How often do you clean the K&N air filter?

If it's a daily driver than you really have to go by how it looks. If it looks dirty than it is dirty. Clean it,but when you re-oil it do not over oil it. I notice that when these filters are on Mustangs they don't like a lot of oil where on Bow Tie cars they like more oiling? Don't ask me how I know,I have just had experience with both!

I always did it every 8 to 15 thousand miles, or less.

K & N's are supposed to run better if dirty.

Right from the K&N website


How do I know when to clean the filter?

The general rule of thumb is that the filter needs to be cleaned when the dirt build up gets as thick as the wire mesh. The usual interval is 30,000 - 50,000 miles depending on driving conditions. We recommend that you check your filter about once a year in normal usage.

jspagna1 said:

If it's a daily driver than you really have to go by how it looks. If it looks dirty than it is dirty. Clean it,but when you re-oil it do not over oil it. I notice that when these filters are on Mustangs they don't like a lot of oil where on Bow Tie cars they like more oiling? Don't ask me how I know,I have just had experience with both!

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Agreed

I found a huge dragon fly sucked up against my filter last time I cleaned it. Wasn't pretty.

Mustang225 said:

K & N's are supposed to run better if dirty.

Right from the K&N website


How do I know when to clean the filter?

The general rule of thumb is that the filter needs to be cleaned when the dirt build up gets as thick as the wire mesh. The usual interval is 30,000 - 50,000 miles depending on driving conditions. We recommend that you check your filter about once a year in normal usage.

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+1 I'd knock off any really large chunks of dragonfly and other stuff that just blocks airflow, but the dirt buildup in the oil is supposed to be good for KN's.

Don't forget to not use a pressure washer on the material.

I clean my every 15k. Lots of grime and big chunks of w/e (leaves, bugs) come out. Keeping a clean air filter will help your gas mileage too!

While were on the subject of K&N...what does "FIPK" mean? This has been buggin me for the longest.

I clean mine every other oil change.

Mustang225 said:

K & N's are supposed to run better if dirty

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DocG2828 said:

the dirt buildup in the oil is supposed to be good for KN's.

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I'm really having a hard time understanding how a dirty filter works better (with everything else being equal and normal - ie: let's not talk about an over-oiled filter as obviously that's not normal.)
Logic tells me a brand new or a non-damaged, well cleaned and oiled K&N filter (again, let's be sure we are comparing apples to apples) will flow better than a "dirty" filter or a filter with "dirt buildup".
FWIW, I clean and oil ours once a year.

twogts4us said:

I'm really having a hard time understanding how a dirty filter works better (with everything else being equal and normal - ie: let's not talk about an over-oiled filter as obviously that's not normal.)
Logic tells me a brand new or a non-damaged, well cleaned and oiled K&N filter (again, let's be sure we are comparing apples to apples) will flow better than a "dirty" filter or a filter with "dirt buildup".
FWIW, I clean and oil ours once a year.

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Dirty filters "trap" more particles because it has something to grab on to.

Tally_4.6 said:

While were on the subject of K&N...what does "FIPK" mean? This has been buggin me for the longest.

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Fuel Injection Performance Kit

Every time I clean mine its usually only really dirty where the air hole is by the snorkel.

Never! lol I only put 4k on my drop in, and 8k on my blower filter and its fine...

But really just follow change intervals on the box/instructions. You really don't have to clean it till the hole filter element is covered in sediment with the stock housing also, just rotate the filter to a "clean" side and you're good to go (air will be sucked in through the path of least resistance, so directly from the fender well, which that spot will become the most dirty). With your CAI just clean it whenever it's noticeably dirty if you're anal retentive about cleanliness/maintenance (Kilgore ) otherwise just go by that there K&N recommended filter cleaning interval.

And no, a DIRTY filter is not GOOD! A filter where the oil is well "top coated" with dust/dirt particles is BEST...that way no oil is being sucked intake/maf/tps/iat etc... But if you properly clean/oil the filter (without over oiling) you won't have a problem!

Kilgore Trout said:

Fuel Injection Performance Kit

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thank you

merc123 said:

Dirty filters "trap" more particles because it has something to grab on to.

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I'm still not buying it...the OIL is what's supposed to trap the dirt particles. If more dirt is a good thing, why would you ever clean it? Why not roll it around in the dirt before installing it?
Besides the fact that a dirty filter will not flow as well as a clean filter so I still toss out the flag.