Hello, I recently cleaned the K&N air filter for the first time on my 2004 RK Custom, when I first bought the bike, used, I changed all the fluids and bought a new K&N filter. I didn't oil it I just installed it. Well I recently cleaned the filter and decided maybe I should oil it. I applied the oil according to the direction.
To make a long story short and to get to my question. I did notice once installing the filter, my bike sounds different and to maybe to me or this is just my imagination, my bike now lacks power when I accelerate. So my question is, do I wash out the oil and just run it clean or should I stick with oiling the filter,,,,so, to oil or not to oil?

 

Yes, the filter needs to be oiled. I use a K&N cleaning kit which comes with the spray cleaner and the spray oil. Be careful not to over oil. A thin even coat is all you need.

 

Just enough oil to make pink to red.

 

Sounds like you didn't clean properly or applied too much of or the wrong kind of oil. I've never heard of or had that issue after cleaning mine…..and applying oil.

 

Exactly, just enough to coat it. The sticky butt oil is what traps the small dust. Don't over oil a K&N filter, auto manufacturer's have TSB's issued on after market filters because of people over oiling and contaminating the MAF sensors.

Oh **** - mine turns from light blue to deep blue

 

I'm cheep so good old WD 4 me.

 

wrap/sponge the filter in a old towel to soak the excess oil out
If you run it over oiled you may foul a plug, and you are for sure burning the oil in your
top end ( don't need that).



yep that will keep it from rusting however WD-40 is dry .
the "carrier" that puts it on things is a solvent , not a sticky oil .
you might as well run it dry as to use wd-40.

 

So how often should the filter be cleaned and oiled? I have about 1000 miles on mine (open style), it hasn't been red since the first week I'd say and other than a couple of very short spats of rain it's been housed in a garage

 

Every "new" K&N filter I have ever purchased has come pre-oiled.

So, yes when you clean one you need to reapply oil.
All the K&N cleaning/Oiling kits will come with directions, and I assume other brands are the same.

Your descriptions sounds like you put way too much oil on the filter.
If so, you will probably be seeing the oil drip out of it after it sits for awhile.

They do require a very light coating of filter oil.

 

How often ??
my dodge diesel gets it K&N cleaned about 40-50 thousand. (recommended at 50K)
my bikes , once a year when I change the oil...but that is way too often