Air filters..Are you kidding me?

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kar_the_terrible · Sun Mar 27, 2005 10:39 am

Yam 78 Xs400

While cleaning out my air filters, I noticed that the construction is pretty flimsy...(I think these are the old-style airfilters), they're just two aluminium plates with metal mesh epoxied / soldered on!!! Is this for real???
Now I know that air-filiters are not exactly an engineering design challenge, but this is ridiculous.

I wonder if the previous owner tried some homebrew or moonshine-brand filters... trouble is they look exactly like the photo on the haynes manuals. What gives??

Plus a trivia question: How does oil get inito air filters? gunk from the air, regurgitation from the carbs??

BuzZz · #2 Unread post by **BuzZz** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 3:01 pm

Is there some kind of filter media? Like foam or paper? What you described sounds like it may be an inner cage to support a foam element......?

The oil in the airbox and on the filter is most likely from the engine crankcase vent(s) that are routed into the airbox (low-pressure) to help evacuate the crankcase. And to give the vapors someplace to go that's eco-friendly......

kar_the_terrible · Sun Mar 27, 2005 5:34 pm

Aha... now I know wht function the balance pipe serves for the intakes (one of my previous posts)... cool!!! thanks a lot.
Yup there is a foam element that I did not mention. Well, $30 for this flimsy thing is hardly justified...but then again, I guess I shouldnt have chosen to be a poverty-stricken grad student.

BuzZz · #4 Unread post by **BuzZz** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 7:03 pm

Yep sounds about like a stock filter set-up.... right down to 30 bills for a hunk of open pore foam.....

TechTMW · #5 Unread post by **TechTMW** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 4:39 am

Why not just spend a few extra and get a pair of K&N Cone filters and jet up a notch? The kn's will protect better anyway, and you might even get a decent performance boost to boot ...

kar_the_terrible · Tue Mar 29, 2005 6:21 am

TechBMW: Too late, I already bought new stock filters... just wanted to know if I was being ripped off.

No-standard filters would eed that I adjust the jets and all, I just want to get my bike running so I have wheels till I can afford to fix my car. Then I can play around with the bike, I've been meaning to look inside the engine and get new valves and stuff, maybe over the summer

TechTMW · #7 Unread post by **TechTMW** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 6:20 pm

Ahhh well, good luck with the car then! Once you get back to the bike, you know where to find us