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| Last year I hired a custom harvest crew to cut wheat with me. They had two Gleaner S67's and I have 1. They blew their air filter out every morning before starting and since it was only my second year of combine ownership I began mimicking them.
As I think about it though I'm not sure why I would do that. It had a resettable indicator for the air filter. It doesn't seem short on power if I skip a day or a week. I feel like I'm more likely to damage th filter with frequent cleaning and I'm pretty sure I would rather have a plugged filter than a damaged filter even though it has a backup filter.
Our 2011 Steiger owners manual specifically says to toss the filter when you need to blow it out a fourth time. I always wait until the filter restriction alarm on the cornerlost goes off before cleaning that one.
What do the NAT experts say? |
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central - east central Minnesota - | dpilot83 - 7/8/2017 17:09 Last year I hired a custom harvest crew to cut wheat with me. They had two Gleaner S67's and I have 1. They blew their air filter out every morning before starting and since it was only my second year of combine ownership I began mimicking them. As I think about it though I'm not sure why I would do that. It had a resettable indicator for the air filter. It doesn't seem short on power if I skip a day or a week. I feel like I'm more likely to damage th filter with frequent cleaning and I'm pretty sure I would rather have a plugged filter than a damaged filter even though it has a backup filter. Our 2011 Steiger owners manual specifically says to toss the filter when you need to blow it out a fourth time. I always wait until the filter restriction alarm on the cornerlost goes off before cleaning that one. What do the NAT experts say? The owners manuals generally say - not to blow out and wait until the restriction gauge is about ready to pop or in the restricted zone. The dirty filter helps clean the air coming into the engine. A clean filter isn't as efficient at cleaning. Now, if your restriction gauge is half activated each day, then yes, I'd likely blow them out each morning . . . if you can get by for 2 or 3 days, then I'd wait. I wouldn't want to shut down in the middle of harvest to clean a restricted filter . .. . That's my 2 ¢ |
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Eastern Washington | What we have done for years... with N6, N7, and several R72s...
Never blow out the safety filter!!! But we typically blow out the main filter, daily (unless it wasn't used much). We have 2 filters for each machine, and rotate them daily, at the end of the season, we discard the older 1, and buy a new 1 for the next year. Thus, they are only 2 years old max, but are blown out regularly. However, if you start to notice they get dirtier and dirtier, check out the pre-cleaner and the plastics Venturi pieces.
I do new safety filter yearly.
Edited by DoubleJFarmsWA 7/8/2017 17:50
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Elizabethtown,KY | I've run Deere combines for years, I typically shell my whole corn crop then blow out the filter before I start on beans, I will blow it out once or twice in beans and then replace it. I never blow out the safety element, I will start with a new primary filter each year. |
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Nc Ks. | Blow the combine at least every other day, daily if really dirty conditions. Tractors at least every oil change (150 hrs) and in between depending on how dirty conditions are. Never blow inner filter. Toss and replace it. |
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Southern Ontario | Usually blow the combine filter out every day in soybeans and clover, every other day in other crops. Tractors is every other day unless really dusty conditions. Like others have said NEVER blow out the secondary or safety filter. Most say it right on the filter to not do that. If it's really dirty, replace both filters. I generally replace the secondary every other year as they don't get that dirty. |
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Bothwell ont | ive been to Volvo training for construction eq and other manufacters they all say do not blow it out run it till the indicater turns red then replace filter the more you disturb the filter the more contamination that gets in IMO |
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Hagen Brothers farms,Goodrich ND | What worked for us with the 1480 combines was to remove the air cleaner cover every day and blow out the filter can and any loose stuff outside the filter, blowing along side but never directly at the filter paper, without ever loosening or removing the filter. Only time the filter came out was 2-3 times per year when the restriction indicator tripped
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ2HViIGDeQ
Edited by Jon Hagen 7/8/2017 21:54
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Southeast Washington | We wait until the gauge is reading restriction. Try to do it before the alarm is set off. |
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| Years ago we tested for Donaldson a number of different cleaning methods. Results were what we continue to do, change when the gauge indicates. Never clean. Some applications require often changes, others rarely. |
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Northwest kansas | Its interesting seeing different people at different locations. If we would replace an air filter every time it needed to be CLEANED, then we would be buying $50 air filters everyday during wheat harvest. Unrealistic. |
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Mid-Missouri | It really depends on the application and design. Used to blow 2388 filter out very often...not the best design even when it was right. Lexion 740 requires blown out very seldom. It would go 200 hours no problem.
Dirty filter cleans better but keep in mind, the vacuum it causes is harder on engine.
Edited by seedcleaner 7/8/2017 19:12
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Ontario | i only do mine about once a year but bigger guys likely have to do it more often. of course conditions also come into play. most manuals i've read say they you should only clean them a few times before replacing and of course inner filters should never be cleaned |
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Texas/New Mexico Stateline | Yup.
Usually clean them every day in the combine, and change them every year. Especially in wheat harvest.
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| I blow out the primary filter on my tractors every hundred hours and replace them yearly (aprox every 300 hours). I replace the combine filter halfway thru harvest (about every hundred hours)
Edited by fairviewfarmer 7/8/2017 20:37
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NW in. | If your precleaners are working right you should get at least two hundred hours out of a filter. |
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Central, mn | Wait till the alarm or restrictor is full. No reason to blow them out sooner than that |
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NC Iowa | mearsy74 - 7/8/2017 17:18
ive been to Volvo training for construction eq and other manufacters they all say do not blow it out run it till the indicater turns red then replace filter the more you disturb the filter the more contamination that gets in IMO
This is correct. More dirt enters during all the fiddling around. Run it tell indicator says clean. Sometimes it can go for a week or two, sometimes one day, all depends on dust and wind direction. |
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North Liberty and South Bend, Indiana | Where is the filter restriction indicator at each day when you blow out your filters? |
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Cambridge, southwestern Nebraska | I never remove the inner filter and just change it once per year. (300 hours or so).
On the outer filter it depends on conditions but in wheat I'll blow it out every 2-3 days. In corn I'll blow it out twice per week.
Even that is likely more than I need to? I'll install a new filter every oil change. |
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S.E. Washington | Funny story I heard from a friend on a construction crew, one of the drivers got tired of cleaning his filter...so he left it out!!! Worked for about a week lol. I saw firsthand the results since I helped rebuild the engine. That was a rough outfit and they always found a new and interesting way to destroy an engine. |
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Sunnyside, WA | Never. Just change them. Too risky to blow out air filters with hired help. |
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NE ND | J. Sheehan - 7/8/2017 22:38
Never. Just change them. Too risky to blow out air filters with hired help.
I agree with this one most. I've had young bucks working for me who struggle to change oil on a chevy pickup correctly. Last thing I want him doing is screwing with air filters on my 9870STS.
On my combines I buy a new filter each year, blow out at end of wheat harvest, and run it through beans. So far, no troubles. Seems like some rigs plug up more often. My ole JD 8820 trips the light more often than the others.....filter is maybe smaller. My 4WDs make it through springs work with no cleaning, blow out before fall's work and replace in winter.
Some peoples conditions warrant more often cleaning. But if you get a hole, the dirt machines the oil control rings down to nothing. They are the first to go. |
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Dennison, IL | Blow combine filter out once a year, and never on tractors. Just replace annually. I was really interested in a tractor, an 8360r, until the owner told me they blew the air filters out everyday. To me you're asking to ruin the engine. I've never had an air filter restricted light come on either. |
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mid Illinois | They put in a restriction indicator for a reason. On my combines, I just observe where the indicator is at every time I fuel up, and once it gets up close to the red, I clean it, which many times is a week or two. Its silly, and potentially harmful to clean them more often than needed. On my tractors, we are generally not in dusty conditions, and can go many years without touching the filters. Only put 50 to 75 hours per year on some of my old tractors, and some I went 10 years without cleaning. Just tossed them, without ever cleaning them once after that many years. I know some people would be horrified going that long, but I have even seen some that after 15 years, only had a small amount of dirt in them, and inner filter was nice and white, looked like new. Same thing with fuel filters, generally only change them when I have problem. Got a couple tractors with 20 year old fuel filters, and still going great. |
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Nc Ks. | The amount of dirt I can blow out of a combine filter after just one day in extremely dirty conditions, I don't see how you could make it all harvest without cleaning. I'm old school I guess, but after 43 years I'll keep blowing them out regularly. Haven't ruined an engine yet. The poster who said they didn't buy a tractor after the owner said they blew the filter regularly is opposite of me. I would be tempted to pass on the tractor or combine whose owner said they never blew the filter. To each his own. |
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central Ia | I run mine till the restriction light is on and then replace. for those of you that blow them out what do you use and how much air pressure do you use? Been a mechanic for 40 yrs I'm not blowing out air filters |
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| 8430Aaron - 7/9/2017 01:12
Blow combine filter out once a year, and never on tractors. Just replace annually. I was really interested in a tractor, an 8360r, until the owner told me they blew the air filters out everyday. To me you're asking to ruin the engine. I've never had an air filter restricted light come on either.
I would have asked him to see the inner
If it is clean then he did not hurt the machine
like a slow growing cancer
something else will stop the machine before a daily air filter cleaning
and it depends on on how it is cleaned
JD 7700 combine the plastic would fill in a hour
put a Turbo 2 pre cleaner on, and ran for a season on two cleanings |
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Manitoba, Canada | Can you explain the test results a bit more? I am from the camp that leaves it untouched until the restriction gauge say to or until the start/end of the season. I do blow them out once or twice though before I replace them. I never touch the safety filter unless I'm going to replace it. |
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Moreauville LA | 4450 - 7/9/2017 07:39
The amount of dirt I can blow out of a combine filter after just one day in extremely dirty conditions, I don't see how you could make it all harvest without cleaning. I'm old school I guess, but after 43 years I'll keep blowing them out regularly. Haven't ruined an engine yet. The poster who said they didn't buy a tractor after the owner said they blew the filter regularly is opposite of me. I would be tempted to pass on the tractor or combine whose owner said they never blew the filter. To each his own.
This ^^^^ |
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| gmark - 7/9/2017 06:48
They put in a restriction indicator for a reason. On my combines, I just observe where the indicator is at every time I fuel up, and once it gets up close to the red, I clean it, which many times is a week or two. Its silly, and potentially harmful to clean them more often than needed. On my tractors, we are generally not in dusty conditions, and can go many years without touching the filters. Only put 50 to 75 hours per year on some of my old tractors, and some I went 10 years without cleaning. Just tossed them, without ever cleaning them once after that many years. I know some people would be horrified going that long, but I have even seen some that after 15 years, only had a small amount of dirt in them, and inner filter was nice and white, looked like new. Same thing with fuel filters, generally only change them when I have problem. Got a couple tractors with 20 year old fuel filters, and still going great.
"Same thing with fuel filters, generally only change them when I have problem"
I am changing my thoughts on the fuel
thinking I will just throw away the machine, when the fuel gets bad
so on these 42 year old machines ,I really need to read the owners manual to see when to change things LOL |
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North Central OH | 2388 here so once, twice a week, if you went till the light came on I think the housing would be full all the way back to the aspirator. |
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| J. Sheehan - 7/8/2017 22:38
Never. Just change them. Too risky to blow out air filters with hired help.
I agree, I change them myself. I never let a JD mechanic change mine either after checking the filter that they installed on my 9750 combine a few years back. It looked like they dropped it on the ground from 20 ft up and then installed it. I traded the combine after that harvest season, I hope the engine wasn't damaged. |
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Central Texas | We'll blow ours out when the indicator says it's time. If we replaced our outer filter every time it got dirty we'd really get rich off our wheat crop from this year. Maybe conditions are different in other places, but if we get a rain on our corn after it's mature I guarantee we'll be changing filters almost every day. We keep a couple spares and rotate them during the season. |
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SE MN | No way I would clean it every day. I would maybe clean it a couple times during harvest when it starts to plug and then replace it. Definitely start each season with a new filter. Check the safety element every time the primary element is out to see if it has any dirt in it. If the safety shows any dirt, replace both. Cleaning an air filter does damage to it and will eventually cause it to leak. The safety element does not filter the air like the primary, but it does alert you to a leak in the primary. Some guys will always clean them too often and have reasons for it. Having a tail wind while combining or other particular conditions will plug a filter quickly, but that doesn't change the fact that excessive cleaning of an air filter is not good for anything except putting dirt into an engine. Good luck. |
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| 4450 - 7/9/2017 07:39
The amount of dirt I can blow out of a combine filter after just one day in extremely dirty conditions, I don't see how you could make it all harvest without cleaning. I'm old school I guess, but after 43 years I'll keep blowing them out regularly. Haven't ruined an engine yet. The poster who said they didn't buy a tractor after the owner said they blew the filter regularly is opposite of me. I would be tempted to pass on the tractor or combine whose owner said they never blew the filter. To each his own.
Every time you remove the air filter you risk contamination and when you blow it out you risk damaging the filter. |
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| Ran a komatsu excavator in conditions that would cause the restriction light to come on every couple hours. So, should we have been changing filters every couple hours?
We were running inside a shed full of soymeal. We blew the whole machine down including the air filter every 1.5 hours. Radiator, condensor, exhaust, etc. Anymore than that and we would start getting embers smoldering in hot weather. |
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Moreauville LA | Steve - 7/9/2017 13:07
4450 - 7/9/2017 07:39
The amount of dirt I can blow out of a combine filter after just one day in extremely dirty conditions, I don't see how you could make it all harvest without cleaning. I'm old school I guess, but after 43 years I'll keep blowing them out regularly. Haven't ruined an engine yet. The poster who said they didn't buy a tractor after the owner said they blew the filter regularly is opposite of me. I would be tempted to pass on the tractor or combine whose owner said they never blew the filter. To each his own.
Every time you remove the air filter you risk contamination and when you blow it out you risk damaging the filter.
Ive seen days when I ran a 9600 combine that the light would come on by night, so you are saying to buy a new filter every day? |
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| Survivor - 7/10/2017 21:59
Steve - 7/9/2017 13:07
4450 - 7/9/2017 07:39
The amount of dirt I can blow out of a combine filter after just one day in extremely dirty conditions, I don't see how you could make it all harvest without cleaning. I'm old school I guess, but after 43 years I'll keep blowing them out regularly. Haven't ruined an engine yet. The poster who said they didn't buy a tractor after the owner said they blew the filter regularly is opposite of me. I would be tempted to pass on the tractor or combine whose owner said they never blew the filter. To each his own.
Every time you remove the air filter you risk contamination and when you blow it out you risk damaging the filter.
Ive seen days when I ran a 9600 combine that the light would come on by night, so you are saying to buy a new filter every day?
Well I've been running combines since in the 70s in about every condition imaginable and never plugged a filter in 1 day. If you're doing that you must have bigger problems than your air filter |
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How often do you blow out your air filters?
