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I have a Kubota backhoe manual that says I can wash the air filter up yo 6 times and reuse it. Can I do the same on my Grasshopper Kubota engine? What about the filter inside the main filter? Thanks

I wash motorcycle air filters because of the cost of replacement, but lawn mower filters are cheap enough to install new. I wash out the motorcycle air filters with water and dish soap and then let dry overnight.

On the grasshopper I have the inner filter is about $20 and the outer is $30. I don't mind buying a replacement once a year but in between that time I thought I could wash it instead of taping the dust out. Like I said the Kubota backhoe manual says I can wash it up to 6 times. It and the grasshopper air filter look similar. Both have Kubota diesel engs., one 35hp the other 25hp. Some seem to think a dirty air filter works better then a new one. I have my doubts about that. I have 10+ acres to mow. I would like to put a clean air filter on the eng. every time I mow. Sounds crazy to some I know but if I get two or three filters I can wash them and rotate one each time I mow. I just thought I would get some opinions on this. Thanks

foam filters can be washed
There are special filter foam cleaners which gets used only on oiled filters.
The rest get washed in shampoo and lre dry for a day before reinstalling.

Paper filters can be dry cleaned with spirits.
This is a specialists job, not something the home owner can do.
A few years ago aftermarket Donaldson filters were is short supply & I could only get original Kawakasi ones at $ 75 set wholesale.
So I sent them out for cleaning at $ 13 a pop.
The earth moving guys who change filters daily usually send them out for cleaning.

I have one air filter on my 928d.I'ts paper and I'm thinking I paid around $80.00 for it.I use my air compressor to blow as much dust and chaff as I can...russ

173abn said:

I have one air filter on my 928d.I'ts paper and I'm thinking I paid around $80.00 for it.I use my air compressor to blow as much dust and chaff as I can...russ

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Thanks for the answer.

bertsmobile1 said:

foam filters can be washed
There are special filter foam cleaners which gets used only on oiled filters.
The rest get washed in shampoo and lre dry for a day before reinstalling.

Paper filters can be dry cleaned with spirits.
This is a specialists job, not something the home owner can do.
A few years ago aftermarket Donaldson filters were is short supply & I could only get original Kawakasi ones at $ 75 set wholesale.
So I sent them out for cleaning at $ 13 a pop.
The earth moving guys who change filters daily usually send them out for cleaning.

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Thanks for the answer. I always learn something new when you reply.

173abn said:

I have one air filter on my 928d.I'ts paper and I'm thinking I paid around $80.00 for it.I use my air compressor to blow as much dust and chaff as I can...russ

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Blowing with compressed air is not a good idea.
The tiny droplets of water that wreck you spray painting blast right through the paper making hundreds of very tiny holes, unless you are a very tiny piece of dust.

how bout a good shaking then?don't really see how you can clean it w/spirits as there is a honeycombed metal housing and the paper filter is inside of it.also when you say spirits are you talking about alcohol or turpentine or something else?...russ

ok,I reread your post .I wouldn't have a clue where to send my filter to get it drycleaned.don't think the laundrymat would do it..russ

Places who sell earthmoving parts.
Several of the specialists filter shops down here do it as does Tractor Spares.
I rather think they all send them out to the same workshop as they are always vague when we rang to see if they were done & I doubt that there would be sufficient volume for more than 1 or 2 people to run the gear.
They only do the drum style filters.

I find you can buy a average lawn mower air filter it cost 10 to 20 dollars. Why not replace it? When I do a lawn mower service all filters get replaced. If you buy them in bulk like gas filters they are even cheaper. You don't clean the oil to use it over again do you? Yes I do understand that some expensive air filters are washable and can understand doing so but that's not on your average lawn mower.

Lawn mower air filters are at the bottom of the air filter "food chain"! It goes up from there!
The operators manual for my hustler X-ONE with a Donaldson two stage air filtration system says to replace both filter elements when the air flow indicator goes into the yellow zone. It also stated to not use pressurized air to clean the filters and do not tap them to clean them which will void the engine warranty.
My Briggs Commercial Turf engine manual states do not use pressurized air to clean the air filter, just tap it to shake out the loose dust and change the filter if dusty conditions are regularly experienced.
There are air filters that are washable and reusable, this information is found in either the operators or service manuals. I have a problem with those who have their own ideas and disregard what the designing engineers have specified.
Years ago I drove my vehicle up Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. At the entrance was a sign that listed the vehicles that should not attempt to drive up Mt. Washington. About 2/3rds the way up there was a traffic jam caused by one of the vehicles listed on the sign at the base of the mountain. It took hours to get this vehicle towed away and clear the traffic jam and all the time the driver of this vehicle insisted that it was another vehicle that caused his engine to stall from overheating. I wonder what he does with the rest of his mechanical equipment!!!!

the next time I replace my $80.00 Grasshopper air filter I'll ask about a washable replacement.I know on the K&N air filter I put on my JEEP that it's washable.I'm wondering if something like that could be put on in lieu of the stock?..russ

A diesel engine needs 3-5 times more incoming air than comparable HP gasoline engines.
My business partner and I had a small fleet of 1 ton and heavier Ford diesel pickups. We had downsized our business from two Peterbilts, two Macks and one International which we operated in a marine transport business. I got some K&N air filters for the Fords and installed them thinking that they were the "cats meow" so to speak. We generally had the pumps and injectors serviced around 100,000 mile intervals and when the next truck came up for injector service, the service manager called me cussing me out for using K&N air filters which allow excessive crud buildup in the intake area due to their poor air filtering quality. I removed all the K&Ns at that time and installed what they recommended.
Just my thoughts and experiences.

173abn said:

the next time I replace my $80.00 Grasshopper air filter I'll ask about a washable replacement.I know on the K&N air filter I put on my JEEP that it's washable.I'm wondering if something like that could be put on in lieu of the stock?..russ

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If you Grasshopper uses a pleated paper cylinder air filter then it can be drycleaned.
No need for a special filter.
Like Mackie I tryed oiled foam filters in the fleet of L 300's .
They worked well in the 2 liter 2,4 liter & 2,6 liter petrol engines running lpg, in fact they were great and we saved a fortune as filters usually get changed every 6 months @ $30-$45 a pop.

The two deisel engines were a different matter altogether.
To keep the mainfold clean we had to run the outer oiled filter doubled which was fine for a month by which time it was clogged then the filter housing goes onto bypass.
The drivers never seemed to notice but I could hear it sucking through the bypass from 20' away.
We tried oiling the inner and running the outers dry which was only slightly better.
Eventually we gave up and went back to the paper elements at $ 75 a pop.

It was some 15 years latter I found out about dry cleaning paper elements and then it was only by accident when I was trying to get a New Holland skid steer running.
The filter shop ( Mr Filter franchise ) did not have one & neither did Case and when I told him I could not get an original either he then coughed up with " we can clean to old ones if they are not holed or oiled up.
So that was the last time we bought filters .
From new if done regularly you get 10 to 15 cleans then the glue starts to break down or the paper near the glue gets too thin.

A friend's son ran a demolition business and when he was told about dry cleaning he was over the moon .
They saved thousands as they were using 20 filters a month and when their filters got clogged the engines brought up a warning and a bit latter shut down.

I'm sorry if it seems I hijacked this thread,I appreciate the info.so I for one plan to use the stock filters.I paid too much money for my mower to ruin it over a filter.the only places I can think of here in Eastern Kansas to dry clean a filter would be the John Deer dealer or Kan Equip that sells G.H. parts as well as farm tractors.next time I'm in Topeka I'll stop in and ask...russ