Air Filter Oil

[Lurch]

Any of you know of a good air filter oil kit or a good way to clean my air filter, oil it, and perhaps add new foam to the seal?

I took air filter out a while back and picked a dead moth out of there. It was fairly clean but seemed a little dry.

 

[Silk]

We used Belray in the bike shop,at home I use NoToil.If you have access to a solvent cleaning bath,go for a mineral oil,NoToil is good for doing at home in water.If the seal is falling apart,I'd say the filter is not far behind.

 

[Lurch]

I think I'd like NoToil products. Seems like a good non toxic way to clean and oil the air filter on my bike, as well as grease the foam gasket.

Thanks for replying.

 

[sunruh]

been using NoToil for ........ trying to remember if i started with the F or when i was on the mosquito killer.
he77 let's call it 10 years.
love cleaning them in the sink.

btw, oxyclean is a MUCH cheaper soap than the notoil soap. buy the big box with a 25% off coupon at bed,bath and beyond and the price per cleaning goes to a few pennies!

 

[Lurch]

Yes but will it damage the foam filter?

Was thinking of buying the NoToil triple pack that has :

No Toil-3 Pack Air Filter Oil, Cleaner & Grease

What the rim grease all about? I presume it's meant for the foam filter rim to help seal out the dust.

Otherwise I'd have to go out and find three separate items to do the same thing. That Oxyclean sounds like it may be more toxic than NoToil.

 

[hate2work]

K & N makes air filter oil, not sure if it would work for you.

 

[sunruh]

lurch,
the 3pack is a good start.
the grease is not needed. check that, NEVER needed.
if you actually needed it, then your cage is not tight enough. you have other worries.

the filter wears out before the cleaner can hurt it.
how can oxyclean be toxic? you wash your own clothes in it!

 

[Zedhed]

Why do some people clean their air filter with soap & water but all other parts with solvent? Solvent isn't going to hurt the air filter, why the obsession with not using solvent on foam air filters?

I mean, nobody suggests using soap and water on bearings, or other greasy parts why just the air filter? Could someone explain this infatuation to me? I've always cleaned all parts in kerosene (or naptha) and using gloves when cleaning, I've never had any issues....

 

[Lurch]

Well, personally, I don't want to deal with kerosene. I prefer non toxic, non smelly stuff.

 

[Lurch]

Originally Posted By: sunruh
lurch,
the 3pack is a good start.
the grease is not needed. check that, NEVER needed.
if you actually needed it, then your cage is not tight enough. you have other worries.

the filter wears out before the cleaner can hurt it.
how can oxyclean be toxic? you wash your own clothes in it!


My filter cage looked like the foam surround may have been flattened out of shape. So, based on that, it's possible the rim grease might do mine some good. I guess I'll go ahead and find out for myself if my bike needs it or not. I need to make sure that intake is not allowing any dirt in.

Thanks for your replies.

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: Zedhed
Why do some people clean their air filter with soap & water but all other parts with solvent? Solvent isn't going to hurt the air filter, why the obsession with not using solvent on foam air filters?

I mean, nobody suggests using soap and water on bearings, or other greasy parts why just the air filter? Could someone explain this infatuation to me? I've always cleaned all parts in kerosene (or naptha) and using gloves when cleaning, I've never had any issues....


Good question. Maybe we're just too old school?

Years ago as a teenager, we cleaned all of our parts/oil foam air filters with gasoline. Now I use low odor Varsol.

I cannot understand why anyone would use water/soap to wash out oil? Varsol/solvent is much quicker and cleaner to use. Solvent can also be re-used numerous times and old solvent can be recycled with used oil.

I doubt very much that you will find too many mechanical repair shops using soap and water to wash oiled foam air cleaners.

I'd say that the water based systems/kits are just another way for manufacturers to make a lot of money real easy. As is the selling of designer oil used to re-oil the filter.

Chainsaw bar oil will do as good a job in an oiled foam filter as anything out there and it's dirt cheap. Same with any regular engine oil.

The down side is that when I'm sitting around the camp fire, I won't garner the respect of the "lube nerds" because I'm not using $15.00 a pint scientifically designed air filter oil. Oh wait a minute..... I just remembered, I won't be sitting around with any lube nerds.

 

[Lurch]

Originally Posted By: boraticus


I'd say that the water based systems/kits are just another way for manufacturers to make a lot of money real easy. As is the selling of designer oil used to re-oil the filter.

Chainsaw bar oil will do as good a job in an oiled foam filter as anything out there and it's dirt cheap. Same with any regular engine oil.

The down side is that when I'm sitting around the camp fire, I won't garner the respect of the "lube nerds" because I'm not using $15.00 a pint scientifically designed air filter oil. Oh wait a minute..... I just remembered, I won't be sitting around with any lube nerds.


Hi,

What would you say is a good way to wash a foam bike air filter?

 

[Mackelroy]

I seen to many suk dirt with notoil in bad enviorments. I recommend Belray or Pj1, something non degradable.

30 year with stock and twin airs and good filter oil, never found dust in the airboot. That has always been the case with Notoil.

What I do is fill a bucket with dish sopa and water. Then take old wasted gas and quickly soak the filter to break down the oil, then stick in the bucket with water and dish soap.

Now its oksy to take inside to kitchen sink for cleaning with soap and water, not sticking a sticky your house up. the dry with paper towels, and let air dry over night

 

[Silk]

Originally Posted By: boraticus
I doubt very much that you will find too many mechanical repair shops using soap and water to wash oiled foam air cleaners.


In the bike shop where we were mainly working on quads and farm bikes we used both.We used a water based cleaner to wash all the mud off the bikes before we worked on them,and sometimes used that on the filter too.Just depended on what you were doing - if you we taking a load of stuff to the partswasher,then the filter came too.If you were in your workbay with an air filter,there was a bottle of cleaner on the bench,so then that was an easy way to do it.I guess I'm time and motion - if taking a load to clean,take as much as you can,or why make an extra trip if cleaner and tap are right beside you.

 

[sunruh]

Originally Posted By: Zedhed
Why do some people clean their air filter with soap & water but all other parts with solvent? Solvent isn't going to hurt the air filter, why the obsession with not using solvent on foam air filters?

I mean, nobody suggests using soap and water on bearings, or other greasy parts why just the air filter? Could someone explain this infatuation to me? I've always cleaned all parts in kerosene (or naptha) and using gloves when cleaning, I've never had any issues....


dude you are totally clueless on how notoil works.
you can pour gasoline into a notoil filter and the oil does *NOT* come out!!! it is one of the selling points. last time i looked, gasoline was a solvent. sometimes used to clean regular oil out of air filters. does not work on notoil at all.
overfill a tank at a gncc/enduro/hnh and have the gas wash your air filter clean? no thanks.

i think i still have my pics of how dirty the notoil can filter out. i remember one race 2 years ago where i came to a stop because i could not see my triple clamp. i worry more about my lungs than i do the bike. the uoa proved that the silicon level was below 10.

i carry a ready racing filter in my bag just in case. *IF* i were to use something other than notoil it would be maxima fft. http://www.readyracing.com/

 

[boraticus]

"dude you are totally clueless on how notoil works."

You are correct. Why would I even be mildly interested in it?

I use a solvent on all of my oiled foam filters. Been doing it for decades. Never had a problem. If something works well, why mess with a good thing?

For those inquiring, this is the procedure. Take the filter out of the bike, put it in a large coffee can or other suitably sized container that is solvent resistant, pour in enough solvent to completely saturate the filter. Gently squeeze the filter until it is clean. If necessary, change the solvent and repeat. Remove from solvent bath and squeeze as much solvent out of it as possible. Do not wring it out. You may damage the filter. Take the filter and press it between some shop towels to get more solvent out. Allow it to sit for an hour or so before oiling.

If you allow the solvent to sit undisturbed for a few days, all of the dirt will settle to the bottom of the container and you can easily pour off the clean solvent for re-use. It's amazing how clean it gets if allowed to sit. Very little solvent is lost.

To oil the filter, place it in a suitably sized zip lock bag and add half an oz. or so of oil. Remove air from bag and zip it closed. Gently massage the oil into the filter. If you have a spare filter, keep one always ready to go in a zip lock bag.

 

[Lurch]

Thank you for this info. I may do this.

Would odorless paint thinner be a solvent to use?

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: Lurch
Thank you for this info. I may do this.

Would odorless paint thinner be a solvent to use?



I use low odor Varsol which is paint thinner. Regular Varsol will work just as well but has a much stronger odor.

 

[Lurch]

Where do you get low odor Varsol? I've never heard of it and I don't seem to get a lot of info on it when I google it.

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: Lurch
Where do you get low odor Varsol? I've never heard of it and I don't seem to get a lot of info on it when I google it.


Varsol is a brand name for paint thinner/solvent. Go to any paint shop and you'll find low odor and regular paint thinner. They will both work fine.