Hello All, Most of my cars have been old and I tend to be a bit mean when forking out money. I have been washing the paper air filters in a bucket of hot soapy water and re-using them. They do not fall apart. My friend criticised this practice of washing the air filter and said the washed filter would not allow as much air through as a new one. I have no way of knowing if this is true or not. What do you think? Regards, John Crighton
I've done this years ago with filters using a washing machine and tumble drier. It works but it's not as good as a new filter, with some of the filters I tried it on it was possible to spread the paper to blow through it and it was quite easy to tell how restrictive it was. It probably got the filters I tried back to half used performance IMO (pure guesswork). The only time I've done this recently was when I took out a filthy pollen filter for the first time and didn't have a spare, I was really only seeing how hard it was to remove it (behind the glovebox) but couldn't face putting it back in it's dirty state, so into the washing machine and tumble drier it went. The ventilation definitely had more puff after this.
Unless you drive in a very dusty region, stick a knife blade through all the pleats of the old filter. Then the engine will get a proper supply of fresh air. If you don't like that idea, buy a K&N filter. £38 for mine but prices vary depending on what car. They only need a wash and spray with light oil every
20,000 miles. Improved power output too. If you allow a garage to service the car make sure they know not to dispose of the filter. DaveK.
You're a clown. All you're likely to do is work the smaller particles in deeper. It isn't going to improve things much.
Most air filters can be washed in this way. It is best to fill a sink up with warm water with a little low suds washing machine powder well dissolved. For circular filters the ends should be plugged with gaffer tape or similar to prevent the dirt migrating to the clean side. After soaking for a while the element should be shaken lightly under the water then removed and unplugged before rinsing well under the cold water tap, if possible by aiming the low pressure clean water through the clean side so the dirt is flushed from the dirty side. The element should then be left to dry naturally for at least 48 hours until the paper is thoroughly dry before reinstallation. Ideally you would have two elements available so their use could be rotated. Most elements can be cleaned in this way up to five times. Be careful when handling wet elements and always check for damage and holes, using a strong light in a dark room, before reusing.
This used to be quite normal practice but is now frowned upon, simply for the reason that there is no profit for anyone [apart from proctor and gamble] from people not spending money ;-) These instructions are, more or less, a copy of cleaning instructions found in a motor manufacturers manual.
Huw
Huw (hedydd[nospam]@tiscali.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
Umm, no, it's now "frowned on" as it used to be FOAM elements that were reusable after being washed and oiled, not disposable paper ones.
Those instructions are specifically for paper elements not foam. I have never used a foam element but I have reused several paper ones more than once. In particularly dusty areas of the world it is common to remove and tap the elements clean three or four times on a tyre before they need washing. In affluent UK it is certainly not common today but we do live in a disposable society.
Huw
A Camels eyelid in a sand storm springs to mind
Is it worth all the hassle, when as an example a brand new air filter for my Astra diesel cost under six quid?
No. Having said that, not all elements are that cheap and there may be some availability or logistic issues. At least you now know that there is an option and the OP and I have used it from time to time. Most importantly, it is a legitimate and acceptable option.
Huw
Is it f*ck an option. Too much water and you screw it with the only place it ends up going being down the inlet manifold. And how do you know you've got it clean? You can't see alot of the smaller particles.
FFS man, its the UK, not some third world country.
Let's just say that it is not a safe option for fuckwits.
And how do you
It will be a league cleaner than when it was dirty. Duh!
Huw
Huw (hedydd[nospam]@tiscali.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
We don't have that much dust.
Huw (hedydd[nospam]@tiscali.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
The outside will be. The inside will very likely be worse. Duh!
Surely the best way to clean it would be to take it out, turn it upside down and refit it so all the crap gets sucked through the engine leaving you with a clean panel filter?
Then don't do it. Buy a new element if in doubt. However, if you read my instructions again you will find that water is flushed from the clean side to the dirty side. Everything is covered in my instructions but I am not forcing anyone to wash their elements.
That you did not know that this is possible is not surprising. What is rather surprising is that one or two posters, of obviously limited experience, are so vehemently opinionated on the subject.
Huw
You may not but some may do, especially convoys of vehicles on dusty tracks in rural areas. Not particularly common in the UK perhaps but certainly not uncommon either. Also pertinent to quarry vehicles in Summer. Not everyone drives their Astra or whatever exclusively on relatively clean city streets.
Huw
Within your attempt at humour [;-)] is a serious point. Flat panel engine air filters are particularly difficult to clean properly without contaminating the clean side, though it is not impossible with due care. I would only wash this type of filter on ventilation systems, not engines. I have washed many HVAC flat filter elements with total success.
Huw
What is worth doing is to stretch a piece from an old pair of your wife's tights across the opening of your air filter housing. It stops midges moths and other larger bits of detritus from getting sucked in and building up in the pleats of the paper filter. This extends it's life considerably; the nylon is sufficiently open meshed not to occlude the opening and insects drawn against it will escape when the engine is switched off. Once the filter is choked with dust the action of washing it in water can affect the weave of the paper making it bloat, so that when it dries it is not as permeable to the current of air as it was when new. Having doubled it's life by adoption of the measure suggested above, you might as well chuck the old one away and fit a new one.
Go on. Read half of this and go off half-cocked. We're waiting.
Des.
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.