DIY Clean Open Pod Air Filter

This step by step illustrated air filter cleaning instructions is for open pod air filters that are of oiled cotton fabric type. Brands offering such after market air filter includes K&N, Apexi, and HKS Powerflo (the one I use). Comparing to the stock air intake and filter that rather restrictive, these open pod air filter system provides easier breathing for your engine, thus increasing amount of fuel that it can burn, which translate to slightly higher horsepower and potential for modding. Another benefit you get is that the filter element is reusability, you don’t have to buy new ones whenever it gets dirty, you simply clean it.

The stuff you need:

• Screw driver
• Air filter cleaning agent

I had chosen the KW Filter Care Service Kit that I bought for less than RM 20. It came with a spray bottle of cleaning agent, and a bottle of air filter oil. There are several other brands of cleaning kit available on the market, they should do the job equally well.

The Steps:

• Remove the air filter from the car
• Brush off any dirts you can
• Spray the air filter cleaner generously on all the filter element surface, let it soak for 10-15 minutes
• Rinse with low pressure water from reverse direction of air flow till clean
• Let dry, this might take an hour or so depending on the weather
• Oil the filter with the provided air filter oil. Just one pass over the area, spaced by a centimeter or so
• Let oil wick into the cotton fabric, add a drop or two to the area you missed, do not over oil
• Reinstall, then start your engine for a few minutes before driving as you let the ECU get used to the air flow

My filter was over oiled priviously, as evident from the picture. This resulted in unstable timing after driving the car hard. The problem should go away after this cleaning and reoiling process.

Spraying air filter cleaner on the filter element

Rinse from reverse air flow direction to avoid driving dirt into the filter element

Let dry

Re-oil the air filter

A closer look, letting the oil wick into the fabric

Reinstalling the open pod air filter

Finished!