125-200cc Air Filter Rim Grease

[Caferacerman]

Hey Guys,

Saw an interesting article in one of the dirt bike magazines stating that air filter rim grease is a thing of the past and after doing my annual duty of spending an hour or two scraping off all of the old air filter rim grease, thought I would create a quick poll to see what everyone is doing these days - air filter rim grease still valid or a thing of the past?

 

[ray_ray]

Huey Lewis brought the News and said he wanted a new drug about 40 yrs ago? Myself, ok but I want a new entire air filter! Living on a limited budget, I've cured about all my expensive bike parts issues (cables, tires, chains, sprockets, boots, gas mileage), but not that foam filter at over ~30$ a pop and only last 2-3 cleanings?

In the process now of buying foam and gonna cut the pattern out and have it sown together by the locals... $5 per filter or less is what it should cost; These might even be use once or twice and tossed. Yea! F that ~glue and the same for that grease....

--
When Huey says drug, you say air-filter and we have new motorcycle song;

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1ku4QUhoXk

 

[shawbagga]

I've been using same air filters for 7-8 years! Are you washing them with acid ray ray?!!

 

[NH-JP]

Currently, I am still using rim grease. But I ride in moist, muddy New England, and do have water crossings from time to time.
Maybe if I lived in a drier climate I would be inclined to ditch the grease, but for now, though it is a PIA, I would rather keep the extra layer of security.
I did switch over to NoToil so that I can just wash out filters in the sink.
They seem to stay in good condition.

 

[ray_ray]

Not sure what is going on here, baffling to me currently; I've used no-toil here mostly, both colors, and my filters always come un-glued.... Maybe this water has got acid in it or something? It's really hard water I do believe....Maybe I need to go back to the basics and watch a video on how to clean a air-filter...

SB, any of those 8 yr old filters for sale?

--
Four votes so far have been cast; Not bad, seen some ballots with a lower tally ... Only remember 1 ballot that got big results; Its' question was asked in such a manner, the tally was almost meaningless when the count was finished....

 

[Dirtdame]

I still use grease on the sealing surface of all my foam filters. I just feel that it's an extra bit of insurance against any little gap. I have always washed my filters in gasoline, then wash them again with water and detergent. They can last 3 or 4 years generally. I use Bel Ray filter oil. i think it sets up tackier than any other oil that I have tried. I was just remembering that years ago it was often recommended to use two stroke oil to saturate foam filters. Back in 1975, I had a 125 Bultaco Pursang. I had just bought a brand new Twin Air filter element for it....and poured some MC1 on it. The filter literally disintegrated in my hands while I was trying to knead the oil into the filter.

 

[ray_ray]

After reading DD say hers last so long also, I'm gonna wash the single new filter I have in water from a different source and see if it make the filter last longer...

Vote tally has taken a turn towards the petroleum side.... Noticed that in todays' world, it is very hard, not to spend plenty on oil and oil based products.

 

[2premo]

the cost of sucking absolutely anything past any possible gap vs the time it takes to apply a sealing grease
that's a no brainer

 

[jeanjean]

I don't grease the filter rim because I'm lazy, and I use Rock oil SWWAFF because I'm lazy.

With this fantastic water soluble oil, to clean the filter is not a pain anymore.

jeanjean

 

[jeanjean]

And the DT1 air filters have a neoprene filter rim so that you don't need to grease it anymore.

...also available for red Husqvarna's

jeanjean

 

[Zomby woof]

I oil the filter sufficiently so I really don't think anything can get past a compressed, oiled filter being pressed tightly against the airbox by the filter cage.

 

[NCSteve]

I just gave up air filter greese and trying a neoprene seal from PC Racing. Seems to seal up well and so far so good. I sprayed a little extra oil on the filter rim.
Using NoToil filters and oil and filter skins for a while and loving it. The NoToil rim greese dries up and tears filters though.

 

[shawbagga]

Wash in diesel then truckwash then water. Allow to dry then oil with grease on rim even if neoprene. The end

Penrite, Fuchs silkolene or motul all good

 

[silverstreakNZ]

Maxima ffm . Wash with petrol . Filters lasted 8 years . And these are open filters on a British twin

 

[NCSteve]

 

[justintendo]

im in the camp with the petro products..
i use a five gallon bucket..a wire cookie cooling rack sits nicely in the bottom to trap sediment down low.
gas cleans the filter quick and easy, doesnt take much. oil with belray bulk quart filter oil. cover lip with belray waterproof grease. done deal. filters last thru many cleanings.

always seems when people talk about filters falling apart its using some new wonder water soluble no toil crap.

 

[rancher1]

It is wet around here so still using grease on the seal lip. I like to clean in shop solvent and the dish soap and water. Ray the no toil cleaner will eat the glue out of some brands of filters like moose. Best to use no toil on no toil filters in my book.

 

[Zomby woof]

always seems when people talk about filters falling apart its using some new wonder water soluble no toil crap.

Wouldn't use anything else and I get years out of a quality filter washing regularly.

I would never go back to washing in solvent.

 

[NCSteve]

Wouldn't use anything else and I get years out of a quality filter washing regularly.

I would never go back to washing in solvent.

Me neither. NoToil is too easy and works great for me. I add a filter skin and the filter stays clean for months, just change the skins.

 

[shawbagga]

Me neither. NoToil is too easy and works great for me. I add a filter skin and the filter stays clean for months, just change the skins.

I'm a tightarse so just use a chux cloth sprayed with crc/wd40.