550xp flocked or mesh air filter?

[ZERO]

@Steve WOW, that is not good especially for a 25micron filter.
I wanted to try one of these, but your post has me thinking I should stay with my old set up.
5 gallons were run through this saw before I decided to clean the air filter.
I should have taken better pictures, intake reflection is the grease that got sucked in, no fines passing through the yellow.

 

[Steve]

@Steve WOW, that is not good especially for a 25micron filter.
I wanted to try one of these, but your post has me thinking I should stay with my old set up.
5 gallons were run through this saw before I decided to clean the air filter.
I should have taken better pictures, intake reflection is the grease that got sucked in, no fines passing through the yellow.

Ill switch back to the flocked with a grease seal and see how that goes. I wish they had a silk type like alot of the Electrolux Poulan and Dolmars had. The one on my 3500 lets nothing but air through!

 

[isaaccarlson]

I used flocked filters years ago, but could never get them as clean as original. They clogged up bit by bit over the years, so I switched to mesh and love them. They clean right up and let the same amount of super fines through as flocked filters.

 

[Derf]

I tend to think of filters as consumables. You can clean them out for a while, but eventually it’s nice to just replace them. I do the same with the filters in my car, so why not my saw? Give it a new carb kit, spark plug, fuel filter, air filter every couple seasons and I reckon if I take care of it, it will take care of me.
I also see all air filters as a trade off between filtering ability and airflow. Given the same amount of surface area, the more filtration you have the less airflow. I like the 372xp style filter the best, but second to that I like the invaginations (pleats?) on the underside of the 357xp filter. The 346/550 filters seem to have the least surface area of them all.

 

[Steve]

I also wonder about the true damage that is caused by fines entering the engine. Sone say your bearings will fail. Some say the cylinder wears out fast. I know of all the McCullochs i have every one gets fines past the flocked filter. And its been like that since the 60's. I have never seen a mac with a bering failure. I have not seen one with a chrome bore that was worn out. Just scored from no lube or air leaks.

I suppose what im getting at is can we verifie that fines drastically reduce the service life of a saw over its 300 hour rated life?

 

[Cat 525]

While talking air filters, does anyone use brake cleaner on your filters? I have and it sure cleans them up! But maybe that's the wrong thing to do! Any feedback?

 

[Steve]

Brake cleaner is hard on plastics and any adhesive that bonds the filter media to the filter frame. I have damaged a few woth brake clean. I use super clean cleaner. Let it soak a half hour and rinse it backwards with water. Works well for me.

 

[huskyboy]

While talking air filters, does anyone use brake cleaner on your filters? I have and it sure cleans them up! But maybe that's the wrong thing to do! Any feedback?

Most of the time I blew them off with compressed air when I got home. I use dish soap or simple green and water on real dirty old ones. Spray it on let it soak in and rinse from inside out. Let it dry in sun. In the woods I use a old tooth brush or paint brush.

 

[isaaccarlson]

I had fines under my flock filters before i switched, and now I have less fines, but they are still there.
No harm yet. One has been running for almost 10 years and the other is almost 20 years old.