mywickedshelby Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 Its finally that time....I need to clean the CAI air filter (that big black cone that used to be blue!) Please let me know the product(s) to use to do this properly and suggestions on where to purchase or a link to the vendor would be most appreciated. I thank you all for your assistance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedRacer Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 Its finally that time....I need to clean the CAI air filter (that big black cone that used to be blue!) Please let me know the product(s) to use to do this properly and suggestions on where to purchase or a link to the vendor would be most appreciated. I thank you all for your assistance. Here ya go... http://www.knfilters.com/clningacc.htm They sell these in Autozone, Napa, etc... Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby-Don Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 Steeda also sells blue oil but I seem to remember reading that someone said that this oil is thinner and tends to ge sucked into the intake. I believe LuLu said he cleans it but doesn't re-oil because of this. http://www.steeda.com/products/steeda_cold...ake_cleaner.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuLu Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 You are correct, Don, I don't use filter oil. I soak the filter with Simple Green and rinse with clear water. I then blow dry the filter from the inside out with either compressed air, or, a leaf blower, which ever is handy at the time. I've been using K&N filters since 1997, and I have treated them all the same without a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaydub Mach1 Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 I just bought a new replacement from Steeda. It is the same one that comes on our cars. I know...I know....it defeats the purpose of a reusable filter. But, it's my way of doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChipBeck Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 You are correct, Don, I don't use filter oil.I soak the filter with Simple Green and rinse with clear water. I then blow dry the filter from the inside out with either compressed air, or, a leaf blower, which ever is handy at the time. I've been using K&N filters since 1997, and I have treated them all the same without a problem. Gentlemen, Mac has it right on this according to a rep I talked to some time ago at Ford Racing. Almost all Shelby GTs came with a blue Ford Racing filter which is designed to be used dry(without oil). The earliest version of this filter was a red oiled gauze type that required reoiling after cleaning for it to be effective. Apparently many owners over oiled the filter causing the mass airflow sensor to become fouled so a switch was made to the dry filter. If your filter was originally blue, clean it and don't oil it. The material it is made out of traps dirt just like a paper filter. If your Ford Racing filter was originally red, it should be re-oiled sparingly after cleaning. Chip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ingram4868 Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 Here is the one I switched to. It uses a new material and only needs to be vacuumed at each oil change << Amsoil>> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mywickedshelby Posted August 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 Thanks Sgt Mac, Chip and everyone for clearing that up. No oil, mine was blue. Just soak, rinse and blow dry. great, I wasnt looking forward to the oil and now it appears I probably would have done more harm than good. thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ingram4868 Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 Thanks Sgt Mac, Chip and everyone for clearing that up.No oil, mine was blue. Just soak, rinse and blow dry. great, I wasnt looking forward to the oil and now it appears I probably would have done more harm than good. thanks. When I first cleaned the original FRPP filter the blue washed out. I used the K&N oiling kit. After running the car for a few hours the oil in the filter was gone. So I switched to the Amsoil unit which requires no oiling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpretzel Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 Its finally that time....I need to clean the CAI air filter (that big black cone that used to be blue!) Please let me know the product(s) to use to do this properly and suggestions on where to purchase or a link to the vendor would be most appreciated. I thank you all for your assistance. I use Simple Green to clean my filters. Works great. Reoil with AFE blue filter oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mywickedshelby Posted August 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 so the point seems to be in debate... do we reoil or not? some say yes, some say no........ hmmmm? I have the stock filter that came with my SGT and was blue originally, no oil right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motorjock205 Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 so the point seems to be in debate... do we reoil or not? some say yes, some say no........ hmmmm? I have the stock filter that came with my SGT and was blue originally, no oil right? Wicked, I think the problem with oiling that most people encounter is over oiling...seems most people think if a little is ok, and lot is better, and that is when the MAF gets fouled and causes problems. I have reoiled my original filter a few times, but I do so sparingly and let it set for a good while before I put it back on the car and even then I use a paper towel on the outside of it to soak up any excess that I might have got too liberal with... It really boils down to personal preference I believe...Just don't over oil if you oil at all... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChipBeck Posted August 30, 2008 Report Share Posted August 30, 2008 so the point seems to be in debate...do we reoil or not? some say yes, some say no........ hmmmm? I have the stock filter that came with my SGT and was blue originally, no oil right? mywickedshelby, The people who designed and built that blue filter say it is not an oiled filter nor is it designed to be oiled. Putting oil on it would be like oiling a paper air filter. The oil will make the filter more restrictive without making it more effective. A gauze type filter is far more porous than the blue filter found in most Shelby GTs. Because a gauze filter is so porous it is not restrictive when oiled and is not as effective at removing dust without the oil. This comes directly from representatives at Ford Racing. Who would know the product better than them? Chip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ingram4868 Posted August 30, 2008 Report Share Posted August 30, 2008 mywickedshelby, The people who designed and built that blue filter say it is not an oiled filter nor is it designed to be oiled. Putting oil on it would be like oiling a paper air filter. The oil will make the filter more restrictive without making it more effective. A gauze type filter is far more porous than the blue filter found in most Shelby GTs. Because a gauze filter is so porous it is not restrictive when oiled and is not as effective at removing dust without the oil. This comes directly from representatives at Ford Racing. Who would know the product better than them? Chip I called FRPP last winter and asked them about cleaning the GT500 filter, they said to buy a K&N type cleaning/oiling kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nite Posted August 30, 2008 Report Share Posted August 30, 2008 using the term "reoiled" seems like a misnomer when talking about the blue frpp filter (i.e. it wasn't oiled in the first place). if the blue paper filter was designed to be dry, I couldn't imagine putting oil on it anyway. that's like cleaning your wheels with wheel cleaner that says "not safe for clear coat". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stngfever Posted August 30, 2008 Report Share Posted August 30, 2008 I was thumbing through the supplemental owners manual (Shelby provided), and it provides a part number for the filter and a part number for a cleaning/refresh kit. It also states to clean the filter about 30,000 miles unles in dusty/track conditions then sooner! I'm going to check with my dealer on pricing for both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChipBeck Posted August 30, 2008 Report Share Posted August 30, 2008 I called FRPP last winter and asked them about cleaning the GT500 filter, they said to buy a K&N type cleaning/oiling kit. The GT500 does not use the same air filter as the Shelby GT. I don't know about the GT500 air filter but I do know about the air filter in the new GT500KR because it's manufactured by a good friend of mines company. The GT500KR uses an oiled air filter, the Shelby GT uses and an unoiled air filter. K&N type cleaning/oiling kits are appropriate for any car that uses an oiled air filter but it is not appropriate for the blue filter in the Shelby GT. Some early model Shelby GTs had a red air filter (including mine). The red filter is an older gauze type that does require oil. Chip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaydub Mach1 Posted August 30, 2008 Report Share Posted August 30, 2008 Wicked, I think the problem with oiling that most people encounter is over oiling...seems most people think if a little is ok, and lot is better, and that is when the MAF gets fouled and causes problems. I have reoiled my original filter a few times, but I do so sparingly and let it set for a good while before I put it back on the car and even then I use a paper towel on the outside of it to soak up any excess that I might have got too liberal with... It really boils down to personal preference I believe...Just don't over oil if you oil at all... FWIW, I know this isn't an apples to apples comparision, but I was Chief Engineer at a company that made wet media (like K&N and our FRPP filters) air filters for helicopters. In fact when the company was first started (before I joined) the filter elements were sourced from K & N. Then the founders of K&N sold their company and the quality dropped so much, we ended up making our own. As the helicopter aviators on this forum can attest better than I, air flow into the engine is the life blood of maintaining a happy flight. Suffice it to say that the turbine engines suck massive amounts of air (thus not the apples to apples comparision with the SGT). After much testing with and without oil and various amount of oil, it was found that adding the proper amount of oil performed the best. Again, this is for a turbine engine. Not the same as our SGT's. So, it doesn't mean that oiling is better than dry for our cars. Me? Well, my SGT is a daily driver so I can't afford any down time. I buy a new pre-oiled filter everytime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueone Posted August 30, 2008 Report Share Posted August 30, 2008 Gentlemen, Mac has it right on this according to a rep I talked to some time ago at Ford Racing. Almost all Shelby GTs came with a blue Ford Racing filter which is designed to be used dry(without oil). The earliest version of this filter was a red oiled gauze type that required reoiling after cleaning for it to be effective. Apparently many owners over oiled the filter causing the mass airflow sensor to become fouled so a switch was made to the dry filter. If your filter was originally blue, clean it and don't oil it. The material it is made out of traps dirt just like a paper filter. If your Ford Racing filter was originally red, it should be re-oiled sparingly after cleaning. Chip Mine is neither blue or red, been this color since day one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomlor611 Posted August 30, 2008 Report Share Posted August 30, 2008 mine is too so what the heck do we do?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son of GT Posted August 30, 2008 Report Share Posted August 30, 2008 M: Yes. No. Maybe. Definately. Absolutely not. Perhaps. Only on every other blue moon. If you have a cone or oval shaped, red colored K&N filter that comes with the SS package (or a 40th with engine mods), clean it and oil it LIGHTLY. Be sure to give it at least 45 minutes to soak in and drain off any excess oil which should be very little because you did not over oil it, right? If you decide to use forced air to dry it, use it judiciously and from a distance or you could easely blow holes in the element, otherwise the Mfg recommends that you do not use forced air and only let it air dry in about an hour or so. If you have had sucess using forced air without damaging the element, terrific. If you have the FRPP blue filter that comes with their CAI package, then clean it until it's blue again, but don't oil it. If you can't get it clean back to blue, then you should replace it either with another one or an oiled K&N type filter. For those who have filters on their cars that are white, and were that way from day one, check the element. If it's a spongy gauze type materal then follow the instuctions in paragraph 1. If it's a paper type materal, then I would discard it and replace it with an FRPP dry blue or an oiled K&N type as you desire. This public service information was compiled after speaking with SAI, FRPP, and K&N filters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChipBeck Posted August 31, 2008 Report Share Posted August 31, 2008 Mine is neither blue or red, been this color since day one. blueone, That's the blue filter. It just has a light blue tint. Chip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordRocks1 Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 Mine is neither blue or red, been this color since day one. Checked mine today also and I see that it is white....what do we do??? I live in a fairly new development and there is constant building going on and I too would like to have my filter cleaned a bit earlier so maybe I should go with the Amsoil non oil filter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ingram4868 Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 With the AMSOIL you never have to worry about fouling the MAF sensor. My Team Shelby Garage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffIsHereToo Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 Mine is not blue, never was, and NOT dirty. It's a silver mesh color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueone Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 Checked mine today also and I see that it is white....what do we do??? I live in a fairly new development and there is constant building going on and I too would like to have my filter cleaned a bit earlier so maybe I should go with the Amsoil non oil filter? I thought about oiling the top half and simple greening the lower half just to be sure. Ordered AMSOIL PT# EAAU6075-EA and it is definitly blue. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mywickedshelby Posted September 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Thanks Enis, Chip and everyone for their input. Ive got it now....good to go. :happy feet: :happy feet: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6-Speed Posted September 5, 2008 Report Share Posted September 5, 2008 The GT500 does not use the same air filter as the Shelby GT. I don't know about the GT500 air filter but I do know about the air filter in the new GT500KR because it's manufactured by a good friend of mines company. The GT500KR uses an oiled air filter, the Shelby GT uses and an unoiled air filter. K&N type cleaning/oiling kits are appropriate for any car that uses an oiled air filter but it is not appropriate for the blue filter in the Shelby GT. Some early model Shelby GTs had a red air filter (including mine). The red filter is an older gauze type that does require oil. Chip I have the same filter on my GT500 CAI that's used on the KR and I don't believe it's an oiled filter. I asked FR about this recently and here is the reply: Yes that is the correct part number (referring to M-9601-D air filter) for a replacement. To clean the filter just wash it out with warm water and soap. Let it air dry and reinstall. Ray Herron Ford Racing Technical Support Group (800) 367-3788 rherron9@ford.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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