Oil for foam air filter

[Saturn_Fan]

Everything you said is the complete opposite of my experience on 200+ mile weekend rides through every kind of terrain on my ATV.

I have cleaned a foam filter a million times with foam air filter cleaner spray and they clean right up. Your mistake is using gasoline on a foam air filter. It ruins the glue in the filter.

Sorry, but I am not buying motor oil as being more efficient than foam air filter specific oils their companion cleaners.

 

[Cmarti]

I have used 30 wt bar oil on every foam filter I have from yard tools to ATV's and Motorcycles. No evidence how it works, other than no dirt in carbs from the air side, I know of. I have cleaned with gas, but I agree it does seem hard on the filters. I have used soap and water, but I am too impatient for it to dry. Thus, I use kerosene. Also, I have used kerosene alone, as it will clean and leave a oily residue on the filter.

Like anything else on this site, it may be more important to regularly clean/change, than what specific product you use.

 

[ARB1977]

Originally Posted By: Benevolus2
My Honda 2000i generator's foam air filter calls for straight 30 weight engine oil. Is there any reason I can't use a multi viscosity one such as Mobil 1 5w-30? Is there any 'better' choices out there? Thanks a lot.

The same for my Troy Bilt edger...althought this time i used K&N oil vs engine oil.

 

[Bror Jace]

Guys, being a charter member of BITOG, I think it was *I* that started the idea of using chain & bar oil in OPE foam filters that called for motor oil (usually 30 weight).

HOWEVER, it sounds like my recommendation is getting a bit distorted over time. I only recommend chain & bar oil for foam filters calling for motor oil ... because the chain & bar oil is cheap and has more tack additives than motor oil, it should do an even better job of attracting and trapping dirt. That's been my experience and I still practice this.

But if your filter is a fabric gauze filter or some other kind of 'special' filter, I think you should bite the bullet and use the manufacturer-spec'd product, even if it is pricey stuff.

Oh, and a little tip for cleaning foam filter elements: Do it in a 5-gallon pail to contain the mess. Use 1-2 quarts of warm water and spray the filter with plenty of Simple Green or equivalent. After giving the element a thorough workout in the pail, finish rinse with clean water and dry by wrapping the foam in a paper towel or two and squeezing hard. It should be ready to re-oil and re-install immediately if you do a thorough job squeezing the moisture out of it (paper towel(s) should feel dry after final squeezing).

 

[bob_ninja]

Originally Posted By: Cmarti
... I have cleaned with gas, but I agree it does seem hard on the filters. I have used soap and water, but I am too impatient for it to dry. Thus, I use kerosene. Also, I have used kerosene alone, as it will clean and leave a oily residue on the filter....


I use Mineral Spirits which I think is even milder than kerosene. It still removes oil fine. So after removing oil, then I use water for final cleaning.

 

[tom slick]

When I used Bel-ray filter oil I used mineral spirits to break down the oil, then simple green to wash out the dirt and mineral spirits. worked great, no degradation issues. The mineral spirits can be used over and over since they just need to break down the oil.

Now I just use the PJ1 system. Spray oil and spray cleaner, works great, less mess.

 

[UncleRunkle]

I use Silkolene spray on for my chainsaw, weedwacker, and lawnmower air filters. I clean them with Dawn dish detergent and HOT water. No issues of any kind to date.

 

[Cmarti]

Originally Posted By: Bror Jace
Guys, being a charter member of BITOG, I think it was *I* that started the idea of using chain & bar oil in OPE foam filters that called for motor oil (usually 30 weight).

HOWEVER, it sounds like my recommendation is getting a bit


While I recognize your numerous posts with good advice, motocross and dune riders have been doing bar oil longer than the internet. The special filter oils grew out of that idea years ago.

 

[Crusader]

Simpler instruction for care and maintenance of foam air cleaner for use in dusty environments

I've been using PJ1 and other motorsport super tacky oil on foam filter for years and it works great.

Lets start with cleaning any foam filter:

Get a grit and dirt free bucket or pail, some decent dish washing gloves and stout dose of laundry detergent. I prefer perfume free liquid.

fill up bucket with about a gallon or so of hot water - as hot as you can stand it - the dishwashing gloves will help you tolerate the really hot water. Hot water helps loosen up ANY oil you would have used.

thoroughly massage and wash filter. Rise with clean hot water and repeat the wash cycle.

Rinse again and then squeeze as much water out a you can with out twisting. Just crush to drain.

I use micro fiber towel to put the filter in and squeeze dry again. Get a dry microfiber towel repeat. It will be very dry. if you're anal like me air dry

get your self some super tacky oil and put it in a heavy gal food storage bag along with the foam filter
thoroughly work the tacky oil through the entire media.
squeeze out excess oil and let it drip in the bag.

remove filter from bag reinstall.


The K&N red spray oil is not suitable for foam filter IMHO. It will let dirt past the filter.

It's fine for a much finer media but not a with larger opening like foam. I would use bar oil in heart beat before that.

I have bought used power equipment with a filter serviced with just motor oil. It always seems that some grit and dirt tends to migrate past the filter into the intake.

Not to scold anybody but I'm surprised to hear some the thread response here. We are NOT talking a big investment of $ for using the proper oil for the job. Even if a bottle of super tacky foam filter oil was $50 I'd still use it. People will spend boatloads of $ on VOA and UOA but not on the correct foam filter oil. Same goes for spending over $6 a quart on XYZ oil but being cheap and lazy about your foam filter.

 

[Bror Jace]

Cmarti:"motocross and dune riders have been doing bar oil longer than the internet."

Good to know. I thought of it myself for my own use then relayed that on this site. But it's not exactly rocket science and so I can easily imagine others coming to the same conclusion.