[danielplace1962]

I do not like the sprays because you would need to spray the whole can and still never get it to saturate like pouring liquid on it and squeezing it until uniformly soaked. If you just spraying the outside or inside of the foam that is awesome but what about everything in between getting wetted out thoroughly. To get same penetration would take more work with the spray can IMO. Or settle for what it gives you. The stuff is no where's near as tacky as the liquid and I have tried quite a few riding motocross most of my life. You couldn't give me a case of it and it get used. Except to maybe spray over the liquid for the final coat just for last final measure. Lol.

Be sure not to use K & N filter oil as it will not work on foam.

There is a reason Yamaha has gone to using secondary filters AFTER the foam filters. Because spray filter oil exist I believe. Ok just messing now.

 

[Budro2]

I do not like the sprays because you would need to spray the whole can and still never get it to saturate like pouring liquid on it and squeezing it until uniformly soaked. If you just spraying the outside or inside of the foam that is awesome but what about everything in between getting wetted out thoroughly. To get same penetration would take more work with the spray can IMO. Or settle for what it gives you. The stuff is no where's near as tacky as the liquid and I have tried quite a few riding motocross most of my life. You couldn't give me a case of it and it get used. Except to maybe spray over the liquid for the final coat just for last final measure. Lol.

Be sure not to use K & N filter oil as it will not work on foam.

There is a reason Yamaha has gone to using secondary filters AFTER the foam filters. Because spray filter oil exist I believe. Ok just messing now.

Like I said previously put it in a bag and knead it and force it all the way through. I also think it has a better chance of getting everywhere vs squirting or pouring and and then trying to work it around to saturate everything. A matter of volume is important but it’s just a big sponge that can only take so much and it certainly doesn’t require a whole can. If one took it and dropped it in a 5 gal bucket of the stuff and then hung it till all the excess ran out it would be no more covered. Just mess and waste IMO.

PJ1 works good and is plenty sticky. Since my entire air intake system was inspected by the certified Yamaha mechanics for the the oil consumption TSB at 5000 miles and I was told multiple times that they couldn’t believe how spotless it was “zero contamination found” I’ll step up and just say it’s not about weather or not it comes out of a can. BTW that was with the stock air filter that is supposedly no good as well! LOL

 

[atkbike]

I also prefer the liquid over the spray. I have used Bel-ray for 50 yrs on all types of off road machines and had good luck. I just use gas for cleaning because it is readily available but mineral spirits are not as harsh.

 

[Tripplec]

@Budro2

Can I ask. What is "PJ1" referenced above.

Thanks

 

[Budro2]

@Budro2

Can I ask. What is "PJ1" referenced above.

Thanks

I think the thing is, is when any of us do something a particular way or use a certain product and have success with it we stick with it!

I’m just offering another opinion that I have plenty of faith in as well and I’m not of the belief that anyone’s way is the best or that the product they or I use is the best. I just think that one should use a quality brand of filter oil and use a method that covers all of the filter inside and out well.

After all we’re not building a piano, we’re just getting oil on a filter!

 

[danielplace1962]

That PJ1 is the kind I bought and tried to use on my YZ filter a couple years ago.
Certainly my all means if you like what your using and are comfortable with it stick with it.

I sprayed and sprayed and didn't think I would ever get enough on the wet out the filter all the way through.

I decided against running it and went and picked up what I should have bought. The cycle shop said they use it. Lol. I still have the nearly full can. I did try it. Just wasn't for me.

Budro,
If you lived closer I would give you this can almost full.

 

[jimclemjr]

I don't really have much to contribute on this thread , I use the No Toil bio stuff and do in in a freezer bag to not waste oil and totally cover filter media. But I thought that I would share what I saw on some filter manufacturer's site that using Gasoline to clean the foam media may put the filter seams at risk for the glues that are used. If its' cleaning of a petroleum based product I pretty much have always used a good clean Kerosene and then a good washing with Dawn in warm water and letting it dry, sometimes aided with a hair dryer (wife's old throwaway). If absolutely any residue cannot be tolerated then wiping down with some alcohol or spray brake cleaner, course not a filter matter.

 

[PapaSkeeta]

Some of you will disagree with how I do it, but it has worked for me since 1983. First with Hondas - 3-wheelers, then 4-wheelers, then Yamaha 4-wheelers and finally the Wolverine. I have always used gasoline to clean the air filter. I put about 1" of gas in a plastic oil catch pan and repeatedly mash the filter flat, turning it over and over several times. With the gas you can completely clean the filter in 2 minutes or less. I pour out this dirty gas and repeat the same procedure a 2nd time with clean gas. Since 1983 and 7 machines my foam air filters are cleaned about every 500-700 miles depending on the riding conditions. I only had 1 foam air filter start coming apart at the glue seam and that was on a 1998 Honda 450 Foreman after about 5 years of cleaning it in gas. Back then I was a lot rougher, ringing out the foam, squeezing and twisting the air filter to get all of the gas out of it. Now I don't twist the air filter but I still squeeze it to get as much gas out of it as I can. I don't wash the filter or do anything else to it as far as cleaning it after cleaning it with gas, I let it air dry overnight before re-oiling it. What little dried gas residue is left in the foam doesn't matter since it is a petroleum product and your putting a petroleum product right back on it.

My 2016 Wolverine's air filter has been cleaned about 7 times now, all with gas, and no signs of the glue seam starting to separate. I do give the filter a good inspection each time it is cleaned. The gas will not harm the foam at all, if serviced regularly. Keep in mind the filter is a perishable item to start with and not intended to last forever, even though in the right circumstances it is not unusual for them to last 7-8 years or longer. Gas is probably not ideal for the glue seam but what little time it is in the gas and then allowed to completely dry before stretching the glued seam has not caused any problems, except for when I used to be pretty rough in the cleaning process on the Honda Foreman. If I do notice the glue seam start to separate then I'll just chalk it up as time to get a new foam filter.

I have seen the air filter foam on a couple of machines start to deteriorate to the point of starting to crumble apart. This has always been on machines that have been severely abused and the air filters were not serviced on a regular basis, if ever at all. I once saw a 2008 Yamaha 700 ATV that the air filter was so clogged up with dust and debris that the pores on the foam were not even visible, the entire surface of the air filter was caked solid with dirt/dust and pieces of grass, etc. It was amazing that any air was even getting through the filter at all, no telling how much damage had been done to the cylinder. When I wiped the caked up material off of the air filter the foam was crumbling apart.

I always have gas readily available, is inexpensive, and gets the filter clean, fast, so I use it. When the 2007 Yamaha 700 ATV first came out, Yamaha was recommending to clean the foam air filter using Dawn Dish Washing Detergent, so I gave this method a try on mine, one time, once was one to many times for me. Trying to clean the Yamalube Foam Air Filter Oil from the filter was a disaster and I said never again. After multiple washing with the Dawn to no real avail, I said forget this. It is always gas for me, so I can clean the filter quickly.

I also came up with a solution to the toilet paper shortage, but no one yet has liked my solution. Use both sides of a sheet of paper, cuts the consumption in half. LOL, LOL. Everything is a trade off, clean butt, but dirty hand.

 

[kdt1970]

There is 100% no reason to use gasoline to clean your filter. Mineral sprits works like magic on these filters and the oil comes out perfect.

 

[Budro2]

Thanks for being brave enough to explain your method Papa. My cleaning system is identical. If I’d have proclaimed that, people would have jumped all over me! My oil is already all wrong. My OEM filter also still looks perfect and yes, since it’s a disposable item and we’re cleaning and inspecting it, I believe we also have enough common sense to know if somethings not right and retire it. The only thing I do different is to use the Dawn after the gas and then air dry and that hasn’t been any trouble but.... maybe unnecessary.

I also think I have enough common sense to use any oil I want from a handy spray can and be able to accomplish getting inside, outside and yes all of the center covered without having to wring it out. Lol

Loved the joke too, stay healthy!

 

[Budro2]

There is 100% no reason to use gasoline to clean your filter. Mineral sprits works like magic on these filters and the oil comes out perfect.

Ah, but there is a reason. Some of us are to cheap and lazy to go buy it when gas is already on hand and also works like magic!

I didn’t say better.... just good enough!!!

 

[danielplace1962]

Most important is to fix the metal basket on the plastic carrier so it doesn't lift the foam at the edges and make a path for dirt to bypass. One tiny leak can destroy a engine quick.

 

[Mad Dog_037]

All good info in this topic, my last service trip was right after H&M ride in early October during the drought period, the trails was nothing but dusty powder hence the air cleaner was corroded so the dealer cleaned the foam filter and re-oiled then replaced the paper filter below that one. In the future unless I'm buying a new X4 or need a major repair I'll be doing the maintenance myself so all these tips come in handy for the amature mechanic here!

 

[Tripplec]

I noticed the screen away when doing my filter. Also factor holes in the plastic without screw. I put screw in those holes and drilled two other to other area where the hole had not been made in the same places. I did notice as I screwed down the screw, the bowed corners bowed away from the frame. A gap got transferred to the ends in doing this.

I tucked the foam up and into the cover end thats put on last since the foam as down a little more than needed the channel was void of much foam there. Its a work in progress figuring it out. I don't drive in much dust and only if following my ATV if its ahead of me with my son driving. Only two or three times last year in all. He likes driving this, so I am a passenger hanging on the bar.

I don't know if these engine use oil as they were but having check it now and then I'd been topping it up when I see its low (below the full at least 3/16"twice and last check after a full 1000km from the original change its needed 400ml (I put 500ml and it went above the full line). So not sure if the build is lacking as some who had rebuilds done. I am doubtful it would be warrantied here as its long gone I am sure.

This also is as far as filtering goes. Many engines on these same trail run WITHOUT AIR FILTER!!! Yeah, in the winter snowmobiles are not equipped with them and never have been. You can get 10000km pm a twin sled engine or more. I got that on my last snowmobile. This winters driving would have not dust even from itself most of the time either. Just saying, it should not be that sensitive to some dust. No filter is 100 % perfect I am sure nor are all the coupling points.

 

[danielplace1962]

They did make the basket too large for the plastic so it does want to bulge somewhere but the washer heads in all 8 positions really did the trick for mine to get the gap as minimal as possible all the way around. The screws themselves are low profile enough to not lift the foam either.

 

[Budro2]

I did a quick fix on mine the 1st time by degreasing and using alcohol to clean and then I wrapped that edge of the screen with black tape and got rid of the screws. Surprisingly, every time I clean it the tape hasn’t come loose. I’ve seen three methods on dealing with it but when the tape finally fails I’ll do mine like Danielplace did for sure. It’s the cleanest and most secure!

Regarding the oil consumption, if you continue to see the same thing going on then report it to your dealer. The TSB to fix it appeared on the internet for Canada prior to the U S. You may have to wait till it’s smoking to get approved but I’d plant the seed at the dealer early and create a history log! It doesn’t matter if your warranty is up. Look at it this way, you may get 5 or 6000 miles on that thing and then get a top end done for free! Meanwhile it still runs fine!

 

[danielplace1962]

I wish these off road toys all had a primary airbox ahead of the oiled foam airbox with just a dry foam pre filter(or a pleated paper cartridge) in it that could be pulled out every trip or sooner and cleaned and reinstalled(or replaced) without the oily mess. This would extend the oiled foam filter cleaning interval substantially.

 

[Tripplec]

I did bring up the idea of putting some foam filter in the input as I recall. Less I was dreaming it long ago. But it got shot down for some reason, which escapes me at this time. Had though of coarse foam used in other applications to catch bigger items.

 

[PapaSkeeta]

I wish these off road toys all had a primary airbox ahead of the oiled foam airbox with just a dry foam pre-filter(or a pleated paper cartridge) in it that could be pulled out every trip or sooner and cleaned and reinstalled(or replaced) without the oily mess. This would extend the oiled foam filter cleaning interval substantially.

I have an Outerwears Pre-filter on the outside of my oiled foam filter that helps a lot. It probably doubles the length of time I could go without cleaning/re-oiling the foam filter. Back in 2016 Outerwears did not have a pre-filter for the Viking or Wolverine which both use the same filter. I worked with Outerwears and engineered a very good prototype that fits perfectly. By the 2nd generation prototype I had all of the wrinkles eliminated and the length and elastic around the ends fit perfect. For some reason Outerwears never marketed the pre-filter for the Viking or Wolverine. Then about 2 years later I heard that Outerwears had a computer system crash and lost all of my specifications and pictures I had supplied them of the pre-filter prototype. They did manufacture (3) pre-filters all total, for the Wolverine, that I know about - (1) of generation 1 prototype and (2) of generation 2 prototype (the final version).

I did bring up the idea of putting some foam filter in the input as I recall. Less I was dreaming it long ago. But it got shot down for some reason, which escapes me at this time. Had though of coarse foam used in other applications to catch bigger items.

I may have been the one that discouraged you from putting anything at the air intake at the battery. Before I worked with Outerwears I experimented with a lot of various materials and the tightness of the fabric's weave and concluded that the plastic air intake at the battery is much to small of an area to try to put anything there. The air intake has such a large volume of air going through the small intake at the battery that a large suction is created and the least restrictive things that I tried (that would do anything at all as far as filtering dust) were still being pulled inside the plastic tubing for the air intake. To large of a volume of air goes through to small of an area for anything to work at the intake by the battery on the Gen. 1 Wolverine. That was when I decided to get in touch with Outerwears and see what we could do, as far as making a large pre-filter that would completely cover the foam air filter that has a much larger surface area, where the suction is not as great as it is at the intake up by the battery.

 

[Frankb]

Here is how I do it. If your bottle of air filter oil has a plastic or aluminum seal over the mouth of the bottle, under the cap, as an added precaution to prevent leakage from the manufacturer to the retailer then DO NOT REMOVE IT. Take a small ROUND pointed object like a pencil, nail, etc. (don't use a knife, you want a round hole) and poke a small hole (about 1/8" diameter) in the center of the aluminum seal on the mouth of the bottle. Now you can use the bottle as a squirt bottle and better control where and how much oil you put on the filter.

Next I put on a pair of disposable latex gloves and start squirting the oil all over the filter and work it in by hand until the filter has uniformly changed color. This usually requires about 3 times of squirting more oil onto the filter to get all areas covered well, pay especially close attention to the ends of the filter to be sure they are saturated well. Again, I stop applying more oil when the filter has completely and evenly changed to a uniform color inside and outside. I work the oil into the filter by squeezing the filter tightly by hand to make it get absorbed throughout the filter, this may take several minutes of working/squeezing the filter.

Some people will put the filter in a large zip lock bag full of oil and squeeze it this way, completely saturating the filter and then ringing out the excess. Personally, I don't prefer this method because it usually causes excess oil to drip over time into the bottom of the air filter box.

Out of a 16 oz. bottle of filter oil I will get about 3 1/2 filter re-oilings, so I am using about 4.5 oz. of oil each time I clean re-oil my air filter.

That is exactly the way I oil my filter! It has worked for me many years! Thanks P S for your post!