How to get sand out of air filter?

DGMCR250

Member
Apr 5, 2004
36
0
do any of you have any good tips on getting all the sand out of an air filter? i was riding on sand dunes and it is all throughout my filter.
 

Speeed

Proud American
Member
Jul 4, 2004
143
0
air filters are inexpensive..................toss it and replace it with a new one.
$20 is far cheaper than the damage your current filter could do to your engine
 

dunebiker

Member
Oct 21, 2002
7
0
when you do get a new filter you could try putting a filter skin over it before you ride in the sand again, it will keep most of the sand from imbedding in you filter, works for me.
 

Studboy

Thinks he can ride
Dec 2, 2001
1,818
0
Just wash it until all the sand comes out. It always works for me!
 

reelrazor

Member
Jun 22, 2004
340
0
For those of you with girlfriends, start stealing their old pantyhose...better yet, tell her you need the old ones-she might think it really weird if she catches you stealing them outa the trash or something.....

Cut sections of pantyhose makes a great filter cover, doubled up it will stop ANY sand from getting to the filter, and you just pull it off and throw it away at the end of the day.
 

Studboy

Thinks he can ride
Dec 2, 2001
1,818
0
Outerwears makes a great prefilter for sand as well.
 
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W0lvEriNE

Member
Sep 6, 2004
3
0
Filter Oil

Hey guys - in a vaguely related thing to this... Is it worth using that Bel-Ray Foam Filter Oil on my air filter ? or is it better to use some form of cover (be it home made or not)?

Thanks guys
 

JasonWho

Member
Apr 10, 2002
2,109
0
wolv - YES! You have to have some oil on the foam. The oil is what traps dust, dirt, etc.
 

snb73

Member
Nov 30, 2003
770
0
DGMCR250,

I'm sure this has been posted many times, but here's what I do.

Clean the filter in your choice of solvent to remove the old oil and dirt it trapped.I use gasoline. I prefer a small bucket with enough solvent to submerge the filter. Knead the filter a few times, sqeeze out the excess, dump the dirty stuff. Repeat 3-4 times or until the solvent remains clear, and you can't feel any dirt in the bottom of the bucket.

Wash the filter in warm soapy water. I use dishwashing liquid. (dawn, joy ect...) Use the same bucket and method as with the solvent, just use warm soapy water. Repeat 3-4 times, sqeezing the filter and dumping the dirty water each time.

Rinse in warm water. Same method. Dump the dirt water each time. Repeat until the soap bubbles are gone. Their shouldn't be any dirt particles in the bottom of the bucket.

If the dirt is really imbedded in the filter I use the garden, or the kitchen sink sprayer to remove it. Spraying from the inside of the filter, the water pressure pushes the dirt out the way it came in. I hold the nossle right up against the filter. Gentle pinching and kneading will get it all out.

Once the filter is clean, I spin dry it in the washing machine. Set the filter so the centrifigle force pulls from the inside out. (have the side that faces your carb, face the center of the washing machine)
If the filter won't sit still, I prop it with a clean shop towel. It should be dry in a few hours after that.

Before oiling, I turn the filter inside out to see if I missed any dirt. "Plucking it" with your finger almost always removes it.

Don some latex gloves and saturate it with your favorite oil. Sqeeze out the excess and install. I use Twin Air.

This method only takes about 15 minutes, minus drying time of course.

Hope this helps, Steve.
 
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