dkrz123 wrote:
I will be using K&N air filter oil in the aerosol can. K&N recommends a light pass on both sides
of the filter. But this is for THEIR filters. Would this same general rule apply for our MP3 filters?
People do it, but it is not recommended. It is very hard to get proper/complete coverage of the element, without over-oiling it.
The MP3 element is a close-pore foam. This type of element is traditionally treated in the way described in the manual, by using an oil/fuel mix to thoroughly wet it. The filter is then allowed to dry out in the air to evaporate the fuel, otherwise it will act as if it is clogged.
Close-pore foam elements therefore do not have a lot of oil wetting their surface, because this, too, reduces the amount of airflow to the engine. They will also need frequent cleaning and re-oiling in dusty conditions, but for city/highway use in urban areas, they could easily last 2 to 3 thousand miles without a clean.
You need to clean the element whenever any trace of dry dust is visible on its surface - that means there is no longer any free oil left at that point to trap/attract the dust.
You also need to clean the element when "wet" dust or mud is visible, since this also clogs it and reduces the airflow. Using gasoline to clean and reoil is almost impossible in a city environment, because of the strong fumes. Even washing the element in detergent leaves a strong smell in your laundry because of the oil content.
A paper element would have been much more friendly for most consumers, except that the habit some/many MP3s have of spewing engine oil out the breather would soon clog that.
Cheers
Trevor G