dried up performance air filter??? should it be oily

[d14vd_h]

Since fitting my cold air intake/ drilled airbox ive been keeping an eye on my k&n filter,
i noticed recently it seems to be bone dry, should it not be quite oily???
let me know please - so i can get a k&n kit to bring it back to life cheers.

[Tomcat]

Yes K&N's should have oil in them, they need to be cleaned with the appropriate cleaning fluid and warm water. Once dry they need to be re-oiled. You can buy the cleaner and oil from anywhere that sells the filters.

[p fandango]

i've heard just spraying over them with WD40 does the same thing

[Tomcat]

Eh?, not heard that one before!.

Personally if I was paying out for a K&N then I'd want to have the proper stuff for cleaning it.

[d14vd_h]

yeah the oil in question is only a tenner at my autoshop so i'll shell out...do u think its dried out since drilling/air intake???
am i doing any damge to car/filter while its dry?

[Tomcat]

You'll be able to tell if its dried out, normaly the filter itself is a reddish colour. When they dry out they go grey. If it has gone grey then it wont be working properly i.e. dust, grit may be getting through the filter.

[SaffronC70]

hey guy

is it just dry - not dripping - or is it bone dry like a paper filter ?

They aren't wet filters as such, just have a content of oil.

They are usually fine for a long time; have you had a KN type filter before?

As long as it's a red colour and not grey, like said, it should be fine.

Start worrying when you've got loads of flies, leaves, cigarette ends stuck to it !

Chris

[Tomcat]

Cig ends?, how close to pedestrians have you been driving? lol, next you'll be telling me to look out for shoes and teeth etc..

[dave]

Cig ends?, how close to pedestrians have you been driving? lol, next you'll be telling me to look out for shoes and teeth etc..

lol, excellent!

dave

[d14vd_h]

yeah still red, tjanks for that guys its a good way of telling,
i recall it being gooey with oil when i pulled it out for a look last time - hence my concern, but i'll wory when it starts losing the redness.
as for debris thats actuslly why i was checking cos my air intake doesnt have mesh over it so i was checking to see what i sucked up, but the postion and angle of the pipe means only air gets up.
.... tho my radiator has had several cigs - putting it on nicorette