Cleanable vs Dry Air Filters

Replacement filters for your S&B Intake are available with cotton (Cleanable) or dry (Extendable) filter media.
Both offer similar performance characteristics, so the decision comes down to how you want to maintain your filter.

Filter Maintenance

How To Clean And Maintain Your S&B Cotton Cleanable Filter.

Follow along as we show you just how easy it is to clean and maintain your S&B Cotton Cleanable Filter using the S&B Precision II Cleaning and Oiling kit.

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How To extend the life of Your
S&B Dry Extendable Filter.

Katie shows you the step by step process on extending the life of your S&B Dry Extendable Filter.

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FAQ'S

Both filters offer similar performance characteristics, so the decision comes down to would you prefer to throw away the filter or clean it. That being said, below are some other aspects you may want to consider as well.

Vehicle Warranty
If your vehicle is under warranty, using a dry filter will keep the dealer from accusing you of not cleaning your filter properly. Regardless of which filter style you choose, S&B will step in to assist you in the unlikely event you have an issue with a dealer. 

"S&B commits that our customers will not be charged for a repair due to the manufacturer denying their warranty claim because of the presence of an S&B intake kit or OE replacement filter. We warrant that using an S&B intake kit or OE filter will not result in the denial of your vehicle’s warranty." Learn more

Dusty Environment
If you operate your vehicle in conditions with lots of dry dust, we have found that customers like using a dry filter since it can be blown out with compressed air to extend the life of the filter.

Using compressed air, blow off the outside of the dry filter keeping the air nozzle moving and no closer than 6 inches to the media. This can be done while the filter is still in the vehicle. If you would like to blow it out further, remove the filter and blow it out from the inside out being careful not to concentrate the compressed air in one location in the media. While the life of our dry filters can be extended by using compressed air, ultimately, the filter must be discarded.

Our cotton/cleanable filters will protect your engine in dusty conditions as well, but they can't be blown out with compressed air as this would separate the media.

Filter Wrap
Regardless of which style of filter you utilize, we recommend that you use a filter wrap as this will keep the bugs and other big stuff out of the filter media which will extend the life of your filter and make it easier to service. 

Yes. S&B utilizes robotics to precisely apply the correct amount of oil to your filter before it ships.

No; however, you can extend the life of an S&B dry filter by blowing it out with compressed air. We recommend using a filter wrap to keep the bugs and big stuff off the filter media. This will make it easier to blow out and will extend the life of your filter. 

How do I blow out the dry filter? 

Using compressed air, blow off the outside of the filter keeping the air nozzle moving and no closer than 6 inches to the media. This can be done while the filter is still in the vehicle. If you would like to blow it out further, remove the filter and blow it out from the inside out being careful not to concentrate the compressed air in one location in the media. 

Can I blow out a S&B Cotton (oiled/cleanable) Filter? 

Absolutely not. If you used compressed air on our cotton filters, this will separate the media and permanently damage the filter voiding all S&B warranties. 

The amount of oil applied to your filter is critical, so be sure to utilize the S&B Precision Cleaning & Oiling Kit to properly service your filter. We use robotics to accurately apply the oil in our factory. You can use our Precision Cleaning & Oiling Kit to accurately apply the oil in the field.

Why does the quantity of oil matter?

The oil is the primary filtering agent on a cotton filter. Too little oil and your filter will not filter properly. Applying too much oil will hurt the airflow (add restriction) and could damage sensors.   

How do I determine how much oil to use?

To determine the proper amount of oil to apply, search by the part number of your intake or search by vehicle, then click on the filter you need to oil and the correct amount will be listed under the Product Details tab.

No for three (3) reasons.

  1. Our cleaning solution and oil has been designed specifically for our filters.
  2. More importantly, the S&B Precision Cleaning & Oiling Kit allows you to properly apply the correct amount of oil which is critical since the oil is the primary filtering agent. Applying the incorrect amount of oil will adversely affect the performance of your filter with respect to airflow (restriction), efficiency and capacity. 
  3. S&B's Million Mile Warranty only covers filters properly maintained using S&B oil only.