Air filter question.

[DRIFTINGmy85]

I have some air filter that looks like a k&n but I'm pretty sure it's not k&n.
I have some k&n filter cleaner and filter oil.
Can non k&n filters be cleaned with that stuff?
My filter is seriously caked with crud and dirt.

Thanks.

[5M-GECelica]

yea shouldnt hurt it a bit.

[Supra5MGTE]

FYI: Kn's suck at "filtering" compared to paper filters. No more KN's for me. I only run Paper air filters. I'm more worried about keeping my intake tract and engine clean rather than gaining 5 CFM which "supposedly" give me 2HP. And if you run a KN on a Mass air flow sensor'd car... ie most newer cars you'll ruin the MAF.

[DRIFTINGmy85]

It's a blue filter. I used the k&n cleaner after tooth brushing the heck out of the out side of this filter. Then I rinsed and let it dry all night. It's much cleaner I hope it helped and didn't hurt the filter. I didn't put any of the k&n filter oil on. That seems strange to me.

[toyfan]

K & N rates the flow of their filters WITHOUT OIL. It also claims to filter as well as paper but that is only with their oil on the filter.

so a K & N filter either flows worse or filters worse depending on the condition u keep it in.

[82toy]

As long as you rinsed from inside out,out side in will inbed dirt in filter element. K & N cleaner is a degreaser to remove oil and dirt collected. Use of oil after cleaning aids in the filtration process of the finer dirt/dust. Just dont use to much, thats where problems start on MAF equiped cars

[DRIFTINGmy85]

The filter looks great compared to what it was. I'm sure it's a lot better, and my car ran so well today!

[Supra_devil]

As long as you rinsed from inside out,out side in will inbed dirt in filter element. K & N cleaner is a degreaser to remove oil and dirt collected. Use of oil after cleaning aids in the filtration process of the finer dirt/dust. Just dont use to much, thats where problems start on MAF equiped cars


the problem is 99% of people use to much and then bitch about it. i always use what i consider to be lots and have not once in several years of use on dirt bikes, supras, and a couple other cars have i ever had any sort of residue, dirt, dust or oil in the intact tract from the filter. in fact, my intake manifold, TB, piping, etc. was all quite clean when i took it apart.

[DRIFTINGmy85]

My entire intake tubing and maf/housing are very dirty and grimey/dusty.
Yuck!

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b111/Muziq_138/throttlebodyfront2.jpg

[Supra5MGTE]

I never actually got around to "cleaning/reoiling" the KN on our '01 4runner. We bought it from a Toyota dealer with 50K miles. stock. put the KN in it few weeks later. About 1yr later the MAF goes out. Take it in for warranty work. they say it's the MAF, but not covered b/c we have a KN. I think it's bogus and start researching the topic. come to find out. It's quite common. So, if KN can't oil the filter itself "correctly", god help us others. I went back to Paper stock filters, and won't ever look back. If I need more air flow, I'll get a bigger paper filter. and FYI, on 99% of new cars the air filter is not the restriction. there are Engineering Calculations for CFM for different filter media. Start playing around with that stuff and you'll see the Guys that have engineering degrees and design cars for a living are smarter than we give them credit for. But the KN Advertising team is a genius. Only thing I'd put a KN on, is a Carb'd Muscle car. not a DD.

[tomsupra85]

my buddy got one of them kn filters on his car and man there is red dust and really fine dirt all over in side the intake,kn is a big waste of money.i have had good results with the cheap open air filters that pep boys has,no dirt inside the intake at all,and a small increase in power but mostly throttle response,ant that cool noise that the open air filters make.

[82toy]

Reguardless to what filter is used,K&N, paper, the most important thing is the regular maintance of the intake system. If the intake system is neglected,you of course will have a dirty system. Off topic, how do you all rate the HKS foam air cleaners?

[AlanG]

Found CRC Mass Air Flow Sensor Cleaner next to the carb cleaner stuff at Checker. Supposed to be for cleaning MAFs, it has different ingredients than carb cleaner. I have a call in to their tech support to inquire about using it on the 7mgte Karman Vortex AFM.
Some general research indicates that it is useful for regular MAF sensor cleaning. I too may have a problem with my oiled K&N filter.

[AlanG]

Found CRC Mass Air Flow Sensor Cleaner next to the carb cleaner stuff at Checker. Supposed to be for cleaning MAFs, it has different ingredients than carb cleaner. I have a call in to their tech support to inquire about using it on the 7mgte Karman Vortex AFM.
Some general research indicates that it is useful for regular MAF sensor cleaning. I too may have a problem with my oiled K&N filter.

Heard from their tech support that checked with their chemist who said that they don't have enough/any info about toy/lexus AFM materials to approve its use.

What has been used successfully to clean the AFM and how was it used?

[Supra_devil]

Reguardless to what filter is used,K&N, paper, the most important thing is the regular maintance of the intake system. If the intake system is neglected,you of course will have a dirty system. Off topic, how do you all rate the HKS foam air cleaners?

most people refer to the HKS as the super mega dirt flows......they have consistantly recieved last place in every filtering test i have seen. they did however flow the best on average as well, go figure.

[82toy]

MAF/Throttle body cleaner is not as abracive as carb cleaner. Carb cleaner is not to be used, different types of aluminum used in carbs vs throttle/ fuel vs air.