Blackwing Filter Cleaning
Thread Starter
1st Gear
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Blackwing Filter Cleaning
After how many miles does everyone typically clean and oil their blackwing filter?
I live in Phoenix, AZ... pretty dusty... should I clean it more frequently than normal? Or after how many miles?
Also... the indicator that tells you when it needs cleaning... what color is it when it needs cleaning? It doesn't tell you that.
I would appreciate any advice I can get. Thanks!
I live in Phoenix, AZ... pretty dusty... should I clean it more frequently than normal? Or after how many miles?
Also... the indicator that tells you when it needs cleaning... what color is it when it needs cleaning? It doesn't tell you that.
I would appreciate any advice I can get. Thanks!
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
When I had a BLACKWING on my car, I paid no attention to the indicator. In fact, I removed the indicator and capped off the hole.
I didn't have my BLACKWING on long enough for it to get dirty (removed it w/ annoying codes), but I always clean my after market filters when they look dirty or with every oil/filter change. It's cheap insurance to have fresh incoming air and easily done during routine preventative maintenance.
I'm about 125 miles north of you so my filters suffer the same fate as yours do.
I didn't have my BLACKWING on long enough for it to get dirty (removed it w/ annoying codes), but I always clean my after market filters when they look dirty or with every oil/filter change. It's cheap insurance to have fresh incoming air and easily done during routine preventative maintenance.
I'm about 125 miles north of you so my filters suffer the same fate as yours do.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
If you don't have any cold air inlets to the filter, then it should last at least a year. However, you DO realize that your intake air temperture will exceed 145F during slow-moving or stop & go conditions? This high intake air temp causses the ECU to retard the timing - draining about 10 HP from your engine. However, you can do a couple of things to prevent this scenario:
1) Open up your fog light panels to mix cold air with the hot engine bay air or, even better, check out my cold air infusion mod, which directs outside air directly at the filter. You will need to clean it more often, but that's a small price to pay for the resrvation of horsepower. See
http://www.conceptualpolymer.com/corvette_c5_corner.htm
for detailed procedures.
1) Open up your fog light panels to mix cold air with the hot engine bay air or, even better, check out my cold air infusion mod, which directs outside air directly at the filter. You will need to clean it more often, but that's a small price to pay for the resrvation of horsepower. See
http://www.conceptualpolymer.com/corvette_c5_corner.htm
for detailed procedures.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
This gets discussed regularly. It's probably ok to use the K&N cleaning solution or something like diluted SIMPLE GREEN on your BLACKWING, but the K&N is a cotton gauze filter, whereas, the BLACKWING is a synthetic filter media. The red oil on the blue filter media might look odd.
It would probably be advisable to use the correct manufacturers cleaning/oiling products on the BLACKWING, especially. You can find their cleaning kits at many of the site supporting vendors for about $15.00.
It would probably be advisable to use the correct manufacturers cleaning/oiling products on the BLACKWING, especially. You can find their cleaning kits at many of the site supporting vendors for about $15.00.
Last edited by hotwheels57; Oct 9, 2007 at 12:33 PM.
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