Air Filter Maintenance

Air filter service should be practiced regularly, it is the heart and life of your motor!  Here are a few tips to make your job a little easier. 

When using biodegradable oils and cleaners, clean up is a breeze and they are very friendly to the environment.  However, I have seen evidence of dust past the filter with a perfectly sealed air box in bad conditions.  If you use biodegradable oil, such as No-Toil, the cleaner will not work with heavy concentrated oils like Belay Foam Filter Oil.  You must use a solvent to break down the oil.  Once you have used the biodegradable oil, such as No-Toil, on a fresh cleaned filter, then the cleaner will work.  I still use Belay Foam Filter Oil.  It is very concentrated and it catches dirt and dust remarkably well, but you have to use a solvent to breakdown the oil, plain soap and water is not sufficient.

You should keep at least two filters on hand - one for riding and one ready for use.  I have a 3-gallon pail, which I keep filled with diesel fuel.  In this way, you can do quite a few filters before you need to change the solvent.  You can also use kerosene or mineral spirits.

o       USING CHEMICAL RESISTANT GLOVES, I take the filter that has been soaking in the pail; I agitate and squeeze the oil out of the filter.  DO NOT TWIST the filter.  You really do not have to soak it to break down the oil, but it helps. 

o       Then, I drop in my second used filter and let it soak while I am cleaning the other filter with dish washing soap and warm water to get the fine dirt and oil left over.  I then rinse from inside out to flush the remainder of the fine dirt. 

o       After cleaning with soap and warm water, I squeeze out the remaining water and use an air compressor to speed up the drying process.  However, this is not necessary.  You could just as easily hang it up for a few hours, or if you are in a hurry, use a hair dryer that has a cool button on it, so the filter does not get too hot. 

o       After my first filter is done, I repeat all the steps with the second one.  After the filters are dry, it is time to oil them.  I have heard suggestions on submerging the whole filter in oil.  This is overkill!  Your motor does not breathe well with an overly saturated filter.  Not to mention, you are wasting a considerable amount of oil.  Do not go too light either on the oil, and remember: you want protection.

o       I apply my oil using an empty dishwashing bottle.  Using disposable gloves, I squeeze out the oil from the dishwashing bottle onto the filter.  I then massage the oil into the outside of the filter uniformly until the whole filter is oiled evenly and enough.  You can tell by the light spots if you missed an area.  I utilize as much of the oil as possible by even massaging the excess oil from the gloves onto the inside of the filter.  I repeat these steps with the other cleaned filter. 

o       Allow the oil to set up for at least 20 minutes.  Then, place the oiled filters onto paper towels making sure that the rim of the filters face down so the oil soaks in fully.  I usually let both filters sit overnight, but 20 minutes is fine.  I then install one and store the other in a plastic grocery bag, ready for the next switch out. 

You will not waste any oil with this method and because you can control the amount of oil that is being applied, you will be surprised how many filters you can oil.