On a recent visit to a busy little sportplane airport, I paid some special attention to how some pilots (MIS) treat the air filters on various aircraft. One oke was just putting his brand new overhauled 582 back into his pride and joy. I asked why the overhaul? "Crankshaft went" , he said. The aircleaners was beeautifully clean, but not oiled. "Oh but when I oil them, they get very dirty quickly".Another aerie same statement. And on and on. Obviously these people does not understand the purpose of an AIR CLEANER. It does what the name implies, and if treated correctly, it CLEANS the air that is half the stuff needed to make your engine go longer. The price of a 582 cranckshaft assy wil make your eyes water and cause severe distress to you bank account, so why not follow the steps put out below? I explain better with pictures!
To clean the filters properly, spray them with degreaser, (Your wife`s Sunlight dishwasher also does a star job!!), and rinse with lukewarm water, NOT boiling hot water1 ( BOILING water will harden the plastic part of the filter!! NOT GOOD) Shake dry and leave in the sun and wind to dry completely. back to the pictures......
ROTAX K&N AIR FILTERS
ROTAX K&N AIR FILTERS
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- this is what happens. All the dust and small particles not filtered out of the air will arrive here on the inside of the engine. Njam, a nice fast spinning verryverry expensive piece
- IMG_4343 (Custom).JPG (60.97 KiB) Viewed 3450 times
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- of Rotax clockwork. This is the aftermath of improper air cleaner maintenance. The owner of this aircraft landed himself in hospital for eight months. We had a friendly chat about air cleaners, but at least he was wery glas for the lecture. He honestly did not know, "and poured some two stroke oil over them every now and then".
- IMG_4347 (Custom).JPG (60 KiB) Viewed 3450 times
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- This is the rest of the oil less neclected air cleaner saga......pieces of big end bearing scrapnell dit this to the piston and cyl head.
- IMG_4341 (Custom).JPG (51.13 KiB) Viewed 3450 times
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- And this is your new best friend, K&N Filter Oil. And no, I do not sell the stuff, I look after aeroplanes! On the long run, a bit of timeous air cleaner oil and maintenance is a LOT cheaper than a new crankshaft. And the same is applicable to Rotax 912 series engines too. Saw a 914 engine with no folter oil on air cleaner.....oooouuuuccch!
Re: ROTAX K&N AIR FILTERS
Thanks Boet!
I bought a K&N Airfilter cleaning kit from a local agent....has a special spray on de greaser used to clean and then the oil after rinsing and drying exactly as you describe here.
I clean my filters every 25 hrs....Paid about R250 for the kit....have cleaned my filters 3 times now and I still have about a 3rd left in the cans.
I also replace the filters every 300 hrs as per Maintenance schedule (Pricey buggers...but 300 hrs is a lot of flying for a weekend warrior like me
)
Thanks for sharing!
I bought a K&N Airfilter cleaning kit from a local agent....has a special spray on de greaser used to clean and then the oil after rinsing and drying exactly as you describe here.
I clean my filters every 25 hrs....Paid about R250 for the kit....have cleaned my filters 3 times now and I still have about a 3rd left in the cans.
I also replace the filters every 300 hrs as per Maintenance schedule (Pricey buggers...but 300 hrs is a lot of flying for a weekend warrior like me

Thanks for sharing!

Re: ROTAX K&N AIR FILTERS
Where did you buy the kit Bundy ?Bundy wrote:Thanks Boet!
I bought a K&N Airfilter cleaning kit from a local agent....has a special spray on de greaser used to clean and then the oil after rinsing and drying exactly as you describe here.
I clean my filters every 25 hrs....Paid about R250 for the kit....have cleaned my filters 3 times now and I still have about a 3rd left in the cans.
I also replace the filters every 300 hrs as per Maintenance schedule (Pricey buggers...but 300 hrs is a lot of flying for a weekend warrior like me)
Thanks for sharing!
Re: ROTAX K&N AIR FILTERS
Hi RV... I got mine from a chap trading off his plot in Uitsig A.H. (Pretoria)..... but to my knowledge his business does not exist anymore?
Try the following listed agents?
http://www.knfilters.com/search/dealersearch.aspx
Otherwise you can order it from virtually any Bike shop?
Try the following listed agents?
http://www.knfilters.com/search/dealersearch.aspx
Otherwise you can order it from virtually any Bike shop?
Re: ROTAX K&N AIR FILTERS
Thanks.Bundy wrote:Hi RV... I got mine from a chap trading off his plot in Uitsig A.H. (Pretoria)..... but to my knowledge his business does not exist anymore?
Try the following listed agents?
http://www.knfilters.com/search/dealersearch.aspx
Otherwise you can order it from virtually any Bike shop?
- Biggles
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Re: ROTAX K&N AIR FILTERS
Most auto part stores will have the kit. I had to call around because Midas and a couple of the other big suppliers did not have,
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