Generator air filter cleaning

2oldman wrote:
Google is your friend. Either that or goggle.

I did google it. That's where I heard of a 'high flash-point' solvent, but that still seemed too unspecific.

Goggle? Joke or is there really a goggle? I guess I'll have to google goggle.

Google is your friend. Either that or goggle.

I've seen folks use K&N filter cleaning spray and filter oil media for this task. It works well and stores easily.

Examples cleaners & oils

If it needs to be oiled, like a dirt bike filter, I would be very thorough with the cleaning process. Use the recommended solvent and rinse well. If the dirt is removed and suspended in the solvent or water/soap and it is stirred up and migrates to the inside surfaces of the filter it can do more harm than good.

I would also use an oil that is made for air filters. You will find that it is more tacky than engine oil.

Obviously it's normal for dirt to accumulate on the outside of the element, that's what the filter does, BUT it's not bad to see that dirt, it's actually part of the filters design. As the dirt sticks to the outside it gets sort of damp and catches more dirt and smaller particles.

Oiled filters and dry filters can be OVER serviced. Even dry filters have a break in period or period in which they start catching dirt and become more efficient. Yes, at some point when they become very dirty they will slow the air flow. A new filter may look perfect but it's not best to keep throwing new ones in. On the other hand, filters do need to be inspected and replaced at some interval as age can deteriorate them and cause splitting or seam separation and allow very dirty air to enter.

An important place to inspect is the seating surface of the filter to the housing. I have seen many filters that had a relatively hard plastic end cap which wouldn't seal perfectly and allow dirt to enter. A dirt bikers trick was to apply a thin layer of grease to the sealing surface to form a perfect seal. I used to do it on foam/oiled filters too. The grease will wash out on the next service.

Dry filters

I just grabbed this example, not pushing any religious stuff. As he says, with an oiled filter, the foam doesn't filter, the oil does. With that in mind I always used an oil designed for oiled filters.

Oiled

Ron3rd wrote:
If it's like the foam filter used in the Honda EU2000, you can wash it out with Dawn to degrease it and then re-oil it with motor oil.

Are you sure? In my research, I saw a vid that showed a foam type filter first being rinsed in a 'high flash-point solvent' whatever that is, then washed in dish detergent and then rinsed in water. It also claimed that motor oil doesn't work good for re-oiling it.

This was a larger filter than mine, but it would seem the principle would still apply.

If it's like the foam filter used in the Honda EU2000, you can wash it out with Dawn to degrease it and then re-oil it with motor oil.