Air filters are some of the most important and overlooked parts on outdoor power equipment. If you let your filters go too long between cleaning or replacement, performance can suffer. It’s also possible for air to leak around clogged filters, drawing in dirt that will quickly wear down your engine. Here’s what you should know about maintaining the filters on your Billy Goat equipment.
Paper Filter Elements
Paper elements have fine pores that trap the smallest dust particles. Most commercial engines use a paper element alone, or in combination with a foam pre-filter. Once the paper is saturated with dirt, it must be replaced.
Paper air filters need to be cleaned occasionally. Over time, surface buildup on the filter media can reduce air flow. Honda says you can use compressed air to clean their filters, as long as the air pressure is limited to 30 PSI. Other manufacturers do not recommend using air for cleaning. Instead, remove the filter from the air box, and strike it against a hard surface a couple times. This dislodges the surface dirt.
Foam Filter Elements
A foam filter traps dirt in its pores. Alone, these filters aren’t very effective. Some foam filters are oiled. The oil on the surface of the foam captures fine dust particles, making them as effective as some paper filters. As long as it’s cared for, you only need to replace a foam filter if it starts to tear.
Do you need to oil your filter? That depends on your engine. As a general rule, if you have a Briggs & Stratton engine that only uses a foam filter element, it should be oiled. If it has both foam and paper elements, it shouldn’t be oiled. Honda filters should be oiled. If you have an older piece of equipment with a Subaru engine, it may or may not need to be oiled. When in doubt, check your owner’s manual.
All foam filters should be cleaned periodically. Wash the filter with a mild soap and water to remove dirt and oil. Let it dry completely before oiling or reinstalling to keep water from getting in the engine.
To oil a clean filter, soak it in clean engine oil, then gently squeeze out any excess. Do not twist the filter. If you want to make this process mess free, put the filter and oil in a plastic bag, and squeeze the outside of the bag. You do not need to use a specialty filter oil for any engine filter used with Billy Goat equipment.
Air Boxes
When you take the filter out of the air box, wipe out any trapped dirt. This helps the air filter seal, and keeps dust from clogging the intake.
Need Parts for Your Engine?
Billy Goat Parts carries everything for your equipment, including engine parts. We’re an authorized dealer for Honda, Kohler, Vanguard and Briggs & Stratton. That means we carry the parts you need to fix your engine. Need an air filter? We have high demand parts sections on our front page for the most common Billy Goat engines. Visit us online at www.billygoatparts.com. We can ship what you need to any address in the United States or Canada.
