Land Rover Defender (1946 - ) - Anybody ever washed a paper air filter?

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Tue 29 Jan 2008 20:12
Anybody ever washed a paper air filter? - Billy Whizz
I posted this over in Discussion but BRoomers just thought I was mad and/or making it up. Seems nobody had heard of it.

In both my Land Rover and my Mercedes factory workshop manuals there are references to washing paper air filter elements.

This seems to me to be a good way to extend the service life of the element and reduce costs (and landfill).

Has anybody ever done this?

The LR Defender Tdi maintenance section says (only for elements not contaminated with oil or carbon deposits): soak the element for 15 to 60 mins in a solution of automatic washing machine detergent and water. Rinse in running water. Allow to dry naturally and dry fully before fitting. Do not attempt to clean a V8 air filter element. It must be renewed.

The Mercedes W460/ W463 (G-wagon) manual states: blow out with compressed air first, soak for 10 minutes at 40 degC in washing solution specified in Service Products Specification Sheet 370 (which I can't find). Rinse in washing solution for 5 minutes, rinse in clean water till no further dirt emerges, shake out water and dry at max 60 degC. This can be done a maximum of three times thus extending the change interval to 40,000 miles or 2 years (which ever comes first).

"NOTE: Air filter elements without perforated metal covering are not to be cleaned, these must always be replaced."

This is not refering to K&N-type filters or oil bath filters but so-called paper ones.

Edited by Billy Whizz on 29/01/2008 at 20:13

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Wed 30 Jan 2008 08:38
Anybody ever washed a paper air filter? - langdon

No, but I know someone who did! very messy, did'nt even clean it that well, took ages to dry and went slightly mishaped! Honest answer, is it worth it? they are not that expensive, the final choice is of course yours.
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Wed 30 Jan 2008 09:46
Anybody ever washed a paper air filter? - jc2
We used to use "CYCLOPAC" air filters on our BIG trucks-these were combined cyclone and paper element filters and were supplied with boxes of strong detergent to use to clean them.
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Wed 30 Jan 2008 12:29
Anybody ever washed a paper air filter? - mfarrow
You generally replace air filters at 40,000 miles or two years anyway (usually the two years comes first) so the Merc recommendation is pointless.
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