Blackwing Charge Oil
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,840
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From: Bonita CA
Blackwing Charge Oil
I recently installed a Blackwing but used the K&N Oil & detergent in it. Does anyone know if it matters what kind to use. The K&N charge kits are widly available at Auto Zone, etc.
Race Director
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Re: Blackwing Charge Oil (philipswanson)
Yes it matters. The Blackwing is synthetic; K&Ns are cloth fabric.
K&N oil will deteriorate the Blackwing.
Here are two threads to read:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=301473
and
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=299262
To quote CRUZMISL in the second thread:
"DO NOT US K&N OIL ON A BLACKWING, that oil is not compatible with the filter media."
[Modified by EHS, 1:39 AM 2/22/2004]
K&N oil will deteriorate the Blackwing.
Here are two threads to read:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=301473
and
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=299262
To quote CRUZMISL in the second thread:
"DO NOT US K&N OIL ON A BLACKWING, that oil is not compatible with the filter media."
[Modified by EHS, 1:39 AM 2/22/2004]
Race Director
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Re: Blackwing Charge Oil (EHS)
Just found another thread on the same subject:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=488754
Here's part of what it says:
[i][b]"Cleaning Blackwing with K&N cleaner??"
"Having read that this is a bad thing to do, I'm hoping to get some more information. Is it bad to use the cleaner AND the oil? If i get oil on my MAF through prolonged use of one of these air filters....how should I clean it?"
"The K&N cleaner is corrosive, as most cleaner is.....so what's the difference between the K&N cleaner and the BW cleaner? How much damage can occur due to corrosion in the 5 minutes it sits on the filter media? K&N uses a gauze filter media, what does Donaldson use? Either way there will be a corrosive effect to both filters wouldn't there be?"
"I used the K&N cleaner on my blackwing one time, so i'm curious as to what damage i might have done."
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=488754
Here's part of what it says:
[i][b]"Cleaning Blackwing with K&N cleaner??"
"Having read that this is a bad thing to do, I'm hoping to get some more information. Is it bad to use the cleaner AND the oil? If i get oil on my MAF through prolonged use of one of these air filters....how should I clean it?"
"The K&N cleaner is corrosive, as most cleaner is.....so what's the difference between the K&N cleaner and the BW cleaner? How much damage can occur due to corrosion in the 5 minutes it sits on the filter media? K&N uses a gauze filter media, what does Donaldson use? Either way there will be a corrosive effect to both filters wouldn't there be?"
"I used the K&N cleaner on my blackwing one time, so i'm curious as to what damage i might have done."
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: 53066 WI
Re: Blackwing Charge Oil (philipswanson)
I just cleaned a Blackwing this week. I have the BW cleaning kit and, yes, the stream from the BW oil can is like an old man with enlarged prostate peeing. (Please do not conjecture about how I may know this.) What I did was to spray the blue oil in a wide mouth jar, and mix it 50:50 with mineral oil. Then I put it in a pump top spray bottle that I purloined from wifey's cosmetics. Just hope it wasn't the stuff that keeps her young looking. Worked great and the spray was nice even mist. I was prepared to add a little denatured alcohol if it had been too thick for the pump. Did not need to add that though. I just figured the alc. would evaporate off.
Race Director
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Re: Blackwing Charge Oil (DAWS C5)
...You have a $50k car and a $200+ filter...
:seeya
:seeya
Economically, one filter change every 75,000 miles or so should compare favorably to having a dealer replace the stock factory filter every 15,000 miles.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,840
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From: Bonita CA
Re: Blackwing Charge Oil (philipswanson)
After reading all these threads on the subject, the concensus seems to be, it's ok to use K&N oil but not the cleaner on the Blackwing. That's what I did anyway. Thanks!!
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Drifting
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From: Sunnyvale CA
Re: Blackwing Charge Oil (philipswanson)
If anything, its probably the other way around. In any event, BW specifically states you must use their oil. As noted earlier, the BW and K&N are made of different materials.
:seeya
:seeya
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Re: Blackwing Charge Oil (DAWS C5)
In any event, BW specifically states you must use their oil.
:seeya
:seeya
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Re: Blackwing Charge Oil (philipswanson)
I plan to use the Blackwing oil and cleaner on mine when it needs it. Rather follow the manufacturer's recommendation than have a problem.
Race Director
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Re: Blackwing Charge Oil (Racer44)
Marketing ploy, I heard from a vendor who sells them you can clean it with Simple Green and use mineral oil on them. :smash: :smash:
I would guess if something ever did go wrong with the engine and the filter was shown to be the cause, Donaldson would be more interested in any subsequent discussions if their oil had been used, and not Johnson & Johnson's.
On a lighter note, Donaldson is a huge company, and I deal with them on filters in buildings. They stand behind their product, and I'm pretty sure that if there was a problem with their filter causing damage, they would "make it right."
Team Owner
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From: Manitoba/San Jose del Cabo
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St. Jude Donor '11
Re: Blackwing Charge Oil (EHS)
Marketing ploy, I heard from a vendor who sells them you can clean it with Simple Green and use mineral oil on them. :smash: :smash:
Jim Hall, and, I believe Exit 28 Motorsports, also suggested back in the "old days" when the Blackwing first came out, that Simple Green and mineral oil was the way to go. That was before the cleaning kit from Donaldson was available.
I would guess if something ever did go wrong with the engine and the filter was shown to be the cause, Donaldson would be more interested in any subsequent discussions if their oil had been used, and not Johnson & Johnson's.
On a lighter note, Donaldson is a huge company, and I deal with them on filters in buildings. They stand behind their product, and I'm pretty sure that if there was a problem with their filter causing damage, they would "make it right."
Jim Hall, and, I believe Exit 28 Motorsports, also suggested back in the "old days" when the Blackwing first came out, that Simple Green and mineral oil was the way to go. That was before the cleaning kit from Donaldson was available.
I would guess if something ever did go wrong with the engine and the filter was shown to be the cause, Donaldson would be more interested in any subsequent discussions if their oil had been used, and not Johnson & Johnson's.
On a lighter note, Donaldson is a huge company, and I deal with them on filters in buildings. They stand behind their product, and I'm pretty sure that if there was a problem with their filter causing damage, they would "make it right."
Two years with Simple Green and mineral oil with no problems, I think that proves it works fine. :yesnod: :cheers:
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
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From: Bonita CA
Re: Blackwing Charge Oil (Racer44)
I spoke with Larry Hofer of the Corvette Shop here in San Diego and he told me that K&N oil was just fine. In fact he felt that you can go to any motorcycle shop and get air cleaner oil for much less than the K&N oil and use it in both the K&Ns and the Donaldson Blackwing. I am not going to worry about the K&N oil I used. If the Blackwing falls apart, I'll get a new Vararam, Larry told me they are head and shoulders better anyway.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: NEWARK Delaware
Re: Blackwing Charge Oil (Racer44)
In any event, BW specifically states you must use their oil.
:seeya
Marketing ploy, I heard from a vendor who sells them you can clean it with Simple Green and use mineral oil on them. :smash: :smash:
:seeya
Marketing ploy, I heard from a vendor who sells them you can clean it with Simple Green and use mineral oil on them. :smash: :smash:
Team Owner
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From: Manitoba/San Jose del Cabo
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St. Jude Donor '11
Re: Blackwing Charge Oil (Robert F Hayes)
Could be he's right and it could also be he's wrong. Does the vendor own one and what does he use? The blackwing stuff is not that expensive and you have to buy something, so why not by their stuff and be dead bang sure? :confused:
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: NEWARK Delaware
Re: Blackwing Charge Oil (Racer44)
Could be he's right and it could also be he's wrong. Does the vendor own one and what does he use? The blackwing stuff is not that expensive and you have to buy something, so why not by their stuff and be dead bang sure? :confused:
Why, waste money? I am sure it works. You can spend the money if you want to, I could care less. I am just saying this method works and is readily available. Make your own choices. :cheers:
Why, waste money? I am sure it works. You can spend the money if you want to, I could care less. I am just saying this method works and is readily available. Make your own choices. :cheers:
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Re: Blackwing Charge Oil (philipswanson)
:withstupid:
I guess I'm back to the beginning of this post.
New Blackwings don't have to be serviced under normal conditions for 50,000 to 100,000 miles. Most Corvettes under one owner never get driven that much.
Why buy a new Blackwing, which is beautifully clean and oiled from the factory, ready to install, and use non-approved detergent and more oil on it? And then say:
[Modified by EHS, 7:26 AM 2/28/2004]
I recently installed a Blackwing but used the K&N Oil & detergent in it. Does anyone know if it matters what kind to use. The K&N charge kits are widly available at Auto Zone, etc.
New Blackwings don't have to be serviced under normal conditions for 50,000 to 100,000 miles. Most Corvettes under one owner never get driven that much.
Why buy a new Blackwing, which is beautifully clean and oiled from the factory, ready to install, and use non-approved detergent and more oil on it? And then say:
I am not going to worry about the K&N oil I used. If the Blackwing falls apart, I'll get a new Vararam, Larry told me they are head and shoulders better anyway.
[Modified by EHS, 7:26 AM 2/28/2004]
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,840
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From: Bonita CA
Re: Blackwing Charge Oil (EHS)
I didn't buy a new Blackwing, I got a used one and it was dirty and needed a new charge. Couldn't find Donaldson oil so I went to Auto Zone and got K&N oil. Later, I called the local Donaldson distributor and they never even heard of Donaldson oil. I think the company is so big that the right hand doesn't even know what the right hand is doing. Couldn't find the oil available here in San Diego and the local Corvette Shop says don't worry about it.
Race Director
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Re: Blackwing Charge Oil (philipswanson)
I didn't buy a new Blackwing, I got a used one and it was dirty and needed a new charge. Couldn't find Donaldson oil so I went to Auto Zone and got K&N oil. Later, I called the local Donaldson distributor and they never even heard of Donaldson oil. I think the company is so big that the right hand doesn't even know what the right hand is doing. Couldn't find the oil available here in San Diego and the local Corvette Shop says don't worry about it.
