I was doing a search on youtube on how to clean an afe air filter. Well, I came across this video on how to clean your Afe/K&N filter.


Has anyone ever seen this or done this? There are quite a few different ways that I came across.

Manufacturer cleaning solution
Dawn
Simple Green
Oxy Clean

To name a few.
My next question would be would you use any of the other methods besides using what the manufacturer suggest?

 

The manufacturer suggests the stock air filter

Josh

 

I am a drivetrain engineer at a construction equipment manufacturer... We never pick air cleaners because they are worse but cheaper. They either work or they don't. The reason the factory replacement filter costs what it does is that it will make your truck work as intended. Any bigger air cleaner won't improve performance for 99% of the people that read this reply.

 

factory intake and filter is good up to 500 h p. unless you are upgrading injectors, turbo, exhaust, fuel system and drivetrain, a Cai is a waste.

 

I had 2 F150 with a 5.0 96/98 one factory one K&N the only real difference was 1 you threw away and one you cleaned no real performance gain or loss, just cost in upkeep.

My experience anyways. To me not really worth the trouble. Speaking of which I need to clean the darn thing again.

 

AND it can go for many thousands of miles before the filter minder even indicates a restriction............AND they're only about $50 (or less) to replace (@dieselfiltersonline.com)

I think I'll stay with the OEM filter and leave the Simple Green to cleaning the wheels

 

I want to add you may want to use that in a well ventilated area if your heating useing boiling water. At least for me it gives off nauseating fumes altho I do not see anything in the ingrediants to cause it.

 

I may have to try this. I have a filter to sell because it actually let sand through to my MAF. Keep in mind my truck is a V10. After I saw the sand I went back to a OEM filter.

 

Huh, soap and water cleans up dirt and grime, who da thunk it.

Sold the K&N that came on my truck for $150 on Ebay.

 

xaviar: I realize we are all telling you everything but an answer to your Q, so let me go back there, before I jump on the "go back to stock" train

I would recommend K&N's cleaner first. It does a fine job and is formulated for their filter oil (which I assume you use). I would skip anything that requires excessive rinsing to get the suds out and that would be any dish or laundry soap, or even simple green (which is actually pretty harsh). I ran K&Ns in a couple of street vehicles and then on some track cars (the latter being the only place I'd use one today).

Now back to the train, which I am on board as well: I think that without running a supplemental foam filter skin over an oiled gauze type filter, you without a doubt are running dirt into your turbo/engine. I've suggested to many doubters that all they need to do is take the non-foam covered filter, brand new out of the box even, with oil on it, and go out in the bright sun. Look up through the filter at the sun. See all those pin-points of light? That's why...

In addition to that I've seen a number of manufacturers that call their intake a "cold air intake", yet they have a pleated cone-style oiled gauze filter in the engine bay. Where exactly is the cold air coming from? Truth is: it isn't getting any "cold air". The factory filter/intake on the other hand IS a cold air intake and dyno tests show you have to put out significant more power to make it be a limiting factor.

CAIs are money makers for their sellers, and that is about all they are...

 

Hi Dan thanks for the info. When I bought my 06 in 2012 it had an K&N system on it when I bought it. I was all too familer with the No go on those systems for a diesel. Previous owner got rid of the OEM one before I bought it. Otherwise, I'd have and OEM on it. Don't know why the previous owner just didn't provide it to the buyer anyway

Long story short. Look around for an OEM for about a month. Different clubs, dealer, ebay, craigslist etc... Didn't find any at all and at the time the dealer was talking 500 bucks for everything back to stock. Got a deal on the Afe that's in my sig for half the cost. Sold the K&N on eBay and was only out of pocket about 65 bucks. I'd still like to have an OEM unit for my truck but still seem to be far and few. If I remember my year truck has to be an 05 to 07 to fit correctly if I remember? I was only seeing 03's 04's.

I was just about out of cleaner for my Afe when I did a search on Youtube and found the additional info on how to clean the oil filled filters. I've been running this setup for almost 3 years with no problems as of yet. Using the sock option is definiely the way to go for added protection. Just checked and got one on the way. The same intake I bought 3 years ago is 110.00 more now

I think there's a less harsh Simple Green formula out. If I was to try this I do some more checking A gallon of SG is 10-12 bucks and would last 20 times over buying the Afe cleaner.

There's always more than one way to skin a cat and the question is now. How will the cat react to a different cleaning solution?

In any case. I appreciate all the replies.
Thx

 

I have seen then go on Ebay about once a mouth and for not a lot of money.
If you have an Ebay account just set up a search and have it Email you the findings.

Sean

 

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item...d=361289847109

 

Thx for the link!!!