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To those who clean K & N air filters

alke46

alke46

Forum Sage
Super Site Supporter
Past Site Supporter
Hope I am posting this in the correct place. I am wondering how you guys and gals clean your lifetime K & N air filters. The suggested method is with the K & N cleaning solution but I was curious if anyone has found something besides the name brand cleaner.:-k

Thanks for any input you might have.

Larry
 
I have tried several different products in the past including 409, Fantastik, dish soap, etc.
None of them worked on removing the residue as well as their name brand product. :confused:
Perhaps some of the Awesome brand orange spray cleaner from the Dollar Stores might work.
donno.gif

It wasn't around when I was experimenting with the others.

Daniel
 
Good gravy, this is taking the famed GSR cheapness to a whole new level... :rolleyes:

The K&N cleaner contains TSP. I have no idea what else might be in there, if anything.

The K&N kit works well, it's cheap ($15 or so) and available in any auto parts store, it's safe for the filter and your engine, and the kit includes enough cleaner and the correct oil to do your filter at least three or four times. There's no real reason to try substitutes, and many expensive reasons to use the real stuff.

While we're at it, please don't say you were also considering using anything besides genuine K&N oil -- that is VERY well known to be a big mistake. Their filter oil has a unique gooiness and viscosity that only works with their oiled cotton filters. Other oils either clog a K&N or fail to filter.
 
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bwringer said:
Good gravy, this is taking the famed GSR cheapness to a whole new level... :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Using de-greasers to cut grease?
You are probably right.
It's not quite as strange as people using zip ties to do valve adjustments or
using beam-type torque wrenches to measure inch pounds. :rolleyes:
That would be sane, right?


Daniel
 
I use Simple Green in hot water & that cleans them better than anything I have used yet, INCLUDING the K&N cleaner! Ray.
 
Considering that the filter elements are what amounts to gauze, I wouldn't try anything other than their cleaner for fear of eventually deteriorating that stuff. Not only would it then not filter, but end up in your intake. Prolly not detrimental but it prolly isn't most fantastic either
 
hi

hi

i am just saying what a motorcycle mechanic friend aged 65 with 50 years experience told me this week , clean with petrol , then use ordinary oil or 90 grade diff oil to oil and blow out with compressed air , dont use k and n oil because it is too gooy and clogs the filter and makes the engine run too rich .

regards from mark .
 
Umm no...you do not use fuel to clean an air filter nor do you use compress air on a K&N. Ordinary and diff oil is way to heavy and leeches out. Use the K&N kit or the simple green. K&N filters were designed the way they are for a reason. When I first got my K&N the cleaning instructions were, use the K&N cleaning and re-oiling kit or if the kit isn't available wash in warm water with a mild detergent and let dry for 24 hours then re-oil with K&N filter oil or a like alternative filter oil. Wipe off any excess oil. Never use air. I've had mine on my bike for 32 years and still works great. Don't go and try second guessing the manufacturer, K&N has this down pat.

motorcycletherapy said:
i am just saying what a motorcycle mechanic friend aged 65 with 50 years experience told me this week , clean with petrol , then use ordinary oil or 90 grade diff oil to oil and blow out with compressed air , dont use k and n oil because it is too gooy and clogs the filter and makes the engine run too rich .

regards from mark .
Click to expand...
 
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Thanks for the tip Ray.
I'll give the Simple Green a try real soon as I have another set of used filters en route.
90W oil might be a good idea for those that would put tape or rags on the filters. LOL.

Daniel
 
rapidray said:
Never had any deterioration of the filters either, try again! Ray.
Click to expand...

Simple Green isnt going to deteriorate it because there aren't any caustic ingredients! Maybe I wasn't commenting about what you use Ray! And maybe try adding a few hundred more exclamation points to your posts!!!!!!!
 
motorcycletherapy said:
i am just saying what a motorcycle mechanic friend aged 65 with 50 years experience told me this week , clean with petrol , then use ordinary oil or 90 grade diff oil to oil and blow out with compressed air , dont use k and n oil because it is too gooy and clogs the filter and makes the engine run too rich .

regards from mark .
Click to expand...

i always used gas to clean filters unless there the cheap a$$ plastic/foam mesh junk,never had any problems using gas

i washed my k&n with gas,shook the filter until the excess was gone,then used k&n oil, if you spray the oil on to thick it will stay thick,just a warning
but water and soap doesnt get them clean enough, when cleaning them you dont want them to dry out completely , if it does it will not let air through correctly
oil/gear oil needs shaken off as well or it will run rich,cause all the excess is going into the carbs and then the motor
 
Thanks for all the opinions guys. Guess I will just go ahead and purchase the K & N cleaner. I already have their oil for after I get it clean.

Thanks again.

Larry
 
I, for one, don't like K and N air filters because they let dirt into the engine. I think the stock filter is good for around 10000 miles or so then it it gets replaced. Haven't seen any horsepower problems.
 
1980GS1000E said:
I, for one, don't like K and N air filters because they let dirt into the engine. I think the stock filter is good for around 10000 miles or so then it it gets replaced. Haven't seen any horsepower problems.
Click to expand...
I was waiting for the first irrelevant post.
OP, I have used K&Ns for decades with no issues. I currently have 3 vehicles with K&Ns, but chose to use the original paper filter for my DD (03 Focus), just because of the cost and the fact that it will go away some day. You can always examine the throat of your throttle body/carbs/airbox to see that they are clean, no particulates present.
I have also used several types of cleaners, including K&N cleaner and dish washing liquid when I did not have any K&N cleaner. I never had any issues with any of them.
The main thing to do is make sure it is completely dry before oiling, and do not over oil the filter.
 
Just got one. Warranty card states cleaning every 50,000 miles w/ street use. Not even sure if i'll even have the bike that long. :-k Sure moto-xers need to attend to more often.

knfilterwarranty.jpg
 
bwringer said:
Good gravy, this is taking the famed GSR cheapness to a whole new level... :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Any penny saved on mundane tasks such as filter cleaning can be put toward repairs resulting from failed hardware store mods! :rolleyes:
 
Like I said earlier in the post, my K&N is 30 years old and I live in a high dust area of NM. It filters great and gets a cleaning every couple years and its good to go. I rarely ride when the wind is 35mph or more around here, it just gets gross with the dust and dirt in the area all farm land so you get my drift.
 
http://www.knfilters.com/msds/99-5000.pdf

its mostly petroleum as a solvent red dye and pixie dust.

Decene hompolymer is another componenet.
Short web search reveals this is:
A Decene homopolymer hydrogentaed is a PAO type fluid in which hydrogen has been injected to oxidatively stabilize the fluid.

So god what a rip off.
 
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