K&N Filter Cleaner

[darrsi]

After having a look around the internet I noticed that not everyone has stuck with using K&N's own cleaner for their air filters, presumably due to cost.


I cleaned mine for the first time a few days ago and although it did work I wasn't totally impressed by the spray degreaser in the kit.


So I was wondering what people's views are on cleaning them using other stuff, or if anyone had any tips or advice at all?

[sinto]

Last time I cleaned my k&n filter, going back a few years now mind, I washed it with baby shampoo, worked a treat as far as I can remember and was cheap as chips as we had it in the babies stuff box in the house.
Obviously I done it when the wife, now ex, wasn't looking

[darrsi]

This is what i was thinking, maybe a bucket of hot water with Fairy Liquid or the like must give similar or even much better results than simply spraying the K&N magic formula on the filter?
Something not too harsh like an oven degreaser maybe?

[sinto]

Fairy Liquid or
Something not too harsh like an oven degreaser maybe?

washing up liquid or oven degreaser will be way too heavy for the filter, it's quite harsh stuff designed for solid objects, plates/ovens etc,
As the filter is not such material, you'd best go for something like the baby shampoo or baby wash, far more gentler on the filter.
You'll probably find the 'actual' k&n stuff is something else but just bottled and packaged by them to make you believe it's only them that do it, bit like scottoiler's oil.

[darrsi]

Fairy Liquid or
Something not too harsh like an oven degreaser maybe?

washing up liquid or oven degreaser will be way too heavy for the filter, it's quite harsh stuff designed for solid objects, plates/ovens etc,
As the filter is not such material, you'd best go for something like the baby shampoo or baby wash, far more gentler on the filter.
You'll probably find the 'actual' k&n stuff is something else but just bottled and packaged by them to make you believe it's only them that do it, bit like scottoiler's oil.

Hence why I'm open to suggestions, or better still, tried and tested products.

[Frosties]

This is what i was thinking, maybe a bucket of hot water with Fairy Liquid or the like must give similar or even much better results than simply spraying the K&N magic formula on the filter?
Something not too harsh like an oven degreaser maybe?

For what it's worth, I've cleaned the K&N's on all my performance cars (carbed, injected and turbo ones) with washing up liquid for years (all we're doing is removing dirt grabbed by the filter oil)...then used silicone lube spray to charge it. No issues. Just my 2p.

[darrsi]

This is what i was thinking, maybe a bucket of hot water with Fairy Liquid or the like must give similar or even much better results than simply spraying the K&N magic formula on the filter?
Something not too harsh like an oven degreaser maybe?

For what it's worth, I've cleaned the K&N's on all my performance cars (carbed, injected and turbo ones) with washing up liquid for years (all we're doing is removing dirt grabbed by the filter oil)...then used silicone lube spray to charge it. No issues. Just my 2p.

To be honest I was gonna try washing up liquid next time, it is a degreaser but still okay for your hands so it can't be that savage.
I've got degreasers I use at work that I wouldn't even consider putting on my hands.

[Fazerider]

The MSDS sheet shows K&N filter cleaner is sodium metasilicate, the same active ingredient as in washing powder. It works by dissociating into sodium hydroxide and silica. The former attacks grease and oils turning them into soap, silica protects metal surfaces from the alkali and helps keep any emulsified oil and small particles in suspension.
So, washing powder, oven cleaner or caustic soda would be just as good. Obviously, gloves are essential.
Washing-up liquid is a bit feeble: it'll work, but will take longer and you would need to agitate the fluid a lot more which risks damage.

[Tmation]

I read once about a guy going round the world on his CX500, he washed his in petrol and then brushed it with clean engine oil.


A lot of people say  I wash mine in ABC and spray XYZ on it without problem but unless you pull the engine apart and measure it, it could be close to failure.


The thing is most motorcycles do such low millage any problems wouldn't show for years or maybe multiple owners.


K&N give their filters a million mile warranty and they should only need cleaning every 30 to 50,000 miles, a lot of the time you can get way with just knocking and brushing the dirt out of them and re oiling.

[darrsi]

I read once about a guy going round the world on his CX500, he washed his in petrol and then brushed it with clean engine oil.


A lot of people say  I wash mine in ABC and spray XYZ on it without problem but unless you pull the engine apart and measure it, it could be close to failure.


The thing is most motorcycles do such low millage any problems wouldn't show for years or maybe multiple owners.


K&N give their filters a million mile warranty and they should only need cleaning every 30 to 50,000 miles, a lot of the time you can get way with just knocking and brushing the dirt out of them and re oiling.

Mine was clogged up from brand new after 7000 miles!

As was pointed out to me we keep suffering after effects of other peoples sand storms, volcanic dust, etc, which will obviously clog anything up.

I obviously used the K&N recharge kit first time up but found the cleaning spray a bit feeble so was wondering on alternatives that wouldn't damage anything.
Worst case scenario if it ends up looking ropey i'll simply bin it, but I think now after reading Fazerider's comment i'll give the washing powder a go next time.
You never know, a bit of Daz might clean it up whiter than white and make the bike smell nicer as well. 

I'll still use the K&N oil for it though.

[Slaninar]

This degreaser is very good and if I recall right, smells similarly to KN's cleaner:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorreiniger-Nanotech-Motor-Reiniger-700-ml-K2-Akra-/181754035483?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77&hash=item2a51627d1b


http://www.ebay.com/itm/K2-Akra-Motorreiniger-Nanotech-Motor-Reiniger-Motorpflege-5-Liter-/181754043860?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77&hash=item2a51629dd4

[darrsi]

This degreaser is very good and if I recall right, smells similarly to KN's cleaner:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorreiniger-Nanotech-Motor-Reiniger-700-ml-K2-Akra-/181754035483?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77&hash=item2a51627d1b


http://www.ebay.com/itm/K2-Akra-Motorreiniger-Nanotech-Motor-Reiniger-Motorpflege-5-Liter-/181754043860?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77&hash=item2a51629dd4

That looks menacingly too heavy duty to me, and part of the point as well is trying to keep cost to a minimum.
It's gonna be quite a while before I need to clean it again as I've only just done it but i'll start with washing powder next time I think, and see how it turns out, but thanks anyway.
I could probably still get another 2 goes out of the recharge kit that I just used as well.