How do YOU clean air filters? I just DESTROYED mine!

19Delta · Post by **19Delta** » 07:43 am Feb 23 2016

I just destroyed TWO air filters. (See picture!) I'm a total KDX/enduro newb. I'm NOT a newb to filters though. I have been cleaning my air filters on my trials motorcycles for a long time by dipping in mineral spirits, then by walking with dawn soap, then rinsing thoroughly with hot water with no problems!

Did that, and upon rinsing the KDX filters, they literally just started falling apart at the glued seems while I rinsed them.

Here's my thoughts/theories of why or differences from the what I did before:

1. I bought paint thinner because they were out of mineral spirits, BUT, it says on the side it's made with mineral spirits. Wrong stuff? Thoughts?

2. I just bought the 2nd KDX, and it's filter was NASTY, so I started massaging "orange" hand cleaner with the dawn into them. Some kind of reaction?

3. The KDX filters sat for an extra 5 min with the paint thinner on them while I washed and ruined my trials filters. To long?

4. It just happened to be the end of life for both filters simultaneously and I didn't do anything wrong? I REALLY doubt this one! :-)

Now let's hope when the local bike shop opens they have two filters in stock! Otherwise, no shake down run for the new-to-me KDX today. :-(

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Tedh98 · Post by **Tedh98** » 08:23 am Feb 23 2016

What kind of filters were those?

I wouldnt have expected mineral spirits to do that.

I use diesel to get the oil out followed by Dawn.

Davenay67 · Post by **Davenay67** » 09:53 am Feb 23 2016

Maybe the paint thinners is too aggressive?

And from everything I've read on the topic, warm water rather than hot water to wash the filters.

The old filter might just have been at the end of its natural life, but killing 2 filters in a single cleaning session is suspicious for sure.

My current cleaning routine is kerosene, which is very similar to using diesel fuel. I always have kerosene on hand for cleaning my street bike chain, and for powering my garage heater. Diesel is cheaper though.
I'm going to swap my oiling and cleaning regime over to No Toil products from now on. They seem to get good reviews and clean up is quick and easy with water-based biodegradable solutions.

Jim B · Post by **Jim B** » 11:02 am Feb 23 2016

-Use air filter cleaner.
-Squeeze them, don't wring (twist) them to remove the excess cleaner and oil.
-I wouldn't use orange hand cleaner, as it's got some sort of grit/abrasive in it.
-If it falls apart it probably needed to be replaced anyway.
-I'm not sure, but I suspect the mineral spirits are dissolving the glue which holds the filter(s) together.

Bitteeinit · Post by **Bitteeinit** » 11:30 am Feb 23 2016

I use no toil and oxyclean to clean... My last filter lasted about a year before it disintegrated, which I think it good enough. Maybe your filters were old?

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david · Post by **david** » 11:36 am Feb 23 2016

Can you glue them back together with contact cement? You can get that at the local hardware store.

TheRadBaron · Post by **TheRadBaron** » 01:12 pm Feb 23 2016

I use mineral spirits on my Twin Air filters with good luck. I didn't like kerosene because it was too "oily". The mineral spirits pretty much evaporates away. Then I follow up with dish soap and warm water.
Hot water has been known to soften up the glue enough that the filter can come apart.
I also never soak my filters in the spirits. I doubt that 5 minutes or so would affect the glue but maybe it could.

Post by **KDXGarage** » 01:40 pm Feb 23 2016

Maybe the cleaner was too aggressive? Maybe it was the hot water? When did they fall apart?

I do kerosene, then warm Dawn, then cold rinse.

K50X200 · Post by **K50X200** » 01:44 pm Feb 23 2016

PJ1 air filter cleaner
Hot water rinse - Squeeze out excess water
Dry overnight
PJ1 foam air filter oil
Same UNI air filter 3 for years (and it came with the KDX when I bought it!)...

bultaco4ever · Post by **bultaco4ever** » 04:05 pm Feb 23 2016

I've used my unused gasoline with premix oil in it. I've washed non o rings chains in it, too.

canamfan · Post by **canamfan** » 05:13 pm Feb 23 2016

I use gasoline to get the old oil out, them dawn to clean them, then re-oil squeeze gently.I have had glued seams come apart on older filters. You should read the article on filters on enduro 360 and see what Chilly White is doing.

royadams · Post by **royadams** » 06:02 pm Feb 23 2016

I use brake cleaner to clean mine then warm water dish soap. It's cheaper then buying the filter cleaner. I've never been a fan of soaking a dirty filter in dirty solvent.

bone7615 · Post by **bone7615** » 06:10 pm Feb 23 2016

I have had the same no toil air filter for over 2 seasons and it still looks and works great. All I do is fill a cut off 1 gallon jug with about 3 or so inches of 2 stroke gas and put my filter in it. Then I GENTLY squeeze my filter while its in the gas until both sides of the filter looks clean. Then I pull it out of the gas and GENTLY squeeze the extra gas out of it.Then I hang it up for a hour or to so it can dry out and then I use foam filter oil and I spray it so the oil is consistent around the entire outside of the filter "I go just a little heavy on the oil for peace of mind". Then I install it. I have been doing this since I started riding and it has never let me down.

Jaguar · Post by **Jaguar** » 06:43 pm Feb 23 2016

I had a filter that I custom made from a lawnmower foam filter to work on a 55cc engine and the foam sections were held together with silicone sealant. I didn't think it would last but it did. I cleaned it numerous times using water and dishwashing liquid.

19Delta · Post by **19Delta** » 09:53 pm Feb 23 2016

Thanks for all the replies guys. I'm still at a loss for this, but I'm sure both filters were really old (age unknown to be). I did use REALLY hot water. So hot I could barely keep my hands in it, and that is when they fell apart. Still odd my trials filters never have.

I ended up using some extra superglue on the one filter and saved it. (It will be a spare).

Now to research what filters to buy! :-)

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bone7615 · Post by **bone7615** » 11:12 pm Feb 23 2016

I have good luck with "no toil" filters and their cheap.

Jim B · Post by **Jim B** » 11:15 pm Feb 23 2016

19Delta wrote:Now to research what filters to buy! :-)

Twin Air or Uni. (For some reason, I like Twin Air better.)

bone7615 · Post by **bone7615** » 11:59 pm Feb 23 2016

Sorry I use UNI air filters not no toil I don't know what I was thinking

Bitteeinit · Post by **Bitteeinit** » 01:46 am Feb 24 2016

If they were old it's no surprise. I have a twinair in the WR which looks ok, but I ordered a no toil because I don't know how old it is. Always best to have at least two filters lying around. No toil ate thinner than others, but I've never noticed anything go through.

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Sullyfam · Post by **Sullyfam** » 10:48 pm Feb 24 2016

Bitteeinit wrote:I use no toil and oxyclean to clean... My last filter lasted about a year before it disintegrated, which I think it good enough. Maybe your filters were old?

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+1 for no toil. However, I found it's best to use their air filters as the cleaning agent tends to destroy the glue on non-toil filters. It works great (both the cleaner and oil) and water clean up to boot.

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