PSA: Wash Your Air Filters
 

So, I've been running AFE Pro Dry S Filters in my c63's since 2012. I'll admit I was a little lax on OCD-level maintenance, just giving this set a visual inspection for the last year-ish...Meaning, I was checking them every 7-10k miles, wiping them off, and cleaning/wiping off the airbox itself, but not much else.

My car has been down for advanced repairs, so since these were out, I figured I'd give them a good rinsing, even though they looked visually fine.
Well, This was after a full hold-under-the-faucet-type rinse, and 1 previous soak-in-the-sink-type rinse.
Yikes.

After the 3rd time, I started to wonder if I was somehow dissolving some paint layer...

Obviously though, a visual inspection wasn't doing its job.

Hopefully this'll motivate some of y'all do get on the basic maintenance items that we all put off.

Cheers,

Thanks for the reminder, I have to clean mine out after 6k miles.

Best method I've had is using some oxiclean and letting it soak for 10-15 minutes then rising off. Dirt comes right out.

Haven't heard this before, sounds interesting. The oxiclean doesn't f something up?

That's the method I've always used too. I figure the filter media is cotton just like the clothes I use it on. I use the oxyclean powder and fill the kitchen sink with hot water to dissolve it. Then I rinse and let the filters dry. It's amazing how much dirt comes out.

Reviving an old thread.
so ... You guys WASH/RINSE the Pro dry filters.... Not just put them out and vacuum them ?

I follow the cleaning instructions provided by aFe

https://afepower.com/media/pdp-files/31-10195-is.pdf

Thank you for reviving this, I always put it off because I want the filters to be 100% dry so I need the car to sit for a bit, I am going to have that chance this Thanksgiving so the reminder was a good one.

I have two sets of K&N's. One set is clean and on the shelf and the other is in the car. Then I swap with no down time and clean at my convenience.

I spray water from the clean side to push the dirt back the way it came.
I'm probably due, been 20k miles or so.

I bought my car with K&N's in about 3000 km ago. Did a visual inspection the other day as well and saw some brownish area but not too bad but then again on the red it won't look as bad as it really is I suppose so I should actually give them a rinse. Previous owner said he just installed them before I bought the car about 500 km before. He didn't buy the oil with it though so I will have to get that. A bit nervous though as I have read so many negative posts about MAF sensor issues yet others never having a problem and K&N videos of guaranteeing no issues so I'll just follow K&N cleaning instructions and hope for the best.

Be moderate when spraying the oil on the filters. Every maybe second year you could also spray your MAF with CRC AIR SENSOR CLEAN PRO.