Air Filter Oil

[Zedhed]

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

Would odorless paint thinner be a solvent to use?



Naptha is the best odorless solvent IMO, it quickly evaporates, leaves almost no residue and is cheap to buy. It is THE best solvent to get tar off automotive paint too. It absolutely will not harm cycle or car paint either. I love this stuff for solvent.

I just don't understand washing oily filters differently than other oily parts......

How many of you wash greasy wheel bearings in soap and water?

 

[boraticus]

The low flash point of naptha makes it a little unsafe, particularly if you're working in a garage or other enclosed area. Wouldn't take much to ignite the vapours. That's the main reason I use paint thinner (Varsol).

 

[sunruh]

i guess some people dont understand the difference between types of oils (oh maybe vegtable and mineral arent the same. gosh is that possible?) and dont have the same requirements.
100% biodegradable vs ZERO - 0% biodegradable. one where you are instructed to put it in your washing machine and the other you would NEVER do.
i guess some people only know how to use a hammer on a screw.

when i used bel-ray blue goo (call it 11 years ago) i had (still do) a steel paint bucket (you can get an empty, clean one at HD/Lowes) and pour it about 1/4 full of paint thinner. seals up nicely when not needed.

 

[JetStar]

I have had foam air filter seams come apart at the glue joints that I suspect was due to cleaner or oil incompatability. This can be disastrous if it happens during a long day of riding in dusty conditions. I have had this happen with factory Yamaha filters using the no-toil process. Since then, I only use what the filter manufacturer recommends for cleaning and oiling.

 

[Lurch]

A common way to clean a bike air filter is to buy a can of aerosol air filter cleaner at a bike shop with a can of air filter oil. Both can be bought for about $16 USD.

I think I'd like to try the Varsol low odor stuff. Sounds like a good simple and inexpensive method that should not damage the air filter.

I'll refer to this thread for guidance but I think he said to oil it with 30w oil after it's clean and dried.

Joe

 

[Lurch]

Glad to find out that stuff about No Toil products. I canceled an order for it. It may be good for some people but I don't think I want to take a chance on it.

Again, thanks to BITOG members for helping each other separate the wheat from the chaff.

 

[boraticus]

30 weight oil will be just fine.

 

[tmorris1]

I've had good luck with Bel-Ray and now use the Uni-Filter aerosol oil and cleaner. It seems to work well. Whenever I have tried 30Wt oil it doesn't seem to stay in the filter and makes a mess in the air box no matter how much I wring it out.

 

[heavyhitter]

Originally Posted By: boraticus
30 weight oil will be just fine.


In a pinch but if you get an air filter specific oil it is much more tacky and sticky almost like a fly paper. In dusty conditions a an filter oil would out perform motor oil.

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: heavyhitter
Originally Posted By: boraticus
30 weight oil will be just fine.


In a pinch but if you get an air filter specific oil it is much more tacky and sticky almost like a fly paper. In dusty conditions a an filter oil would out perform motor oil.


Something like maybe.....wait for it.... chainsaw bar oil?

That has to be some of the tackiest oil available. You can get a gallon of it for the price of a 20 oz. bottle of air filter oil.

 

[azsynthetic]

I am not surprise that bora is once again pitching the cheapest oil with no regard for performance since he has nothing to backup his "opinion" other than the sticker price. I, on the other hands, being a racer at time would prefer the best proven performance even though it cost a little more. If you want the best then use the oil that is developed specifically for the task at hand and that is "foam filter oil" and not bar oil or motor oil.

http://www.belray.com/scripts/futurearts...3d-e64aadf7ec6d

 

[boraticus]

"I am not surprise that bora is once again pitching the cheapest oil with no regard for performance since he has nothing to backup his "opinion" other than the sticker price."

Yeah right. Nothing to back it up? Just decades of personal experience and knowledge that millions of other people are using the same methods as I.

I find it entertaining that you are such an advocate for "nirvana foam oil" when all the machines I own and have owned that use oiled foam filters do not specify the use of "nirvana oil" by the manufacturers.

You can continue to line the pockets of the designer oil companies with your "race winnings". I'm more than happy to keep money to spend on better things. Much better things.

 

[Silk]

A good test between the 2 is on a B$S foam air filter.They are designed for engine oil,but if you use motorcycle filter oil they won't run,it's just too thick and sticky.A motorcycle foam air filter will run perfectly well with engine oil (I often used gear oil)but they are designed for a specific oil,and for an off road bike in dusty conditions are superior to engine oil.

 

[azsynthetic]

Originally Posted By: boraticus

Yeah right. Nothing to back it up? Just decades of personal experience and knowledge that millions of other people are using the same methods as I.


Like I said, nothing but bench racing and parking lot chasers, hahahaha...

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: azsynthetic
Originally Posted By: boraticus

Yeah right. Nothing to back it up? Just decades of personal experience and knowledge that millions of other people are using the same methods as I.


Like I said, nothing but bench racing and parking lot chasers, hahahaha...


Well, you should have told us you raced shopping carts! Now I understand.

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: Silk
A good test between the 2 is on a B$S foam air filter.They are designed for engine oil,but if you use motorcycle filter oil they won't run,it's just too thick and sticky.A motorcycle foam air filter will run perfectly well with engine oil (I often used gear oil)but they are designed for a specific oil,and for an off road bike in dusty conditions are superior to engine oil.


Have you tried chainsaw bar oil? It's available in two weights. Winter weight which is lighter and summer weight which is thicker and very tacky.

 

[Silk]

I'm not against using engine oils,and have used chainbar oil.I've worked in a lot of shops on a wide variety of equipment (cars,bikes,quads,lawnmowers,chainsaws) and have often used just what's to hand to oil a filter.That's how I know you can only use engine oil on a B&S foam filter.But if I'm being a good mechanic turning out quality work for paying customers,then filter oil only is used on motorcycle and quad air filters.What you do in your own home is between you and your motorcycle.

 

[boraticus]

"But if I'm being a good mechanic turning out quality work for paying customers"

That explains a great deal.

I've yet to meet a shop mechanic who doesn't go the "value added" route by embellishing the necessity of unnecessary work/products. It all adds to the bottom line.

Forums like this offer people alternatives to get information to carry out service to their equipment. Much of what I and many others offer are solutions that are readily available for a fraction of the cost of doing business with a shop.

It is very much apparent and logical that our opinions will be diametrically opposed. You, being a mechanic, will take the high profit road because that's the essence of your occupation. Doing work for customers and making as much money as the market will bear. I, on the other hand have nothing to gain other than the satisfaction of providing fellow enthusiasts with time proven methods and solutions to everyday maintenance situations.

I'm certain that there will always be a sufficient supply of customers who believe the advertising, swallow the bait and dump their wallets onto the shop counters of the world.

If I and other participants of this forum can provide information and/or guidance to anyone willing to accept proven methods and save themselves a lot of money by doing so, the satisfaction of helping them out, is payment enough for me.

I just finished repairing an inverter generator for a friend of mine. The engine was leaking oil.

To pull the machine apart, find the problem, repair it (adjust the valve lash as well), change the oil, clean air filter and clean inside the housing, re-assemble would have been at least $150.00 to $200.00 and he would have had to wait two weeks for the machine. He dropped it off this morning, I fixed in this afternoon and it's ready for him to pick up tomorrow. Cost to my friend? He paid for the oil.

I fully realize that dealers and shop mechanics have a great deal of disdain for guys like me. We do the work because we enjoy it. That's lost business for shops and dealerships.

 

[Silk]

You are very defensive,why do you have to keep defending your position? As I explained,we are not diametrically opposed - I do often use engine oil,and see no problem really.However,from a customer point of view,if they opened their airbox and found I had used just engine oil,they would be back to the shop screaming rip off.The manufacturer recommends a filter oil,we stock filter oil,the customer expects us to use dealer products for a dealer service.Some don't care - in that case nor do I,it gets engine oil in the filter...and no extra effort from me.

 

[Mackelroy]

I havent used rim grease since the 70's, as long as you have a good mechanical seal, Normal air filter oil, like a Pj 1 or Belray, are more than tacky enough to make grease unessasary.

One thing is people leave too much oil in the filter, I am much more elaborate than a shop I guarantee. I dont care if they use Poo Poo on their filter changes, they never touch my bike. Thoroughly get all excessive oil out with papertowels is my method.

On 4 strokes , blasting your intake valves with excess filter oil, creates instant carbon build up.