I have a B2650 and am performing my first 100 hr service. The manual mentions using "detergent" to clean the primary air filter to clean off excess dirt and carbon. What do y'all use for "detergent?"
Cleaning air filter for 100 hr service
- Thread starter motherfarmer
- Start date
When I was a logger I learned to clean it every day. Every day after I use my tractor I pull the air filter and just bang it gently on the bucket or tire and that removes the dust and debris that has accumulated in it. Some days it is really loaded up.
No clue on detergents but I use compressor air to clean it. Or I just buy a new filter when needed. They aren’t very expensive and id rather buy that part new then try to clean it with detergents. Just my opinion and process for air filter cleaning.
You could use Dawn, or Woolite if you really wanted to wash it.
However, like everyone else, I give mine a gentle tap to knock loose dirt off. If it's really thick, I'll use the shop vac or an angled blow gun to blow dirt from the inside out. If using compresses air make sure you don't get crazy with the pressure. That can damage the filter and you might not even know it.
However, like everyone else, I give mine a gentle tap to knock loose dirt off. If it's really thick, I'll use the shop vac or an angled blow gun to blow dirt from the inside out. If using compresses air make sure you don't get crazy with the pressure. That can damage the filter and you might not even know it.
DAWN. Definitely DAWN.
I blew mine out twice and got rid of dust… but when I washed it… it really finally came Clean. (made the water pretty dirty even after a “blowout”.
They also recommend Not to remove the secondary filter unless you are replacing it. I’m not that afraid of blowing it out and returning it to service …once. But I replaced them Both after a year of ownership (when it achieved 600 hours) because I had no idea what the previous owner may have done.
I blew mine out twice and got rid of dust… but when I washed it… it really finally came Clean. (made the water pretty dirty even after a “blowout”.
They also recommend Not to remove the secondary filter unless you are replacing it. I’m not that afraid of blowing it out and returning it to service …once. But I replaced them Both after a year of ownership (when it achieved 600 hours) because I had no idea what the previous owner may have done.
In the early Kubota tractors imported to the USA their manual suggested you could wash the air filters up to 6 times before replacement. I am sure there was no attention to brand of soap!
Things to be sure of.....make sure the filter is totally and completely dry before using.
Things to be sure of.....make sure the filter is totally and completely dry before using.
fried1765
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Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
Agreed.....
I seriously doubt that brand of detergent would make any meaningful difference, with an air filter.
I only mentioned two brands because they are gentle and have neutral Ph. I'm sure there are others. You just don't want to use (most) auto dishwasher detergents and alkaline cleaners like Simple Green, Spray-9, and the sort.
That said, they are too inexpensive for me to bother wet cleaning.
That said, they are too inexpensive for me to bother wet cleaning.
Thanks! I use compressed air to clean mine somewhat regularly and I replaced the primary element after a year of regular use.
The reason I'm asking is that I do like to keep a "backup" one on hand because we can be so cold here that the air filter can freeze up from buildup from blowing snow. I then switch them out until the good one has thawed out again so I wanted to see about washing my old one and keeping it as my winter "backup."
I don't think I would even bother with a backup filter in a situation like that. Walk-behind snow blowers don't use air filters at all. There's little to no dust in a snowy environment.
Pull the filter and continue running while it's thawing in the house. Reinstall the filter at a later time when its dry.
North Idaho Wolfman
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Sucking moisture into a Kubota diesel engine can cause serious damage!
Really really BAD idea to run one without a filter!
For the cost of a new outer air filter, I just replace them rather than clean them. Especially after seeing how much dust comes out when I blow them off. $20-25 OEM my local dealer relative to a machine worth one or two thousand times that, I’ll spend the money. I keep an extra inner and outer air filets (and a few other filters) on hand for both my orange toys. A full set of all filters is less than $200 per machine.
Do not run it without a filter. It’s not a walk behind blower it’s a tractor. Something designed to run with no air filter is not the same. Horrible advice if you ask me.
Here’s another solution to the snow issue
www.orangetractortalks.com
Here’s another solution to the snow issue
Air filter clogged with snow
I have a B2650 and for the last 4 years have struggled with snow clogging my air filter. The symptoms are while blowing snow always at around the same area of my driveway my engine would start to lug and blow black smoke. I would then have to bring the tractor inside and remove the air filter...
www.orangetractortalks.com
Older snowblowers tended to not have air filters. Newer ones tend to.
The old Ariens run forever snow blowers were actually a "tractor" with different attachments; snow blower, lawn mower, ect.
They had an air filter for the "summer" attachments, and you'd remove the air filter and put a hot box over the carburetor. No filter. I have one in my garage that's been clearing snow since 1978 with no filter. Original engine.
In the winter, clearing new snow, you should be fine with no filter.
I'm not saying you should. It doesn't hurt to have a filter.
But how much dirt/debris are you going to pull in when it's snowing/just snowed?
As far as pulling moisture in a running engine, you're fine.
In fact, there are kits to actually inject water into gas and diesel engines. Helps to make more power (probably won't do much for a stock tractor) and it steam cleans the carbon off the inside of the engine.
You don't want moisture getting in when the engine isn't running.
And you don't want so much water you hydrolock the engine (pulling in blowing snow isn't going to do that).
They make "socks" that cover the filter to keep snow out. We use them on the trains to keep snow out of the motor control units.
I'm not recommending this particular one, just an example.
The old Ariens run forever snow blowers were actually a "tractor" with different attachments; snow blower, lawn mower, ect.
They had an air filter for the "summer" attachments, and you'd remove the air filter and put a hot box over the carburetor. No filter. I have one in my garage that's been clearing snow since 1978 with no filter. Original engine.
In the winter, clearing new snow, you should be fine with no filter.
I'm not saying you should. It doesn't hurt to have a filter.
But how much dirt/debris are you going to pull in when it's snowing/just snowed?
As far as pulling moisture in a running engine, you're fine.
In fact, there are kits to actually inject water into gas and diesel engines. Helps to make more power (probably won't do much for a stock tractor) and it steam cleans the carbon off the inside of the engine.
You don't want moisture getting in when the engine isn't running.
And you don't want so much water you hydrolock the engine (pulling in blowing snow isn't going to do that).
They make "socks" that cover the filter to keep snow out. We use them on the trains to keep snow out of the motor control units.
I'm not recommending this particular one, just an example.
Hi motherfarmer. Wellcome to OTT!
I started a conversation with you regarding some information on snow ingestion into the air filter as Hkb82 mentioned in post 15 above. Select the "Envelope" in your top right corner of your screen to open the conversation.
Great Tractor, by the way!!
@Hkb82 thanks for the heads up!
You're not going to hydrolock or damage an engine from the fine mist of blown around snowflakes. Water injection for diesels is a thing and research papers have been written about the benefits of water injection. Water injection systems is far more water than what blown around fine snowflakes will produce.
Yes, water in diesel fuel is a bad thing but that's drastically different than a very fine mist through the air intake.
I'm not saying to run all the time in the winter without the air filter in place. If/when the filter does clog up, remove it and finish the job. Reinstall the filter the next day after it's dried up.
whitetiger
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