Thanks to Will for this guide!
Original forum post: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=17375
First off, this is how a BMC Air Filter works, so you can understand where the element fits and how critical it is that it is clean and well-oiled:
You'll need a proper BMC Cleaning kit. This seems to be a good source: LINK
Step 1: Remove the BMC CDA from Your Car
You will notice that on each end is written either “Engine Side” or “Air Flow Side.” Remove the four screws located on the outer carbon fibre casing at the “Air Flow Side.” You can now slide the internal filter element out of its casing. At this point, gently tap the filter element with your fingers to remove any loose debris.
Step 2: Prepare the Cleaning Area
Place the filter element in an old washing-up bowl or a bucket at a slight angle, as shown below:
As you can see, the filter element was quite dirty and definitely needed a thorough clean. The next step is to use the detergent supplied with the cleaning kit. Attach the nozzle to the bottle and then proceed to dispense the fluid evenly into all the contours of the filter, as shown below:
The detergent will begin to break down the dirt and oil in the filter, which will drain out of the bottom and collect in the bowl/bucket. Once the entire filter has been fully coated, leave the detergent to work for about 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, you should see that a lot of dirt, oil, and grime has collected in your bowl/bucket. However, your filter may still be discoloured or blackened from remaining contaminants:
Step 3: Rinse the Filter
Now, gently rinse the filter with clean water to remove the remaining contaminants. You can either place your filter under a household tap with mildly warm water at very low pressure, as I did, or use a beaker of water and gently dispense it over the filter.
In my case, it took about five minutes of slowly rotating the filter under the tap and gently rubbing it with my fingers (wearing latex gloves to avoid contact with chemicals) to remove the last contaminants. Shake the filter to remove any trapped water, and then carefully pat the outside of the filter dry with kitchen paper.
Step 4: Let the Filter Dry
Leave the filter to dry naturally. DO NOT attempt to speed up the drying process with a hair dryer or similar. I personally left my filter for 24 hours indoors to let it fully dry.
Step 5: Create a Simple Tool for Re-Oiling
To help with the re-oiling process, you’ll need a small piece of clear rubber pipe (commonly used in fuel lines) about 30 cm (12 inches) long and a small wooden cane of the same length. Both of these items were sourced from my local hardware shop.
You will also need some duct tape to assemble this tool, which will make use of the second dispensing nozzle provided with the cleaning kit:
Step 6: Apply Oil to the Filter
Using this tool, you can easily dispense the oil deep within the filter. Apply the oil sparingly to the internal contours of the filter:
Make sure you have plenty of absorbent paper towels to soak up any excess oil that passes through the filter. To check that the filter is sufficiently coated, hold it up to the light—the element should have a red/orange glow, as shown below:
Step 7: Let the Filter Drain
For about 30 minutes (or longer if you’ve used too much oil), lay the filter on its side and rotate it every five minutes. This allows any excess oil to drain out. Make sure to have plenty of absorbent paper towels to hand.
Once the excess oil has drained, gently pat the filter dry with some clean, lint-free absorbent paper. It’s now time to refit the filter, following the reverse order of how you removed it initially.
Original forum post: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=17375
How to Clean Your BMC Air Filter
First off, this is how a BMC Air Filter works, so you can understand where the element fits and how critical it is that it is clean and well-oiled:
You'll need a proper BMC Cleaning kit. This seems to be a good source: LINK
Step 1: Remove the BMC CDA from Your Car
You will notice that on each end is written either “Engine Side” or “Air Flow Side.” Remove the four screws located on the outer carbon fibre casing at the “Air Flow Side.” You can now slide the internal filter element out of its casing. At this point, gently tap the filter element with your fingers to remove any loose debris.
Step 2: Prepare the Cleaning Area
Place the filter element in an old washing-up bowl or a bucket at a slight angle, as shown below:
As you can see, the filter element was quite dirty and definitely needed a thorough clean. The next step is to use the detergent supplied with the cleaning kit. Attach the nozzle to the bottle and then proceed to dispense the fluid evenly into all the contours of the filter, as shown below:
The detergent will begin to break down the dirt and oil in the filter, which will drain out of the bottom and collect in the bowl/bucket. Once the entire filter has been fully coated, leave the detergent to work for about 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, you should see that a lot of dirt, oil, and grime has collected in your bowl/bucket. However, your filter may still be discoloured or blackened from remaining contaminants:
Step 3: Rinse the Filter
Now, gently rinse the filter with clean water to remove the remaining contaminants. You can either place your filter under a household tap with mildly warm water at very low pressure, as I did, or use a beaker of water and gently dispense it over the filter.
In my case, it took about five minutes of slowly rotating the filter under the tap and gently rubbing it with my fingers (wearing latex gloves to avoid contact with chemicals) to remove the last contaminants. Shake the filter to remove any trapped water, and then carefully pat the outside of the filter dry with kitchen paper.
Step 4: Let the Filter Dry
Leave the filter to dry naturally. DO NOT attempt to speed up the drying process with a hair dryer or similar. I personally left my filter for 24 hours indoors to let it fully dry.
Step 5: Create a Simple Tool for Re-Oiling
To help with the re-oiling process, you’ll need a small piece of clear rubber pipe (commonly used in fuel lines) about 30 cm (12 inches) long and a small wooden cane of the same length. Both of these items were sourced from my local hardware shop.
You will also need some duct tape to assemble this tool, which will make use of the second dispensing nozzle provided with the cleaning kit:
Step 6: Apply Oil to the Filter
Using this tool, you can easily dispense the oil deep within the filter. Apply the oil sparingly to the internal contours of the filter:
Make sure you have plenty of absorbent paper towels to soak up any excess oil that passes through the filter. To check that the filter is sufficiently coated, hold it up to the light—the element should have a red/orange glow, as shown below:
Step 7: Let the Filter Drain
For about 30 minutes (or longer if you’ve used too much oil), lay the filter on its side and rotate it every five minutes. This allows any excess oil to drain out. Make sure to have plenty of absorbent paper towels to hand.
Once the excess oil has drained, gently pat the filter dry with some clean, lint-free absorbent paper. It’s now time to refit the filter, following the reverse order of how you removed it initially.
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