best solution to wash air filter
- Thread starter FLYIN_KAW
- Start date
Gas is not the best solution. I also use No-Toil, but if you are using traditional filter oil, get yourself a 5 gallon paint bucket, with tight fitting lid (local paint store, etc). Fill it with Kerosine and wash away. The dirt will settle to the bottom by the time you do the next one. A pail (5 gallons of kerosine) should last you most of a season used this way.
Make sure you then wash your filters in warm soapy water, as least once, and preferably twice. Hang to dry.
No-Toil is wonderful and eliminates the solvent step and hassle of disposing of dirty solvent.
Hope this helps,
Make sure you then wash your filters in warm soapy water, as least once, and preferably twice. Hang to dry.
No-Toil is wonderful and eliminates the solvent step and hassle of disposing of dirty solvent.
Hope this helps,
- Nov 14, 2001
- 176
- 0
I just use gas;) and then... hot soapy water ringed over nude women...oops hehe sorry i got a little carried away their. but ya hot soapy water works good then i just let it dry. What do you all use for air filter oil?? i use that maxima stuff:eek:
Racers Edge
Member
- Jan 22, 2001
- 81
- 0
I highly recomend you stop using gas, it will destroy your filters! Would you wash your clothes in gas? Didn't think so. What works quite well is a 2L bottle of Coke cola or warm soapy water. Dish soap works good. Surprised to here about the coke? The mechanics for coke back in the day used the stuff to wash the grime off their engines on there delivery trucks.
desert_racer
LIFETIME SPONSOR
- Feb 2, 2000
- 538
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Ditto on what RedBull said. Gas and then hot soapy water. Seems to work so far.
Yeah gas and then immediately followed by hot soapy water, kero is a pain in the arse as it doesn't dissolve the old filter oil as well as gasoline. Provided you immediately rinse the filter in hot soapy water after rinsing in gasoline shouldn't damage filter I THNK
ochster
LIFETIME SPONSOR
- Mar 11, 2000
- 689
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My preference is stodard solvent. I use it in my solvent tanks, and is available in either 1 gallon or 5 gallon containers at my local NAPA auto parts store. I know people that just pour it into a oil drain pan for use, then store it back in the original container. I alway's fallow up with a good hot soapy washing with dish soap, then rinse. You simply shake, then let dry. For the newbies, compress your filter into a ball when squeezing excess, do not wring, as it tears up the filters.
Battered Sav
~SPONSOR~
- Nov 16, 2000
- 273
- 0
Recent article in Australasian Dirtbike covered this, here's some interesting points:
Petrol does not destroy the glue holding the filter together, it destroys the foam by expanding the cells by as much as 20%.
Water is the biggest source of damage to air filters and can rot the foam in the filter.
Water washable filter oil can actually destroy the foam in your filter if used frequently, ( Doesnt say why though?)
Mineral turpentine is the only thing you should use to clean your filter.
The article came from the head of Unifilter Australia.
He just gives them a couple of good rinses in turps, then rolls it on paper or cloth to remove remaining turps.
He then puts the filter oil in a bucket, soaks the filter, then squeezes until no more oil comes out.
Then the standard skim of grease on the seal, re-install and away you go.
I used to use kero and soapy water, been using no-toil for a while now and seems to work fine.
Apart from the possible foam damage, gas/petrol is a definite no-no, aroma fatigue means it doesnt smell so bad after a while, the vapour density increases, the naked pilot flame that was okay before, is now an ignition source. You, and your air filter, are now history.
Petrol does not destroy the glue holding the filter together, it destroys the foam by expanding the cells by as much as 20%.
Water is the biggest source of damage to air filters and can rot the foam in the filter.
Water washable filter oil can actually destroy the foam in your filter if used frequently, ( Doesnt say why though?)
Mineral turpentine is the only thing you should use to clean your filter.
The article came from the head of Unifilter Australia.
He just gives them a couple of good rinses in turps, then rolls it on paper or cloth to remove remaining turps.
He then puts the filter oil in a bucket, soaks the filter, then squeezes until no more oil comes out.
Then the standard skim of grease on the seal, re-install and away you go.
I used to use kero and soapy water, been using no-toil for a while now and seems to work fine.
Apart from the possible foam damage, gas/petrol is a definite no-no, aroma fatigue means it doesnt smell so bad after a while, the vapour density increases, the naked pilot flame that was okay before, is now an ignition source. You, and your air filter, are now history.
High Desert XR400
~SPONSOR~
- May 21, 2000
- 151
- 0
No Toil!
I use the No Toil filters and filter oil and cleaner.
I don't think that you can get much simpler then washing filters in the kitchen sink, without getting in trouble with the boss.;)
I live in an area that gets very dusty in the summer and have never had a problem or failure.
I use the No Toil filters and filter oil and cleaner.
I don't think that you can get much simpler then washing filters in the kitchen sink, without getting in trouble with the boss.;)
I live in an area that gets very dusty in the summer and have never had a problem or failure.
Gas ---AAArrrGGG
worst stuff to use. not only is soo environmentially unfriendly ( we need all the hepl we can get to fend off the environmentalists), it is horriblr for your filters. What happend in the event of a backfire? your prised ride just became a $6000.00 marshmellow toaster. To toil is soooooo easy it's llike cheating.. for those of you who haven't tried it, you don't know what you're missing. After cleaning filters for 20 years, it is by far the easiest hassle free way I have ever found. Every single person who I knlw that has used my tub has bought one.
worst stuff to use. not only is soo environmentially unfriendly ( we need all the hepl we can get to fend off the environmentalists), it is horriblr for your filters. What happend in the event of a backfire? your prised ride just became a $6000.00 marshmellow toaster. To toil is soooooo easy it's llike cheating.. for those of you who haven't tried it, you don't know what you're missing. After cleaning filters for 20 years, it is by far the easiest hassle free way I have ever found. Every single person who I knlw that has used my tub has bought one.
desert_racer
LIFETIME SPONSOR
- Feb 2, 2000
- 538
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You know I hate using gas but it works... However after reading this thread I may have to try No Toil....
- Feb 8, 2000
- 3,133
- 1
Sorry to say I've been using the gas/soapy water method as well. I used to use the No Toil system but the cleaner only works if you use their filter oil and I prefer a spray so I use Maxima. You don't have to use their filters too do you?
flyinguitars
Member
- Nov 7, 2001
- 22
- 0
I use simple green. After I ran out of filter cleaner, I stumbled on the simple green and have been happy with the results...plus I can get it at any local department or auto store.
Mike
Mike
Strick
LIFETIME SPONSOR
- Nov 8, 1999
- 1,782
- 2
I use No Toil products, and their filters. I have not had one isse with the filters. I have been watching them closely after reading some posts here on DRN. I have been in extremely dry desert races where a goup of riders have encountered a real sandy/silty uphill where the bikes are just spinning out. The air was so thick with dust, it was like being in a dark room. At the end of the race the filter was nearly black on the outside, but no dirt inside the air filter or air boot.
In switching to No Toil, you must clean your filters the conventional ways listed above first. Then start by oiling the filters with their oil, and rim grease. From that point on the cleaner will work.
I am starting to sound like an advertisement, so I will stop now!
Last edited:
- Feb 8, 2000
- 3,133
- 1
I've tried the NoToil cleaner before when I've used a different brand filter oil and grease. It did not work. :think
Now that I think about it though, TTRGuy did buy some spray on filter cleaner that was amazing! I can't remember the brand though. I check with him and post it later.
i was mistaken, it isn't no toil, it is the twin air tub and cleaner. It works with any oil. I've been swithching betweed pj1, bell ray and twin air. The cleaner works with any oil i've tried. for those of you who don't like the no toil stup, you ought to give the twin air cleaner a try. The stuff is amazing. One dunk in the cleaner, squeez out and viola, done ( if really dirty you'll need to dunk and squeez twice)
