what benefit/drawback of the K&N vs stock?

 

WD40 will destroy a K&N over time. I has a powerful solvent that slowly eats away at the gauze element. (I've used WD40 to install grips on my race bikes AND to start a snowmobile - works very well because of the solvent.)
Use only K&N or other oils designed for gauze filters.
I bough a second K&N so I'd always have a clean filter when it came tome to change it out.
Also, I've used Formula 409 to clean it in a pinch and you can dry it with a hair dryer if you're careful not to overheat the gauze. If the dryer is close enough to burn your skin it'll bake the gauze.
I clean mine 1-2 times per year depending on mileage.

 

I clean mine about every 10k miles. However, I do rotate it about 1/4 turn every couple of thousand miles.

 

My came pre oiled when it was installed. And just for fun, I cleaned and oiled it at 20k. I also wet wipe the rain sock very so often because it gets dirty too.

 

A properly oiled K&N air filter should be pink, not red! If it's red then you over oiled it! I clean my K&N's when the pink turns to a darker gray.

 

How did you wash it and dry it?

 

+1 Same PM on the 7.3 diesel and other M/C's [Busa-XLCH-VFR] w/KN also. You can't really go by miles as some areas are dustier than others.
Cleaning? usually KN cleaner and their oil- seems the oil lasts me way longer than the cleaner so I fill their cleaner bottle with a couple drops of dish soap and water, that's always cleaned the filter as good as the KN stuff. Dawn, Ajax all worked good BUT rinse thoroughly with low pressure cool tap water, NOT any kind of hard stream.
Drying? It is recommended to NOT use heated drying as it can shrink the cotton gauze element. I clean when I don't foresee use in 24 hrs, let it air dry. I hang it in front of a low speed fan if I need it sooner.
Hope this helps.

 

I found a video of "how to" online. A guy was washing it in the bathroom sink. The part I hated was the manual spray bottle. That wore my hands out.

 

Use K&N cleaner and oil and follow the instructions. Always rinse cleaner out from inside out, allow to dry before applying oil. I agree it should be pinkish, not red and dripping. If you run with an open filter it will require to be cleaned more frequently. If it's gray it needs cleaning.

 

I oil mine when I stop at gas station