oiling a K&N

maylar · May 6, 2020

I installed one of these filters when I added a cNw e-start. It came pre-oiled but I bought the cleaner/ oil spray for maintenance. Is there any rule of thumb for how often that should be done?

Craig · May 6, 2020

Depending on how much riding done usually take a good look yearly and often clean it , not a big job ....

Stephen Hill · May 6, 2020

I use these filters on my Commandos and have learned the hard way that it is easy to over-oil them and create rich running issues. The oil wicks through the cotton. Apply it sparingly.

alan hodge · May 6, 2020

have K&Ns on several veehickles including commando +1 on what stephen said about over-oiling

Craig · May 6, 2020

Yup , sparingly and hang over newspaper overnight ...

maylar · May 6, 2020

Stephen Hill said:
I use these filters on my Commandos and have learned the hard way that it is easy to over-oil them and create rich running issues. The oil wicks through the cotton. Apply it sparingly.

Interesting about over oiling. I've noticed that the K&N is more restrictive (richer) than the ham can it replaced. Maybe the factory was a bit over zealous about oiling it. It only has about 300 miles on it and I wasn't going to oil it for a while... maybe I'll clean it and spray it lightly and see if it matters.

o0norton0o · May 6, 2020

I have 2 K&N filters and just rotate them. I don't ride down any dusty roads, so they don't need changing often.

alan hodge · May 6, 2020

hhhhmmm as an experiment I gonna wash mine out and leave oil off too and see if it helps slightly rich corn-dition

ILLF8ED · May 6, 2020

maylar said:
Interesting about over oiling. I've noticed that the K&N is more restrictive (richer) than the ham can it replaced. Maybe the factory was a bit over zealous about oiling it. It only has about 300 miles on it and I wasn't going to oil it for a while... maybe I'll clean it and spray it lightly and see if it matters.

My K&N is inside the ham cam. Filter number NO-100 is the same size as the original paper element. Can’t say if it does not flow worse than a paper element as I haven’t used paper since 1974.

Tornado · May 6, 2020

Testing sites sometimes report poorer flow vs paper. But the point is paper will soil load and then flow worse while oiled cotton k&n keeps flowing at basically same original rate. Also some tests are not replicating the pressure pulses experienced on engines, and its the vibration of fibres that gives the filtration properties on these.

Once per season or more if In high dust conditions will be sufficient for cleaning.

Lineslinger · May 6, 2020

I am using the same filter pictured in the original post on a 74' 850.

The K&N shown below came pre oiled from the factory and is passing a big volume of air (twin 4 barrels). I would only oil very lightly once a year. I was really wary of overdoing it as the filter performed well and I didn't want to impede what the factory "setting", just maintain/replicate it.

oiling a K&N

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