[Smokenpam]

Just purchased this WG, working to get things in order. I am assuming this is a Screamin Eagle Air Cleaner ? If so these can be cleaned & Re-oiled with K&N products ?

 

[Pipeliner2]

Looks like the answer is yes. I was then dry it. don't think I'd oil it. I didn't have to oil my SE.

 

[brown986]

Looks like the answer is yes. I was then dry it. don't think I'd oil it. I didn't have to oil my SE.

Recommend you re-oil (recharge) lightly w/K&N red oil. Important after applying K&N cleaner, let sit for @ least 10 minutes, & then rinse thoroughly in water rinsing from the INSIDE of the filter. After rinsing thoroughly, shake vigorously & let air dry. Once dry, recharge lightly w/oil.

A handy tip is to purchase a 2nd filter & keep it ready to swap out, then clean & recharge the dirty filter & store til it's time to swap out dirty filter w/clean next time.

CLEANING AND OILING MY HARLEY DAVIDSON SCREAMING EAGLE K&N AIR FILTER ELEMENT - Bing video

 

[Cyclelane]

My Scremin Eagle air cleaner is not to be oiled, just wash and dry, the HD air filter is not the same as a K&N. The instructions in my hand book just tells you how to wash it and leave it to dry. K&N do replacement filters that fit, mine is the Scremin Eagle Ventilator fitted to my Softail Deluxe CVO. The K&N replacement for this is HD-0910.

 

[brown986]

My Scremin Eagle air cleaner is not to be oiled, just wash and dry, the HD air filter is not the same as a K&N. The instructions in my hand book just tells you how to wash it and leave it to dry. K&N do replacement filters that fit, mine is the Scremin Eagle Ventilator fitted to my Softail Deluxe CVO. The K&N replacement for this is HD-0910.

Over the years, believe SE filters have been made w/either paper or cloth elements. The paper ones don't get oiled, the cloth ones do. Pics OP posted show cloth & I see a pink cast on the cloth element, indicating they had been oiled previously. I stand by my recommendation. Respectfully submitted. . .

 

[Smokenpam]

Looks like the answer is yes. I was then dry it. don't think I'd oil it. I didn't have to oil my SE.

Thank you

 

[Smokenpam]

Thanks, at this point I am getting it cleaned up, and will go from there. May just end up getting a new one.

 

[sardonicus87]

There's three types basically:
• Paper - not washable
• Cotton - washable (filter cleaner or mild soap OK), generally requires oiling
• Synthetic - washable (water only, no soap or degreaser), do not oil

If you're just going to buy a new one, I would recommend synthetic if you can find it. Will cost almost twice as much up front, but will work out maybe about the same in the long run not needing filter oil or cleaner, plus the much easier maintenance of just rinsing and then letting it dry.

 

[brown986]

There's three types basically:
• Paper - not washable
• Cotton - washable (filter cleaner or mild soap OK), generally requires oiling
• Synthetic - washable (water only, no soap or degreaser), do not oil

If you're just going to buy a new one, I would recommend synthetic if you can find it. Will cost almost twice as much up front, but will work out maybe about the same in the long run not needing filter oil or cleaner, plus the much easier maintenance of just rinsing and then letting it dry.

I like the oil cleaners & use them in my 04 FXDLI & one of my cars. I use K&N filters, cleaner, & oil. Just seems to me the oil should do a bet
ter job of filtering air, especially fine dust, pollen, etc. What do you think, Kyle?

 

[sardonicus87]

I like the oil cleaners & use them in my 04 FXDLI & one of my cars. I use K&N filters, cleaner, & oil. Just seems to me the oil should do a bet
ter job of filtering air, especially fine dust, pollen, etc. What do you think, Kyle?

It's the combination of media and oil.

I don't know for sure, but I would imagine that the cotton filters have bigger holes in the weave and hence the need for filter oil, and that the synthetic filters have smaller holes to filter more particulates. That's why high flow air cleaners are often larger or have more pleats (more surface area = higher CFM at the same level of particulate filtration, in other words, if you can't make the holes bigger for more air flow, make a larger surface with more holes). I'm sure there's probably more to it than that. I've never seen a breakdown from any filter for motorcycles that lists particulate size or contaminants filtered, only CFM... but I've never looked to see if anyone has analyzed the filtration micron sizes on air filters.

Just a quick google search and a lot comes up about cotton vs paper, and that the holes are much bigger on cotton gauze than dry paper so without the oil, wouldn't filter as well, and that the oil can hold more dirt and contaminants and allowing more airflow whereas the paper filters pores clog fast in dusty environments, or how cotton's larger hole size allows it to flow better in wet and rain than a dry paper. Like this article.

Reading another article that was written by a company that makes synthetic filters, so they're probably biased, but they claim cotton media has varying hole sizes, especially where it gets folded, which is another reason they need oil and multiple layers whereas in synthetic media, the holes are all uniform and unaffected by folding. Which makes sense, but doesn't necessarily mean it's true.

Regardless, they're all trying to balance CFM vs filtration, filtering more without restricting flow.

 

[brown986]

It's the combination of media and oil.

I don't know for sure, but I would imagine that the cotton filters have bigger holes in the weave and hence the need for filter oil, and that the synthetic filters have smaller holes to filter more particulates. That's why high flow air cleaners are often larger or have more pleats (more surface area = higher CFM at the same level of particulate filtration, in other words, if you can't make the holes bigger for more air flow, make a larger surface with more holes). I'm sure there's probably more to it than that. I've never seen a breakdown from any filter for motorcycles that lists particulate size or contaminants filtered, only CFM... but I've never looked to see if anyone has analyzed the filtration micron sizes on air filters.

Just a quick google search and a lot comes up about cotton vs paper, and that the holes are much bigger on cotton gauze than dry paper so without the oil, wouldn't filter as well, and that the oil can hold more dirt and contaminants and allowing more airflow whereas the paper filters pores clog fast in dusty environments, or how cotton's larger hole size allows it to flow better in wet and rain than a dry paper. Like this article.

Reading another article that was written by a company that makes synthetic filters, so they're probably biased, but they claim cotton media has varying hole sizes, especially where it gets folded, which is another reason they need oil and multiple layers whereas in synthetic media, the holes are all uniform and unaffected by folding. Which makes sense, but doesn't necessarily mean it's true.

Regardless, they're all trying to balance CFM vs filtration, filtering more without restricting flow.

Great points & very helpful. A couple of takeaways for me. What you relate must mean K&N filters are cotton media & wondering why synthetic media can't be oiled.

Edit: Re not being able to oil synthetic media - maybe synthetic fiber isn't sufficiently absorbent to absorb & hold the charge of oil plus also, it's possible synthetic fiber is inherently slicker than cotton, adding to the media not being able to hold the charge of oil. If a media can't hold the oil (or if one applies too much oil when charging the media), it means the oil is sucked into the engine. This will sometimes foul up the Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor, or it can do in auto engines anyway.

Oh, & I did verify K&N air filters use cotton media from their website.

 

[sardonicus87]

Great points & very helpful. A couple of takeaways for me. What you relate must mean K&N filters are cotton media & wondering why synthetic media can't be oiled.

Didn't say it can't, just that all the synthetic filters I have seen say not to. Guess it's not needed for filtration, but if the micron size of the mesh is smaller on synthetic, could be that oiling it would restrict airflow without providing any additional filtering. 🤷‍♂️