S&B FAQ

S&B FAQ Questions

Questions & Answers

Cleanable (cotton) Filter vs Dry Filter, What's the Difference?

Both filters offer similar performance characteristics, so the decision comes down to would you prefer to throw away the filter or clean it. That being said, below are some other aspects you may want to consider as well.

Vehicle Warranty
If your vehicle is under warranty, using a dry filter will keep the dealer from accusing you of not cleaning your filter properly. Regardless of which filter style you choose, S&B will step in to assist you in the unlikely event you have an issue with a dealer. 

"S&B commits that our customers will not be charged for a repair due to the manufacturer denying their warranty claim because of the presence of an S&B intake kit or OE replacement filter. We warrant that using an S&B intake kit or OE filter will not result in the denial of your vehicle’s warranty."

Dusty Environment
If you operate your vehicle in conditions with lots of dry dust, we have found that customers like using a dry filter since it can be blown out with compressed air to extend the life of the filter.

Using compressed air, blow off the outside of the dry filter keeping the air nozzle moving and no closer than 6 inches to the media. This can be done while the filter is still in the vehicle. If you would like to blow it out further, remove the filter and blow it out from the inside out being careful not to concentrate the compressed air in one location in the media. While the life of our dry filters can be extended by using compressed air, ultimately, the filter must be discarded.

Our cotton/cleanable filters will protect your engine in dusty conditions as well, but they can't be blown out with compressed air as this would separate the media.

Filter Wrap
Regardless of which style of filter you utilize, we recommend that you use a filter wrap as this will keep the bugs and other big stuff out of the filter media which will extend the life of your filter and make it easier to service. 

back to top

Does an S&B cotton filter come pre-oiled?

Yes. S&B utilizes robotics to precisely apply the correct amount of oil to your filter before it ships.

back to top

Are S&B Dry Filters cleanable?

No; however, you can extend the life of an S&B dry filter by blowing it out with compressed air. We recommend using a filter wrap to keep the bugs and big stuff off the filter media. This will make it easier to blow out and will extend the life of your filter. 

How do I blow out the dry filter? 

Using compressed air, blow off the outside of the filter keeping the air nozzle moving and no closer than 6 inches to the media. This can be done while the filter is still in the vehicle. If you would like to blow it out further, remove the filter and blow it out from the inside out being careful not to concentrate the compressed air in one location in the media. 

Can I blow out a S&B Cotton (oiled/cleanable) Filter? 

Absolutely not. If you used compressed air on our cotton filters, this will separate the media and permanently damage the filter voiding all S&B warranties. 

back to top

How much oil should I apply to my filter?

The amount of oil applied to your filter is critical, so be sure to utilize the S&B Precision Cleaning & Oiling Kit to properly service your filter. We use robotics to accurately apply the oil in our factory. You can use our Precision Cleaning & Oiling Kit to accurately apply the oil in the field.

Why does the quantity of oil matter?

The oil is the primary filtering agent on a cotton filter. Too little oil and your filter will not filter properly. Applying too much oil will hurt the airflow (add restriction) and could damage sensors.   

How do I determine how much oil to use?

To determine the proper amount of oil to apply, search by the part number of your intake or search by vehicle, then click on the filter you need to oil and the correct amount will be listed under the Product Details tab.

back to top

Can I use K&N Cleaner and Oil to service an S&B filter.

No for three (3) reasons.

  1. Our cleaning solution and oil has been designed specifically for our filters.
  2. More importantly, the S&B Precision Cleaning & Oiling Kit allows you to properly apply the correct amount of oil which is critical since the oil is the primary filtering agent. Applying the incorrect amount of oil will adversely affect the performance of your filter with respect to airflow (restriction), efficiency and capacity. 
  3. S&B's Million Mile Warranty only covers filters properly maintained using S&B oil only.

back to top

How does an S&B Filters cold air intake affect my vehicles performance?

All combustion engines utilize air and fuel to generate power. 
Simply stating, increasing the amount of air entering the engine will result in an increase in power output. There are two ways to increase the amount (mass) of air consumed by the engine:  increase the volumetric airflow, or increase the air density. Modifying the engine to increase the displacement, or swapping out camshafts, are a couple ways to increase the volumetric airflow (CFM) that the engine consumes. The other way to increase engine power, by increasing air density, is what we will discuss in this article. (There is a relationship between air pressure and volumetric airflow involving volumetric efficiency, but that is outside the scope of this article). Air density is predominantly controlled by temperature and pressure. (Humidity has a small effect on air density as well with humid air being less dense than dry air).

Air Density and Temperature.
One can determine how a reduction in temperature increases air density by using a simple formula that takes the absolute air pressure and divides it by the temperature and specific gas constant. We used the standard sea-level pressure of 14.7 psi, and a specific gas constant of 53.35 to give us the graph (below). You can see that air density decreases as temperature increases.

When it comes to intake design, you simply want to pull in the coldest air possible for maximum air density. If the intake is pulling in warm air from inside the engine bay, the loss in air density will result in a loss of engine power. Many modern stock OEM intakes do a pretty good job of drawing cool ambient air from places such as the fender well or the front of the vehicle. It’s important for an aftermarket performance intake to pull cool ambient air from these same sources and to have a proper seal to prevent hotter air from the engine bay from leaking in.

back to top

When should I install the optional box plug?

One of the great benefits of our cold air intake kits is the multiple air flow configurations.

Depending on your airflow requirements, you can gain increased airflow by removing the optional box plug. We recommend removing the plug if your vehicle has other performance upgrades. Keep in mind that you are exposing you filter to more dirt and bugs therefore your filter will need to be serviced/changed more often.

We recommend in warmer temperatures to keep the plug installed to keep out excess engine heat.

back to top

Will an S&B intake kit or filter void my warranty?

Installing an S&B Intake Kit or Filter will not void your vehicle's warranty as long as you properly install and maintain your intake/filter. 

It is illegal for a dealership to void your warranty based solely on the fact that you have installed an aftermarket product. Your rights are protected by the Consumer Product Warranties Law, often referred to as the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.

If a dealer threatens to void your warranty, S&B will step in to assist you. "S&B commits that our customers will not be charged for a repair due to the manufacturer denying their warranty claim because of the presence of an S&B intake kit or OE replacement filter. We warrant that using an S&B intake kit or OE filter will not result in the denial of your vehicle’s warranty."

back to top

Are S&B intakes easy to install?

The installation process for an S&B intake kit is extremely straight forward and can usually be completed in approximately 30 minutes using only standard tools. The estimated installation time for each specific intake is printed on the installation instructions which can be viewed on the product pages on our website.

back to top

Can I ride around with the Particle Separator turned off?

When the fan is not running, it reduces the air filtration to 0%, so don't forget to turn the fan back on before you start your ride.

back to top

Can the Particle Separator be mounted behind a Windshield?

Thank you for your interest in the S&B Particle Separator. The Particle Separator will work when mounted directly behind a windshield. Just provide a 2" gap between the vortexes and the windshield and you will pull in plenty of air.

The only thing you lose by mounting it behind the windshield is RAM air, but unless you are racing, it is not necessary. You can learn more about the [Particle Separator on our website](https://www.sbfilters.com/particle-separator).

back to top

Can the Particle Separator be mounted Vertical or at an Angle?

The Particle Separator assembly will have to be installed in a horizontal position so that the dust can properly exit the exhaust. It is mandatory for the separator to be mounted in a Horizontal and Level position so the heavier debris will be ejected out of the bottom as efficiently as possible. Failure to mount the separator correctly will result in a lower separation efficiency and may lead to a restriction in the Particle Separator. 

back to top

How does the Particle Separator operate in Rain or Water Conditions?

The Particle Separator will work in rain conditions. Rain will not be an issue, with water being heavier than air, it will separate the rain like it does with dust. There's also a drain before the stock intake to let any water drain out that is not separated before hitting the air box. You should not however completely cover the intake opening, for example if a wave of water splashing over the roof completely covering the front of the separator.

The Scavenge Fan is IP55 rated and was designed to endure extremely harsh conditions which includes exposure to water and dust for over 50,000 hours of operation. S&B warranties the fan for 3 years from the date of purchase.

back to top

How loud is the Particle Separator Scavenge Fan?

As you’ll see in our sound tests below, the scavenge fan noise on the Particle Separator is not an issue for most riders. However, we do offer an optional LED Rocker Switch for those with sensitive ears and need to turn off the fan while parked and idling. When the fan is not running, it reduces the air filtration to 0%, so don't forget to turn the fan back on before you start your ride.

Sound Test Results - 2016 Polaris RZR 1000 XP4
SKU: 76-2000 Particle Separator Kit

Engine Only at Idle Fan Only Engine Off Engine and Fan at Idle
Min (dB): 77.5 Min (dB): 68.6 Min (dB): 78.9
Max (dB): 84.2 Max (dB): 70.9 Max (dB): 83.4
Peak (dB): 88.6 Peak (dB): 72.4 Peak (dB): 87.4


Sound Test Results - 2017 Maverick X3 MAX X RS Turbo R
SKU: 715004297 Particle Separator Kit

Engine Only at Idle Fan Only Engine Off Engine and Fan at Idle
Min (dB): 69.9 Min (dB): 68.6 Min (dB): 72.8
Max (dB): 71.6 Max (dB): 70.9 Max (dB): 74.0
Peak (dB): 73.9 Peak (dB): 72.4 Peak (dB): 75.5

back to top

My fan blades were broken by rocks, how can I prevent this?

If you do get roosted frequently, I recommend you get our Roost Protector. This is a wire mesh that sits above the scavenge fan, so any large pebbles won't hit the fan blades. The only downside to using this is that you need to do a pre-race inspection before each race to make sure no debris has built up on this screen as this would decrease the CFM of the scavenge exhaust which would reduce the efficiency of the Particle Separator itself.

The beauty of the Particle Separator is that it doesn't require maintenance, so unless you are getting roosted frequently, I would recommend not getting the Roost Protector and perhaps just have an extra Scavenge Fan on hand in the event the blades do get broken.

back to top

Can't find what you are looking for?

Close
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) Opt-Out IconYour Privacy Choices Notice at Collection