Air Filter Oil...............

[francley40]

Rightly, or probably wrongly, I usually put a little 2-stroke oil on my air filter.

I don't think this has caused me any problems, at all.

What are the properties of 'proper' air filter oil and do you consider it best to use it?

Or is it just another way to get a few quid out of our pockets?

Thanks.

[tt5th]

Air filter oil is sticky. I use it because in my mind if its stickier it will trap more dust.

However I've used engine oil and 2 stroke oil with no appreciable (to me) difference in performance or crud picked up.

[tombo46]

I use K&N filter oil, I find the sticky stuff doesnt let the bike rev out clean all the time due to restricted air flow. The filter oil isnt there to pick up dust, the filter itself wont let dust through, the oil is to stop fluids like water etc getting into the carb.

as for whether 2 stroke oil does the trick or not, stick some on your filter, if its dirty on the outside and clean on the inside and theres no sign of water in your carb then I cant see why you couldnt use it? Then again, I could just be talking rubbish!

All the best

Tom

[jse]

Rightly, or probably wrongly, I usually put a little 2-stroke oil on my air filter.

I don't think this has caused me any problems, at all.

What are the properties of 'proper' air filter oil and do you consider it best to use it?

Or is it just another way to get a few quid out of our pockets?

Thanks.

The foam air filter is what's known as an "open cell" foam, in which all the individual cells are "open" to each other (you might say they have "posts" rather than walls between them). When you use filter oil, it coats the walls of all the little interconnected "caves" and the fine grit particles traveling through the open cells become stuck to the sides (larger dust/grit particles usually do not penetrate far into the foam). Filter oil, to be truely effective, should be sticky when at a thin coating, more so than regular motor oil and more like, say "STP" (which originally meant "S"cientifically "T"reated "P"etroleum when it came out in the, oh, 60's I think?). So, in my personal estimation, it does make a difference in what type of oil is used on a foam filter if you want the best performance.

Filter oil is a combination of the actual filter oil and a solvent to thin it out and allow it to disperse through the foam and then dry off. From testing we did for our National MX bikes, we found that some filter oils are more "waterproof" than others, in that they don't allow as much water to penetrate the outer part of the foam (and we ran into some really crappy conditions, like when the AMA had to close off a portion of the Hangtown National GP when too many riders got knocked off their bikes by rushing water). A filter oil such as K&N gauze filter oil (they also make a foam filter oil, I think), will usually allow more water to pass through because it's made for another type filter (gauze rather than foam, which has a much more fibrous makeup and a thicker oil would tend to "clog" the air passages) and the matrix in which it operates is different and when used in a foam filter, has a tendency to allow more water through, which tends to "wash" some of the trapped grit (due to the oil not being "sticky" enough to hold it) to enter the carb. If, next time you have the filter box off, you look into the carb bell and see any kind of "dirt" in the throat, you might think about trying another kind of filter oil or maybe modifying your filter cleaning/oiling methods to avoid that condition.

I would think that just about any type of oil will work to a certain degree and cleaning the filter often will make a big difference in engine longivity, so the bottom line is do what you feel most comfortable with.

Jon

[paulthistle]

How many squids did you save by using two cycle oil instead of proper oil?

Good air filter oil costs about the same as good two stroke oil. It takes very little dirt to really wear the piston and rings quickly. When changing filters, use a white towell and wipe the inside of the airbox. If it is dirty at all, you need to decrease the cleaning interval. If that doesn't work, try different oils. If that doesn't work trya different brand of filter. Last year at a 24 hour race that was incredibly dusty, our filters were completly clogged every two laps (22 miles). We did 40 laps. I had several different filters and couple of different oils and a couple of prefilters. The filter I thought would be best, wasn't. We passed dirt for the first 4 filter changes. Finally settling on twin air, using a pre filter sock with BelRay foam filter oil. I'm not saying you should use any of these. However in very dusty conditions in fine silt, it is what worked for me. So check you method to see how well it works. You may be using the best product now.

[tt5th]

Nice information, thanks for that!

[copemech]

I have to emphasize the fact here, that no matter how well your filter is working at catching the stuff, a blast of water WILL wash the accumulated stuff right through! The water will pass and take the dirt with it!

ANY water will do this, from washing or not!

And this is why you see the top riders changing them after a loop! Even at that, it may not be perfect! There is always something that gets by and takes its toll. Anything more would be too power restrictive and the motors could not breathe!

[zippy]

Ummm ..... we are supposed to clean that foam thingy?????

Is that why my rings, crank bearing, and crank seals needed replacing 2 yrs after I dumped it in the creek?

(I am being sarcastic)

Yep clean them often and use a foam filter specific oil. I clean with gas and since I am lazy I use an aerosol spray oil. quick spritz and good to go.

[copemech]

Ummm ..... we are supposed to clean that foam thingy?????

Is that why my rings, crank bearing, and crank seals needed replacing 2 yrs after I dumped it in the creek?

(I am being sarcastic)

Yep clean them often and use a foam filter specific oil. I clean with gas and since I am lazy I use an aerosol spray oil. quick spritz and good to go.

Zipper, at least use mineral spirits(paint thinner), you can reuse it after the dirt has settled out, you can recycle it with used motor oil, and it it is far less likely to blow up your garage due to the vapors in the winter!

I still recommend the No-Toil, get it under the Honda brand in a local shop!

And yes, if your filter was not soo dirty, a little water would not be such a problem later on!

[zippy]

copemech Posted Today, 12:52 AM

Zipper, at least use mineral spirits(paint thinner), you can reuse it after the dirt has settled out, you can recycle it with used motor oil, and it it is far less likely to blow up your garage due to the vapors in the winter!

That's why I clean it outside. Even in winter, we Michiganders can handle the cold.

If I use the mineral spirits and reuse it then recycle it instead of using gasoline........when do I get to have the big fire when I am done cleaning???

Edited July 21, 2008 by ZIPPY

[copemech]

That's why I clean it outside. Even in winter, we Michiganders can handle the cold.

If I use the mineral spirits and reuse it then recycle it instead of using gasoline........when do I get to have the big fire when I am done cleaning???

Zipper, you missed the headlines today on MSN?

Some guy blew up his house using too much bug spray! It WAS in NY, so everything is normal!

I do hate so see you miss the Darwin's short list!

Did you know that if you use Kerosene, you can re-use it as charcoal starter fluid in the summer anytime you feel like BBQ'ing a GasGas!