SuzukiSavage.com - Print Page

SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> stock airbox cover mod
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1442251395

Message started by hotprops on 09/14/15 at 10:23:15

Title: stock airbox cover mod
Post by hotprops on 09/14/15 at 10:23:15

stock s40 and it looks like like not much air can get past all the wires and one of those little square tack thingy s i put there. so thinking of drilling the removable airbox cover i am sure the guys on here have some good ideas so i will wait to get some advice , thx

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by digitaltrucker on 09/14/15 at 10:49:09

The plastic airbox cover can be removed entirely with no real problems, since unfiltered air can't get around the filter itself. You'll just have to make sure nothing builds up in there. It will change the sound of the engine under load, you'll realize just how loud the intake is.

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/14/15 at 10:58:18

I removed the Rubber snorkel on top. I had a cam , Supertrapp, modified header, jets, airflow easily kept up.

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by Dave on 09/14/15 at 12:01:56

Occasionally even the most careful rider will get caught in the rain, and sometimes those storms can be pretty intense. Add to that the spray from your tires and the traffic in front of you....and there isn't too many places that won't be receiving a good water bath while you are riding.

The stock airbox is designed to keep water out of the carb inlet box when you are either caught riding in the rain....or the bike is sitting in the rain. When you start cutting/drilling on the filter box - you are compromising the "waterproofing" of the engine.

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by hotprops on 09/15/15 at 12:00:50

dave good point .i have to look for the removable thing on the top also what about a few holes drilled on the top of the cover? my airplane has its filter up front and center and actually likes a little water shoved down its intake .it also had a paper filter for many years. just looking for the best way of doing this.thx

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by Dave on 09/15/15 at 12:33:17

You could always just pop the door off....and see if the additional air flow makes any difference in the way the bike runs.

I know it will make a difference in the way the bike sounds under full throttle....as you will hear the engine intake noises more.

Do some timed full throttle runs.....say high gear from 50 - 70 mph uphill or something similar. This will help you see actual results....and not just the change in sound. Sometimes these changes can make flat spots that actually slow the bike down - but it feels faster as you can feel the surge when the bike leaves the rpm where the flat spot occurs.

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by Dave on 09/15/15 at 12:36:29

7473686C6E736C6F1C0 wrote:

My airplane has its filter up front and center and actually likes a little water shoved down its intake.

I learned to fly in a 1946 8A Luscombe, and I remember the little square air filter being right up front.

I had never really thought about what happens to that filter when it is raining! :o

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by old_rider on 09/15/15 at 15:06:04

You could always look in the for sale section and see if anyone is selling an old airbox after modding to cafe' or bobber.
Then use the old cover and drill one, then drive, then two, drive, ect.. and find the best "atmosphere".

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by Boogie_with_Stu on 09/15/15 at 16:47:23

There is an actual scientific term for what you are describing. It's called "re-inventing the wheel".

So when you say you installed a "little square tach thinghy" I am going to take a leap and guess you have one of those cheapo LCD tachometers mounted under the seat? Just laying on top of all the wiring, or is it secured? If that is the case, couldnt you just extend the wire and put it on the fender behind the rectifier/regulator?

Regardless, the engineers at Suzuki designed the air intake for maximum fuel economy and best performance under many different driving conditions. But YOU think your carb needs more air? Are you having performance issues?

If you are a tinkerer and just want to mess with it for kicks, that's cool. having had some carb issues I try to stay away from messing with the air/fuel stuff, but hey.....knock yourself out 8-)

I wouldnt think that drilling holes in the interior plastic filter cover would do jack due to the metal cover that goes over the top of it....or were you planning to swiss cheese the metal cover as well? That I think, would be a mistake unless you louvered it and screened it somehow. I'm usually a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" kinda guy, but that's just me.

I recently moved my rectifier/regulator from under the seat to the area where the tool bag usually goes. I was worried about it getting too hot so I cut a couple of 2" holes in the chrome cover and installed some vents. I'll post a pic below.
A vent like that mounted on the metal side cover might work and not be as susceptible to rain and road debris.

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by hotprops on 09/15/15 at 22:10:39

thanks Stu, all info here is good . i only use the tach to adjust idle and keep track of hours between service. it is the one from northern tool not the china ko. more air is always good ,lack of is not so good ,it will take only what it NEEDS . so for now i will wait for some more ideas. so your rectifier ,charger must have been broken thus you did all that work ,and i am now worried that must be taken care of asap . please explain why i should put this on the top of the list, of things to do . thanks

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/15/15 at 22:55:11

Have you pulled the snorkel?
If you think it needs air, then it is rich.
How's your plug?

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by hotprops on 09/16/15 at 11:51:26

Justin do you mean the air inlet rectangle plastic thing ? iridium plug looks good.

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by Dave on 09/16/15 at 12:47:53

You do realize that for most throttle settings....there is not going to be any difference in performance. Even when cruising down the interstate at 70 mph you likely don' have more than half throttle...and the stock air cleaner and air box are not causing a restriction.

At some point high in the rpm range at full throttle.....maybe it causes some reduction in the amount of airflow into the engine - I really don't know. It could be that the CV carb and mild cam really are not affected by the air box.....the only way to know for sure is to do some acceleration testing and find out. If there is more air made available at high air flow conditions (full throttle and high rpm) - then you may have to install a richer main jet to compensate for the extra airflow.

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by hotprops on 09/16/15 at 13:09:17

ok just got a idea i hooked up a sensitive vacuum gauge to the puke tube and started it up. gauge was pulling 1/4 inch at high rpm .i think 0 is the correct # this is with the air filter out.

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by Dave on 09/16/15 at 13:47:07

080F1410120F1013600 wrote:

ok just got a idea i hooked up a sensitive vacuum gauge to the puke tube and started it up. gauge was pulling 1/4 inch at high rpm .i think 0 is the correct # this is with the air filter out.

The puke tube (drain) is on the engine side of the air filter element.....not sure if you will ever get that to read 0. Insert the hose from the vacuum gauge down through the snorkel so it is on the other side of the filter, and that will show you if the snorkel inlet is causing any restriction....or if the air filter element is the only measurable restriction.

It would be nice if somebody did the same test with the K&N drop in element....and confirmed that it allows more air flow than the stock paper filter.

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by hotprops on 09/16/15 at 14:53:37

see above,air filter on work bench. new btw

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/16/15 at 19:14:44

52554E4A48554A493A0 wrote:

Justin do you mean the air inlet rectangle plastic thing ? iridium plug looks good.

It's rubber, on top.

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by Boogie_with_Stu on 09/16/15 at 21:44:11

hotprops, I did not NEED to re-locate the rectifier/regulator unit at all. My bike has 4K miles on it.

I moved it because I am looking at going with a single solo seat, and the rect/reg would have been visible/exposed. Some guys like the RYCA converts just slap it on top of the battery box or inside the airbox. I opted for a more creative solution. It took a while to get it how I liked it visually, but it wasnt :difficult" at all and cost me less than $20 for all of the parts. Job was done with basic hand tools.

I have read of R/R's going bad, but never read a story where one failed "prematurely" unless the bikes wiring had been messed with. They are fairly durable units.

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by WD on 09/19/15 at 12:48:10

Pull the snorkel and the inner door from behind the right side panel. I run a solo seat and an FLH rear fender on my 03 (as I did on my deceased 98 custom). You will have to dial out a bit of low/mid "bog", unless you wait for the bike to get fully warmed up before riding. Once the engine is warm, there is absolutely no difference in operation (rejetted +1 on both, no white spacer modifications).

Have had 2 Savages, both with the airbox door and snorkel removed, reg rec in the airbox. The 98 lasted 25K or so before the electrical system melted down, the 03 is going strong closing in on 50K. The 98 burned up courtesy of an alternator issue.

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by chzeckmate on 09/23/15 at 02:46:51

I made the polyfil high flow filter and removed my airbox door. It makes a slight performance improvement under certain riding conditions. There is plenty of space between the metal cover and the door to allow for more airflow. I don't have any flat spots and I ride in the wet all the time and no issues with that either. There's a lot more debris getting caught by the filter, but I've got tons of polyfil left so I can make a clean filter anytime I like. I'd recommend trying it.

000D0D050B074F150B160A4F111617620 wrote:

...I have read of R/R's going bad, but never read a story where one failed "prematurely" unless the bikes wiring had been messed with. They are fairly durable units.

I'm not sure what prematurely means, but mine certainly failed at 12.5k miles and no wiring had been messed with. It happens, but you're right that it shouldn't be a general concern.

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by Boogie_with_Stu on 09/25/15 at 10:26:18

Yeah chzeckmate...I would consider 12K "pre-mature". Luckily that seems to be the exception.

They arent radically expensive...I bought a spare when I first bought the bike (was in a grab bag of spare parts). Since it is plug-n-play I keep it in my saddlebags.

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by marekbuk on 09/28/15 at 06:52:18

I'm in the process of fitting an old Triumph filter as I've covered the snorkel intake with wiring and solenoid with my single seat bobber conversion.

Will report back when fitted.

I remember the days when we used to remove these filters from The Bonneville and replace with 'Bell-mouth' intakes - ie. no filter at all!

I wonder what it did to the engine in the long term - the sound from the intakes when opened up was tremendous

filter pic:

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by Dave on 09/28/15 at 08:08:49

363A293E30392E305B0 wrote:

I remember the days when we used to remove these filters from The Bonneville and replace with 'Bell-mouth' intakes - ie. no filter at all!

I wonder what it did to the engine in the long term - the sound from the intakes when opened up was tremendous

Well.....those old bike could barely go 20,000 miles without complete engine overhauls. Today the bikes can last far longer if you keep clean oil and clean air going into them.

Title: Re: stock airbox cover mod
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/28/15 at 11:36:41

5954545C525E164C524F5316484F4E3B0 wrote:

When I had a Ford van, the electronic ignition was controlled by a module on the inner fender. No fixing that, and they did, occasionally, puke. A buddy saw one at a garage sale, five bucks. We unhooked mine, plugged it in, worked,, It stayed in the van for about seven years, never needed it. BUT, five bucks, for that peace of mind?
I'd do it again.