Celica Forums General Discussion Exterior CAI Filter...When to Clean/Replace?

Okay i had my CAI installed in February I think and now its October..thats about 8 Months..Should I just purchase a new filter or should I clean it????

thanks for the help

Just clean it. K&N states that their filters can last at least 100K with cleaning. Buying a new one in only 8 months would be a waste of money.

They have a K&N cleaning & re-oiling kit.

yup I agree



Air Filter, High-Flow CAI/SR/TRD/K&N Filter - How to Clean

https://celicahobby.com/ubbthreads/thread.f_1869924338_0_collapsed_2__1.html


as quoted from their site..
http://www.knfilters.com/filtercharger.htm

I just cleaned mine last weekend. I think they say clean it around every second oil change. Buy the kit, probably around $12 bucks USD and follow the directions. Spray the cleaner on it, let it sit for 10 minutes. Then rinse it out from the inside to the outside. This pushes the dirt out of the filter instead of deeper into it. Then let it dry overnight. No hair dryer, don't put it in the clothes dryer, just let it sit and air dry over night. Then lightly spray it with the oil and you're good to go!

ENGINE Installation Guides >> Air Filter, High-Flow CAI/SR/TRD/K&N Filter - How to Clean
https://celicahobby.com/ubbthreads/thread.f_1869924338_0_collapsed_2__1.html

In normal, on-road applications, Air Filter every at least once a year. A certain amount of dirt build-up will actually work for you. It does not degrade Performance and helps filter the air.

Service the filter more frequently if it is subjected to frequent or heavy dust. Regular operation in a fine dust environment, such as what would be present for agricultural, construction or off-road use, will cause oil loss from the element. Frequent re-oiling of the element's clean side may be required.

Most High-Flow Air Filters come pre-oiled, but when its time to clean them, you'll need both the cleaner and the oil, most commonly referred to as a "Recharger Kit".

The whole process takes about an hour. It's very easy...
1. Take your filter out.

2. Shake it to loosen the dirt: Tap the filter gently on a hard surface to dislodge loose dirt. Tap the head of a filter. Tap a panel filter dirt side down. Do not tap any filter on its edges. Remember to tap gently.

3. Use a soft brush and brush off as much dirt as you can: Gently brush the dirt side of filter with a soft bristle brush. A old tooth brush works well.

4. Spray Air Filter Cleaner liberally onto the entire element. Let the Cleaner soak into the filter media for 10 minutes.

5. After the Cleaner soaks for 10 minutes, rinse the filter with low pressure water. Water out of a household faucet is best. Always flush opposite the direction of air flow ie: from the clean side to the dirty side. This removes the dirt and does not drive it further into the filter media.

6. After rinsing, shake off the excess water and let the element dry at room or outside air temperature. Do not use compressed air because it will damage the filter media. [/b]Do not[/b] use heat from any source to dry a your filter. Heat will shrink the filter media and may damage the rubber base, top or end caps

7. Once the filter is dry, apply the oil...
SPRAY OILING: Spray Air Filter Oil from a distance of about 10 inches onto a group of pleats. Spray each group of pleats only once. Spray oil onto the filter media such it becomes reddish in color. Let the filter sit for 10 minutes then respray any areas that are still white.

SQUEEZE BOTTLE OR TUBE OILING: Squeeze Air Filter Oil onto each pleat. Let the filter sit for 20 minutes as the oil "wicks" into the surrounding filter media. Apply more Filter Oil to areas that are still white

OILING NOTE: Never put a your filter in service without oiling it. The filter will not function properly without being oiled. Air Filter Oil is a unique blend of mineral and organic oil base stocks and special polymers that form a very efficient "tack barrier". Red dye is added to show areas of oil application. Eventually, the dye fades but the oil remains to filter the air. Do not use automatic transmission fluid, any kind of motor oil or diesel fuel to oil a you air filter. Do not use "WD-40", "LPS" or any other type of light-weight spray lubricants to oil your air filter. Any of those products will damage the filter or degrade its filtering ability. A filter used on an engine that is regularly operated in a fine dust environment will require frequent re-oiling of the filters clean side in between cleanings.

8. put the filter back on your car. Re-install your Air Filter with care.

NOTES: Some aftermarket filters also include a "Do Not Discard" notice label. If you haven't already, place the sticker in a visible position to alert service technicians to the existence of a high-flow / rechargeable filter is installed on your engine.

...


Recharger kits come complete with instructions, filter oil and filter cleaner. They usually run for about $11 at any pepboys/autozone... Of all the kits, we highly recommend the "K&N Recharger Kit"

It is okay to clean a AEM filter with the K&N kit??

No, the K&N's cleaner & oil is designed specifically for that type of filter element. The AEM may work completely different.

Yes it's safe. The K&N cleaning kit will work on all cotton gauze filters, including AEM, Injen, TPR, etc. K&N used to even make filters for AEM and Injen (still does for TPR).

are you sure its only 11 at pepboys? thats cheaper than online...usually its the other way around

I would buy a kit designed for your filter element by the same manufacturer.

The cleaner I am sure is just alchol based & could probably be used to clean anything.

However, K&N uses some type of mineral oil to filter out the fine dust particles with their filters. Their filters are designed for this oil.

okay thanks guys...i have a cleaner already from Toyota..so i am going t use that..thanks for the info everyone

LOL, cotton gauze is cotton gauze. They're all made of cotton! You don't wash your cotton T-shirts with different brands of detergent just cause they're made by different brands, do you? I've washed my non-K&N filter from my eBay CAI with the K&N cleaner for a couple years with no problems, and the replacement Injen filter for at least 1 year with no problems.

The other types of filters out there are foam, stainless steel mesh, dry, and paper. Foam and stainless use different types of cleaners since they're made of different materials, and dry and paper don't get washed at all, just brushed off.

BTW, the K&N cleaner doesn't use alcohol. It actually says specifically on the oil spray can not to use ANY solvents on the filter to clean it.

Is it the cleaner for TRD air filters? If not, I wouldn't use it unless it's made for a reusable cotton filter. It might damage the filter or shrink it.

Use the K&N cleaning kit! I've been using it for a year now.

About the only difference in cleaning kits is the color of the filter oil they use.

That means, if you want your filter to be blue (to match your color scheme) you could use the Accel care kit (which uses blue filter oil)

Honestly, like blue said, if it's a cotton gauze filter element, any cotton filter cleaning kit will work (and some manufacturers even sell them in multiple colors choices for the oil) In a Pinch you can use simple Green to clean a dirty Gauze filter, but you're best off using the stuff from your care kit, because Simple Green contains (what else) green dye which may discolor the filter element afer a few applications.

Now, if you have a fine, spongy foam element (like the old Accel or Morosso filter elements) you can use the same type of cleaning and oiling kit, but it's better to use one specific to that type of filter. some are dry elements, some need oiling, be sure to read the manufacturers instructions.

The coarser, foam element filters (like mushroom-style HKS and Edelbrock filters) are usually dry element filters, they don't need oil, rather, you replace the foam as it gets clogged and dirty or torn.

Unlike other filter systems, once it's clogged, you need to toss the old foam and buy a new filter element. This is because dirt becomes so embedded in the weave that you can't get it out. reusing one of these elements runs the risk of dirt eventually migrating into the intake; not good.

Stainless mesh filters just need to be rinsed out and dried, while they don't need filter oil, it doesn't hurt to spray a little K&N type filter oil (or a light mineral oil) on a clean cloth, and apply a little to the outside of the stainless filter. this will keep the stainless from oxidizing (Turning dark and hazy), and it will help to trap the dust that the stainless filter has a hard time handling when it's dry. just a light, thin film of oil on the outside will do the trick. be sure to clean the filter with the filter cleaner for gauze-type filters if you choose to re-oil it to get the old stuff off (don't worry, it won't hurt the filter)

If you see a caked up layer of dust on your filter, or the breathing seems a bit restricted, it's time to clean. K&N used to make a gauge, with a sensor to be installed in the intake, that would show how restricted the filter has become. when the needle bottoms out, it's time to clean it. I don't know if they still make them, but if anything, it's added bling. common sense works best.

Clean a gauze filter too much and it will errode faster. you can only clean them so many times before the cotton gauze deteriorates, so, if you clean them maybe once or twice a year, they should last the life of your car.

BTW, the filter cleaner that comes with most kits, it's pretty much the same thing as Simple Green. For those that don't know, Simple green is an awesome, non-corrosive, general purpose cleaner. it's awesome for degreasing engines, but is non-toxic and probably the safest, most gentle cleaning products available. This is probably why a similar cleaner is used in filter cleaning kits.

Sorry for the long post, but I've accumulated a lot of filter care info over the years...

yes it is...i had a TRD air filter and i purchased the cleaner...so is it okay to use that cleaner.

Where is the best place to get an injen sri replacement filter and what are the dimensions of the filter?

If you have a AEM filter and you prefer to use the AEM Cleaning kit, then is just $10.31 on their website.

I really don't care what kit to use, just as long as it does't damaged my filter i am okay.