"Air Filter Cleaning"

[Admin]

Hi all,

For many years I was under the impression you were not suppose to clean your filters with anything other than a white spirit.
While this theory makes sense as white spirits are much less aggressive on foam, I have now reverted back to petrol cleaning because it seems to do a much better job at cleaning out the old oil and dirt.

My cleaning procedure was as follows:
- Remove filter and filter support frame from bike.
- Remove filter support frame from foam filter.
- Clean foam filter and frame in mineral turps to remove any filter oil.
- Wash foam filter in dishwashing detergent to remove any dirt.
- Rewash foam filter in mineral turps again to remove any left over oil in foam
- Dry foam filter, re-oil foam filter, refit foam filter to support frame and re-install into bike.

I now find that using petrol to clean the foam filter allows me to skip the second foam clean as the petrol removes all of the oil the first time round.

While this new procedure cuts down cleaning time, I am a little concerned that the petrol may break down the foam itself or glue that joins the different foams together on my filter.

What are the rest of you doing to clean your filters????


Tinks -
 Fri Oct 09, 2015 1:27 pm #2

Since I have nothing better to do.
Way back when I first started dirtbike racing I was taught be a old fella, now like I am, who I worked with at a motorbike shop in Darwin.He had raced for many years there and interstate. Easy as turps to clean off dirt and oil. Then warm soapy water to finish off. Never been a drama for me. I do remember talking to a Unifilter rep and was told turps or their special cleaner. He went on to say that petrol cleaning broke down the glue and over all the filter didn't last ,as long as using turps.
I have always installed filter with grease around the rim and any where the cage comes through the filter. Again never had a drama never dusted a motor.

Gav -
 Fri Oct 09, 2015 4:51 pm #3
Tinks wrote:
Easy as turps to clean off dirt and oil. Then warm soapy water to finish off. Never been a drama for me. I have always installed filter with grease around the rim and any where the cage comes through the filter. Again never had a drama never dusted a motor.
turps,
warm soapy water
rinse in clean water
air dry

never dusted the motor and I sit at the back of the pack alot

Roger -
Last times dirty turps which I then use as fire starter fluid
New turps
Very hot water with CT18 (it is interesting how much oil, sand and dirt I can still get at this stage)
Hang to dry
Use old sauce bottle to scribble oil all over filter to help distribution
Squish it all in till it feels about right.
Grease on mating surface
Hards -
use diesel. cheaper than turps. I also run diesel in my kero heater in the shed
Jimmy -
Same for me Nackers. Used to use Turps but once it ran out just gave petrol a go. Twin air filters and funnel web filters handle the petrol just fine and I find it's easier to just grab some petrol out of a jerry than buying separate turps and keeping them in tubs etc like I used to to get more than one wash. For the second wash I've used laundry detergent at times and the bike/car wash I have (koala or some crap from supercrap auto) other times.
Ready -
I use petrol, always have. Never had it break down the glue. Anyway I replace the filter ever twelve months. Easy.
Robski -
Never had a problem cleaning filters, I stand by my method its rock solid.

Remove filter and throw in bin
Clean air box and frame with BBQ cleaning wipes
Go to shop and buy new pre oiled filter
Fit new filter to frame
Full On -
MOTOREX make an Air Filter Cleaner that you just tip a couple of cap fulls on your filter & massage it in & it foams up & all the crap comes out in the foam & then you rinse the filter in warm water to remove the foam, let the filter dry & then re-oil. A lot kinder on your filter, hands & lungs than petrol etc.
Gav -
tried it out over the weekend on a really dirty Casterton air filter, a Vic High country air filter and a Second valley air filter.

The filters that were moderately dirty took only 3 caps full to lather into foam each then a quick rinse.

The Casterton air filter required multiple tries to get it clean. I don't think even a bit of turps and soapy water would have budged the amount of crap on it.

Note; if you have greased the lip/rim of your air filters then expect to use a little bit more Motul fluid to dislodge and foam up the area.

A few things I liked about using the Motul product.
1. you use stuff all product to clean a normal dusty air filter.
2. no messy turps and soapy water to ditch
3. one pair of gloves does the entire job. Not one for turps then another set for warm soapy water.

Only downside for me was the massaging of the air filter, it takes a bit of effort to squeeze and massage the Motul cleaner through the air filter and after starting with the casterton air filter I was nearly ready to buy new air cleaners.

All up a great product - thx Fullon...
Nackers -
I've just finished using the Motorex air filter cleaner fluid for the first time. Awesome Stuff!

You use very little and it foams up extremely well leaving your filter cleaner than any other fluid I have ever used.

It takes very little effort to massage the fluid into the filter. At first it appears to be doing an average job but once you start to rinse the fluid out with hot water the shit just flows out from your foam filter leaving it very clean.

I washed my super filthy filter from Casterton and my other filthy filter from the Vic High Country and Yorks ride. It was nearly a pleasure cleaning them with the minimal effort it took compared to pervious efforts with Turps and Petrol. What's more my hands and the Laundry don't stink like after I use petrol to clean them and rinse them in the laundry sink.

All up a fantastic product. Thanks for the heads up Mike.