FOAM air filter ; Best way to ...

[odie]

soak it in oil w/o making to much of a mess ? Also how much oil to soak it ? It's for a new 5 H.P. Briggs and Stratton . All previous mowers used a paper air filter , so new to me . Wonder if I could cut a paper or car air filter to fit the housing to replace the foam filter . Or use together . Thanks

 

[tomcat27]

I believe the instructions are to add approx 2 tablespoons of oil and work it through. I know, what a mess! In the old days, all mowers used foam filters...

 

[rclint]

The foam filters may be a mess, but boy are they cheaper to keep up !! Paper filters for mowers are getting really expensive.

I used to put a small amount of engine oil on the foam filter, and after working through I would take a couple of paper towels to remove as much oil as possible by balling the filter up inside the paper towels.

 

[boraticus]

Put the filter in a zip log bag, add half an oz. of oil and thoroughly massage it into the filter. Add more oil as required. No mess at all. I usually keep a spare filter in a zip lock bag ready to go.

 

[mechanicx]

I hate foam filters. Unless you oil and replace them frequently they don't keep dust out, and even then I have my doubts. Paper filters are effective, low maintenance and last a long time. They trap dirt better as they age.

 

[Jeepster_nut]

Put on some latex gloves, hold the filter and pour some oil onto it. Then work it in with your hand while squeezing it. Its not that bad with gloves on

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
I hate foam filters. Unless you oil and replace them frequently they don't keep dust out, and even then I have my doubts. Paper filters are effective, low maintenance and last a long time. They trap dirt better as they age.


PARDON?

That is some serious misinformation.

Look at any off road application and you'll find most engines running oiled foam filters. Why? Because they do a better job of keeping dust out. They also resist water better.

I have nothing against paper air filters in reasonable applications but to say that oiled foam isn't effective in keeping dust out is absolutely incorrect.

 

[mechanicx]

I don't think I'm incorrect. Oiled foam and cotton gauze filters do not offer the same fine micron filtration as paper filters.

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
I don't think I'm incorrect. Oiled foam and cotton gauze filters do not offer the same fine micron filtration as paper filters.


Then why are oiled filters so popular in off road equipment where dust and water abound?

 

[mechanicx]

Foam is better with water since it will clog and ruin a paper filter I'll give you that. Foam if it is oiled regularly might be just edequate enough. But if they're not cleaned, oiled and replaced regularly IMO they're no better than no filter.

Why they would be used in dusty conditions, for other than a prefilter to a paper/synthetic media must be the same reasoning racers use oiled K&N filters. Maybe lower restriction and aren't looking for maximum filtration/engine life. Or because the water issue you mentioned.

I just don't see water as an issue on a lawn mower, and foam filters as needing a lot maintenance. From what I seen without regular maintenance in dusty conditions engines wear out fast with them. I have ran the same paper filter on lawn mowers sometimes 10-20 years.

 

[odie]

Originally Posted By: boraticus
Put the filter in a zip log bag, add half an oz. of oil and thoroughly massage it into the filter. Add more oil as required. No mess at all. I usually keep a spare filter in a zip lock bag ready to go.
very good idea . Other concern is after cleaning the foam filter with dish detergent and water then how to disgard that . We have a septic system . Wouldn't think that be good thing for it .

 

[boraticus]

An oiled foam filter that is not cleaned will be excessively restrictive. Dirt will not get past it because the engine likely won't start if the filter is dirty enough.

Both types of filter are effective. I've used equipment with oiled filters for decades and never had a problem. I've never worn out an engine using any type of filter. One would have to be doing a very great deal of mowing to have an engine wear out due to improper air filtering, be it paper or oiled foam.

Personally, I prefer oiled foam. If it gets dirty, a clean one is only five to ten minutes away. A paper element is a drive to the hardware store. Which for me, can be anywhere from twenty to 120 miles, depending on whether I'm at home or at camp.

 

[rclint]

There is a big misconception going on here it seems the K&N filters being an aftermarket part showing more dust/dirt through the intake system has some how come over to a lawn engine section where the foam filter is about 3-5 inches thick soaked with oil in a tight fitting metal canister. The foam filters on lawn engines that came that way from the factory designed for the engine will do just as good if not better than the paper filters. Another note B&S had huge problems when they changed over to a paper cartridge, this was the INTEK series engines, and all the gunk you hear about how bad they are is nothing more than a poor design air filtration system... using a paper cartridge!! The older B&S engines with foam filters lasted years with no problems with damage from dirt through the intake system if properly installed (meaning the foam filter was in the canister).

 

[Oldwolf]

I clean the paper filter on my B&S now and then with compressed air. Blow the air stream opposite normal airflow. You can get a lot of life from one doing this.

 

[ddrumman2004]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
I hate foam filters. Unless you oil and replace them frequently they don't keep dust out, and even then I have my doubts. Paper filters are effective, low maintenance and last a long time. They trap dirt better as they age.


A paper air filter trap more dirt as it ages due to dirt particles building up on the filter media. But as these dirt particles build up....pressure across the filter drops.

Less air to the engine. This is true for the oil foam filters as well.

 

[Oldwolf]

Originally Posted By: ddrumman2004
Originally Posted By: mechanicx
I hate foam filters. Unless you oil and replace them frequently they don't keep dust out, and even then I have my doubts. Paper filters are effective, low maintenance and last a long time. They trap dirt better as they age.


A paper air filter trap more dirt as it ages due to dirt particles building up on the filter media. But as these dirt particles build up....pressure across the filter drops.

Less air to the engine. This is true for the oil foam filters as well.



Once my B&S just died while cutting the yard. That was before I started routinely servicing it. It was plugged with dust and grass, after cleaning the engine started right up.