Topic: Would it be advisable to test out coffee filters before buying pod filters?

[juntjoo]

Seems like the conditions would be pretty close enough. Or maybe they'd be too restrictive? Idk, I'll try unless someone has a better idea, at least in my garage

[innovativems]

I’m gonna say that’s not close at all to replicate pods.  Both in size of the pod and air flow. 


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[Don R]

 If you do it, be sure to get a video, We'd all like to watch. 

[Scott S]

 Can I ask why you're switching to pods?

[juntjoo]

Switching to pods because I can't stand having to deal with the air box getting in and out of there.

[seanbarney41]

Do it!  I put coffee filters on my bike and the bike was totally transformed into a beastly animal!  Best mod ever!

[flatlander]

i shoot my morning espresso through a pod filter. gives me an instant 2hp boost.

[juntjoo]

Lol you guys are funny. I will post a vid when I do it.

[Deltarider]

Just don't use decaf in a caferacer, it won't work

[juntjoo]

Just don't use decaf in a caferacer, it won't work

Really? Heard it was better for gas mileage

[Stev-o]

Be sure to clean the filter first!

[evinrude7]

Once you get the bike tuned you'll only have to pull the bottom half off to replace the filter.

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[Scott S]

Switching to pods because I can't stand having to deal with the air box getting in and out of there.

 It's usually only needed once or twice, then I never touch it again.
 Invest in some new air box rubbers instead. Makes it much easier.

 You WILL have to jet and tune the mixture screws, an NO, we can't tell you what your bike will need. It takes time, experimenting and tuning.

[juntjoo]

Switching to pods because I can't stand having to deal with the air box getting in and out of there.

 It's usually only needed once or twice, then I never touch it again.
 Invest in some new air box rubbers instead. Makes it much easier.

 You WILL have to jet and tune the mixture screws, an NO, we can't tell you what your bike will need. It takes time, experimenting and tuning.

Didn't you do it to a similar bike yourself? Was it a cb650sc or regular cb650? Same engine/carburetor wise anyway no? Where does it ride/what elevation? Do you happen to know the stock main jet sizes for my 650 off the top of your head? Won't do the smaller ones as they're pressed in. Not sure what trouble you had on changing them while carbs on bike. I took my main jets out this way to clean them. Or is there more to the process? So what do we have to tinker with? Exhaust modifications, pilot screw adjustments, and larger jets? Shall I just test plugs after only changing to pods. However much lean the plugs look, increase jet size? How about removing exhaust baffles? Wouldn't that further increase air flow requiring more fuel? So I'd wanna restrict the exhaust if anything? Would 4-2 exhaust restrict more for this purpose? Sounds more costly than a pack of jets. I'll start stock plus pods, then open pilot screws, then Increase jets. Good plan?

[Scott S]

 Good plan? Not really.
 Stock plus pods....no.

 I swapped a 650 engine into a 500 frame. That's why I had to use the pods. The 650 air box doesn't fit the 500 frame, and the 500/550 air box doesn't fit the 650 carbs.
 I also used a 4-1 exhaust.
 You have to trim the "ears" on the mixture screws to make them tunable. I went larger on the mains but don't remember how much.
 The dual inlet K&N pods are more forgiving than individual pods, probably because two carbs are sharing inlet pulses and they act like two small plenums.

 The side covers didn't fit tight and I had to trim them. You may not be able to use your 650 side covers. Not sure about that.

 Before you invest in pods and a jet assortment,  price new intake rubbers. It is infinitely easier to R&R the carbs when the intake rubbers are fresh.
 Once your bike is tuned, its not like you'll be pulling the carbs every month or anything.

[juntjoo]

So it didn't work out so well. Gas isn't supposed to leak from behind the carbs no? I have a feeling it's something obvious to you guys. Hopefully.

Does it have something to do with the vent tubes being open maybe. I've already read elsewhere they should be fine open but I think I recall having an issue with the carb tubes open on accident once and having gas leaking. Idk. What's going on here? Unless it's something else not related to my new coffee filter pod racer mod then maybe pod filters won't work out. But this shouldn't be what prevents a pod filter attempt no?

[754]

 Jeez I didn't think you meant that..l I thought you meant ..
like a  sock,  like sticking out 3 inches..
 That can't work, too restrictive. I know I tried it with Uni filter material 40 years ago.
 Are you building a decaf racer ?

[RAFster122s]

With coffee filters are you planning on changing them everytime you take your bike out to the local cafe for a cuppa Joe? 
Seriously, sounds like a very bad idea.  You must like considering rebuilding your bike's motor more often.

Oiled unifilter makes them run rich, are you going to oil your filters? Part of what makes a filter work is the pleats providing additional surface area.

Price some new carb rubbers from South Sound Honda in Olympia Washington. A bit of silicone spray or rubber lube will make them slip on and off very easy, too easy sometimes.  IT will be some of the best $40-45 you have spent on the bike.
The airbox on a 550 can remain in place, just fiddly getting the airbox boots back on but doable and the more you do it the easier it gets as you learn tricks to do the job.

South Sound Honda ships economically too. Price them out, you will like their discounts and you an pickup any other parts you might want to refresh/renew to spread the shipping charges (reasonable charges) over many things.

Stock motors and pods are really a bad combo, lots of examples of this on the forum, modified motors with performance mods can tune the pods to perform well when you are breathing beyond what a stock filter assembly can provide. Then you have more options than PODs and not all pods are equal. Cheap Emgo pods should be avoided. Go with a brand proven to work. Ask calj737, he is a respected member and can confirm a modified motor can do a good set of pods fairly easily...stock motor I do not think he will recommend you attempt to run pods.

David

[RAFster122s]

Like the bumper sticker seen said, "If you are going to ride my ass, at least pull my hair!"

Come on Cal...you are the go to man on M-unit. that deserves a little respect...

Start a YouTube channel and do your experiments with the coffee filter filtration versus emgo pods, versus dragonstack pods, versus K&N pods, versus stock airbox. But at least be scientific about your analysis and real world. This isn't ichiban's channel after all! ?

David

[flatlander]

juntjoo, listen to scott. and please ignore cal's ramblings the poor man is not himself at the moment... probably didn't have his 3x espresso this morning and see what happens.

your argument of not wanting to deal with the airbox is a moot one as once you installed it properly, you will not have to touch it ever again. get some new rubbers all around (carb boots and those between carb and airbox), install everything and be happy.
some use pods for aesthetic reasons, to empty out the frame triangle. but you won't make any performance gains on a stock motor with the pods, the only thing you get is wasting your time and money trying to tune it properly and the odds are, it still won't run as well as with the airbox. you can search the forum for plenty of posts where pods are discussed and debated in detail, including some amusing trench warfare.

[juntjoo]

Can anyone comment on the fuel leaking out? Is that due to TOO much air restriction? At this point I'm curious and crossing my fingers and it's not too much $ to find out if this can work. If it does, awesome, if not I can always revert back. Now why is it leaking fuel?

[juntjoo]

Jeez I didn't think you meant that..l I thought you meant ..
like a  sock,  like sticking out 3 inches..
 That can't work, too restrictive. I know I tried it with Uni filter material 40 years ago.
 Are you building a decaf racer ?

Do you think this is why I'm leaking fuel soaking my filters? I just want to understand what's going on here. Tempted to take them off and try again just to see if they'll leak again..  Might do it soon or I should try to go to sleep...

[flatlander]

the coffee filters don't make the carbs leak.
what did you do with the carbs so far? did you have them apart for cleaning, did you make any adjustments?

[juntjoo]

the coffee filters don't make the carbs leak.
what did you do with the carbs so far? did you have them apart for cleaning, did you make any adjustments?

Can't keep playing with them tonight. But just tried without the filters and I think that was the cause since it kept running with a little choke unlike the vid above when it kept dying. So without filters I can keep it running and I didn't see any leakage. It was like a good minute 30 sec test. Will try again tomorrow.

And no, didn't do anything to the carbs. Rebuilt them last year and they've been fine. So I'm thinking the filters restricted the air too much as someone (Scott?) suggested earlier, but I don't know how things work, especially invisible ones like air. Too hard to imagine. Okay, til tomorrow...

Thanks all for checking in on me, if only to goof on my silliness

[754]

 It is too restrictive, i proved it to myself 40 years ago.
 In the video you can hear the bike start and run pretty good then start to sound richer as it started to load up.
 Bottom line, you need more area  in the filter medium .. less restriction.
 Look at the filters  on an XR 750 racer.. they are huge..easier breathing.
 Hold the filter against your mouths with thumb and first finger forming a circle, now blow out hard.
 Then try  making a bag out of the filter and blowing hard, bet you notice the difference..