or more. I then drove it down the road a 1/4 of a mile and back still more white smoke. finally took it out and washed it with soap and water then it started to clean up. filter was dry when I first put it in after the Brake Clean.
Jay D.

 

[bullnerd]

what ever you do don't use Brake Clean! I had just changed the oil on my 2001 s10 and pulled the K &N filter out to see how dirty it was, wasn't bad. but there was a can of Brake Clean setting near by so what the heck. I soak it down good and took the air hose to it form the back side and dried it out. I didn't have any oil but was going to get some the next day. popped the filter back in and fired up the engine. wow it filled my whole driveway and yard with a eye burning white smoke. this went on for 5 minutes or more. I then drove it down the road a 1/4 of a mile and back still more white smoke. finally took it out and washed it with soap and water then it started to clean up. filter was dry when I first put it in after the Brake Clean.
Jay D.

Uhhh....I thnk that's REALLY bad to breath that "white smoke"!

Not going to argue whether they are good or not.

 

[BADSIX]

Didn't breath to much couldn't get close enough.
Jay D.

 

[theoldwizard1]

K&N filters flow better than paper and if they are not over oiled they are a good choice.

Yes, but they get dirtier faster than paper. In dusty conditions they can get clogged enough to shut down an engine, much sooner than a paper filter.

With a paper filter you can knock a lot of dirt out of if by just banging it on the ground and then keep on running. K&N have to be washed once they are to the point of restricting air flow, or completely removed.

You can find a test that will make anything look good or bad, I have 1000's of miles on K&N filters and have never had a problem.

How many miles between cleanings do you get and do you live in a dirtier than average environment ?

 

[redmondjp]

If you want to make an informed decision about a reusable air filter, perform an oil analysis first with an OEM paper filter. Then do the same with the reusable filter.

Compare silica levels in the engine oil.

 

[softailgarage]

Huh, only took till post #6 for someone to start bashing K&N. I'm ruining my engine how? By allowing more air in? By filtering it better? The only time a K&N filter is bad for the engine is when too much oil is applied and it screws with the MAF and then all you have to do is clean the MAF. 21 Years in automotive, I've seen this plenty of times. K&N has been putting out filters since the 60's, if they were a problem to engines I highly doubt professional racers would be using them and I would imagine they would have been pulled off the market years ago. I've used K&N filters on my truck, my Harley, my 60gal air compressor and my lawnmower, never had 1 problem.

 

[redmondjp]

Huh, only took till post #6 for someone to start bashing K&N. I'm ruining my engine how? By allowing more air in? By filtering it better? The only time a K&N filter is bad for the engine is when too much oil is applied and it screws with the MAF and then all you have to do is clean the MAF. 21 Years in automotive, I've seen this plenty of times. K&N has been putting out filters since the 60's, if they were a problem to engines I highly doubt professional racers would be using them and I would imagine they would have been pulled off the market years ago. I've used K&N filters on my truck, my Harley, my 60gal air compressor and my lawnmower, never had 1 problem.

And it only took til post #7 for some K&N worshipper to chime in claiming that they cure cancer.

Here's the fact: professional racers use them because they give you that extra horsepower or two at high engine RPMs, period. Professional racers don't care about elevated oil silica levels because they rebuild their engine at least once a season and are trying to win, not make their engine last for 250K miles.

Go back and read my post. If you don't care about high silica levels in your engine oil, that is up to you. But "because racers use them" is about the stupidest reason to use a part on a daily-driven street vehicle that I have ever heard.

 

[softailgarage]

Like I said, never had a problem, how's that for a reason Mr. Engineer?

 

[redmondjp]

Like I said, never had a problem, how's that for a reason Mr. Engineer?

I cannot argue with that logic.

I choose to minimize the amount of sandpaper media in my engine oil since I keep my cars for 15-20 years and most of them have over 200K miles on them now.

 

[softailgarage]

"Before the use of oil analysis, a dust entry problem would go undetected until a routine teardown or failure occurred. Even then, the wear would often be attributed to lubricant breakdown or normal wear and tear. The picture changes with the use of oil analysis. As soon as a dust entry problem occurs, there is an increase in the silicon level of the oil and an acceleration of the wear pattern. As long as the oil samples are taken at regular intervals in the correct manner, the dust entry will be detected at an early stage. If corrective action is taken, the life of the component will be significantly increased, reducing maintenance costs.

It is beyond the scope of this article to discuss every possibility of dust entry in all machines and components therefore, engines will be used as the example application. Engines are at high risk for dust entry as large volumes of air are taken into the system and the close tolerances make it susceptible to even the smallest dust particle."

I've done research and not once has K&N been blamed. This is why K&N uses an oil on top of the filter. Even the smallest dust particle won't get past the filter. Remember, K&N was developed by Motocross racers trying to keep out the silica.

 

[stikman56]

Here ya' go. http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/kn-vs-oem-filter.html Me, I wouldn't have one in any vehicle I own, or ever will own. They flow more air because they flow more dirt,pretty simple.

 

[Flail]

what ever you do don't use Brake Clean! I had just changed the oil on my 2001 s10 and pulled the K &N filter out to see how dirty it was, wasn't bad. but there was a can of Brake Clean setting near by so what the heck. I soak it down good and took the air hose to it form the back side and dried it out. I didn't have any oil but was going to get some the next day. popped the filter back in and fired up the engine. wow it filled my whole driveway and yard with a eye burning white smoke. this went on for 5 minutes or more. I then drove it down the road a 1/4 of a mile and back still more white smoke. finally took it out and washed it with soap and water then it started to clean up. filter was dry when I first put it in after the Brake Clean.
Jay D.

Probably made some phosgene gas and left a trail of death and destruction in your wake

 

[Schurkey]

Two things that are essential to know about K&N or any other oiled-gauze filters:

1. They filter the poorest when they're clean. Up to the point of becoming restrictive, they filter BETTER as more dirt builds-up on the outside of the gauze. The dirt build-up absorbs oil from the gauze, and the oiled dirt becomes PART OF THE FILTER MEDIA. Depending on the application, K&N sometimes advocates adding a bit of oil from the "clean" side of the filter to supplement the oil pulled from the gauze by the built-up dirt over time.

2. The WORST thing you can do to an oiled-gauze filter is to CLEAN IT BEFORE IT'S ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. As said, they filter poorest when they're clean, and cleaning them tends to "wear 'n' tear" the little threads of the gauze. In general, if you don't have an eighth-inch of **** on the filter, it's not ready to be cleaned. More accurately, you'd use an air filter restriction indicator as installed on many OEM diesel applications, and available from multiple aftermarket suppliers.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I3LYPS0/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I've used K&N filters on some of my vehicles. I've never owned one long enough to need cleaning; and that includes the one on my motorcycle which got warrantied after about thirty years due to the plastic of the sealing flange becoming hard and brittle (but the gauze element was merely discolored and with localized build-up--not enough to be restrictive.) Also includes one on my beater work-truck that's been in service for...five or ten years, and fifty-thousand miles. Yup, has some build-up on it...but not enough to become restrictive and therefore not enough to require cleaning.

Oh, yeah. There's a very popular pseudo-scientific "test" of air filters publicized on The Internet, where the test uses all sorts of supposedly "scientific" methodology including using "Calibrated Dirt". The test is entirely unrealistic,and should be given no consideration--because dumping a heaping pile of dirt onto an oiled-gauze air filter in a short period of time is not how they work in real life. In real life, the dirt builds up fairly gradually, with plenty of time for the dirt to wick oil from the gauze and become part of the filter media. The test therefore represents JUNK SCIENCE of the worst sort: Believable on first impression, but ultimately not representative of how the oiled-gauze filter is supposed to work in real life. It may be that this test has some validity for treated-paper filters, which don't depend on the contaminant becoming part of the filter media--it just represents an opportunity for plugging the treated paper.

 

[jetrep]

In the dirt bike world we remove the filter and inspect the intake for dirt/dust. If you see it on the inside of the intake tract your filter system is not working correctly.

Since you're calling that testing junk science care to share the real science that proves the K&N is better? Something not paid for by K&N

 

[Ed ke6bnl]

You probably would have gotten the same or a similar result without the Club Soda, Ive used several different cleaners and had similar results. Simple Green works well too.

K&N filters flow better than paper and if they are not over oiled they are a good choice. Also, the pleats are deeper so there is more filter area than paper, so you can run them dirtier than paper and still get air and decent filtration.

You can find a test that will make anything look good or bad, I have 1000's of miles on K&N filters and have never had a problem.

I have two K&N filters for my Dodge Diesel and have one clean and ready all the time. I have read all the negatives on the KN BUT every time I remove the KN to clean there is no evidence of oil or dirt past the filter or on the vanes of the turbo. They do work good. I wouldn't be surprised that another filter company is up to this Clinton type move to discredit the KN

 

[LS6 Tommy]

People have been saying negative things about K&N filters for a ling time, especially a guy on a diesel truck forum. He claimed his testing proved they let in more dirt than other filters (wrong). Not only did he not follow the testing procedures properly, investigation proved out he did all his testing with the "assistance" of an OEM paper air filter manufacturer.

There are also lots of internet claims of K&N filter oil damaging air flow sensors. A lot of the dry foam filter companies make this claim, too. K&N states there has never been a single proven instance where this happened.

I've been using them on carbureted and injected vehicles since i got my first car in the early 80's. I know people who have been running them for houndreds of thousands of miles. Never heard of an issue.

Tommy

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Here ya' go. http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/kn-vs-oem-filter.html Me, I wouldn't have one in any vehicle I own, or ever will own. They flow more air because they flow more dirt,pretty simple.

First, thanks for the imbedded spam link. Second, one filter can absolutely flow more air than another of the same size and still have a higher filtering efficiency. Third, that test is the one I just posted about that was suggested and assisted by an OEM paper filter manufacturer. Their test was supposedly the same ISO 5011 test K&N uses, but it was performed for "free" by proponents of paper filters, using standards outside of the ISO specs.


Tommy

 

[az45]

Yes, but they get dirtier faster than paper. In dusty conditions they can get clogged enough to shut down an engine, much sooner than a paper filter.

With a paper filter you can knock a lot of dirt out of if by just banging it on the ground and then keep on running. K&N have to be washed once they are to the point of restricting air flow, or completely removed.


How many miles between cleanings do you get and do you live in a dirtier than average environment ?

They get dirtier because they trap more dirt. A paper element gets wet and the paper deteriorates, unlike a cotton gauze. If yore looking for a dry alternative, use the AEM Dryflow which can be cleaned dry like a paper element.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I have two K&N filters for my Dodge Diesel and have one clean and ready all the time.

If you want to use K&N filters, this is probably the BEST strategy !

 

[outlawz2004]

I've been using K&N for over 20 years and have never had a problem with them. I have used other brands as well, the foam type seem to break down after a while and come apart. Many of my vehicles have been well into the 200,000+ mile range. I'll continue using K&N filters despite the nay sayers.

 

[ChevyEFI]

What, no one is going to critique the sea foam "fuel induction cleaning"? Easily as divisive a subject as the good old K & N!

 

[stikman56]

And it only took til post #7 for some K&N worshipper to chime in claiming that they cure cancer.

Here's the fact: professional racers use them because they give you that extra horsepower or two at high engine RPMs, period. Professional racers don't care about elevated oil silica levels because they rebuild their engine at least once a season and are trying to win, not make their engine last for 250K miles.

Go back and read my post. If you don't care about high silica levels in your engine oil, that is up to you. But "because racers use them" is about the stupidest reason to use a part on a daily-driven street vehicle that I have ever heard.

Has anyone done this? Send in your oil after using the stock filter, then after the K&N. My money goes on the stock filter doing the best job every time. These have their purpose,and that purpose is not filtering the most dirt,it's flowing the most air and not collapsing when it gets wet and muddy (like on a bike,off road vehicle,etc.) I've seen where the foam filter on my bike has passed dirt,and yes it gets cleaned and oiled,with the proper oil,and yeah racers don't care about longevity, only performance, so of course they use whatever product gives them the most.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Silica schmilica. Change your oil. It goes away.

I bet the oil filter you use allows more stuff through than a K&N air filter.

Do all of you paper air filter guys have prelubers on your engines, too? Up to and over 90% of all engine wear is from startup when there is no oil pressure...

Tommy

 

[stikman56]

Silica schmilica. At the particle size you're worried about, it's suspended and would be considered a polish more than anything else. Change your oil. It goes away.

Do all of you paper air filter guys have prelubers on your engines, too? Up to and over 90% of all engine wear is from startup when there is no oil pressure...

Tommy

So, you are admitting it passes more dirt then? That's what I take out of that statement,but change your oil,it's ok then? Then why not just run with no filter? That's the best air flow. A screen there will keep out the big chunks anyway. Change your oil it goes away,right? If it's performance you're after, then so be it, but at what point do we stop defending a filter that was designed for performance, not the best filtration? How many of us would use the oil filter that flows the best, not that filters the best? Most people hang this thing under the hood in plain sight and call it a cold air intake too, I'm not seeing the logic, it's exactly the opposite, gulping in hot under hood air. For the average guy this is just another answer to a problem that doesn't exist. BTW, I use a full synthetic in my rides, tests have shown it gets to the top of an engine 6-7 times faster that conventional oils do. My daily is at 290,000 now, running strong, uses very little oil. Bone stock HO 4 cylinder. Bone stock is good enough and offers longevity without issue, my daily I'd dare to say is proof of that. I don't like changing my oil, and this engine gets 15,000 mile oil changes. I'm not going out of my way to install extravagant systems on my vehicles for longevity, but won't take away from what the factory offered for longevity as well, in a quest for performance on a daily driver. Some will, not me.

 

[Lotek]

Having seen the silt slurry in the turbo inlet on more than one Dmax with a K&N, I'm going to go with the factory parts. Besides which, GM looks really hard at cars with aftermarket air filters, anything from a bad maf, to internal motor or trans damage that can be blamed on them, may be denied warranty coverage.

 

[Flat-rate]

Not this crappy topic AGAIN. **** your K&N filter.

That's all, now back to our regularly scheduled non sense.

 

[ScottsGT]

Had one in my '95 Mustang. Had to clean the MAF all the time. Provided zero HP or performance gains on a stock motor.
My personal experience was that it was a big waist of cash that created more work for me. I'll never do it again.

 

[az45]

Over oiling a K&N is the cause of failing MAF sensors, its super common.

A K&N will not give you any noticeable seat of the pants horse power or MPG advantage, but they do flow well and filter as well as anything. There is an advantage to being able to clean the filter to some, but if that isnt important in your world then they probably are not a good value for you.

 

[Roberts210]

I've got 367,*** miles on my '95 Dodge Cummins and it's had a K&N since day 7. In that time I've probably cleaned and re-oiled it 4 times. Maybe 3 times. Not sure now, but I don't do it very often.

 

[Roberts210]

So a paper air filter actually works by making the air change direction and dodge through and around the paper fibers. As the air dodges here and there around the fibers the dirt particles are heavier than air and can't change direction as fast and end up stuck in the cracks and crevices of the paper fibers. In contrast the oiled cotton of the K&N actually attracts the dirt particles, and as has been said, dirt building up the filter makes it do a better job of filtering. But it does an excellent job right after it's oiled as well. I've used one in my truck for 20 years and love it.

 

[Roberts210]

Don't over-oil your K&N and you won't have a problem downstream from the filter.

 

[Dragfluid]

I don't know which one filters better, and don't really care. If you want to spend the extra money, go for it. If properly maintained, it may save money over the paper one.

My biggest ***** about the K&N is the over oiling by some that think "if some is good, more is gooder". Like has been said, that contaminates the MAF and in turn, can change the line rise of the transmission and cause slippage.

 

[ScottsGT]

I do remember out of the box it oiled my MAF up pretty good. I used very little oil after cleaning it out. But over time it still did the same.