I need some advice guys.
OK, so it's about time for a air filter change (past due actually). Anyway, after reading several posts on the subject, including Old Fellers post on a DIY air filter, and not wanting to go the pod route; I began casting about for ideas on what to do.
The local Suzi stealership quoted me $35 for a replacement filter. Ouch! I'm afraid I'm just too cheap for that. I considered Old Fellers idea, but I kept thinking there had to be a better (read "easier") way. So off to Wally World I went, with the old filter in hand. Scanning the air filter section in automotive, I came upon a Fram #CA7421. It's about the right size, just about twice as long and about 1cm wider. Got it home, trimmed off the excess rubber from the edges, cut it in half, and slid it carefully in the space formally occupied by my old filter. It's a tight squeeze. The paper pleats have to be coaxed past the snorkle. Once in place, I put the plastic cover back on, then the metal side cover over that. Viola, a whole $11.33 for two filters, and a total of about 10 minutes of my time (not counting the shopping time at Wal-Mart).
Now this is where you guys come in. I haven't fired it up yet, because I need to know if there is any reason this will not work? While I have vast experience at being cheap and lazy, I have vitually no experience with this type of substitution. The filter, as I stated, is a snug fit, being a little wider than the stock. I don't think any trash is going to get past it, at least not any up to what it is designed to stop. It is, after all, merely a pleated paper filter; but at under $6 a filter, I don't mind changing them out. I've searched the site, but can't find a post where anyone tried an automotive filter. Whaddaya think?

savagedml wrote on 03/27/09 at 05:43:37:


Well.... While I appeciate the thanks, I'm kinda hoping for a wiegh in from someone with more experience in these matters than I. I don't need to foul a carb, or worse!

Can air get around the filter element???

T Mack 1 - FSO wrote on 03/27/09 at 06:20:01:




This has been noticed by some Savage owners.  The seal between the element and air-box is not always good, and dirty air slips by.

Hi Jay, like you, new, eager nad , I am spanding (mine has over 16000 '99 Ls 650), but they were hard-er miles...

The Raask dragpipe arrived yesterday, pick up today... Sweet!

I have on order the verslavy from Verslagen1 and (April - June before I get these mods),  I have the Jetset, cam chain and performance cam arriving from Lancer.  I wanted the performance carbset with all the bells and whistles.  That will have to wait a few months...

This is a cool bike for many reasons... hopped up engine and components...

Have you ordered the Clymers manual for your bike and the Picture CD offered by thid website?  Do get...

This forum has helped me out and now I am a tad bit more focused on when to make a change.  

Well, have fun!

Wolf

Jay,  you mention the snorkle hitting the filter elements.  This sorta implies you have the snorkle still in place and you are still using the air door.

From past experience I might suggest pulling your snorkle up out of the air box from the seat side and removing it out of the way.  You can put it back if you want to, it is just a rubber piece held in place by simple friction.

Similar thoughts for the air door, take it off and store it and try running it that way as you can always put it back later if you choose to.

Using the air door forces all the air to come in through the snorkle opening which creates quite an air blast that quickly loads up a very small portion of your air filter to the point of blockage/failure.   Removing the air door lets air in gently from the side as well as through the snorkle opening and the larger inbound volume opening means air velocity is greatly reduced (less physical wear and tear on the filter element).

The snorkle was a factory sound damping item that also redirects the factory designed in place "concentrated air blast" to bounce it off the bottom of the air box, bust it into eddies and suck it through the filter.   This activity translates into "extra resistance" no matter how you say it.  

If you aren't using the air door you do not need the snorkle -- it is just in the way.

I found the best breathing for the bike was the least constricted breathing -- no air door, no snorkle.

I have not discovered a downside to not using snorkle or air door and it has been years & years since either was on my bike.   Because they are not there I had more physical room to increase my filter element to 2" thick and I got a lot better filtration and longer use life accordingly.

Try it, you may like it.

When I had the stock filter I was getting more dirt past the filter than when I even went with the KnN stock replacement. As for my KnN cone filter I have thought about adding a piece of that other filter element that has been mentioned inside of it. Worth a shot I guess.

Great idea!