SuzukiSavage.com - Print Page

SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Agh! Cut-off car air filter in air box.
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1303145286

Message started by Fujisawa Rob on 04/18/11 at 09:48:06

Title: Agh! Cut-off car air filter in air box.
Post by Fujisawa Rob on 04/18/11 at 09:48:06

So...going through my initial maintenance (bike isn't even registered yet), found that the previous owner had cut an automotive air filter in half and stuck it in the airbox). Needless to say, it doesn't seal well. I've got filters on order.

Admittedly, I should have checked the filter BEFORE buying the bike.

Anyway, I've been going through threads reading about air filters. I like the idea of a cone filter, but I worry about water and excessive dust. I live on a limerock/dirt road.

Has anyone tried a foam filter, like the type you see on lawnmowers? Would this be too restrictive?

Title: Re: Agh! Cut-off car air filter in air box.
Post by Serowbot on 04/18/11 at 10:40:57

Foam is great, and not too restrictive at all,... until it gets dirty... Which is a good thing, ... you want it to pick up the dirt and dust instead of letting it into your engine...
If you're in a dusty place,.. keeping the stock air box and using a foam filter in there is better than a cone.
There is a DIY foam filter for the stock box in the tech section...

Title: Re: Agh! Cut-off car air filter in air box.
Post by Fujisawa Rob on 04/18/11 at 11:21:34

7563746971646972060 wrote:

Do you mean:
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1183640744

I saw that, very interesting. Unfortunately, I don't have a stock filter to cut up yet. What about the type of foam used in upholstery, in sheets? Would oiling it help?

Title: Re: Agh! Cut-off car air filter in air box.
Post by Serowbot on 04/18/11 at 11:44:20

I would use "filter foam" because it's designed for the purpose... You can buy it at bike shops and it's not expensive.
You must oil foam filters or they do nothing. Not dripping, just lightly and evenly coated. They sell special filter oil, but I find it to be sticky and messy... Regular old 30wt or any other wt oil will work fine.
I would design the filter to be removable, so that you could squeeze the oil into the foam for even distribution... if you can't do it this way, you'll have to buy filter oil because that can be sprayed on and don't need squeezed. Not as good, because it only coats the surface, but okay...
Clean with soapy water, rinse , dry , and re-oil...
K/N fabric filters must be oiled too... same process, just more delicate (no squeezing)...
I've used both in my bike,... and see no performance difference.
Foam will do more filtering... but, it's easy to over oil it. K/N's just won't take that much oil, but I suspect aren't as good at filtering either...
All filters will perform better in an airbox rather than in the open, and they will stay cleaner. Going to an external is a cosmetic, or space/weight saving mod only.

Title: Re: Agh! Cut-off car air filter in air box.
Post by Fujisawa Rob on 04/18/11 at 12:04:05

Thanks for the info. I'll look for some bulk foam locally at a shop. I'm thinking I'll put some sort of mesh, such as hardware cloth, on the carb side to give the filter material rigidity and keep it from getting sucked into the snorkel. Given the dusty environment (my poor Lincoln is perpetually dirty - she looks good when clean!), I think the dirt bike style solution sounds pretty good!