best way to clean a air filter

[mickyd555]

as the title suggests, im after the best and most effective way to clean my air filter. is compressed air the go??

[ozy1]

is it only a paper element,

if it is, compressed air works okay, dont use excessive pressure thou as you may damage it, its nearly easier to get a new one as they are no0rmally reasonably priced,

[mickyd555]

is it only a paper element,

if it is, compressed air works okay, dont use excessive pressure thou as you may damage it, its nearly easier to get a new one as they are no0rmally reasonably priced,

thats what i have been doing, there $45.00 normally or thereabouts. but im remembering reading a thread here a while ago that suggested that the paper filters worked better once they had a bit of dust in them...... so going off that it would be better to just clean it.

cheers

mick

[ozy1]

you could also yous a sof brush to help soften all the stuff up before you blow it out,

[RockyF75]

therses a place in sydney, blacktown, that 'reconditions'(?) them, for $10 or thereabouts. Will post the name/address if i can find it.

[mickyd555]

therses a place in sydney, blacktown, that 'reconditions'(?) them, for $10 or thereabouts. Will post the name/address if i can find it.

post it for others, cause im not sending a filter from brisbane to sydney to be "reconditioned".......

[plowy]

make sure when blowing out your air filters to blow the inside to outwould way direction on the final blow
you probably know this but i have seen many who didn't

[mavzilla]

buy a finer filter and wash it as per instructions and last for 2 to 4 years no probs
and yes finer filters are still trading after the fire

[ISUZUROVER]

Industrial air filters that are cleaned during operation are cleaned with a short pulse of high pressure compressed air - so if you put the filter on the ground with a plate clamped over each end (the top plate with a hole for an air nozle), then gave it a quick blast from an air nozzle that should work. Things to keep in mind though:

This cleaning will really only remove the filter "cake" on the outside surface of the filter (which is all you want to remove anyway). If there is no visible cake on the outside then there is no need to clean (unless you have noticed a performance drop in the engine).

Industrial (cleanable) fibrous filters are rarely made of cellulose (what "paper" filters are made from). Cellulose is much more susceptible to cleaning induced damage than other fibres. So if the element is oil or water impregnated, or likely to have been damaged in any other way, throw it out.

I would only clean an element a few times before buying a new one.

Usual disclaimer applies... if you are overzealous with the cleaning and put a hole in your filter, don't blame me...

buy a finer filter and wash it as per instructions and last for 2 to 4 years no probs

Foam filters are rarely (or never) as efficient as a fibrous filter (with the same pressure drop). Foam element filters may have a lower pressure drop (more free flowing), but that usually means it is letting more dust through.

[BeZeRK]

depends on what car you got and what type of filter,, lookin at ya pic its a nissan and if so the filters get a oily gue on them.. just replace it!

[giantracing]

most paper filters these days can be washed with water . put in a wash tub warm water, a little dish washing liquid, swish around rinse off. let dry put back in.

[ISUZUROVER]

most paper filters these days can be washed with water . put in a wash tub warm water, a little dish washing liquid, swish around rinse off. let dry put back in.

DO NOT DO THIS!!! - if the element really is paper (Cellulose) it will lose all structural integrity. If the filter is made of polymer fibres it is OK to wash - but not too many are.

[giantracing]

how do you think they reco them. my mate here in bribane does it for a living. they use an ultra sonic bath. i do this all the time. you only get an extra life out of it. i do it on my comp rig constantly. i never had a problem......................

[ISUZUROVER]

how do you think they reco them. my mate here in bribane does it for a living. they use an ultra sonic bath. i do this all the time. you only get an extra life out of it. i do it on my comp rig constantly. i never had a problem......................

Just because it IS done by some people/companies doesn't mean it is the right thing to do. While it MAY work most of the time, I would never reccommend it.

Although most cellulose filters contain resins or stabilisers to hold them together, the media would be nowhere near as strong after cleaning with water, and if put back in the vehicle while even slightly wet it would be highly likely for the media to collapse or teat.

And "I never had a problem" doesn't mean anything, since you don't have equipment to measure how much dirt is getting past the filter, and the engine in a comp rig has a lot more things besides dust to shorten its life.

Edit - I would be surprised if the professionals use warm water and detergent in their ultrasonic bath... I would have thought they would use a liquid that wouldn't affect the cellulose - like trichloroethane, etc...

[mickyd555]

most paper filters these days can be washed with water . put in a wash tub warm water, a little dish washing liquid, swish around rinse off. let dry put back in.

dishwashing liquid?? you were having a go at me for doing womens work the other day...........

i dont think i would put this on in water, last time i got water in my air filter it was preety well rooted..........

[Big Boots]

If your keen on getting it done properly there is a place called Brisbane Air Cleaner services. Last I heard they were in Brendale.
Otherwise compressed air is the go.