Thanks Lancer. I'll get back to U. I still need to go over Gorts test results one more time.

Gort,
I think all you have to do for the smilies is put your cursor where you want one and then click on the one you want. They will not show up on a preview, only on the actual post.  

If I may respond to your question, you don't want to block off the breather tube.  Its a puffer, and needs to vent.  Some members position it higher than the cylinder head, some lower.  Positioning it lower can cause it to drip oil after enough fumes accumulate in it, as mine does.  But its a tiny drop from time to time and I don't care because it was so much easier for me to mount it where I did.  I got the stainless mesh breather filter from AutoZone, cheap, and as you can see used a brass adapter to adapt the factory hose to the mouth of the breather.  In the distance you can see my cone air filter on the carb.

Since the test link I provided, and others which were not as thorough, all say that K&N lets in more contaminants than a paper filter, its my opinion that the stock filter does a better job.   Just because a filter looks like it caught dirt, doesn't mean it caught all the contaminants. 'Dirt' can pass through a filter and into your engine, because that type filter is unable to catch all the contaminant particles. You simply won't be able to determine how much got past the filter unless you have sophisticated test equipment.

Having said that, now we come to the problem of a modified engine. From my and other members' experience with the Savage, a more freer flowing filter is needed if you install larger jets and a muffler with less back pressure.  You won't get that with the stock paper filter configuration.  So what do you do?  K&N is freer flowing, as are its clones, and they all fit without you having to fabricate anything.  

I bought a cheap clone.  Since the K&N is going to let more dirt in anyway, and since the clone also uses cotton gauze like the K&N, and since I use the correct filter oil on it and clean it regularly I suspect the difference may not be too much, if at all, between the clone and the K&N.

So you have to decide what you want.  For me with my use of the Savage as a form of amusement, I'm not really worried about it lasting 50,000 miles.  I'll never put that many miles on it.  So because I got tired of all the backfiring due to the lean burn emission design of the engine, I re-jetted and installed a Harley Dyna muffler, which then required a freer flowing air filter.  If I get less engine life due to the filter allowing more dirt into the engine, I really don't care.  It will last far longer than I will ever use it.  But if I was relying on the bike as my only transportation and wanted to get maximum life from the engine, I would have left the stock filter on and not made the other mods.

Some people make the mods because they want more power.  I find the bike has enough power for me in its stock form. I've ridden much faster bikes and high speed automobiles, and done all the burn outs and breakneck accelerations, and driven 2 cars 150mph on the freeways, and for me, that thrill gets old.  Its a matter of personal choice.

Hope I answered your question.

Found a cheaper alternative to the other pods on the market: http://www.mikesxs.net/products-4.html?category_id=4.7 scroll about 3/4 of the way down and you'll reach the 57mm. XS Performance Pod Filter-only 16$ so not bad.

I never did play w/ air filters much, except when we use to race go carts, and then the difference tween any filter, and no filter was amazing. And in the 80s when chev had a 4 barrel Q-jet sucking 4 barrels of air thru a 1 1/4" snorkel air cleaner, it gave a big problem on WOT pulling 6% Donner pass w/ a heavy camper towing my boat to Tahoe. It would suck oil up from the valve cover, and sop the paper filter. But cutting the snorkle off fixed that. Thinking about it, this wasn't a filter restriction problem, so I don't know why I included it here

What I don't understand is why we worry about these bikes, that might  have a slight filter restriction (nothing proven that I see). Because if it really does have a restriction, it would only be occuring at WOT. So if its a little restricted at full throttle, what do we suppose the restriction is at less than 1/2 throttle (65mph?),....or even 3/4 throttle ? If you think there is any restriction at 1/2 throttle, what do you think would happen at WOT ? I would sure think it would be running very very rich even before changing to larger jets. I detect no signs of running rich at WOT.

All this pertaining to us stockers, w/ maybe a lo sp carb mod, and/or muffler change,......not intended for any mod to the air intake system, such as cam and headwork, or those who just like to customize stuff anyway.

 

Arthur wrote on 11/28/09 at 13:12:01:


Gort, since we're in the subject of freer flowing exhaust and air filter what carb jets did you get the best performance out of?

Ther is an excellent guide that Diamond Jim put together back on 06-05-09. I found it in the tech section. Its called "carb jetting - a progressive guide". I don't think that you can go wrong with this info although I have not tried it yet. I will be in a day or so. I just got my jet kit from Lancer today.