Whats it involve? Mine is due, but I don't have the cleaning kit. Could I use K&Ns kit (which I have laying around) or does it take something "special". I was hoping to do it tomorrow. Is a brush and water OK?

 

Contact a vender that sells the Black Wing, get the cleaning kit and follow the directions. It's a piece of cake, the only thing that is time consuming is the drying. Don't use a brush you will tear it apart. I wouldn't use the K&N kit just to be on the safe side. Here's some contact info off the box www.donaldson.com 952-887-3131 good luck

 

Use the kit. It has good instructions. Remember to hang the filter up to dry completely, mine took over night. And not to saturate the filter with oil. Spray a little at a time and wait 20-30 minutes, then repeat were there are white spots. This took me about a day and a half to complete.

 

You don't need the kit. Just clean it with Simple Green and a soft brush then reoil with a mixture of mineral oil and alcohol!

 

It is said that a Black Wing should never have to be cleaned. That is why it is kind of funny that they sell the cleaning kits. I wouldn't monkey with it and I haven't monkeyed with mine.

Donaldson makes the best/toughest airfilters on this planet. They are used in the M1A1 Abrams tank for desert combat. They keep the tanks running which in turn saves troups lives.

 

you learn something new every day - makes me feel better bout my Blackwing

I have the cleaning kit, but never used it yet :bb

 

Let me be clear that the Black Wing model is not used in the tank, but Donaldson makes the complex filter system that is used in the M1A1. It does make you feel better about the Black Wing though, doesn't it?

 

OK -- here's the official story.

Yes, Blackwings can go between 50,000 to 100,000 miles before cleaning.

They have the "turkey popper" to show you when. But, if you read the instructions closely, the "pop" thing is really meant for off-road use -- on regular highways, you will be well to 100,000 miles before it "pops."

I had 60,000 miles on my Blackwing when I cleaned it, and it was time, trust me. You should have seen the kitchen sink water during the process.

I used the "official kit," bought from the "official" distributor (who are also the one of the cheapest at $16.95): http://www.slponline.com/view_product.asp?P=25016

Yes, you can use Simple Green (tm) to clean, then re-oil with a mixture, as some people say. But, for sixteen bucks, why not use the kit, especially when it comes with the correct oil (it's even blue), and when Donaldson says this:

"This cleaning kit is designed specifically for the special synthetic media in the Donaldson Blackwing filter (most others use ordinary cotton fiber). Maintaining your filter properly will give you maximum filtration and life."

1. Take the filter, spray the cleaning solution on it, and then rinse from the inside out with a garden hose to get the most dirt out.

2. Then take it into the kitchen, fill the sink with about 3-4 inches of water, and use anything from Simple Green to Lestoil (the kit doesn't have enough cleaner to do a really thorough job, and keep cleaning (push it gently through the water, and watch the results). Keep rinsing. Three to five times. Don't use a brush, just agitate it in the water, then use the sprayer to rinse.

The trick is to be gentle.

3. When it's clean, and the water is no longer dirty or soapy, let it dry completely, at least overnight.

4. The next day, very lightly re-oil the filter. Use the Donaldson oil, and it turns the filter back to the very pretty factory blue color. Let the oil absorb, maybe 6-12 hours.

5. Do not over oil the filter. One, maybe two light passes is plenty. It should not run or drip. Over-oiling will coat the MAF sensor wires and the engine will not idel or run correctly. It's not a big deal, you just need to clean the wires if you goof up.

6. Last, but not least, do not over-oil the filter.

7. Finally, reassemble everything carefully, check for tightness and no air leaks, and make sure you didn't over-oil the filter. <--- You get this most important item by now.

Good luck!

 

Who said this? Why is there a filter "dirt" meter on the Blackwing if it was designed to never be cleaned? I think you mean it is designed to never be replaced.

I used the Blackwing Cleaning kit on mine a year ago. Followed the instructions and it was a breeze. Just make sure it is completely dry before using.

 

Clean it or don't clean it. Here is what I have read:

The Donaldson BlackWing filter is a specialized high performance air filter for the Corvette. It contains a Donaldson proprietary filter medium, advanced air filtration technology, and a uniquely formulated oil for high performance.

The average purchaser of the Donaldson filter probably will never need to clean it within his or her lifetime. Unless of course the race it in a 2000 mile Baja race or something similar to that.

Typically, Corvettes are driven in rather clean environments and the Donaldson filter will sustain enough air flow to support 600 HP with 300 grams of dust loaded on it. That's 2/3 of a pound of dirt!! You would have a hard time pouring that much dirt over the filter and getting it to stay on the face of it without falling off.

But, Just in case . . .

Pre-Cleaning:

After removing the filter from the vehicle, carefully remove any large debris (i.e. leaves, etc.). Caution: hitting or tapping the filter to dislodge dirt or other debris may cause damage to the housing or the filter media. Caution: use of any other cleaner (i.e. K&N) will decrease the efficiency of the filter media and potentially cause harm to your engine. ***NEVER USE SOLVENTS OR GASOLINE***

Application of Cleaner

Place the filter in a suitable container or on newspaper to contain any cleaner run-off. Position the filter housing to minimize the amount of dirt and cleaner solution that may pass through the filter media into the inside of the housing. Apply the special cleaner to the dirty side of the filter. Make sure you use enough cleaner to saturate the entire filter media. The dirt and oil will immediately begin to breakdown. Allow the cleaner to soak for at least 10 minutes.

Rinse Procedure

After the filter media has been allowed to soak, begin rinsing the filter with luke-warm water from the inside of the housing. Continue rinsing until the water passing through the filter is clear. This may take several minutes. *** It is imperative that a thorough cleaning is performed ***. A touch up wash is recommended after the initial wash has been performed. Never use compressed air or hot air guns to dry the filter. This can damage the filter media.

Inspection and Drying

Gently shake any excess water form the filter and inspect the filter media for signs of damage such as tears, or cracks in the housing. If there is any damage to the media or the filter housing, the filter will not perform as designed and serious engine damage could occur. It is imperative that the filter media be completely dry before re-oiling. If the filter media is not completely dry, the oil that prevents engine-damaging particles from entering the engine cannot be applied correctly and damage to the engine could result.

Re-Oiling

After the filter media is completely dry, apply the filter oil evenly over the entire filter media surface. Wipe any excess oil from the filter housing and re-install the filter assembly into the vehicle. ***Caution: Never use any other type of filter oil. The filter oil is specifically formulated for synthetic filter media. Other oils (i.e. K&N) will not provide the same level of performance as the supplied oil and damage to the engine could result.

 

I know that a few years back, as soon as I saw Donaldson's name on this filter, I knew automatically that it would be a quality piece. Donaldson has been around for a very very long time and are experts in the manufacture of filters for off-road/high dust type of environments, primarily for very large vehicles such as trucks, earth movers, drag lines, etc. as well as the military.

 

Excellent.