Cleaning air filters?

[Buddy L]

Didn't want to hi-jack other threads so thought id start this one.

Reckless mention in the thead about the KTM300 about the way he cleans the air filter.

I clean mine differently, and just woundering which is the best way or how many different ways people do this simple task.

I used to do the NO-Toil method, but after buying it a few time and getting sick of having sticky hands(couldn't be assed with gloves or plastic bags, i went back to the basic motor oil method.

All I do is wash air filter in petrol twice (i know its bad for the filter but its still feels and looks new inside and out after 50 hours) and leave out to evaporate.
Then oil with motor oil and grease around the base of the filter, and reinstall
It might not go down with the greenies very well, but it works for me, and the filter is always spot less.;)

You know if you over oil the filter, as you have a smoke cloud behind you when you ride:pinch:

[noobi]

I use turps to get most of the crud off, them soak in warm soapy water, leave for a while, oil, reinstall

[oldskool]

I use turps to get most of the crud off, them soak in warm soapy water, leave for a while, oil, reinstall
I've been told kerosene doesn't dry out synthetics like turps does. You don't want to prematurely perish the foam else you may get bits of foam flaking off into your carby.

[noobi]

i've been told kerosene doesn't dry out synthetics like turps does. You don't want to prematurely perish the foam else you may get bits of foam flaking off into your carby.

i c.......

[speights_bud]

I've been told kerosene doesn't dry out synthetics like turps does. You don't want to prematurely perish the foam else you may get bits of foam flaking off into your carby.

Yet kero is more of a fuel/oil based product, it wont get the filter feeling 'dry' i don't think but it's probably just as good :yes: but then again i ride road bike so don't take me too seriously! :ROFL:

[barty5]

i use K&n air filter cleaner (we use in w/shop have heaps of it) and then let it dry and the motorex spray on oil easy to use little to no mess. I also spray the inside of air box withit as well reduses the aount of dust the eds up in the filter (i use crc brake/parts cleaner to clean air box before air filter is removed) spray can is your freind

[4stroke]

i use no use a bit of brake clean to clean my hands, no different to getting petrol on ya hands...

[flyingcr250]

i used to use the twin air system, but now i just use some of my premix petrol to clean it then oil it with that castrol spray on filter oil. most people OVER oil their filters when they use the pour on syrup stuff

[marks]

local bike shop has a yz450 with a blown big end sitting waiting for the owner to get some moolah together. Rider used engine oil on the air filter and rode on the beach a lot.

Engine was full of sand, piston was badly scored and bigend rooted.

I'd rather have sticky fingers than a blown motor

[B0000M]

local bike shop has a yz450 with a blown big end sitting waiting for the owner to get some moolah together. Rider used engine oil on the air filter and rode on the beach a lot.

Engine was full of sand, piston was badly scored and bigend rooted.

I'd rather have sticky fingers than a blown motor


yea'

the stickier it is on your hands the better of a job its doing

[FlangMasterJ]

Kero x 3, warm soapy water x 3 then thoroughly rinse with cold water. Oil with Spectro spray on air filter oil.

[pete.ktm]

Get a box of 100 vinyl disposable gloves from repco/supercheap ~$13.

Don't know if i was soaking them too long but Kero and Turps seemed to cause the seams of the twin-air filter to fall apart after a few washes so i do something that was in an ADB mag a while ago.

Get one of the 4 litre commercial air filter cleaners from a bike shop, but 3 litres in one sealable container and 1 litre in another. dunk the dirty cleaner in the 3 litre container to get most of the dirt off, then dunk it in the 1 litre to give it a bit more of a clean. reseal the containers to re-use next time.

Wash the filter in warm soapy water, leave a dry for a couple of days and then re-oil with bel-ray filter oil, the bel-ray stuff is the thickest stuff i've found yet. and do all this the day before your ride coz if needs a bit of time for some of the additives to evaporate.

Then throw away the 5 pairs of gloves you've used to keep your hands soft and beautiful.

[thommo77]

NO TOIL kit for me

[Benjiboi]

Is it wrong to use an airgun or would it just not do a good enough job??

[kezzafish]

Is it wrong to use an airgun or would it just not do a good enough job??

eeeeeerp.... wrong

[B0000M]

Is it wrong to use an airgun or would it just not do a good enough job??

wont do anything to an oiled filter....

[Buddy L]

Is it wrong to use an airgun or would it just not do a good enough job??

If your blowing out your Car's or road Bikes paper filter then maybe, but not for off road foam filters.
Over Oiling can also make your bike run like shit:pinch:
Bike was having trouble sucking air through it:whistle: as it was so thick, haven't made that mistake again, took along time to find out that problem.:angry2:

[vr4king]

No Toil again...........wash hands in filter cleaner after youve oiled it easy as pie

[Reckless]

My method only take it or leave it!

Firstly get an air box plug thingy? (https://www.ktm-parts.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=59006098100) for the bike ($25ish) remove the dirty filter, stuff a rag in the hole to catch any drips that may get past the plug thingy, then fit the airbox plug thingy to block the hole and clean the inside of the airbox when you clean the bike.

Then the filter
Fresh kero wash (gets the oil and most of the crud out)
Soap wash x 1 but x 2 if its real dirty, been to the Sandpit or can see any grit in the bucket after x 1.
Rinse x 2
Leave overnight to dry
Put into plastic supermarket bag & Pour on some Motul Filter oil
Squeeze through using the bag
Add more to any bits that look un oiled and Squeeze through
Turn the filter in the bag then put the cradle in the filter using the bag.
(I've been meaning to get some of those rubber gloves for a year now!)
Grease the rim (using the bag to hold the filter)
Install in the bike still using the bag, making sure its seated properly all the way around. Its easy to get one corner sitting up in the Ktm.
Still get a bit of shit on my hands but not to bad

Been thinking of modifying this method for cleaner hands. Looking at the way the Ktm Filter sits in the bike, looks like I could do all the cleaning, grease the rim then put it in the bike and use spray on filter oil after its in the bike. But I get all my Motul products at a good rate through a good mate so have stuck with pour on, rather than spray. I get no drips out the bottom of the bike either always used to with spray on?
Buy the Kero from Mini Tankers in Mays Rd, Onehunga in 20l drum $50-00, that was a year ago but I've just run out so not sure of the price now.

[malfunconz]

dont know bout using brake clean on ya hands , that stuff is absorbed into the skin , after a while youll get a twitch

[takitimu]

Interesting thread, just curious what others do with the petrol/kero after you clean the filter ?.

My technique is ( 2-3 filters @ a time ).

- Petrol rough clean.
- Petrol get the rest out.
- wash out with water
- 2*dish washing detergent & wash out.
- Hang to dry or clothes dryer if running late.
- Motul oil in a sealable bag & use another one to get excess off.
- Grease the lip & put it on & ready to go.

Put it all back together & have the top off the hand cleaner to make cleaning up easier :).

[B0000M]

my teqnique involves saving all filters for a mass clean and re oil - usually about 8-9 filters at a time,

kero to wash the bulk of the shit out

soapy water to get them properly clean

soapy water again if not clean enough

leave them in the sun to dry

re oil them, no gloves, no bag, fuck it i just end up with oily shit all over my hands no matter what i try anyway.

oiling inside and out with sticky goopy castrol liquid - though id like to find another slightly thinner option for cheap something like the motul stuff.

put the ones needing to go in bikes in the bikes, then put the rest in shopping bags tied up


edit: also liquid soap / dishwashing liquid & washing power (together) makes an awesome hand cleaner

[tnarg]

I just wash mine in petrol and if im real keen will rinse with soapy water. Leave it to dry then use spray airfilter oil and some grease around the rim. Pretty simple really.

[honda_power]

just a bucket of hot water with half a scoop of laundry washing powder sprinkled over the filter... gets the sticky blue shit straight out

[flyingcr250]

Interesting thread, just curious what others do with the petrol/kero after you clean the filter ?

its good for killing weeds........ or the neighbours cat:2thumbsup

[Buddy L]

its good for killing weeds........ :2thumbsup

Same here, you can see where i have been,:banana:

also helps to get ride of any stale fuel you might have laying around:Pokey:

[B0000M]

Interesting thread, just curious what others do with the petrol/kero after you clean the filter ?.
.

lol, weeds, or round the back of the shed.... same with waste oil, petrol.... its my "hazardous goods sump" aherm......:sweatdrop

[cheese]

dont know bout using brake clean on ya hands , that stuff is absorbed into the skin , after a while youll get a twitch

Ha ha that would explain a few things.......

I just use no toil. Its so much easier. I used to use petrol to clean them and then spoapy water. I always found that the soapy water would stink of petrol and not be very effective.

No toil is soooooo much easier. It comes with a detergent which washes all teh oil out. You can then use soapy water as required. I find that the soapy water is more effective and doesn't stink like solvents. Plus my garage is under my house so having a garage stinking like petrol makes my house stink like petrol. Yuck.

Also with notoil, you can throw the filters in the washing machine (once they have had the oil washed out) for a really good clean.

My best bit of advice. get about 4 filters. makes life easier when you just clean a bunch at once.

[4stroke]

if ya lazy enough, and read the no toil insturctions you can put the filter in the washing machine with some no toil cleaner and wash it like that, dont get caught tho, the mrs might murda ya...

[flyingcr250]

if ya lazy enough, and read the no toil insturctions you can put the filter in the washing machine with some no toil cleaner and wash it like that, dont get caught tho, the mrs might murda ya...

ive heard the no toil degreaser will only work on no toil filter oil, because the whole system is environmentaly friendly. is that the case???

[vr4king]

Or no toil in the dishwasher works..............not sure if its a one brand thing but it seems to work well when used with all 3 products cleaner,oil,grease

Only dislike it the rim gease(damm that sounds wrong) seems to have like a clear liquid when you first squeeze the tube to apply it

[4stroke]

i wont usrim grease, its a arse of an idea if your bike is a bit tight to get the air filter in and out, generaly just give it a lil xtra oil on the rim, yeah it supose to enviromentaly freindly

[barty5]

If your blowing out your Car's or road Bikes paper filter then maybe, but not for off road foam filters.
Over Oiling can also make your bike run like shit:pinch:
Bike was having trouble sucking air through it:whistle: as it was so thick, haven't made that mistake again, took along time to find out that problem.:angry2:

NO that will fuck your cars filters as well if its paper or cloth and it dirty throw the dam thing away blowing it out will only trash it moves all the fibers/cloth them it dosnt do what its ment to.

[Buddy L]

dam garage reckoned they just gave my filter a blow with the air gun at my last service and it didn't need replaceing!!!!!!!
Can't be arsed servicing my ute, only my bikes

[warewolf]

Air filter oil is like a glue that never quite sets, so it both stays in place in the filter and holds the dirt. Engine oil is simply the wrong thing to use in a modern filter.

I've long used NoToil with success. Recently swapped to motorex and it is very messy in comparison. My mate who was using motorex has swapped to NoToil and is well impressed! I'll be swapping back when this motorex oil is used up.


ive heard the no toil degreaser will only work on no toil filter oil, because the whole system is environmentaly friendly. is that the case???Not true. Also, the notoil oil does not wash out in water (ie if you dunk your airbox); it washes out in detergent and water.

A notoiled filter almost rinses clean as soon as it is put in the notoil detergent. The oil & dirt just seems to fall right off. Notoil cleaner on regular air filter oil has to work a bit harder (need a bit stronger concentration of detergent) but still works fine. You can also boost your notoil detergent with regular laundry powder, if your filters are really dirty and/or using other brand oil.


Only dislike it the rim gease(damm that sounds wrong) seems to have like a clear liquid when you first squeeze the tube to apply itKnead the tube to mix it before you use it. It separates a little when left standing.

[warewolf]

Its easy to get one corner sitting up in the Ktm.The filter cage has been redesigned as a result. That troublesome back corner now has an extended ridge of plastic in that corner to guide the filter in to place. There are also now 3 pegs to hold the filter on the cage, instead of 1. If you need another filter, it's worth getting the upgraded cage, too.

[Reckless]

The filter cage has been redesigned as a result. That troublesome back corner now has an extended ridge of plastic in that corner to guide the filter in to place. There are also now 3 pegs to hold the filter on the cage, instead of 1. If you need another filter, it's worth getting the upgraded cage, too.


Funny enough I had the problem on the 08 not the 03? Lucky it was one of those damp enough not to be dusty and dry enough not to be muddy days after rain in the Fire breaks behind Whitianga over Xmas. Man some of those where steep! I reckon overall the 03 filter is easier to position in the hole than the 08 one? On the more modern cage the lips on the cage don't seem to protrude past the filter edge (where the grease is) as far. Its not a problem though, once you know to be a bit careful and check it properly.

[camchain]

You wouldn't get me using anything other than proper super-viscous and extra-tacky foam filter oil. No air filter is 100% effective so you need the best protection you can get.

During the ride, as airfilter is doing it's job of crap collecting - the available surface area for continued collection of crap is reducing all the time. More chance of nasty stuff finding it's way into the engine.

I use kero then laundry powder/water. I've found for first cleaning stage, dabbing filter into kero grubby side down and wiping at the same time, 95% of the crap drops off and this helps avoid contaminating the nice clean inside part of filter. I always turn them inside out after cleaning to check as well. I'm a fussy filter cleaner but I sometimes get a stray bit of sand/grit on the inside that needs to be tweezered out.

I like to let a freshly oiled filter sit out in the open for half an hour or more. Gives time for all the carrier to evaporate properly and get to max stickyness.

This is probably true for all types, but I noticed the No Toil oil needed a good shake before using, otherwise you get left with a strange (but important looking) thick goo at bottom of container.

Booom I wish I had your airfilter sponsor! I can't afford that many spares. lol
Extra filters definitely the way to go. I couldn't live with having to clean just one filter every time.

[B0000M]

Booom I wish I had your airfilter sponsor! I can't afford that many spares. lol
Extra filters definitely the way to go. I couldn't live with having to clean just one filter every time.

thats divided between my bike, mrs's bike and usually a mate's bike which seems to live in my shed... i wish i had that many filters for my 1 bike too!

[marks]

we wash our filters in kero and then air dry for a few days before oiling with spectro filter oil (horrible sticky stringy stuff).

I have recently been told that not washing out the kero can dilute the air filter oil. We never seen any evidence of dirt getting past -but then maybe we never would?

Thoughts?

[4stroke]

you'd see the dirt on the piston when you do the rebuild, you can see the build up on the crown and in the valve pokets.

[Reckless]

The soap wash we do directly after the Kero rinse takes care of this Marks. You'd be surprised how much more crap comes out and its only a squirt of Dynamo out of my hand cleaner bottle into a bucket, no big deal.

To all in general, we are not talking about a long drawn out task here, only takes 10-15 mins max to wash and oil a filter if you take out the drying time.

But if you want to test your theory marks mix a little Kero with a little Filter oil and see if it changes the consistency/tackyness of the filter oil.

[Reckless]

you'd see the dirt on the piston when you do the rebuild, you can see the build up on the crown and in the valve pokets.


You reckon you'd see grit on the inside of the boot just after the filter 4stroke? or is there to much vapour coming out the back of the carb which keeps that area washed?

[crazyxr250rider]

I just chuk mine in the washing machine with the overals at the workshop with normal clothes powder(they come out spottless) then re oil with normal castrol airfilter oil (the stuff in a bottle not the spray can type)
has to be a hot wash though otherwise it doesnt do shit

[thommo77]

ive heard the no toil degreaser will only work on no toil filter oil, because the whole system is environmentaly friendly. is that the case???

I think so. You'd need to clean the filter with something else the first time. After that, use the No Toil cleaner and oil in conjunction.