I have an AF1 intake on my truck and I just cleaned the filter for the first time. I followed the cleaning instructions but the filter doesn't look much cleaner than before I cleaned it and nowhere near the color it was when it was new. My question is, is this normal? I have never had a reusable filter before so I just am not sure what to expect it to look like after a cleaning.

 

After a THOROUGH cleaning of my K&Ns (I've had 2 drop-ins and 1 FIPK) and re-oiling, they always looked like new...not sure what the issue is with your filter except I'm very liberal with the cleaning fluid and rinse.

 

same here with my K&N's.
Now I know the AF1 is blue, correct? Maybe it's color changes more easily than K&N?

 

Well, it WAS blue. Now it's a bluish gray. I was letting it dry before I reoiled and reinstalled it. After reading the replies so far, I just resprayed the cleaner on it and will try cleaning it some more.

 

Is AF1 oil blue? Maybe the K&N red oil is better at disguising the residual filth or a differing filter media affects the outcome.

 

Yes the oil is blue. When I posted yesterday I had only cleaned the filter and had not oiled it yet. After I let it dry overnight I oiled it this morning and it was blue again. Looked just like new.