Technical Blowing out a Paper Air Filter

Catching up on deferred maintenance on the yard truck, like checking the oil and sweeping out the candy wrappers. Don't have a new air filter, was thinking of blowing it out from the inside, but reading it's a no-no. Apparently creates bigger holes for the dirt to come in.

So don't do this.

Unless you are a cheap *******.

 

I have a blow gun at work I use specifically for this .

it has a ball valve on the end and the blower end looks like a shower head.

low pressure blow it from the inside out .

not ideal but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do .

 

Salad spinner it.

 

I'm thinking leaf blower..

 

I'm thinking what does a new one cost? Just because you don't have one doesn't mean you can't get one.

 

Agree, lower pressure is probably OK for a temporary cleaning. But replacement is really better.

I have banged air filter on the floor to knock out major dirt before. Especially on a yard equipment like a lawn mower or similar. Surprising how much dirt can come loose and out.

 

You just don't understand , some of us are abnormally frugal , we use & re-use things until they're used up ....completely....with nothing left to give !

 

Well, sure! But some things, like paper filters and toilet paper are used up after the first time.

 

From the "King of Cheap" [and proud of it]
Drop the whole filter element into a bucket of soapy water and leave it overnight.[with a weight on it to keep it submerged]

Then let it thoroughly dry out [don't disturb it]

I just did this to a paper "cabin filter" in an O/T car [that started to smell] The problem was the supply chain in NZ meant I needed to wait a few months

 

Never done this yet, but I'd be tempted to use a garden hose with an adjustable pattern head. As long as you flow 'out' and not push anything 'in' ??
Same idea with a shop vac with a brush attachment to gentle down the suction to a moderate power.

 

Toilet Tissue has two sides ...

 

Just keep slapping it upside down against the floor. After a time that's the best you can do.
Open your wallet next time you can, the motor will thank you.

 

I fall into the oh yea, I've done that.
But... as far as it goes, where you drive and the conditions you drive in along with the condition of the engine will dictate the need for replacement or servicing requirement, like blowing the bugs off. And for that I just blast it inside out. I haven't seen it leave any bigger holes nor have I ever torn a paper element. And it sure appeared to come out cleaner?
But hey, I think it falls right in there with the fins on a rad. We don't throw those away do we?

 

If you engine backfires out the carb, it blows out the air filter pretty hard, no? I've blown filters out before, and yes filled the air with dust, working in the dirt will do that in short order, you could replace filters daily. Never noticed any holes or cracks. Just got to wondering what the effects really are. And like other have said, bang it on the bench or wash and dry it probably helps.

 

I like to use the shop vacuum and clean it up with that.

 

I used to do similar as mentioned before with soap and water, but fill a basin up add laundry detergent, then up and down vigorously with the filter. When the water was dirty, do it again until clean, then no soap and a few rinses in the basin. Takes about 15 minutes. Then put it out in the sun to air dry.

 

So your not suppose to re-use toilet paper? Hmmmm

 

Would not some of the dirt float around and settle on the wrong side of the filter with the added possibility of then being ****ed into the engine if the filter is reused ?
Or does the soap separate the dust somehow ?
.

 

Put an oil bath air cleaner on it . I was tought to blow out air cleaners in high school about shop. Been doing it over 30 years as long as you can see light through it your good. Dead mice, acorns etc get replacement. My O.T. cars have 200, 000, and 400,000 miles so the engines haven't suffered. My 59 gets a filter element when it looks dirty because I like it more

 

ELCO .....

 

The soap keeps the small particles suspended [all the heavy **** falls to the bottom]
I usually rinse both ways under a tap before drying.

This is only for people too cheap to buy a filter. [or can't get one]
@blowby Paul could simply remove the filter and drive without one until he gets another .

I have purchased several O/T Jap hatchbacks that had major exhaust smoking issues.
Then I've pulled the air filter out and given them the "200 mile hone" with reasonably successful results [I was prepared to re-ring them anyway]

Last week I did a cabin filter because they are "still on the boat" and I'm planning a road trip.
If you saw the **** in a cabin filter ,you probably wouldn't entertain this idea.
I soaked it a 2nd time in a disinfectant solution, then perfumed all the vents and filter.

 

I've blew paper filters out like that for years, never a problem unless you had so much pressure on the blow gun that it would cut wood in two. I'd rather have a filter in there that I'd blown out than have no filter at all in a dusty environment.

It's not like it used to be, you can't always run to the parts house or service station and pick up a new filter since there are so many different sizes and shapes. If you keep service records you know about when you need to get one ordered, but if you're like most folks, me included, the invisible air filter stays invisible until you think about it a couple of times a year. Open element filters you tend to notice getting dirty, closed ones, eh, they get overlooked.

 

Since I can't remember the last time I washed and oiled my K&N means I should do it soon.

 

Of course you can reuse toilet paper. They're called politicians.

 

Well, I’m a firm believer you only reuse your own, not someone’s else.
I got morals, ya know?

Back to air filters, one thing about banging them to clean dust, you can’t get too aggressive or you tweak it, especially the ones that (are hard to find) with the mesh around them.

But in blowby’s situation, I’d bang it on my jeans, put it back in and order one from wherever, install it when it arrived.
Could switch over to the non element/non oil bath like older tractors used, just stop and dump out the dust when it gets above the line

 

Not uncommon on farm tractors and heavy equipment equipped with inner and outer filter. Replace inner filter, bang and blow out outer filter.

 

you gotta use the other side Bro!

 

Just remember a dirty paper air filter, filters better than a clean one, just not as much!






Bones

 

I think someone on HAMB should start a “go fund me” page for “blowby”