When is air filter too dirty

[BHam]

Hey everyone hope you and your toys are all doing well. I have always wondered when is my air filter too dirty and time to clean. I don't like to perform overkill work. I ride a 2011 crf450r. Just bought another filter and came with some nice oil and rim sealer on it. I usually ride in front of the pack (I am the only one who knows the hundreds of miles of trails in our neck of the woods having grown up here) so it lasts longer than other riders. Southern California dirt so it's super dusty. The big hole in the bottom of the box allows dirt and mud to get on bottom of the filter while the rest still looks nice and clean (yellow). Is just the bottom a reason to clean the whole filter or will air bypass the small dirty spot and enter through the clean foam without sucking dirt? All answers appreciated!!! Thanks guys!

[Shhhh]

I change out my air filter pretty much every ride. I have 3 filters and 2 cages so it's always easy to grab a clean one, oil it up and throw it on.

I look at it as easy preventative maintenance, and It's the first and last line of defense for your motor. It's easy to swap them so why not? They clean up quick and easy when you do it regularly as well.

The dirtier your fitlter is the harder it is for the bike to breath, provided it's actually still filtering dirt at that point.

It's most important when riding in dusty conditions, like you say you ride in.

With that said, I go more by the number of rides instead of a visual inspection. The dirt you can see on the filter isn't really the problem, it's all the tiny particles that are in it you can't see.

I'd say no more than 2 or 3 rides on the same filter, YMMV.....

Edited October 15, 2014 by poldies4

[gimped up]

If it still runs its not plugged. Lmbo

But I'd recommend changing filters every 2 or 3 rides. Jmho.

I only clean mine once, then they get tossed.

Its just cheap assurance of not sucking dirt that's migrated through the filters. Cleaning can only remove so much.

Every time you kneed the filter it works fine dirt farther in.

Try experimenting with a sponge. Then after you clean it and dirty it and clean it again. Cut it open and see what you've missed while cleaning. A foam sponge will always trap fine particles deep inside.

Edited October 15, 2014 by ridngslikecrack

[knudsen]

I'd like to say I change mine after every trail ride, but lately they have been very short jaunts. I would say every 6 to 8 hrs of off-road. If you can see dirt, it's too dirty IMHO. It's very important to let all the water dry out of it. Water trapped in place by the oil rots the foam. My spares are shot, so I just wash in solvent, then dishsoap and water and set it in the sun while I work on other stuff. Then fully saturate with good filter oil and squeeze out the excess.

[DR.billZ]

When you deem it to be. Essentially it can't hurt anything. Well if you let it get horrible and crap drops in the intake when you remove it. But think about it, it really doesn't hurt a thing if it's dirty. Yes I expect flack and no I don't let it go but a few hours my self. But seriously, think about it...

[tractorman06]

I clean mine every ride if it's dusty every other if it's wet and not much dust.

[YZCas27]

I do mine every other ride and keep 1 or 2 extras so you just swap them out.

[k.g]

Clean after every ride. No exceptions. There's no reason to ride with a dirty filter. I keep 3 or 4 clean ones in a ziplock bag ready to go if I'm out of town riding.

[Rooster72]

When you deem it to be. Essentially it can't hurt anything. Well if you let it get horrible and crap drops in the intake when you remove it. But think about it, it really doesn't hurt a thing if it's dirty. Yes I expect flack and no I don't let it go but a few hours my self. But seriously, think about it...

 

Ok I'll be the one to give you crap… Not the best advice, but everyone's entitled to their own opinion i guess. 

[DR.billZ]

Tell me what it hurts. If there is dirt in the filter, the filter will filter better. Think about it. Don't react, think.

[k.g]

More dirt = more restriction. More restriction = more vacuum. Move vacuum = SOMETHING will have to move. That something that will move will be the dirt in the filter. If it's not a big deal to you, then motor damage is not a big deal to you either.

[DR.billZ]

In theory that is OK. But in practice, does it actually happen? The engine can only develop a limited amount of suction. Does it actually occur?

Or think this way. A clean filter has more openings for dirt to get thru. Does it happen? I don't know either...

Edited October 15, 2014 by DR.billZ

[JRS7192]

Just get a KTM, then you can be sure it needs cleaning after every ride

[LovingOffroadPain]

Hey everyone hope you and your toys are all doing well. I have always wondered when is my air filter too dirty and time to clean. I don't like to perform overkill work. I ride a 2011 crf450r. Just bought another filter and came with some nice oil and rim sealer on it. I usually ride in front of the pack (I am the only one who knows the hundreds of miles of trails in our neck of the woods having grown up here) so it lasts longer than other riders. Southern California dirt so it's super dusty. The big hole in the bottom of the box allows dirt and mud to get on bottom of the filter while the rest still looks nice and clean (yellow). Is just the bottom a reason to clean the whole filter or will air bypass the small dirty spot and enter through the clean foam without sucking dirt? All answers appreciated!!! Thanks guys!

 

Where in SoCal do you ride? 

 

The hole in the airbox's bottom is for letting fluids drain out (water, over oiled air filter, etc)  It also offers more air for the filter to "suck." 

 

I clean my air filter after every ride (usually about every 2-4 hours of riding) without fail. It's cheap insurance and I feel good about myself having a clean filter installed.

[LovingOffroadPain]

Just get a KTM, then you can be sure it needs cleaning after every ride

 

Don't give Krannie more reasons to claim, "Why KTM is ruining offroad motorcycling."

[BushPig]

In theory that is OK. But in practice, does it actually happen? The engine can only develop a limited amount of suction. Does it actually occur?

Or think this way. A clean filter has more openings for dirt to get thru. Does it happen? I don't know either...

 

From what I've seen of neglected bikes, they just suck less and less air till they run like a bag of dicks.

 

Your filter oil keeps dirt on the OUTSIDE of the filter. I'd wager improper oiling, and incorrect installation has killed more engines than "laziness because Bubba wanted to clean the filter on the 3rd ride instead of the 1st".

 

I clean the filter when its necessary, never dusted an engine.

Don't give Krannie more reasons to claim, "Why KTM is ruining offroad motorcycling."

 

Probably a krannie anyway.

[shrubitup]

Ya'alls must be riding in some dusty ASS conditions to just change it every second ride or so. From now til April it's just a lot of moisture here. No dust. None. A bigger problem here now is to prevent water intake into motor via a super clean air filter.

[DR.billZ]

Sounds like krannie. Didn't krannie get a ktm?

[BushPig]

Sounds like krannie. Didn't krannie get a ktm?

 

For a guy that hates them, he's had more of them than me!?

[DR.billZ]

Yeah, I think location may have a lot to do with it. Time of year. Dust, growing vegetation, deteriorating vegetation, seeding vegetation, etc