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Can you use 10w-30 motor oil for air filter

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Can you use 10w-30 motor oil for air filter

Old 01-23-2011, 10:27 AM
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stylicho
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Default Can you use 10w-30 motor oil for air filter

Was looking up youtube videos and the guy said I could use 30 or 40w oil. Wondering what that was. Thanks.
Old 01-23-2011, 10:36 AM
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proanti1
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Default RE: Can you use 10w-30 motor oil for air filter

I wouldn't use it, use after run oil. The oil needs to be sticky, and pretty viscous. Motor oil would just make a mess, and probably get drawn into your engine.
Old 01-23-2011, 11:01 AM
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Default RE: Can you use 10w-30 motor oil for air filter

Is this for a large scale gasser engine?
Old 01-23-2011, 11:14 AM
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Default RE: Can you use 10w-30 motor oil for air filter

I use Dexron III ATF in my air filters. Works great, nothing gets past and the oil doesn't get sucked into the engine.
Old 01-23-2011, 11:18 AM
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Default RE: Can you use 10w-30 motor oil for air filter

ANY oil will work better than no oil on the air filter.
It would only get sucked into the engine if you are dumb and use too much oil.
A sticky oil will do a better job of trapping the smallest particles though. ARO is sticky and made for the job but there are several other alternatives that are better than regular motor oil. Motorcycle air filter oil works well and is less expensive in the long run but you have to buy it in like pint or quart sizes and that much would last like 50 years... Another good alternative is chain saw bar oil, that stuff is sticky and does a great job too. If you or someone you know has a chain saw ask them to give you an ounce or two and save the $5-$8 ARO costs for the same amount.
But, if you have nothing else, ANY oil is better than nothing!
Old 01-23-2011, 02:20 PM
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Default RE: Can you use 10w-30 motor oil for air filter

As above, anything is better than nothing. that being said, go to your local automotive store and buy a bottle of air filter oil for aftermarket automotive air filters. It is a very sticky oil that comes either in a squirt bottle or an aerosol can. K&N, AIRAID, AFE, any brand will work, and for $20 you will get more than you will get more than enough to last the life of the engine.

Motor oil will help, but is not "sticky" like air filter oil. If I were to use anything other than air filter oil, it would be ATF.
Old 01-23-2011, 10:19 PM
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Default RE: Can you use 10w-30 motor oil for air filter

so whats the theory on ATF....
Old 01-24-2011, 04:37 AM
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Default RE: Can you use 10w-30 motor oil for air filter



No experience with nitro here but when I was racing motocross, and still using foam filters, UNI was the best filter oil company, and it was made specially for the job. If these are the same basic filters then dont risk your engine, use whats made for it. Any motorcycle shop will have filter oil

Old 01-24-2011, 09:30 AM
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Default RE: Can you use 10w-30 motor oil for air filter

ORIGINAL: savagecommander

so whats the theory on ATF....
The detergents in it that normally keep grit and dirt from annihilating the drums, bands and clutches in an automatic transmission also help it trap those same items before they make their way into our engines. I've been using it for six years and I've never had any evidence of dirt getting into my engines. No scratches on the crank near the intake port, no huge scratches in the sleeve/piston, nothing. Squeaky clean in there.

And trust me, I've put it to the test. I've clogged air filters with so much mud the engine stalled before. I've had them so dusty that after 5 tanks they were completely saturated with dust(See image below). Still nothing got through. Not a speck inside the engine.



Old 01-24-2011, 02:16 PM
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Default RE: Can you use 10w-30 motor oil for air filter

mmo
Old 01-24-2011, 04:03 PM
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Default RE: Can you use 10w-30 motor oil for air filter

Why use ATF? Its basically hydraulic fluid, I know from experience that it damages certain plastics and rubbers, dunno what it would do to a filter element though. Probably not the safest thing to have around an rc car.
Old 01-24-2011, 04:52 PM
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Default RE: Can you use 10w-30 motor oil for air filter


ORIGINAL: proanti1

Why use ATF? Its basically hydraulic fluid, I know from experience that it damages certain plastics and rubbers, dunno what it would do to a filter element though. Probably not the safest thing to have around an rc car.
I've been using it for six years and a schmidge over three gallons and haven't hurt a single part on my engines. IT doesn't eat the foams, it doesn't eat the boots, and it traps the dirt nicely.

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