REMINDER : Air Filter Maintenance!

[stutzedward]

Everyone knows this topic at the back of their heads, especially for car enthusiasts like us! But do you remember to replace/wash them?

Recently, my FC has been doing from bad to worse. The usual 6.5km/L down to 5.5km/L. I didn't know what was wrong. Car felt heavy and lazy (hesitant) during normal driving. When I race the car, it was fine though.

Then yesterday as I was doing my weekly oil checking, I opened the air filter. To my surprise, it was so dirty. When I check my records, it has been 14 months since I last washed it. Haiyo.... how can I be so careless! I've done all the maintenance but not the filter. I quickly brought out my K&N cleaning kit (by the way, I use drop-in filters for my cars) and wash both my car's filters!

This morning when I drove the car, it felt so light and powerful! Acceleration was great and stop and go felt so effortless.

Well, this is just to share with everyone or as a friendly reminder, if you have not done yours, YOU BETTER DO IT NOW! Hahaha.... good luck guys.

 

[qamarl]

thks for reminder ...bro

 

[kaninbu]

bro,how much the cleaning kit cost ar?

 

[stutzedward]

Bro, I can't remember the filter cleaning kit. It was around Rm80 something when I bought it like over 10 years ago. Well, my brother also bought a set, not long after that, he sold off his car, hence he gave it to me. So it lasted me quite some time.

---------- Post added at 06:48 PM ---------- 6 hour anti-bump limit - Previous post was at 06:45 PM ----------

As for fuel saving from clean filter - I refueled the car twice this weekend. I can't really get a exact comparison. 50% city (KL) and 30% highway, my mileage is 8.2km/L. Then I refueled at home town and came back to KL this afternoon and I get 7.98km/L. For better comparison, I will try to drive in city and update again. :)

 

[klaatu]

Hi stutzedward, thanks for sharing the info.

Btw, just to share, I never clean my previous K&N air filter with the K&N cleaning kit before, since the first days I use it until now which has clocked 80K mileage, the only cleaning done is during oil change, where my mech will use air gun to blow kao the K&N air filter. So far my FC are between 7-8KM/L.

Recently hand itchy, change to Blitz LM Sus-power drop in air filter liao....

 

[stutzedward]

Bro... you used air gun on K&N filter? Habis la bro... it's a big NO NO NO! I contacted K&N previous (years back, in 1995) that you need K&N cleaning kit to clean the filter. Or you can use normal soap to wash off the dirt and then must re-oil back with K&N oil.

Using air gun on the filter will puncture the filter sponge, resulting it not able to filter dirty elements.

Anyway, you are not using it anymore, so that's fine. :)

 

[kaninbu]

the re-oil is a must?

 

[stutzedward]

Yes. K&N told me that it's the oil that traps the dirt. So oil is an essential element for K&N to work properly. Some of my friends whose using it thinks that the oil are too expensive, hence they used WD40. It works too, haahaa... :)

 

[klaatu]

Bro... you used air gun on K&N filter? Habis la bro... it's a big NO NO NO! I contacted K&N previous (years back, in 1995) that you need K&N cleaning kit to clean the filter. Or you can use normal soap to wash off the dirt and then must re-oil back with K&N oil.

Using air gun on the filter will puncture the filter sponge, resulting it not able to filter dirty elements.

Anyway, you are not using it anymore, so that's fine. :)

Ic, thanks for the info, I am not aware abt it ler. Is my mech who did that during oil change. I was told, the oil will sometime caused problem to the MAF sensor, hence he usually don't use the K&N Oil.... I guess that is why he just use air gun to blow kao the filter.

Ya, now no longer on K&N liao,

 

[stutzedward]

Yes, too much oil will damage the MAF sensor, that's why when you re-oil your filter, keep the oil low. It will spread on it's own to other parts of the sponge. Just oil on the top of the fins and let it sits overnight.

Normal mechanic will use air gun to counter blow off the dust from the inside, it will work for paper filter but not on sponge. The pressure is high and strong, so it will damage the sponge for sure.

 

[kaninbu]

wd40 can ar?lol...sav alot leh.

 

[stutzedward]

As far as I remembered, the WD40 did not damage the filter. Just that they will dry off . :)