will a backfire cause damage to an air filter?

[The motor guy]

Occassionally one of my mowers will backfire right before starting or just backfire and not start. This mower you never have to use the choke for some reason, it starts up right away almost always. Anyways, it's done this maybe 4 or 5 times randomly since new. It has 260hrs on it now with a 15.5hp Kawasaki engine and a Donaldson canister air filter. It sounds like a cannon went off when starting, a backfire from a regular push mower sounds like a [censored] compared to what this one sounds like.

 

[Canadastang]

My lawn tractor backfires almost every time I shut it off. Still using what is probably the original air filter (30 year old homelite) and there are no scorch marks or signs of damage on the air filter.

YMMV however.

 

[Vern_in_IL]

usually you need to let your tractor idle for a minute before you shut if off, burns off extra gas, prevents backfire and cools your hydro(if equipped)

Sounds like if it is backfiring maybe intake valve needs lapped.

 

[Chris142]

Maybe it will blow the dirt out!

 

[Johnny2Bad]

Not for sure, and not every time, but is it possible? Certainly.

 

[RooflessVW]

A backfire (from the exhaust) will not hurt the air filter.

If you get a pop out the front then yes, it can damage your air filter.

 

[The_Jeff]

Air filter assemblies are engineered to take this. You'll see warnings about taking them off and backfires. Mufflers are also designed to take the exhaust version of same (afterfire?) and there's some Forest Service certification on OPE mufflers.

 

[Olas]

It depends. At idle the pop will be a lot less damaging to an airfilter than WOT at peak torque which will go boom!

Also, stock intake tract with resonators etc will retard the flame compared to a cone on the end of the manifold which will take the full force of the combustion.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
... with a 15.5hp Kawasaki engine and a Donaldson canister air filter. It sounds like a cannon went off


That air filter can handle it!