When to clean k&n

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So I installed a k&n cai on my '96 Mustang about 10 years ago. After first I cleaned it somewhat frequently, but also cleaned the MAF frequently. After reading more and looking at filtration tests, I erred to the side of letting the filter load up 1) because it doesnt really decrease flow and 2) it might help the mediocre efficiency. In any case, its been a number of years now, and looking at the filter element ITS DIRTY! There is just a ton of [censored] on there.

Car has great throttle reponse, and gets roughly the same mileage it always had... Is it worth cleaning the filter (for the low low purchase price of a cleaning kit), or if it aint broke dont fix it?
 
I think I remember reading when I got my first k&n, the instructions said to clean it when the filtering media was about the same color as the wire mesh. So when the filter media is black, clean it. The problem I had with one of mine is it was slightly underoiled straight from k&N so after a couple of years, part of it was black and the other part was a very faint red.

My vote is clean it and move on. It will be good to spend some time giving the mustang some TLC
 
I'd change it with an OE filter for better filtration and better engine protection. In fact that's exactly what I did several years ago when I used a K&N air filter. After learning the downsides associated with them here I tossed mine into the garbage.

If yours is loaded up a bit it's probably filtering better than a clean one, and not as good as OE. If you really want to keep the filter consider leaving it alone if the engine is running well.
 
Every 30K miles or bi-yearly is my vote. I too have been using them since the 90's without complaint.

Simple Green to clean if you don't have the branded product.
 
I didn't read where OP was asking any opinions about throwing it away. Why is it some feel it it their responsibility to educate the rest of us like we're dummy's. That setup will not ruin your motor and it probably has noticeably better performance.

Wash that filter when it looks like the crud is caking. If it is the cone shaped type you can see that one side near the inlet usually cakes up first I usually clean mine once a year.

Save yourself the cost of a cleaning kit. Get a bucket put the filter in dirty side down (if it is a cone) and put a capful or 2 of pine-sol inside (clean side) of the filter. Get in a sink with HOT tap water and fill into the open top of the filter (Dont blast the media). The hot water and pine-sol will suds and push the crud out of the filter from the inside out. Let it soak a bit and even dunk it up and down a few times until its mostly clean (dont let the dirty water get to the clean side). Repeat if it is really grungy the rinse with warm water from the inside out until all the soap is out then let dry. Get some new filter oil on there and you're good another year. Large cans/bottles of filter oil are all over Amazon.
 
Originally Posted By: Kawiguy454
I didn't read where OP was asking any opinions about throwing it away. Why is it some feel it it their responsibility to educate the rest of us like we're dummy's. That setup will not ruin your motor and it probably has noticeably better performance.

Wash that filter when it looks like the crud is caking. If it is the cone shaped type you can see that one side near the inlet usually cakes up first I usually clean mine once a year.

Save yourself the cost of a cleaning kit. Get a bucket put the filter in dirty side down (if it is a cone) and put a capful or 2 of pine-sol inside (clean side) of the filter. Get in a sink with HOT tap water and fill into the open top of the filter (Dont blast the media). The hot water and pine-sol will suds and push the crud out of the filter from the inside out. Let it soak a bit and even dunk it up and down a few times until its mostly clean (dont let the dirty water get to the clean side). Repeat if it is really grungy the rinse with warm water from the inside out until all the soap is out then let dry. Get some new filter oil on there and you're good another year. Large cans/bottles of filter oil are all over Amazon.



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Originally Posted By: Kawiguy454
Why is it some feel it it their responsibility to educate the rest of us like we're dummy's.


You are using the possessive form of dummy rather than the plural form of dummy. You should be referring to yourselves as dummies rather than dummy's.
 
Originally Posted By: buck91
So I installed a k&n cai on my '96 Mustang about 10 years ago. After first I cleaned it somewhat frequently, but also cleaned the MAF frequently. After reading more and looking at filtration tests, I erred to the side of letting the filter load up 1) because it doesnt really decrease flow and 2) it might help the mediocre efficiency. In any case, its been a number of years now, and looking at the filter element ITS DIRTY! There is just a ton of [censored] on there.

Car has great throttle reponse, and gets roughly the same mileage it always had... Is it worth cleaning the filter (for the low low purchase price of a cleaning kit), or if it aint broke dont fix it?


I'm certainly not going to tell you what to do with your filter, but you might want to look at the dust loading curves on this webpage.

http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/kn-vs-oem-filter.html
 
K&N says 50,000 miles when I bought the filter recently for my Mustang. FWIW I've been using them for years in my motorcycles and cars and haven't seen any dirt on the clean side of the intake. They seem to filter well. Disclaimer: all the roads are paved around here and my filters stay fairly clean anyways, but I change them every 25K miles regardless. K&N says to clean when dirt gets caked around the screen to the point where you start losing sight of it.
 
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: Kawiguy454
Why is it some feel it it their responsibility to educate the rest of us like we're dummy's.

You are using the possessive form of dummy rather than the plural form of dummy. You should be referring to yourselves as dummies rather than dummy's.

lol.gif
Can always count on Pops. In this instance, somewhat comical imo.
shocked.gif
And some irony here too.
 
Nothing wrong with whatever you choose to use. You know what opinions are like and everyone has one. I would clean the filter every couple of years, and that is what I used to do on my F150 when I had it. I also cleaned my MAF yearly when I did my oil change.
 
I would like to see a UOA of an engine with a dirty K&N filter. It's possible the filter lets more dirt past the filter when its dirty as there is no exposed oily foam for the dirt to stick to.

My advice if you want long engine life is to go back to a stock paper filter.

I am guessing you have already caused some engine damage.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
I would like to see a UOA of an engine with a dirty K&N filter. It's possible the filter lets more dirt past the filter when its dirty as there is no exposed oily foam for the dirt to stick to.

My advice if you want long engine life is to go back to a stock paper filter.

I am guessing you have already caused some engine damage.


Exactly. I think all the people that spoke negatively about the filter were trying to help the OP. OP good luck with whatever you decide to do with the filter.
 
I had mine on my truck for 50k miles. Never cleaned the filter or MAF sensor.
Recently changed to the dry Amsoil universal on my Series 77 setup.
 
Last I knew, K&N's suggestion was at 50k miles. I cleaned it at that interval for my car.


Careful, that K&N will kill your engine in no time, says my 130k mile engine. I only recently put a paper one back in because I didn't feel like cleaning it. So it was on the car for over 100k miles.
 
Thanks for all the opinions. As I had originally posted, I'm simply considering whether there is reason enough or not to CLEAN the filter. Its an open filter as part of the FIPK (aka, CAI) kit so its not getting replaced with a stocker...as that...just...wont...work.
 
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