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Air Filter.. the salesman at JD dealer says, oil the foam. Manual says, don't oil.

6036 Views 18 Replies 17 Participants Last post by  farmer69, 
Greg H.
I know in the past when I would clean my foam element on my push mower, I would always add a little oil, and squeeze it to distribute.

What do most of you do? Thanks!
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Markcuda
If you did a poll, I bet it would be a 50/50 thing.
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LLigetfa
I'd go by what the manual says. If the foam filter touches the paper filter it would transfer the oil to it.
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E
It seemed to change a few years ago, likely due to EPA regulations. Same engines, filters, etc and then all the sudden "no oiling". That plus folks not knowing how to properly oil the foam filters anymore. The paper does all the filtering anyway, although the oiled prefilters one's did seem to take some of the load off.

If you want to oil it, just put a COUPLE DROPS of oil in a ziplock bag and then add the filter and squish it around in there until covered. That's all the oil you need. The best oil is actually chain bar lube, as it's very tacky.
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Greg H.
Thanks guys! I think, I'll keep it simple, and just wash and dry the foam element.
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F
I have always oiled the prefilter with engine oil. I think it helps keep the paper filter cleaner and last alot longer. I can get several years on the paper filter before changing it. I always blow the paper one out, wash, dry and oil the prefilter.
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ryanpf
It probably depends on the prefilter construction. On my old L120 (2004) the prefilter is a flat piece of green foam with a nylon(?) grid on the side that faces the paper filter. The filter and prefilter are both flat and sandwhiched together (numbers 1 and 2 in the diagram). The instructions say to wash the foam in soap and warm water, then dry and oil before returning to air cleaner box. The grid probably keeps the foam from coming in contact with the paper. Even if it did wick a bit, I doubt it would do serious harm, since there's only a few drop of oil total on the prefilter.

On the L130 with the K engine they use a round air filter and a wraparound foam prefilter. I wonder if the instructions call for oiling in that setup?

Paul

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KATT
No oil for me like the manual says. I clean the filter and foam prefilter after ever non-winter use.
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sadixon49
I just looked at my manual for my 2008 X304. It says Do Not use any oil on the prefilter because it will make the engine run rough. It also says to NOT change the airfilter unless it is extremely dirty or damaged so that it won't seal. I'm sure that's because a filter filters better with a good coat of dirt on it.
steve
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PA318Guy
I just blow the dirt out of the foam filter and drop the paper one on the floor to knock the loose dust off of it!
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H
I follow the JD manual on my '04 GX335 and oil the prefilter. I've not seen any oil transfer to the paper as yet in 605 hrs. I do know that the prefilter takes out a tremendous amount of chaff and clay dust. Changing or cleaning and reoiling the foam filter takes only minutes when you have a few done up already in a plastic bag. When I'm down to one, I clean and oil the other 3.
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61woody
My X530 says no oil but I remember needing it for the 176 and 280. If it is done right you get no oil on the paper. After you oil it put it between some paper towels and go over it with a rolling pin or PVC pipe until you get all the excess oil out. Ther will be very little oil left in there, barely enough to leave a film on your fingers after touching it.
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T&D
61woody said:
My X530 says no oil but I remember needing it for the 176 and 280. If it is done right you get no oil on the paper. After you oil it put it between some paper towels and go over it with a rolling pin or PVC pipe until you get all the excess oil out. Ther will be very little oil left in there, barely enough to leave a film on your fingers after touching it.
Click to expand...
Uh, just don't let SWMBO catch you going over an oily filter with her best rolling pin...
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Sidponcho
last week i serviced my x300. I put the foam filter is a glass bolw with a few drops of dish detergent. I didn't pickup the new paper filter until the next day, so the foam soaked for almost 24 hours. I was amazed at how much dirt came out and sank to the bottom of the glass bowl....try it

Sid
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enzminger
I have a 345. I add oil to the foam precleaner just like the manual says. I wash it out good and let it dry. I then saturate the entire foam with new engine oil. I squeeze out as much as I can. This gives it an even light coat of oil. Never had any problems of it transferring the oil to the paper.
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M
I always put some K&N filter oil on the pre cleaner mostly because I am old school and always thought precleaners should be oiled.
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FD611V
Being a old hot rodder here, and believing in what others have done, I, too have oiled the foam precleaner filter. But, after doing so on my 345 couple times, I came to realize this only makes the paper air cleaner less effective. All due to the fact, the oil from the foam filter transfers to the paper filer and there, clogs up the paper filter... making it less effective.
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wmupaprmkr
I do what the manual says to do.
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F
I do what the manual says too. I wonder if different types of filters have different specs for the prefilter. My filter on my gx345 is oval shaped if I remember right. Some of the filters out there are flat and square.
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