GX110 Air Filter Replace or Wash The Difference

Many owners wash the air filter with water once a season, hang it out to dry, and put it straight back. That habit suits a foam element, but the GX110 air filter is not foam. It is a paper element. The yellow media is pleated, and water soaks into the paper until the pleats stick together. Once it dries, the element is warped, airflow drops, and the engine feels dull at the top of the throttle.

So when is it time to replace it? Pull the element out and look at two things. Is the yellow paper clogged dark grey with dust? Are the pleats crushed or torn? If the paper has gone dark and the pleats no longer spring back, it is time. If the machine works in dusty ground, look sooner.

When you fit a new one, watch the flange. The GX110 and GX120 share this oval filter. The metal flange carries one center port, and the port points toward the intake side when the housing is closed. Bigger engines such as the GX140 and GX160 also use oval filters, but do not assume they all fit. Compare the old element, or send a photo, before ordering.

The air filter is the engine's first defense against dust. Mowers, cutters and small engines all depend on it. Do not overwash it, and do not forget to replace it. The engine answers.