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Is it imperative that you buy the recharger kit? I'm a bit lazy and cheap, will just hosing it or just washing it be sufficient?

 
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no.... the kit is $10 just buy it. If you hose it off, you'll take the oil out of the filter material, rendering it useless. So your engine will suck in everything. If you're that cheap that you can't bring yourself to buy it, then go back to paper filters.

 
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gotcha, i'll pick one up tomorrow. thanks.

 
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Hey, so I bought a used K&N filter (came w/ a CAI off eBay), and I washed it out using the recharger kit. So K&N shows it nice and washed and red-looking from the red-tinted oil...but after I re-conditioned, it is was still pretty much grey/black, just a hint of red here and there. So anyone who's cleaned 'em before, is this normal? Does it stay discolored or were you able to get it totally clean (white) and then red after using the oil? I wonder if I got mine clean or if it's shot and I should buy another. They're supposed to be good for 100K though so I'd hate to drop the cash on a new one.

 
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spookini that is normal. My filter did that too.

 
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if you truly wanna get your intake clean try flyriceraces diy for cleaning it!!!

I searched but cant find it, but its somewhere in the forums. i did it his way and u put the filter in a bucket with the cleaner!! that truly cleans it!!

Injen

 
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on k&n's site, it says if you dont have the cleaner, to use a mild soap and let it soak, i do this and then use the spray, and when i re oil the filter it looks new

 
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I don't think the filter gauze is actually white... I've never gotten mine white. But after you re-oil it, it does go back to red.. or at least it should. The red stuff in the oil is just indicator... to show you that you've properly coated the filter.

 
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i cleaned my filter a while back and it was totally white. i just took my time and washed it from inside out like it says.

 
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it wasnt a k&n filter then, the cotten is red, not white

 
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The K&N oil is what gives the filters a maroonish look. I have had an oem replacement on an accord and one on my cai. When they are cleaned, the cotton may not turn white per se, but should look a white to pink type color. The color is coming from the oil.

 
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I use to work at a filter supply company, the cotton is red to start with, its only turning pink due to fading and cleaning it,

 
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Ok...good to know. The first time it is cleaned, the color fades so I guess you would only know that if you worked at a filter supply company...LOL

 
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the cotten is white from whereever k&n gets it from, but its always pre-oiled, so its red,

 
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WTF???????????????

I said above that it was red due to the oil. Then, you say it is red from the factory. So, I assumed you meant that they dyed the cotton to begin with, seperate from the oiling process. Now, you say it's red due to the oil like I already stated...Quit messing with me head man! LOL

 
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the cotton is white. not red. its red from the oil. when you clean it, the red oil comes out, showing the white filter element. so its white, not red.