K&N filter oil and foam rubber air filters.

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Messages
205
Location
East Tennessee
Anytime I want to know what's in something, I look up the MSDS. Well all it says is "Petroleum distillates and red solvent". That doesn't tell me anything.

http://www.knfilters.com/msds/99-5000.pdf

So I got to wondering if K&N filter oil is the same thing as automatic transmission fluid thinned down with something.

The shop manual for my Citroen 2CV which uses a foam rubber element says to use something like a 40/60 mixture of motor oil and gasoline, soak it then squeeze it out. So made my own filter oil for the foam rubber filter for my lawnmower using automatic transmission fluid and kerosene. About a 50/50 mixture. It seems to work just as well.

Now what does this have to do with anything? This is what the air cleaner looked like on my old Snapper after one season, yet the engine still ran OK! I the foam wrap was oiled.

dirtyfilter.jpg


What really did this was mulching leaves.

Here is what the air cleaner looked like on my Craftsmans mower after three hours of usage:

IMG_20160910_155539399_zps3jdlh07e.jpg


Ordinary I just blow off the dust with compressed air and reuse it instead of replacing it. But some people said this is not good on a paper filter. there is also a debate on whether to oil the foam wrap or not. I've tried both.

This year's drought has aggravated things causing quite a dust bowel when mowing.

I found this super cool foam filter made by UNI filter for my Craftsmans lawnmower:

IMG_20160916_161405527_zpsth2vqca7.jpg


IMG_20160916_161410238_zpsogrlqwfk.jpg


This foam filter sells for the same price as the replacement paper filter ($17).

I oiled it, and afterwards noticed it caught quite a bit of dust. I dunked it in my parts washer of kerosene and the dirt fell right off!

The next step is to make my own foam filters for my 18.5 B&S engine on my MTD and my Honda powered push mower using this stuff:

IMG_20161109_140107897_zpsvwrm0nhg.jpg


The plan is to cut the wire mesh using a Dremel tool and cut off saw, remove the paper element and use the rubber as a gasket and cut down the foam rubber to fill in where the paper media was. Trouble is I have to remove about 1/2" off this stuff because I cannot find foam rubber 1.5" thick.

IMG_20161109_140114375_HDR_zpsyccv4olc.jpg


IMG_20161109_140120284_zpsow7o6kpi.jpg



Here is another question. I just recently replaced the air cleaner in my 98 Chevy Van. I thought about making a foam rubber filter for my van. The question is would the oil damage the heated wire in the air mass sensor? Looks to me like it would but I've never heard of a K&N filter (which is also oiled) destroying a mass air sensor using the heated wire method.

Any comments?
 
Last edited:
I would not use an oiled filter in any vehicle that has a MAF sensor, as it can cause a false reading which will often result in limp home mode.
Oiled washable air filters are not very efficient and air filter efficiency is very important as ultra fine sand particles can easily get past the rings and into the engine oil causing an increase in wear rates.

Most OEM's fit very good air filter units and about the only way they can be improved is by fitting a big truck type snorkel tube and pre filter.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: UltrafanUK
I would not use an oiled filter in any vehicle that has a MAF sensor, as it can cause a false reading which will often result in limp home mode.
Oiled washable air filters are not very efficient and air filter efficiency is very important as ultra fine sand particles can easily get past the rings and into the engine oil causing an increase in wear rates.

Most OEM's fit very good air filter units and about the only way they can be improved is by fitting a big truck type snorkel tube and pre filter.


I checked the inside of the snout going into the carburator and it was clean so I'm assuming no dirt is getting past the UNI filter.
 
A good buddy of mine had to clean the MAF sensors in his M5 quite often when he ran a pair of K&N air filters, and that problem went away when he switched back to paper.
Now, I have no idea whether he was oiling the things properly or maybe using too much...he's more mechanically adept than I am, but that's not saying an awful lot.
 
The issue is not dirt getting past the air filter, but traces of filter oil, as that will make the MAF sensor elements sticky which will then result in it accumulating dirt and failing. It's a well know problem with oiled filters.
 
Do not use k and n oil on foam filters. It doesn't work into the filter like it should and is a pain to clean back out. There are tackifiers on foam filter oil to help keep it in the filter. Don't use oil and gasoline.

Use this: https://smile.amazon.com/PJ1-15-202-Foam...+air+filter+oil It will last a long time. You don't have to get the cleaner if you don't want. Dish soap works fine.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: jhellwig
Do not use k and n oil on foam filters. It doesn't work into the filter like it should and is a pain to clean back out. There are tackifiers on foam filter oil to help keep it in the filter. Don't use oil and gasoline.

Use this: https://smile.amazon.com/PJ1-15-202-Foam...+air+filter+oil It will last a long time. You don't have to get the cleaner if you don't want. Dish soap works fine.


Thanks for the link. I ordered a can of it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top