opened up the airbox on my 94wrx the other day to find I have an apexi panel filter - how do I clean it? can't seem to find an answer on google and was just wondering if it would be ok to wash it out using something like a k&n "recharging" kit but without re-oiling it? Or would I just be better off "blowing" it out with an airgun on a compressor? the filter appears to be made of material rather than paper. any help would be much appreciated

 

Apexi panel filter...........can they be cleaned? not sure. Certainly the Green cotton ones can. Green cotton filter tested against 5 or 6 other well known panel filters came out the best in the review. Not huge power gains by any means but none the less a gain. MAF friendly as well.

What do i have?

Green Cotton Filter.

 

I think these are similar to the STi panel filters - a dry pleated fibre. The STi ones are 'disposable' even though they're not cheap - although the service life is supposed to be longer. I can't see why you couldn't clean and reuse them though. Best way would be to tap out all the crap, then carefully hoover in between each pleat to get the crap out. I'd say do it from the cold air side rather than the engine side. Blowing into filters with an air line is something that no filter manufacturer recommends because it will simply lodge tiny particles further in.