Of Air Boots & Dirt & YZ250s

dogger315
Posts
309
Joined
11/22/2010
Location
CA US
7/20/2014 10:06am
This is a common problem. Sounds like you're shedding the most dirt from the filter when you have to turn it to get it out
of the air box. Try popping the filter off and just move it back far enough to allow you to slide that nifty Twin Air cvr in place.
You can just hold the cvr in place while you remove the filter. Once the filter is out of the way, you can thread and tighten
the wingnut and go to town cleaning the inside of the airbox.

Got to love that FL sand!

dogger
7/20/2014 10:30am Edited Date/Time 7/20/2014 10:30am
Lay the bike on its side when changing the filter. The dirt will fall onto the side of the air box instead of the air boot.

7/20/2014 10:37am
Sadly, Dogger, Yamaha didn't leave enough room to slide anything back but the filter - albeit barely. I believe my giant ham-hocks (sometimes called hands) would knock even more dirt in there trying to get Twin Air cover in there. I think Mr. FT Wrench might be onto something.

Dogger, you KNOW that Florida sand! Even after washing my air filter in Oxy and then Dawn dish soap and hot water, it still holds very fine sand. After it dries out I can take it and use compressed air to blow out the very fine stuff. It really is something. It is white and very fine-grained - much more so than beach sand. Amazing stuff!
dogger315
Posts
309
Joined
11/22/2010
Location
CA US
7/20/2014 12:25pm
Sadly, Dogger, Yamaha didn't leave enough room to slide anything back but the filter - albeit barely. I believe my giant ham-hocks (sometimes called hands) would...
Sadly, Dogger, Yamaha didn't leave enough room to slide anything back but the filter - albeit barely. I believe my giant ham-hocks (sometimes called hands) would knock even more dirt in there trying to get Twin Air cover in there. I think Mr. FT Wrench might be onto something.

Dogger, you KNOW that Florida sand! Even after washing my air filter in Oxy and then Dawn dish soap and hot water, it still holds very fine sand. After it dries out I can take it and use compressed air to blow out the very fine stuff. It really is something. It is white and very fine-grained - much more so than beach sand. Amazing stuff!
That is tight. Sounds like laying it over IS the best solution.

Unfortunately, I am all to familiar with that sand. Have you tried those filter skins? Might help lessen the amount of sand
that can work it's way into the main filter.

dogger

The Shop

7/20/2014 12:52pm
I have not tried those, Dogger. Have you ever used them? You know I don't make a move without your expertise weighing in.

PS. Still loving the Redline oils. QUALITY all the way. I know you said the gearbox oil is a bit over the top for this slow, old guy, but man that stuff is awesome. Besides, even though it is $16 a quart here, I've noticed it only needs to be changed a third as often as other oils. The premix is incredible. It stays mixed and never ever gives me anything but a clean cylinder and piston on tear down.
7/20/2014 2:51pm
The old school way is to put a small amount of grease on the inside of the filter box so the grease will hold the dirt/sand till you remove the filter then wipe it out with a paper towel, if you do that with the bike leaned over you should be styling.
kijen
Posts
1029
Joined
10/1/2010
Location
Jacksonville, FL US
7/21/2014 9:19am
I use the gytr filter cover. It keeps a lot of dirt off the filter. even the Bostwick sand and wood chipsSmile

Also use some small vaccum attachments. But some times it does require r&r to clean right. I too will try laying it in the side
Too simple!
notme
Posts
570
Joined
5/23/2010
Location
CA
7/21/2014 10:02am
I found the filterskins can cut back the power, I only use them on a 450/500.
Knoby
Posts
219
Joined
11/6/2013
Location
Wichita, KS US
7/21/2014 11:18am
Just wrap some tape around two fingers, sticky side out.
FGR01
Posts
5091
Joined
10/1/2006
Location
AZ US
Fantasy
1334th
7/22/2014 1:43pm
I have Twin Air filters in my YZ125 and YZ250. They are slightly smaller and give lots of room in the airbox. I have no probs at all. It's actually very roomy. If you have trouble with the YZ's you would absolutely hate the CRF's! They are really tight.
CamP
Posts
6828
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Colleyville, TX US
7/22/2014 3:49pm
After servicing filters for 40 years, I've come to the conclusion that it's best to just go ahead and remove the subframe and airbox every time you service the air filter. This allows you to clean everything like the factory mechanics do it. For airbox grunge clean up, I use WD40 as a solvent, then follow up with Shout and a garden hose.

Taking all the stuff off only adds a few minutes to the job. The actually filter cleaning/oiling process is the part that I hate, but I've found that I can push service intervals to 5-6+ hours as long as I use Belray or Maxima liquid filter oils. That means I typically do 4 prepped track practices on a filter.
7/22/2014 3:49pm
FGR01 wrote:
I have Twin Air filters in my YZ125 and YZ250. They are slightly smaller and give lots of room in the airbox. I have no probs...
I have Twin Air filters in my YZ125 and YZ250. They are slightly smaller and give lots of room in the airbox. I have no probs at all. It's actually very roomy. If you have trouble with the YZ's you would absolutely hate the CRF's! They are really tight.
Maybe I should stick to the Twin Air. I have 4 different filters in rotation. Twin Air, Uni, DT-1 and the other big brand (the name escapes me at this moment). You're correct in that the Twin Air is the smallest of the four.
7/22/2014 3:51pm
CamP wrote:
After servicing filters for 40 years, I've come to the conclusion that it's best to just go ahead and remove the subframe and airbox every time...
After servicing filters for 40 years, I've come to the conclusion that it's best to just go ahead and remove the subframe and airbox every time you service the air filter. This allows you to clean everything like the factory mechanics do it. For airbox grunge clean up, I use WD40 as a solvent, then follow up with Shout and a garden hose.

Taking all the stuff off only adds a few minutes to the job. The actually filter cleaning/oiling process is the part that I hate, but I've found that I can push service intervals to 5-6+ hours as long as I use Belray or Maxima liquid filter oils. That means I typically do 4 prepped track practices on a filter.
Hey Cam. Thanks. I use the no-toil oil because it is so easy to clean out with Oxy-Clean. Thanks for your experienced input.
CamP
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6828
Joined
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Location
Colleyville, TX US
7/22/2014 3:58pm Edited Date/Time 7/22/2014 3:59pm
Hey Cam. Thanks. I use the no-toil oil because it is so easy to clean out with Oxy-Clean. Thanks for your experienced input.
Glad to help. As far as extended service intervals go, the only time I had dirt pass through a filter was with no-toil. That particular situation was with a bike that sat for about 6 weeks before riding all day on a bone dry sand track. When I took the filter off, the no-toil had noticeably gravitated to the bottom of the filter and fine silt had made it's way through the top.

With Maxima and Belray, you can have a 1/4" of dirt built up on the outside of the filter and it will never pass thru, no matter how long the bike sits up. The bike just runs progressively richer as the filter becomes more restrictive.
FGR01
Posts
5091
Joined
10/1/2006
Location
AZ US
Fantasy
1334th
7/23/2014 10:31am
CamP wrote:
After servicing filters for 40 years, I've come to the conclusion that it's best to just go ahead and remove the subframe and airbox every time...
After servicing filters for 40 years, I've come to the conclusion that it's best to just go ahead and remove the subframe and airbox every time you service the air filter. This allows you to clean everything like the factory mechanics do it. For airbox grunge clean up, I use WD40 as a solvent, then follow up with Shout and a garden hose.

Taking all the stuff off only adds a few minutes to the job. The actually filter cleaning/oiling process is the part that I hate, but I've found that I can push service intervals to 5-6+ hours as long as I use Belray or Maxima liquid filter oils. That means I typically do 4 prepped track practices on a filter.
Man 4 practices on a filter? They must keep tracks watered pretty well there. My filter is caked after 1 practice here. Hell, sometimes if I blast a powdery berm I can feel it richer immediately after..! j/k sorta

You're right, the Bel-Ray oil rocks. Nothing passes through. I am really intrigued by the ease of the no-toil system but keep hearing that it just does not stop dirt as well.
7/23/2014 10:37am
FGR01 wrote:
Man 4 practices on a filter? They must keep tracks watered pretty well there. My filter is caked after 1 practice here. Hell, sometimes if I...
Man 4 practices on a filter? They must keep tracks watered pretty well there. My filter is caked after 1 practice here. Hell, sometimes if I blast a powdery berm I can feel it richer immediately after..! j/k sorta

You're right, the Bel-Ray oil rocks. Nothing passes through. I am really intrigued by the ease of the no-toil system but keep hearing that it just does not stop dirt as well.
Cam is correct in that it will eventually run to the bottom of the filter, but mine usually never sits longer than a week or so. How do you clean your Bel-Ray oiled filters?
CamP
Posts
6828
Joined
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Location
Colleyville, TX US
7/23/2014 10:57am
FGR01 wrote:
Man 4 practices on a filter? They must keep tracks watered pretty well there. My filter is caked after 1 practice here. Hell, sometimes if I...
Man 4 practices on a filter? They must keep tracks watered pretty well there. My filter is caked after 1 practice here. Hell, sometimes if I blast a powdery berm I can feel it richer immediately after..! j/k sorta

You're right, the Bel-Ray oil rocks. Nothing passes through. I am really intrigued by the ease of the no-toil system but keep hearing that it just does not stop dirt as well.
We are really spoiled with well watered sand/clay loam tracks here in North Texas.
CamP
Posts
6828
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Colleyville, TX US
7/23/2014 11:07am Edited Date/Time 7/23/2014 11:10am
Cam is correct in that it will eventually run to the bottom of the filter, but mine usually never sits longer than a week or so...
Cam is correct in that it will eventually run to the bottom of the filter, but mine usually never sits longer than a week or so. How do you clean your Bel-Ray oiled filters?
Belray and Maxima FFT are traditional petroleum based oils. They require a solvent soak, followed by several soapy water baths. I use white 2.5 gallon buckets. One contains 1.5 gallons of diesel fuel, which I use for a 10 minute soak. The other I use for the soap/water baths. I generally do 2-3 separate soap/water baths before all traces of silt are not present in the bottom of the bucket. Follow up with a clear water bath to remove all the soap from the filter. Dawn dishwashing detergent works best.

You don't have to use fresh solvent every time. I use the same solvent over and over and add a little diesel when the level gets low. About once a year I will strain the old diesel through a paper paint filter and collect all the solids in a metal coffee can, which gets collected by the city during their chemical disposal day.

If you are religious about filter maintenance before every ride, no-toil is a good system. I have too many bikes to maintain to be servicing filters before every ride.
FGR01
Posts
5091
Joined
10/1/2006
Location
AZ US
Fantasy
1334th
7/23/2014 11:27am
I use the Bel-Ray and do it pretty much like Cam except I keep a pail of Mineral Spirits for cleaning (the distilled, odorless kind, not the white, creamy "bio-friendly kind).

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