How Often do you clean a K&N filter?

[3oilmat1]

and after reading some posts here, do they let a lot of dirt in the engine? Should I get rid of my K&N filter?

 

[Quest]

I've rid of my K&N due to elevated silicon reading in my oil.

I don't think the elevated si reading in exchange of air-flow is well-justified in this case, and I'm going back to factory OE filter.

Q.

 

[pickled]

You clean it by tapping it against the trash can then throwing it in, or listing it on Ebay and getting an EAO or AEM dry flow. Yes they do typically let more dirt into an engine than a traditional paper filter. All you have to do is take your K&N outside and look through it in the sunlight...there are only 3 layers of gauze and definite visible voids.

I'm sure someone will step up to defend them, but I have yet to see a K&N that I like. Oh yeah and when they finally do get efficient at blocking dirt (i.e. when they are caked with dirt) you have to wash and clean them. That's not the problem, but when you reapply the filter oil in a non-robotic fashion the oil will end up coating your MAF sensor wires in a few thousand miles. Rough running, codes...and you get to pay top dollar to boot. FYI- comb through the UOA section and you can many times see K&N use over time=high silicon.

 

[Steve S]

You throw it away.

 

[Pesca]

Except if you know exactly how to oil properly the filter, it seems not to give good results.

You can go back to the OEM filter, or try an Amsoil if it is available for your car.

For me, I choose to use an aFe Pro Dry S filter after reading a thread from Harry J having great results with it (and because an Amsoil filter was not available for my car).

As the two above are not available for my wife's car, I put an OEM.

 

[surfstar]

I use a K&N knockoff filter - any UOA I've done has had single digit Si #s over 5k miles. I clean it as little as possible - the dirtier it is, the more it filters. When I do clean it, I usually oil the khrap outta it, but let it air dry for at least overnight before re-installation. Never had any problems with one. Car has 254k miles, been using the filter for over 150k of that.

 

[3oilmat1]

Thanks for the info, in the trash it goes. Should I go with one from the dealer or just get one form Adavnce Auto or Auto Zone?

 

[rondoggnuts]

I'd get a Fram air filter at Walmart.

 

[KW]

For normal street driving the K&N works just fine. If you live in a really dusty area you might need more filter. They are way better than no filter at all like people used to do in the good old days -- pull the dirty plugged filter out and press on with no filter at all.

 

[pickled]

Yeah KW I remember those days. I used to know a police officer that would leave the station and pull over to put his air filter in the trunk. He wanted the edge on the street racers of the day.

 

[DC_Stewart]

I've used K&N air filters in my last 5 cars (All VW diesels) and consistently drive 500,000-600,000km with no problems at all. I clean them twice a year in the spring and fall, but then I drive a lot of miles.

 

[SevenBizzos]

Mustang = Every three years (at 5-6k/yr driving)
Prelude = Probably 30k-40k range.

 

[sprintman]

I don't I throw it in a bin and replace it with an Amsoil EA filter. Did that yesterday