OzVMX Forum

Clubroom => General Discussion => Topic started by: rough rider on December 08, 2013, 10:21:43 pm

Title: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: rough rider on December 08, 2013, 10:21:43 pm
hi , here is a pic if a 2 1/2 month old twin air brand  filter .its only been cleaned twice !
the original did the same after 18 months . damage has occurred at the bottom of the filter when it is fitted to bike .
using proper filter oil (unsure of brand was form a bulk drum ), washing in kero then rinsing in warm water and truck wash
why is it doing this never seen it before ??

(http://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab308/briks4/drz001_zps7a709d39.jpg) (http://s874.photobucket.com/user/briks4/media/drz001_zps7a709d39.jpg.html)
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: kenny5000 on December 08, 2013, 10:26:29 pm
Ive had twin air filters that have lasted for years and wash after every ride. My guess (and its only a guess) is kero or truck wash is breaking down the foam. I wash mine in mineral turps first then hot soapy water (just dish wash liquid) or filter cleaner. Never had a drama.
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: oldyzman on December 08, 2013, 10:28:47 pm
Diddo Kenny,
Turps and dishwater.... Petrol or kero - too harsh
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: rough rider on December 08, 2013, 10:42:02 pm
thanks for the reply I always used to use petrol and reoiled with engine and never had a problem for years , reason for using kero is I was following the twin air cleaning guide , see link

http://www.twinair.com/worldwide/cleaning-and-re-oiling-your-twin-air-filter
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: Barra on December 08, 2013, 10:44:16 pm
Strange that. Even using the wrong solvents surely wouldn't cause the foam to breakdown after a couple of months. Because it is happening at the bottom of the filter may be a clue - some oils tend to soak to the bottom when fitted. What oil are you using? Might be incompatible? 

Probably unlikely but another possibility is its a mechanical thing - Is it a loose fit and vibration killing it? Is the filter seat smooth and in good nick?
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: Rookie#1 on December 08, 2013, 10:46:19 pm
I have always cleaned my filters with straight kero and reused it for months, never once had an issue with any brand of filter. I wouldn't even consider dipping one in petrol though, sack the petrol wash mate and I reckon your problem will go away  ;)

Cheers, Brendan
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: evo550 on December 08, 2013, 11:37:33 pm
Is it No Toil filter oil ?
I had the same thing happen to two of my filters a few years ago, turns out No Toil had some issues with their filter oil, the problem has been fixed but if you have an old bulk drum of the stuff....
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: 35elsinore on December 08, 2013, 11:43:04 pm
Sorry I cant offer any help with your filter but I have always just washed filters out with petrol with no problems. A xr400 I bought new in 97 was sold 8 years later with a few spare filters including the original that had only ever  been washed in petrol and was still very useable.
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: farmer58za on December 09, 2013, 04:29:20 am
Always washed my filters in petrol, then soapy water. Later changed the petrol to paraffin (kerosene) because it was easier on my skin - and safer too. Used a range of filter oils from straight engine oil to high quality air cleaner fluid. Never had a problem with OEM or aftermarket.

lots of old bikes that I have bought especially those that have stood a long while, have had filters that have disintegrated like that. Possibly dud foam....?

Regards
David
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: tony27 on December 09, 2013, 06:43:29 am
If that's off 1 of your CZs then it'll be from the back side of the airbox, I had a new uni filter do the same thing. Came from blown back petrol collecting there as the lowest point of the airbox, I've been using twin air filters for a while now & no problems with them. Check that the drain isn't blocked if it's the standard airbox or drill a 6mm or so in the back corners if it's a plastic airbox
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: rough rider on December 09, 2013, 07:23:05 am
its out of a Suzuki drz 400 tony , last time I did my cz though I did notice the bottom of one of them looked the same but not as bad , thought it may have been from chaffing on the air box inner locating ridge but now this one too
i'll go to the place I purchased the oil from today and see if I can find out what it is
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: smed on December 09, 2013, 01:58:22 pm
If that's off 1 of your CZs then it'll be from the back side of the airbox

I was thinking a problem with the airbox/cage too :-\
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: rough rider on December 09, 2013, 06:05:28 pm
pulled both air filters from cz's when I got home from work and they don't seem to have a problem , they are both foam uni filters and have been washed the same way , kero then truck wash to wash out the kero
saw the supplier of my filter oil today and he says it was rockoil blue filter oil , he seems to think the deteriation of the filter shown is from the washing out in kero and not removing it all properly when rinsing it in the truck wash , then over time any kero not rinsed off left is making its way down to the bottom of the filter , being held where the cage compresses the filter and rotting the foam .he did replace my filter free of charge which I didn't expect
going to change my practice with the washing out and see what happens
now what to use ?
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: rough rider on December 09, 2013, 07:10:00 pm
it was suggested that I use degreaser to break down the filter oil then wash that out with soapy water , ive never heard this method before has anyone use ?
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: FourstrokeForever on December 09, 2013, 07:24:18 pm
I've always used petrol to pre wash my filters, wring it out (remove excess petrol) and then wash in HOT soapy dishwash water. I keep a bottle of elcheapo dishwash liquid in the shed. Then rinse out the soap from the filter in fresh HOT water....repeat if necessary. Let the filter dry out naturally and then re-oil. I've never had a filter deteriorate on me. Bastard of a job though....  ::)
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: Rossvickicampbell on December 09, 2013, 07:30:31 pm
me to - keep getting told it is wrong but use a little bit of left over 2 stroke, wring out, dry, hot soapy wash, dry and then re-oil - have never had a Uni filter fail yet????
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: kenny5000 on December 09, 2013, 07:31:04 pm
I never heard of anyone use degreaser!! Residual degreaser may effect new oil if not cleaned in hot soapy water well enough, although it should break down in water.
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: crs-and-rms on December 09, 2013, 08:14:40 pm
ive been using kero for 35 years 1st i wash in kero then in soapy water and leave to dry you should never wring out filters squeeze instead
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: kim80y on December 09, 2013, 08:47:49 pm
I had problems like that earlier this year, on my IT 250H. I was using yamaha filters, and after the 3rd got a unifilter one.
I was told it was due to using too hot a water with the no toil oil and cleaner, but it did not happen to my twin air YZ one done at the same time.
I got the shits and won't use Yamaha filters anymore.

No real help, other than it may the the brand of filter.

Cheers
Kim 8)
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: FourstrokeForever on December 09, 2013, 09:20:15 pm
you should never wring out filters squeeze instead
Yes....I should of said squeeze  ::)
Title: Re: anyone seen this happen to an aircleaner before
Post by: rough rider on December 10, 2013, 07:30:03 pm
tony, I said yesterday both my cz filters were ok when I looked at them yesterday, well I decided to wash them out tonight upon doing this noticed they are both rooted as well when washing the foam on the bottem just fell to pieces . they are 2 yrs old and always cleaned the way previously.
found this on the net , is an interesting read mentions kero etc .there are several things according to  them I am doing wrong . also see the bit about moisture left in the foam , I am wondering if this is what my problem is 

http://www.uniflow.com.au/contents/en-us/d312.html