I just had my 100K tuneup, and when I picked my car up, the owner of the shop (a reputable joint I trust) warned me about my pop charger. He claims it can "burn out" my MAF, and I was better off in the long run without it. My question is this:

Does he know what he's talking about, or is he smoking? I for one have never heard of this problem, but I'm not a mechanic either. Anyone with experince or knowledge on this supposed problem? Thanks

 

If you over-oil the filter, it can damage the MAF. If you oil it properly, you'll be fine.

 

exactly...just make sure you dont go overboard in re-oiling or else oil will start to seap into the MAF, rendering it dead

 

Thanks for the clarification. My mechanic was technically correct then, he just didn't tell me the entire reasoning. I'll keep close tabs on the oil amount, and continue to enjoy the benefits of my cone filter.

 

Hoe often are we supposed to clean and oil these things?

 

K&N's intervals are once every 50,000 miles for regular maintenance, and about half that if it is dusty. I'm **** about things like this, so I clean mine every 10,000 miles. The filter can be cleaned around 20 times total which is why K&N claims its "1 million mile" warranty.

When reoiling, make sure the filter is dry before spraying on the red oil. All you need is a light coat (if you see red, its enough). Don't spray that oil until the filter is all oozing and dripping. After I reoil my filter, I let it air out and then wipe up the excess oil before reinstalling into my car.

 

Thanks Eric.

 

I usually let the wash stage dry for a half a day or a day before I oil.

 

I use to just replace mine around every 3-5K miles.

Once you clean the filter, it will never flow as well. The cotton frays.

 

You replaced a $40 filter every 5k miles? I cant afford to spend $240 per year on air filters...

I've had my K&N panel for about 145k miles and cleaned it too many times to count.

 

how do you know the MAF is ruined

 

i got one too. I have a k and n air filer. Jusyt got it cleaned last 3 weeks. I dont have the oil to clean it. Do they have k and n air filter cleaning foil at kragen. How much times do i clean it?

 

your fuel economy will suck and your rpms wont go past 2500-3000rpm