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Air filter cleaning options

fprintf

Trials Rider
Joined
Feb 8, 2022
Member Number
136
Posts
97
Location
CT
What do you all use for cleaning your air filters? My local riding group uses gasoline (3), Maxima (2), and K&N (1), with an honorable mention for No-Toil.

I was moving to use Maxima but the first (and last) time I used it the smell drove everyone out of the house for several hours, even after I washed the filter in dawn dish soap, when I brought it inside the basement to dry before oiling. I cannot use it again, so I am donating it to the other person in our group that uses it.

I was thinking of moving to a Twin-Air system with the expensive plastic tubs because I could keep the tubs filled between cleanings/oiling but I have no idea how it smells. The old school method of using gasoline or kerosene is smelly, somewhat risky and in the case of gasoline is reported to lessen the life of the filters.

 
I use the Twin Air cleaner and tub to get the oil out, and then hot water with Dawn to get the dirt out. Air dry the filter, and then use Belray filter oil, pouring it on and working it in with gloves. Let it air dry, and then put in a zip lock bag for a spare or install it in the bike.

The Twin Air cleaner and Belray oil smell, but not that bad.
 
I am very much a creature of habit, Just use petrol in a scrap steel rear panel i took off a automatic washer 40 years ago i drilled a small hole in the rim knocked a nail in the bulkhead frame where it still hangs , Waste petrol i put in an old dark blue gallon can everybody knows is old petrol, i use the waste perhaps topped off with some diesel or kerosene to help start any incinerators or yard fires or occasionally clean any dirty components.
 
I forgo another nice thing with no toil, we do some longer vacations with the trials bikes. Cleaning with safe detergent is a little nicer than washing with gasoline and having to figure out what to do with the Dirty gas.
 
@Jason, one of the criticisms of NoToil is that the filter oil tends to migrate and not stay in the filter. Do you find this to be true?
 
I bought a UNI kit of oil and cleaner to try. So far the oil has kept the dust out of the intake through two filters of use. I'll oil and install the 3rd filter and let you know about the cleaner tonight.

Wife is sensitive to harsh smells so I’ll be apprised of the situation...

I used no-toil on the last bike. It cleans nice, and is very eco-friendly, but I always had a slight 'film' of dust in the intake boot.
 
@Jason, one of the criticisms of NoToil is that the filter oil tends to migrate and not stay in the filter. Do you find this to be true?

Yes, if it is over oiled. I put the oil in a squirt bottle and use that to “draw“ lines on the filter, about 1/4” apart. Then I squeeze the filter really hard. If I get oil squeezing out, I will soak it up with a paper towel. I just want a very light coating of oil on the entire filter.
 
I just started using the Motul stuff from the video posted. It looks, feels, and smells like some sort of paint thinner or mineral spirits. No filter degradation, they clean up great, and re-oiling seems to be going well. Only just started using it a couple months ago but so far I’m pleased.

I have a small patch of gravel near my garage where I park my trailer that I don’t want weeds growing in.
I definitely never dump any old gasoline or filter cleaner over the gravel to discourage plant growth. Never!
 
No toil and no toil cleaner for me as well. Stickiest substance known to man I swear.

I've never had an issue with it running off my filters.

Put on rubber gloves, shake the bottle well before opening, put filter in ziplock bag, pour some NT in, close bag, squish filter around until fully coated, remove and squeeze excess back into the bottle, let filter air out for a bit before re-installing.
 
With the Twin Air cleaner, it stays in the tub and you just put the cover back on. Any dirt that comes off settles to the bottom. Nothing to dump.
I’m old school, so grease the rim too, so need to dissolve that.

Our problem is more water and mud than dust, so I stuck with conventional oil. Probably apocryphal, but heard stories of NoToil washing off filters?

I could see that NoToil would be good if you travelled a lot, like Yinzer and Sally.
 
With the Twin Air cleaner, it stays in the tub and you just put the cover back on. Any dirt that comes off settles to the bottom. Nothing to dump.
I’m old school, so grease the rim too, so need to dissolve that.

Our problem is more water and mud than dust, so I stuck with conventional oil. Probably apocryphal, but heard stories of NoToil washing off filters?

I could see that NoToil would be good if you travelled a lot, like Yinzer and Sally.

I don’t think no toil will wash off, if I get it on my hands, it can be trouble washing off with dawn soap and water. I mix up some of their cleaner to wash my hands. DO NOT pour dry cleaner on your hands and try and scrub it off. Been there, done that and it will burn skin. Mix the powder with water in a bowl and then wash hands with it.
 
I'm a long time user of No-Toil oil but am cheap so I use Oxy-Clean (or generic version) to do the cleaning duties. No-Toil's cleaner works great but can also burn your hands if not wearing gloves whilst working the soap in.
I recently have been experimenting with PJ1 spray on filter oil and knead that in. The Oxy-Clean still seems to clean the PJ1 off but not as well as the No-Toil.
 
I cleaned two of my filters with the UNI kit.

Spray with cleaner and let them sit for 3-5 minutes. No observable odor.
Take inside and rinse in the kitchen sink. Ooooohhh there's the solvent smell... and it was pretty strong. I turned on the rand hood exhaust, and the laundry room exhaust whish immediately adjacent.

Smell dissipated very quickly, and filters cleaned up nicely. The filter from the TRS factory didn't clean as nicely as the one that had only seen the UNI oil, having a tint left in the filter, but it's clean.
 
I use bulk brake clean from a pail not a aerosol can. Followed with hot water and soap. Re oil with Maxima FFT oil and grease on the sealing lip. So far no dust or dirt in the air box. The FFT oil seems to repel water somewhat as well.

My old man would think it funny buying special stuff for filters. He tauaght me wash with gas, hot water, re oil with motor oil and grease the filter lip. Come to think of it when I did that I didn’t have dust in the air box either. :hmmmmm
 
I haven't used my No toil yet. I'm still running myself through my prepared filters (I have 3 plus the one in the bike) but I'm eagerly awaiting the chance to use it and see whether it works for me.
 
No-Toil oil and cleaner here as well.

Pro tip: The no-toil cleaner is basically the same as OxiClean. So the OxiClean that I keep next to the sink works really well for cleaning filters.

I keep 2-3 filters in rotation. Dirty filter gets cleaned and put on a wire shelf to dry. When it comes time to change the filter, I oil the now-dry filter and install it in place of the dirty one. Lather, rinse, repeat, literally.
 
This Oxi-Clean stuff is quite amazing. I'm cleaning my deck and the deck cleaner is basically Oxi-Clean in a concentrated mixture. (got a nice chemical burn to prove it too... stupid thing to do the day before an event)
 
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