Ralgh

I have searched and searched on this and all I can find is that I am supposed to oil foam air filters, not how to do it. The guy gave me an HKS Super Mega Flow intake when I bought his RX-7. I bought new filters for it but I have been unable to find out how to go about oiling them properly. Also what type of oil to use on them. Thanks.

Cetchup

You are not supposed to oil foam filters. They are reusable and can be purchased directly off the HKS website. You will just ruin the filter if you attempt to oil it.

poss

iTrader: (5)

I oiled mine with no ill effects. It didn't fall apart or anything. I'm NOT saying that this is the right way to do it, but it's how i did it. I just took regular motor oil, poured a little on the element and then worked the oil into the foam. Before this the filter never really got dirty, afterwards the filter was collecting quite a bit more dirt. Whether this was just dirt that was flying around my engine bay and found a place to stick, or if the filter was actually working better I don't know. But at least I know that it was stopping some dirt from getting by.

They're actually not too expensive if you just buy new ones, but hey, i'm a cheapskate (Bring on the "you are too poor to own a FD" flames )

Kento

Umm...I don't know where you're getting this info, but foam filters (as well as gauze fabric filters like K&N) need to be oiled before use. Otherwise, you might as well just run a screen over the intake; the oil is there to catch the minute airborne dirt particles before they make their way through the filter element (and they will in a very short time). You need to use oils that are specifically made for foam filters; go to your local bike shop, they should have it.

Oh, and the only reason stock paper filters don't have any oil on them is that the paper fibers are packed close together enough that they stop dirt particles. However, there is a tradeoff in flow capacity compared to foam and gauze fabric filter elements.

Kento

Oh yeah, how to oil foam air filters:

Just pour a small amount of filter-specific oil onto the filter, and then squeeze the filter element gently to work the oil into the foam. Just squeeze it-- don't wring it out like a washcloth, otherwise you'll tear the foam element. Continue to add and work small amounts of oil into dry areas of the filter, until the filter element is uniformly coated. Be careful not to overdo it; don't pour a ton of oil onto the filter until it's dripping wet. Just enough so that you can definitely see a "wet" appearance on the foam's surface.

GarageBoy

Motor oil may be to thick, use K&N stuff

Kento

K&N filter oil is too light to be used on foam filters. That particular oil is made to be easily suspended within the gauze fabric when sprayed on without soaking it excessively and blocking airflow. Go to your local bike shop and ask for foam filter oil; they should have several brands to choose from. Foam filter oil "dries" to a tacky film after being easily distributed through the filter element in its liquid form.

Thus endeth the filter oil essay for today....

Ralgh

I went to the local motorcycle shop because I guess they use foam filters too. There they had a couple different types of filter oils/treatments so I got some of that. The stuff is called PJ1. It comes in a spray bottle. Hopefully this will do the trick. Thanks for the help.

Ralgh

The ones I took off the car had been oiled (by the previous owner) with no apparent ill effect. They were quite old so I figured new ones were in order.

voodooracing

HKS filters are made out of urethane i believe. They are not reusable, after wash and reoiling, at least not recommended. When they get old they dry up from the engine temperature, and they break up into dry flakes, and sometimes gets sucked into the engine

Cetchup

Directly from the HKS website.

"As with all HKS filter elements, TRF elements are disposable and should not be cleaned or reused."

That's where I am getting my info. Where are you getting yours?

Kento

From 20 years of racing motorcycles professionally, many of which used foam air filters long before the FD (and possibly HKS, for that matter) was in existence. I've used countless foam air filters that were washed and re-oiled numerous times with absolutely no ill effects.

However, that said, and based upon the fact that the HKS filters appear to be a much thinner and more fragile "foam" than the more common aftermarket foam air filters available on the market (and that this is what they indeed recommend), then you're correct-- the HKS filters should be not be washed and reused.

BUT, simply saying "you are not supposed to oil foam air filters" is an incorrect and misleading statement, because it's implying that all foam air filters are not reusable. (note also that you stated the HKS filters are resusable, but the HKS website says they are not)

Cetchup

I agree with you, that my general statement about oiling foam air filters was incorrect if talking about all foam filters. I tried to edit my post about the HKS filters being reusable (meant to say they were NOT reusable) but the alotted time had been up. Anyways, I think we both agree that the HKS filters should be thrown away and re purchased when time has taken it's toll. They are indeed made of a thinner material than most and that is one of the reasons.

Svelte_7

iTrader: (4)

I replace my HKS filter every oil change - about $11 each from NOPI.com and so far, I haven't found a place that advertises for cheaper.