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I was getting ready to do an oil change for the first time on my bike. The bike is a 1980 XS 400 Special and had it's oil changed right when I bought it last year. I figure I should take a look at the air filters and see if I need new ones. I pulled them off and I was surprised. I think the PO thought the air filter wasn't really important.





I assume I need to change both filters as bad as they are. But will this restrict airflow more that it has been. Will I need to adjust anything or clean anything? The bike's exhaust has smelled a little like gas and I thought it was running rich is this going to make it worse/better?

Let me know what you think and feel free to ask more questions.
I feel like an idiot riding the bike like that not even knowing how bad the filters were.

Thanks

Considering all of the gunk you have on there that is restricting the airflow, I'm surprised that you're only running a little bit rich. Nice clean filters will allow the air to flow with less restriction than what you have now. This will make the bike run a bit leaner and probably cure that excessively rich condition.

To clarify the photos. The yellow material appears to be the actual filter material. It was glued down and was uniform except for the gapping holes that I assume are from the previous owner.

Went to the dealer and have two new ones on order when I was picking up my oil and oil filter.

Thanks for the comments, keep them comming.

Hard to tell from the photo. I assumed that the deteriorated yellow stuff on the outside was (formerly) a foam filter, but it also looks like there is a really nasty looking pleated paper element inside (under the metal screen). Is that the case?

No paper, or at least no paper that is left. The inside has a metal mesh about the size of screen door and then the wider mesh on top. Then the yellow and black "foam" or whatever it was on the very outside. Sorry for the bad pictures, camera phone in a parking garage isn't really optimal.

Filter foam = prime choice for mouse den insulation. From the topic name, I thought you were going to find a mouse in your air filter or something (as I have).