air filter oil

[thelimey1]

i truly realize that I am the cheapest supersquirrel ever to post on the site, but i think filter oil is a ripoff. in the manual it mentions an alternative, engine mixing oil for the filter. is that 2 stroke oil, or just plain motor oil?? or what?? ?

[lewichris]

sesame oil is best. Gives you a nice roasted smell as your engine burns it up after it gets sucked into your carb.

Just us the right kind of oil. LOL

[thelimey1]

i know you guys can do better than that, i know that there has to be an alternative.

[lewichris]

no really i am sure it can get into your carb and plug something up. I am pretty sure i have heard of this on here before. Is it really all that expensive?

[Dan_Lorenze]

Considering one application of filter oil probably costs about 50 cents you might have chosen the wrong hobby. Seriously, a bottle of oil isn't going to put you in the poorhouse. I feel bad for your bike..... You probably skip oil changes (to save money), ride on bald tires (to save money). Life is short.... Don't be so cheap.... Buy some oil.... Sorry, somebody needs to tell you... ?

[oldbones]

I had some K&N filter oil (spray can) around from my race car (which is gone), so I thought I would try it before I bought anything new.

It seemed to trap all the dirt and dust. There was not a trace of dust inside the boot, and my last few rides have been VERY dusty. It was not easy to wash out though. I used some foam filter cleaning spray, then tried to rinse with water until water ran clear. Then I was squeezing the water out, and if I squeezed really hard, this thick, dark brown sludge started coming out. Looked like motor oil mixed with very fine dust. I repeated the entire process twice, and was still getting this crap out of the filter. It was weird - when I sqeezed it, clean water ran out, until I got it squished down real tight, then YUCK!

Anyway, think I will try something else next time I make it to the bike shop...

[Sylvain]

Well design filter oil :

Will spread on the filter evenly because it is fluid for the application.

Will repel water effectively, it wont turn grey

Will dry after a few minutes, and become tacky to the touch so it will trap dust better.

Will not be so expensive when compared to good 4 stroke oil, but then again from what you said, you may not be the type of fellow to buy top quality 4 stroke oil. ?

But to answer your question, I beleive if you use any type of oil, it will be better than using none.

Your choice.

[luvmy426]

I had the very same question when I read there could be an alternative (2stroke) oil. Tried it once. Thought for the few dollars it will cost to buy the proper oil, it will give me peace of mind. Stick with the right stuff.

For the record I really like the Silkolene stuff. ?

[MiniMadMan50]

Yes, stick with the correct oil. There are two problems with using engine oil. Here's what will happen if you use engine oil on your air filter. It's not nearly as sticky as filter oil, so it will either get sucked straight through the filter into the engine, leaving your air filter unable to stop dirt and icky things from entering it, OR over time the oil will drip off of your filter, into the bottom of your air box, and utlimatley down to the floor of your garage, once again leaving your poor air filter to fend for it's self against dirt and other nasties.

I prefer the non-spray types of oil, cause it seems to penetrate and coat the filter better. ?

[rohar]

Limey,

I have been in this hobby for, oh let's just say a long time. Long enough to remember when there was no such thing as Air Filter oil and all we used was plain old motor oil. This stuff would dry out very quickly due to carburetor fogging, or just run into the airbox and leave the filter dry. It's not waterproof nor is it liquid enough to ensure adequate saturation of the filter. It isn't especially tacky either.

IMO, Air Filter oil is a blessing. The other stuff will not last long, nor is it as effective. The new oils clean easily too. Look at it this way: You've got a high performance machine worth thousands of dollars. Does trying to avoid the small extra cost to protect that machine really make sense? To me it's pretty simple: Air Filter Oil is cheap. Top ends aren't. This ain't no lawn mower we're talkin' about here! ? The new 4-strokes are high performance, intricate machines. They demand much more maintenance and care, but will reward the rider with much more power and fun. Besides, for most of us, maintaining and wrenching on the beast is a labor of love - almost as much fun as riding it.

We can all debate the intricacies of one air filter oil versus the others (No Toil, K&N, Maxima, whatever) but the fact remains the same: all of them, when properly applied, are better suited to the job than anything else.

Personal Memo: Never buy a used bike from Thelimey1.

[Junior_Vet]

IMO, the spray on filter oil costs more than the pour on kind. The pour on kind works better and the bottle last longer. ?

[ill_caper]

Why do you think it works better? I may have to switch. Ive been using the spray for the convenience but if the liquid is better...then....Thanks, D ?

[rohar]

I don't like the spray on either. I like the bottle as I can pour some into a tub, dunk the filter in until it is saturated and then squeeze out the excess. Maybe it's just me, but I find this method the easiest way to get the filter uniformly coated throughout. ?

[Junior_Vet]

The pour on oil is better because it doesn't have the carrier (thinner) in it (so it can spray out of the can) that has to evaporate after spraying it on. The pour on oil is more pure with much less carrier.

You pay for 16 ounces of the spray oil with the carrier in it that has to evaporate. That doesn't seem to be a good use of money if 1/2 of what you pay for evaporates.

The aerosol oil may not get all the way through the foam because normally you are trying to stay clean and may not squeeze the filter enough to distribute it fully. Plus once it has dried, there is much less oil in the filter because alot of the liquid has evaporated.

Buy some rubber gloves and use the pour on the oil. I use the Bel Ray or the Maxima oil is very good. Very little carrier in those oils.

Also, if you hate doing filters like I do, I use the filter skins. I clean and oil the filter skin every ride and only do the filter when it gets dirty, about every 4 - 6 rides depending on terrain and moisture. ?

[Dan_Lorenze]

I've used the liquid form in the past, the only thing I don't like about it is that I don't oil the inside of my filter, only the outside.. I've had problems with getting oil into the carb. I also like the spray-on better because I feel I get a real even coat on the filter (which I can see), I just paint in on and massage it in for about a minute.