Why do air filters need oil

Once complete, let the air filter dry. We do not recommend the use of a clothing dryer, as the repeated tumbling can tear the filter foam and break down the seam glue.

When cleaning your air filter be sure to check for tearing in the foam, notice if the foam is breaking down, and inspect the glue seams. If any of these areas are suspect we suggest replacing the air filter. Avid motorcyclists should consider having several air filters on hand in preparation for the next ride.

Simply batch-clean the air filters and keep the extras in clean, air-tight storage bags. Topics: featured , Powersports. Search the blog. Modern air filters have dual-stage filtration and thick sealing rings, such as these ProX air filters. When cleaning your air filter, be sure your using foam-filter specific cleaner.

Spray your filter thoroughly, and let the cleaner do its thing, following instructions on your cleaner can. After applying, thoroughly rinse out your filter with clean water, being sure to flush out all the cleaner and dirt particles. Make you're using application specific cleaner and oil for your air filters. Once the filter has dried properly, apply your air filter oil, covering, but not soaking, the entire filter, and massaging in to ensure complete coverage.

The positive pressure in the crankcase needs a place to go. If a PCV valve becomes clogged, blow-by may end up slipping through seals, between gaskets, or any other tiny gaps in the engine it can find. The valve could also be stuck open allowing more oil to enter the intake than intended.

Piston rings provide a seal between the cylinder wall and the piston to maximize the force applied by the combustion of the air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. The stronger the force, the more power your car will have.

Over time, piston rings can become worn due to high mileage, improper maintenance, poor engine design, or running the engine hard before it has reached operating temperature. As a car ages and piston rings wear, you might see horsepower numbers gradually decrease and blow-by gradually increase as the quality of this seal deteriorates.

When the volume of the blow-by starts to increase, you may notice more oil in the air filter housing, possibly extending all the way to the air filter itself. I was 17 , and yes, the very first thing I did within a week of owning it was buy a cheap, used intake from some guy on Craigslist. Usually, an intake is one of the first ideas that come to mind when someone starts modifying a car. Intakes are a relatively cheap, power-producing part on most applications and the results can usually be immediately felt and heard, especially on turbocharged applications.

If you have been following this engineering blog, you may have noticed that I have been the guy writing about our performance intake development for the past year. This means that I field a lot of questions from our community about intake performance. One of the most common questions, and a topic that is still hotly debated amongst us gearheads, is whether one should use a dry or oiled filter. There is no hard-set answer to that. We all know what a dry filter looks like.

Almost all factory cars come with one and they are usually made with either a paper or foam element. Due to this, their filtration properties are generally hard to beat. Air intake filters must meet minimum filtration standards and trap a certain amount of air contaminants to prevent harm to the engine, so by OEM design, they are more restrictive with respect to airflow. Although these types of air filters are great at keeping contaminants at bay, over time, the accumulating dirt and trapped particles causes an extreme decrease in power and fuel economy.

Try it! Tough, right? Due to their materials and construction, the air flow of even the high-performance dry air filters will usually be less than an oiled filter of the same size. The upside to dry filters is that they require less maintenance. Their life can be extended by using compressed air to blow some of the dirt off, but that can only be done so many times.

OEM dry filters are generally effective up until 10, to 15, miles check your service manual , then they must be replaced. Dry filters are commonly used in vehicles that are driven in drier, dustier climates, where airborne contaminants are way more plentiful than in wetter climates. Many people run dry filters in these environments because there is usually so much dust, that an oiled filter would need to be cleaned constantly.

So, in what situations would an oiled filter perform better and how do they differ from dry filters? In most aftermarket intake kits, companies supply their product with an oiled filter. You can use motor oil in a pinch but MMO has way too much solvent content to be used. Cleaning Cotton Air Filters Next, fill a bucket or wash tub with warm water and a mild soap and swish the filter gently around in it to clean out any remaining dirt and filter cleaner. Rinse and repeat.

With the filter now free from dirt, it's time to let it dry. Dude just buy some air filter oil. It's not overly expensive. Wd40 has much more than just a lightweight oil in it. Diluted simple green and water is fine to clean it with just pull the filter off the bike first and make sure it is fully dry before oiling.

If you are in a real pinch, you could use regular motor oil on your air filter. It is better than nothing. The problem is that motor oil pools in the airbox, distributes itself unevenly and can be sucked through the intake tract. Air filter oil has special additives blended with the oil to solve these problems. I then rinse it out with the water hose or in a clean water bucket to get any oxy clean out, then let it dry. As with all of their products, Maxima created another highly effective oil that does an outstanding job.

Bel-Ray Foam Filter Oil. Yamalube Air Filter Oil. It is caused by excessive carbon deposits or engine sludge developing inside the crankcase. When the oil does not flow efficiently, excessive engine oil pressure will be created and cause extra oil to push through the PCV valve and into the air intake. The oil helps to capture and hold the dust and dirt particulates on the filter. These oil type filters are made of soft cotten gauze.