A forum for owners of Yamaha TTR250 trail and enduro bikes!

Lostboyscout · Veteran Member

Cleaning and oiling your foam air filter

TTRfan · Super Guru

Although it is second nature to experienced dirt bikers, it is not always obvious to new owners that air filters need to be checked and occasionally cleaned and re-oiled.

In the UK, a filter may go without needing cleaning for the winter but, when things dry up and dust and debris (bits of leaves and twigs etc) start to get kicked up, then a more frequent checking and cleaning regime might be needed.

Some helpful tips here

Brian

TT-R250M · Super Guru

I make a habit of checking the air filter after every ride. Since I fitted the new snorkel I have noticed that it stays cleaner than when it was a smaller opening. The reason for this is that I made the snorkel sit a fair way inside the airbox. This was so the dirt does not go directly into the air filter, rather it sticks up against the back of the airbox. It seems to be working a treat

To re-oil I use two-stroke oil and also use lithium base grease around the sealing surface of the air filter and the middle hole, it works a treat!

Jarrah

TTRfan · Super Guru

Lostboyscout wrote:

how do you clean the air filter to get rid of the grime and two stroke oil , I like the idea just want to understand the process,
cheers

Some helpful tips here

noeyedear · Senior Member

TTRfan wrote:
Lostboyscout wrote:

how do you clean the air filter to get rid of the grime and two stroke oil , I like the idea just want to understand the process,
cheers
Some helpful tips here

First thing is learning to clean your bike after a ride biggrin , then proceeded to the technical stuff, I spent 7 hours cleaning mine after 3 days riding, you should be faster as your bike only had 2 days of mud painting. When clean then you can look at your air filter

TT-R250M · Super Guru

Lostboyscout wrote:

Hi
how do you clean the air filter to get rid of the grime and two stroke oil , I like the idea just want to understand the process,
cheers

Just as it says in the link, warm soapy water, if it is really bad I use kerosene then warm soapy water. I never let it get that bad though.

Lostboyscout · Veteran Member

My bike is clean and I did it single handed ! Lol
Resting now before picking up some tools to take it apart to clean the bits the tooth brush can't get to ....

Then soapy water for the air filter ....many thanks guys ....

TTRfan · Super Guru

Hope you took the tank off and cleaned underneath ready to check/adjust those valve clearances Dave wink

noeyedear · Senior Member

TTRfan wrote:
Hope you took the tank off and cleaned underneath ready to check/adjust those valve clearances Dave

Good point Brian, I had half inch of mud around the plug, even after a blast with the power washer and what a pain to clean out, small brush and compressed air fixed that biggrin

Lostboyscout · Veteran Member

Hi guys
Erm no not yet need to get tools ....just been making kofta kebabs for supper ...now resting shoulder again still hurts ...but I will go and take tools out and tank off , speedo gizmo , fork boots , headlight , hand guard , number plate , and kick starter, and any thing else I find ........

Maniot · Veteran Member

This video from Yamaha has some very useful tips particularly the use of a plastic bag.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-ETKomHST4

chrisstdt · Senior Member

Ive always done mine in the parts washer at work (uses kerosene) after every ride ,then dried out and re oiled with four stroke oil

Is there any particular reason to wash it with soapy water afterwards ?

Maniot · Veteran Member

According to the video, the reason for using the soap and water afterwards is to remove traces of the solvent AND the last traces of dirt/dust etc In the video he shows you the extra amount of muck removed by this subsequent washing/rinsing....its quite significant! Must be very well dried afterwards of course......

ttboof · Super Guru

I had always used the engine or two stroke oil , until I tried Castrol air filter oil in a spray can I find its great catching dust and even better at repelling water and cheap smile ( it seems to have a thing against water LOL). its very sticky and so I recommend using disable gloves to work it through the filter and install it . it washes out with solvents like turps or petrol . a tip with the turps is after washing the crapy stuff settles in the bottom of the bottle so you can reuse the turps off the top again .

comeragh · Senior Member

Have been using NOTOIL on my filters of late .

Comes with a solvent to wash the no toil oil and the oil itself .

Very sticky so catchs the grime and washs easily .

Best to have two filters prepare and wash them in one go .

texasT · Senior Member

I like the video Manoit refers to and do mine similar. I use Kerosene if it is real dirty, rare but sometimes fun ain't so clean. The soap and water come next, sometimes I'll change out soap/water several times. Next is a rinse and re-rinse. Squeeze out carefully as video mentions. Clean the skeleton or under-frame.
I use a "pour" type oil. It is SUPER sticky. (Can't find it at this moment but it is kinda green in color), there are several good ones to pick from. The spray on is tricky to get right without spraying too much. Motor oil will work but they tend to leak inside airbox and cause a real mess.
Only thing I DO that I didn't see (but I'm old and may have missed it) is that I put a thin bead of grease on "lip" of filter where it meets with inside of airbox. This assures that no dirt gets past any gap there.
my2centz
greg

TT-R250M · Super Guru

texasT wrote:

Only thing I DO that I didn't see (but I'm old and may have missed it) is that I put a thin bead of grease on "lip" of filter where it meets with inside of airbox. This assures that no dirt gets past any gap there.
my2centz
greg

+1 apart from the ''old'' part (I am only 31 :) wink

I use synthetic two-stroke oil if I cannot find a suitable air filter spray. It is stickier than usual motor oil and does not dry out as quick.

Jarrah

petenz · Super Guru

Clean mine in petrol .. let dry .. then spray with foam filter oil..
I use Belray when I can get it.... castrol works well & cheaper...
The motor lives on air & oil... look after them and the motor will
last...

LRJ · Senior Member

I have had a couple of air filters come apart at the seams after using Notoil. I used to think that it was a good product, but no longer use or recommend it.

pauls ttr · Veteran Member

i have a new ttr guess i better check mine asap before i go out