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In another thread this came up: do you make your own air filters? There could be some savings as well as a certain amount of satisfaction.

What materials do you use?

Special techniques?

Two-Stroke said:

In another thread this came up: do you make your own air filters? There could be some savings as well as a certain amount of satisfaction.

What materials do you use?

Special techniques?

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Yes I make my filters from a old foam mattress with great success.:biggrin:

lizard said:

Yes I make my filters from a old foam mattress with great success.:biggrin:

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There are some small engine filters I also make using open cell foam, backed with green scotch brite pads... works great, always on hand and very easy to make.:thumbsup:

For diesel engines I stick with the store bought super filters ... diesels run much more air than gasoline engines of the same displacement... :smile:KennyV

KennyV said:

There are some small engine filters I also make using open cell foam, backed with green scotch brite pads... works great, always on hand and very easy to make.:thumbsup:

For diesel engines I stick with the store bought super filters ... diesels run much more air than gasoline engines of the same displacement... :smile:KennyV

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Gee Kenny I will be looking in the Kitchen under bench for more sponges....only for the mowers.
Big Diesels , would stick to Donaldson Filters.:licking:

KennyV said:

There are some small engine filters I also make using open cell foam, backed with green scotch brite pads... works great, always on hand and very easy to make.:thumbsup:

For diesel engines I stick with the store bought super filters ... diesels run much more air than gasoline engines of the same displacement... :smile:KennyV

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I'm more likely to try a homemade filter on my less expensive equipment -- lawnmowers and trimmers, etc. I probably wouldn't have done it anyway on my diesel tractor but, after what you said, I'm sure I won't.

lizard said:

Big Diesels , would stick to Donaldson Filters.:licking:

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Big AND small diesel engines I use Donaldson with the pre filter ...
On my kubota tractor they have a Donaldson type with a second hepa filter inside it... cant get the air too clean...

The Green scotch brite pads are not the ones attached to the sponges... they are about 3/8 inch thick scouring pads, a bit more robust than the ones on the sponges... but the sponge pads most likely would do... :smile:KennyV

KennyV said:

Big AND small diesel engines I use Donaldson with the pre filter ...
On my kubota tractor they have a Donaldson type with a second hepa filter inside it... cant get the air too clean...

The Green scotch brite pads are not the ones attached to the sponges... they are about 3/8 inch thick scouring pads, a bit more robust than the ones on the sponges... but the sponge pads most likely would do... :smile:KennyV

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With filters it is strange that a new filter is not as good as a old filter cleaned for dust in the dusty places you never buy a New Donaldson .....eith wash it or blow it with compressed air.
Sounds strange but it is true.........check it out........lol:confused2::confused2:

KennyV said:

Big AND small diesel engines I use Donaldson with the pre filter ...
On my kubota tractor they have a Donaldson type with a second hepa filter inside it... cant get the air too clean...

The Green scotch brite pads are not the ones attached to the sponges... they are about 3/8 inch thick scouring pads, a bit more robust than the ones on the sponges... but the sponge pads most likely would do... :smile:KennyV

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What's a "hepa" filter?

Two-Stroke said:

What's a "hepa" filter?

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A super filter... actually filters a bit different than a regular strainer filter ... you can see them here ...
HEPA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rather expensive so you want to use a very good pre filter in front of the hepa... :smile:KennyV

KennyV said:

A super filter... actually filters a bit different than a regular strainer filter ... you can see them here ...
HEPA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rather expensive so you want to use a very good pre filter in front of the hepa... :smile:KennyV

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Thanks for the info.

Did you notice that, with that post, you became a "mower addict"?

KennyV said:

A super filter... actually filters a bit different than a regular strainer filter ... you can see them here ...
HEPA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rather expensive so you want to use a very good pre filter in front of the hepa... :smile:KennyV

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One thing you will learn in life is not to over service your filter......on Big Diesels they have a vacuum gauge which will lock onto the red when it blocked enough to warrant servicing.

lizard said:

One thing you will learn in life is not to over service your filter......on Big Diesels they have a vacuum gauge which will lock onto the red when it blocked enough to warrant servicing.

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I'm not sure what you mean by "over service". Does that mean that changing the filter too often is bad for some reason?

Two-Stroke said:

Did you notice that, with that post, you became a "mower addict"?

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Oh oooohhhh...
no I didn't ...
Ha ha... this is a fun site and there are some good folks here:thumbsup:... I just may be a LawnMowerForum addict...:laughing::laughing:
I best quit for the night it's almost 4:30 ....again... :smile:KennyV

Two-Stroke said:

I'm not sure what you mean by "over service". Does that mean that changing the filter too often is bad for some reason?

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Yes it is bad to over service a Donaldon Air cleaner......because it should be attached to a vauum switch..........this is the best way..........in Australia it is really Dusty.....in the Farming areas or Mining.

lizard said:

Yes it is bad to over service a Donaldon Air cleaner..

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Every time you open the filtration system you chance contaminating the innards... so there is generally a switch on the clean air side that will light a lamp on the instrument panel, if the air flow is restricted... My kubota tractor is like this... other diesel engines have a vacuum indicator that trips a color coded attachment near the filter... The lamp is much better, as you will see it soon ...:smile:KennyV

KennyV said:

Every time you open the filtration system you chance contaminating the innards... so there is generally a switch on the clean air side that will light a lamp on the instrument panel, if the air flow is restricted... My kubota tractor is like this... other diesel engines have a vacuum indicator that trips a color coded attachment near the filter... The lamp is much better, as you will see it soon ...:smile:KennyV

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The Red light is flickering.........then goes bright red under acceleration or full RPM......then you know the filter needs servicing.........the newer tractors have the light........the others do not have a electrical system to have a light.:confused2:

My Grasshopper has that meter job by the filter,I try to clean the filter after each cutting because I've noticed grass clippings stuck in it.I bought the one for my mower which is a Kubota filter,cost was $65.00.On my Yanmar I use a Yanmar filter that has thes fins,I wondered what the heck they were for because the filter doesn't move and then I read on a YM forum that it moves the air in a vortax and that you should always use the OEM filters .On my other stuff I use the sponge ones and am not concerned about them as much. russ

What a great way to recycle some of those materials that you use! Now you've got me thinking. I'm betting that there is a place for old panty hose somewhere in this design process.....!

Before throwing something out, I always try to think of what use could be made of it.

Example: worn out, kevlar-belted bike tires can be cut into sections about four inches long which can be used to protect a wood maul handle near the head (where it frequently hits the wood.)

Green Girl said:

What a great way to recycle some of those materials that you use! Now you've got me thinking. I'm betting that there is a place for old panty hose somewhere in this design process.....!

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Believe it or not they use 'Panty Hose' as a filter on race carts in Australia...........amazing.......but true....so yes you can do a lot with different materials.:confused2: