Air filters are the lungs of our motorcycles, so it is significantly important to properly filter the air and exhaust gases.
Fuel in a motorcycle engine burns with oxygen. The more oxygen the engine receives, the more efficient it is. Unfortunately, the air quality in cities is bad, being polluted with dust, soot, etc. If such air is supplied to the motorcycle engine, it will lead to incomplete combustion of gasoline, increased fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. In the worst case scenario, engine failure can occur. Air filters solve these problems and extend the life of the engine.
The filter is located on the side of the motorcycle, near the intake air valve. Inside it has one or more layers of filter membranes. Passing through them, the air is cleaned and enters the sealed combustion chamber of the engine. The primary role of the air filter is to eliminate contaminants. Over time, the filter elements become clogged and need to be replaced.
Today, motorcycles most often use filters with dry paper or wet sponge (oil soaked) cartridges. These filters have a high resistance to air flow.
Sports and tuned motorcycles are often equipped with conical filters, they are made of fine mesh or pressed non-woven steel. They do not have much resistance to flow, but the efficiency of trapping contaminants is much lower in their case.
There are three main types of motorcycle air filters, which depend on the type of motorcycle you have:
A dirty filter allows very little air into the cylinders, and you will notice this in reduced power at medium speeds. Another symptom of a dirty filter is increased fuel consumption (on average 10 percent more than usual) and increased oil consumption. In short, we can observe several possible symptoms of a clogged filter:
If you don't intervene at the first signs, you may end up with a filter that simply collapses inside and the engine has at most 20 hours of active driving.... What can you do once this has happened to you? It depends on the filter. A paper filter just needs to be replaced with a new one, a foam filter just needs to be washed thoroughly and soaked in clean oil. The same thing is done with the gauze filter, but its cleaning is also accompanied by readjustment of the entire system.
Replacement of the air filter should be carried out according to the guidelines provided by the vehicle manufacturer. The filter loses its filtering properties after just 10,000 kilometers. To ensure that the engine continues to maintain its efficiency and no contaminants enter it, it is recommended to replace it up to 5-10 thousand kilometers. If you travel in areas with significant dust, it is recommended to reduce this time even to 4-7 thousand kilometers. The humidity of the air in autumn and spring also requires special attention to the air filter system. Since dust and moisture alternate, this accelerates filter contamination.
After making long trips on unpaved roads, it is worth either replacing the filter or at least cleaning it with compressed air.
If the air filter is not working as it should, contaminants will get inside the engine with the air. The injection control system matches the amount of fuel to the amount of air sucked in, a dirty filter can significantly reduce the air entering the combustion chamber, it then acts as if the throttle is closed. Dirt going from the intake system into the intake can effectively weaken the unit and emit more exhaust.
If a limited capacity filter is not replaced in time, a chain reaction will occur: particles will enter the engine and destroy it. It is important to clean the filter frequently, use a good oil to lubricate the filter, and if there is a lot of exposure to dust, use a special sponge filter cap that will make it difficult for dust to enter with the intake air.