How to Properly Clean a K&N Air Filter.

[Sjorge450R]

Throughout this tuturial, I am going to show/explain how to properly clean a K&N.

Most people say that K&N's are nothing but dirt suckers, but if you keep them cleaned and oiled, they are very good filters. The most important thing about the K&N is the oil that you put on. The oil on a K&N is what stops the dirt. If there is too much or too little oil, you will not be using your K&N to its full potential. Here are the steps to follow when cleaning your K&N.

1) Remove your filter from your bike.
2) Remove and prefilters or outerwares that you may have
3) Bring your filter to your kitchen sink and generesly spray K&N filter clean on it. (Always uyse a K&N Recharger kit to clean your filter)
4) Let it sit in the sink for about 10-15 minutes.
5)Then grab the little hose thing that your sink has, turn the water on cold and start rinsing from the inside out. You dont wanna push any dirt farther into the filter. Make sure you get all of the cleaner out.
6) Examine your filter and make sure it looks like the first picture below. If it doesnt, do steps 3-5 again.
7) Allow you filter to dry overnight in a location that is not going to let dirt or dust get on the filter. (Do not use compressed air to dry it. The force will hurt the gauze)
8) After your filter is complely dried, get your can of K&N oil. (The areasol works alot better than the other stuff). Then spray the filter from about 6inches away while slowly turning the filter and lightley overlapping the last streak. Do that for the entire filter. Let that dry and soak for about 1/2 hour.
9) After 1/2 hour, come back and examine your filter. If there is white spots, lightley spray more oil on there and wait another 1/2 hour.
10) Take a paper towel and try to get the excess oil off of the filter by dabbing the towel on the filter. Then once your filter looks like the second picture below, you are good to go.
11) Put you pre-filter back on and re-install the filter and go riding!!

[Sjorge450R]

This is what a properly oiled filter should look like.

[rooster300ex]

I've read some K&N instructions before, and it said you can use some dish soaps to clean your K&N. Klotz makes the proper stuff for K&N filters also.

[honda#7010]

I WAS SPONSERED FOR A FEW YEARS BY K+N IN MY NHRA SC DRAGSTER, AND I WAS TOLD BY ONE OF THE TOP TECHS THERE THAT A LITTLE DISH SOAP SHOULD BE SUFFICIANT TO GET THE DIRT AND GRIME OUT, BUT THE IMPORTANT PART IS PUTTING THE OIL BACK ON. AND ONLY USING K+N OIL MADE FOR THEIR FILTERS.

[rooster300ex]

Yea I agree use K&N filter oil only.

[hdwrench]

Almost all the bikes we work on ( harleys) have a K&N filter on them. About year ago one of my guys forgot to tell me where out of the cleaner. I used simple green cleaner and have never bought the K&N cleaner since. It works flawlessly and will not having you choking of the fumes like the K&N cleaner.

[myersracing41]

Simple green cleans almost anything.

[Brauap]

What would happen if you don't clean that extra oil off?

[250r4life]

Originally posted by Brauap
What would happen if you don't clean that extra oil off?

it will get on your pre-filter and cause it to gum up

[mojavedude]

my quad came with a k and n and im more of a foam guy. i just use dish soap and it works fine. and since i dont have k &n oil, i just use foam filter oil and i never have any problems, im just too broke to go out and buy k&n filter oil, and i want to replace it with foam soon anyways. its tacky oil, its going to stop the dirt. and it has for the past year.