Clean air filter every 25 hrs, is it really necessary?

[Industrial Toys]

I realized I was doing something quite stupid. I would often leave the engine to my mower running as I found some debris came out of the rad, using a leaf blower, under high engine rpm. But I would blow stuff off decks that would get sucked into the air intake. Now I shut the machine off to blow away the worst of it. I used an air hose for decades, but found the leaf blower does a better job, or maybe just faster. Less blowing stuff from one area to another.

 

[Alan W.]

I too have found the leaf blower, a HF 40 volt, to work excellent on my rider for grass and dust.
I never blow out my filters I wash mine. I have 2 in rotation.
The prefilters I give a shot of K&N filter oil. Its pretty viscous and doesnt creep.
I tried a K&N air filter on it but kept finding dust in the intake so it went back.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Interesting. I had considered a K&N for my Steiner since the tractor is small, and low to the ground with the intake not in a good spot if you ask me.

 

[CalG]

K&N filters have been gravel strainers in the past. Not worth a thing until they get he folded cloth "properly loaded with dust" . Until then, the fine stuff just blasts through. I'm sure they have made progress, and offer differing filter technologies. In the past, a K&N was just a good support structure for an oiled Filtron.

Pleated paper is likely the best, based on high consequence applications, but every time paper is handled, the passages get bigger.

 

[Alan W.]

After a thousand hours of cleaning the two filters my intake runner is spotless. Its a DGS 6500 Craftsman built by the same company that built the Husqvarnas and yes the filter gets dirty fast.
I changed the Kohler over to the bigger filter after the original clogged and the failed K&N trial.

 

[Alan W.]

Interesting. I had considered a K&N for my Steiner since the tractor is small, and low to the ground with the intake not in a good spot if you ask me.

My son had one on his F-150 and it worked excellent same with the one dad had on his motorhome. But I was not impressed at all with the performance on the Kohler.
On another note I have been looking at their home furnace filters.

 

[cdaigle430]

I clean it as needed-especialy if its dusty. Tractors are like us, they need to breath.

 

[CalG]

I clean it as needed-especialy if its dusty. Tractors are like us, they need to breath.

But don't miss the point!

Every time the filter is "cleaned so the engine can breath" Dust dirt and particulate enter through that "just cleaned" filter. Replacing a paper filter with a new one even has some reduced filtration effectiveness compared to a filter that has accumulated some "dirt".

A pressure sensor is the only true measure of filter condition, but engine performance can tell a lot to an operator who is paying attention.
There is a certain exhaust tone that can be heard when an over rich mixture is present. Baring anything else that may have changed, that is the signal I use as a signal to clean the filter. Of course, the spring tune up gets the attention as well.

 

[Teachu2]

I have a Kawasaki in my Husqvarna rider, and we get extreme dust - I use a dual-filter mask on my face much of the time. In the worst of the season, I clean the air filter every couple of hours. If I don't it starts losing power. At the end of the day. I use an air hose and blow te dust off the machine, then clean the air filter again and put it in the garage.

 

[5030]

K&N filters have been gravel strainers in the past. Not worth a thing until they get he folded cloth "properly loaded with dust" . Until then, the fine stuff just blasts through. I'm sure they have made progress, and offer differing filter technologies. In the past, a K&N was just a good support structure for an oiled Filtron.

Pleated paper is likely the best, based on high consequence applications, but every time paper is handled, the passages get bigger.

I agree and I used to be a K&N retailer. Good for stopping big stuff, not good for much else and way overpriced for what you get which is basically oiled cheesecloth on a wire frame. When they get loaded with crud, at that point they will filter dust but then it's time to clean them and the cycle begins again. Much more economical to buy dry pleated paper filters. Better for your motor too.