I got a AFE stage II filter from another member. I read the cleaning instructions on the website, pretty much no different than any other guaze filter I have cleaned. It wasn't caked with dirt, but looked kind of dirty and was pulling the filter minder in about half way. I rinsed it with warm water from the inside, and then submerged it in a bucket of warm water and some simple grean. I sloshed it around a bunch then rinsed it out. It looks cleaner, but it is still pulling the filter minder in about half way. The stock air box with a new filter didn't do that!! What gives? Is there some other special way you guys are cleaning yours??? I can't believe that huge filter is restricting air flow!!

Jason

 

Not being a smart edit, but is your filter minder in good working order. I just installed an afe kit and it did away with the filter minder all together.

 

I've got an older model, that still uses the minder. I'm guessing it works correctly, with the stock filter that was dirty when I got the truck, it was pulled in part way. After I replaced the filter, it didn't suck in. It sure doesn't feel like the intake is clogged by any means!

Jason

 

I used the AFE cleaning kit on mine. I would soak the filter in cleaning solution, then rinse it from the inside out pushing the dirt and contaminants away from the filter. You need to let it dry completely and re-oil it as well. You didn't mention in your post if you re-oiled the filter. I am assuming you did.

With that said, my AFE filter would pull the filter minder down without any issue. It is a vacuum based system, and IMO, the increased airflow was causing it to get pulled down (Increase in vacuum pressure), not an airflow restriction.

 

It's safer to just replace them.

 

I got the new afe version with no minder. Just bought it a few months ago. After 20k miles, it was black color. So I sprayed k@n cleaner on it, let it soak for 20 minutes. got it wet, brushed it a little, hosed it out for about 30 minutes, compressed air dry for about 45 minutes, and let sit out overnight, then compressed air dry more. That thing holds it water. Put it back in looking brand new, well, just not yellow anymore, kinda whitish/greyish with small yellow tint

 

I imagine if the AFE is anything like my AEM the change in intake design and location of the filter minder makes the minder absolutely useless. Mine sucked down all the way with the filter still brand new.

 

What the heck is the filter minder? I maybe having a dumb moment but I have never heard of it

 

It's the little plunger looking thing that was on the top of the factory airbox. It pulls down from green to red when the filter gets dirty.

 

wire brush and lots of compressed air aught to do the trick

 

Safer just to throw it away and get a Proguard 7. Your engine is worth too much.

 

How much do the pro gaurd 7 filters run? Thats the one that doesn't use oil correct? I was suprised to read that other guys had their filter minders pull in with a new intake kit. I thought I washed mine pretty well, and I did rinse from inside out before and after soaking... I read on their website not to use compressed air to dry it out... I just let it air dry all day while I was at work. I think I'll just run it for a while, it doesn't run like its got a clogged filter. Thanks for all the responses guys!

Jason

 

I have had both Stage I and Stage II AFE filter systems. I have had all of the filter types (standard, Pro Guard 7 and Pro Dry S). I have always used a pre-filter on all of the filters.

I cleaned mine about the same, submerge in bucket of water/simple green for 5 minutes or so. I have a very soft long bristled brush I use on the outside after soaking. Then rinse from inside with very little pressure. Then repeat the process. I have two standard and two Pro Guard 7 filters so when I was using the oiled filters I always had one clean/oiled ready to put on. I would let the one I cleaned air dry for about three days and then oil lightly. Let it sit for at least a day and inspect for any areas that did not have oil fully permeated and reoil as needed. Then it went in bag and on shelf for next use.

I have had the Pro Dry S for about 12k miles now and will probably clean around 20k.

The pre-filter keeps any larger materials, mud, bugs, most water from ever getting directly on the filter material. This makes it much easier to clean when it is time.

I always do a white glove test on inside of intake to turbo tube when I remove the filters to clean or when I want to check on how well they are doing.

So far all of the different AFE filters have done well on the white glove test, but I only ran the standard filter on the drag strip and not much on the road.

BTW the filter minder is useless IMO on any aftermarket filter systme. My Stage I with SPS66 would such it into the red pretty easy. My Stage II did not even have a mounting location for the filter minder and mine is somewhere in a box in the garage for the last 50k miles,

 

Thanks for the info. I have a pre filter on it too, I didn't mention it. There weren't any big chunks on it when I went to clean it. I was just suprised the minder had sucked in.. Obviously its useless now, I'll just ignore it. If I go to replace it, do you like the pro gaurd or the pro dry better and why?

Jason

 

Well the ProDry S will be easier to clean because it will not need oiling. I suspect since it flows a little more air than the PG 7 it will need cleaning more often. I think I paid $15 less for the ProDry S than the PG 7 filters, so there is a little savings there.

I may still switch back and forth with the PG 7 when it is time to clean the ProDry S since I have two PG 7 filters cleaned, oiled and sitting on the shelf.