cleaning a K&N filter

[zilla]

What can I use besides the K&N brand cleaner to clean my filter? it's time for its spring cleaning

[Deemo]

Why use anything else?
Just make sure you get rid of all of the excess fluid.
Any remnant fluid that gets sucked into the intake may clog any sensors (such as the mass air flow sensor).
A common problem in BMW's.

[Dave N]

I would stick to the K&N cleaner as well. I suppose an alternative would be to use a cleaner from one of those K&N-like filter manufacturers, but I don't think you would save any money.

Toyota Racing Development (TRD) makes a K&N-like filter, but their clean/oil kit costs about $30. The K&N clean/oil kit is only $10. The TRD filter is about $70, BTW.

Amsoil makes a foam filter that, according to some, traps more dirt than K&N and has just as good air flow. Dawn dishwashing detergent is used on the Amsoil filter, then Amsoil filter oil. The amsoil filter is about $35, and the oil is $3 or $5 (I can't remember exactly).

[4DSC]

Yeah, just use the real cleaner kit. It's not expensive and seems to work okay I suppose.

Saturate the filter with the cleaner, let sit, hose out thoroughly.... repeat until all the red dyed oil is gone. I hate doing this really since the hosing out part seems to take so long before the water ceases feeling slippery.

Dry thoroughly and take it easy when oiling so that you don't get any parts too wet with oil. I think over-oiled filters have been named as possible culprits of some engine drivability problems because oil can get sucked in and hit that all-important MAF sensor wire....

My K&N kit also cost $10... Canadian.

[Dave N]

Here's another cleaning tip (I have a TRD filter which I cleaned with the K&N kit). After you spray on the clener and let it sit, submerge the filter in a plastic dishpan full of hot water and ajitate it up and down. I repeated this several times, and dirt and little bugs kept coming out. Be careful if you use a hose -- too much pressure can damage the cotton filter element. I just gave mine a final rinse under the faucet with hot water.

[Shiny Lil Detlr]

My K&N Cleaner kit has lasted so far through 3 cleanings of the filter... Its rather cost effective if you know how to hold back and only use a little bit of the cleaner and oil at a time, then see what more needs to be cleaned out.

[gibbo01]

You can also imerse the whole filter in petrol k+N say this is ok, this is ok for a panel filter but would be a pain for a cone type,
just make sure it dries properly!!!

[PrinzII]

Originally posted by Deemo
Why use anything else?
Just make sure you get rid of all of the excess fluid.
Any remnant fluid that gets sucked into the intake may clog any sensors (such as the mass air flow sensor).
A common problem in BMW's.

....also a common problem on Maximas, especially those with the VQ35DE.

[zilla]

sucking oil out of the filter onto the MAF is a problem with almost any car with a MAF and an oiled filter.