Topic: K&N Pods Keep Needing To Be Oiled

[DaveBarbier]

I just wanted to see if this is a normal thing. Dynoman 674cc build with 126-20 cam MRieck stage 2+ porting CR26 specials. I oil my pods with the K&N oil and they’re good to go. But after a couple weeks they turn gray again (partly) and I feel like I should reoil them. It’s almost like the bike is “sucking” so much that it pulls the oil out of the filter elements. Maybe that coupled with the wind from riding. Should they stay oiled and red colored for a whole season or is reoiling common? I use enough oil for sure but I don’t want to use too much oil as I had a rich running bike when I did that.

Just tell me it’s normal and I’ll feel better.

[turboguzzi]

just one of the reasons i stopped using them (or any of their kind) ages ago. a single big foam filter in an airbox has much lower maintenance. I understand that these "filters" are easy to install, but they are totally overrated, IMHO of course, guess K&N will disagree

[DaveBarbier]

Maybe I’ll look into a breadbox. Really any excuse to go back to the dyno, haha. Thanks for the insight.

[jgger]

If you are getting any " splash back" in the carbs you could be washing them with fuel. As close as they sit to the carb versus remote in an air box, I might suspect that is what is happening. Just my $0.02

[DaveBarbier]

I guess it’s possible but I smell no fuel and see no dripping.

[jgger]

Dave that might be because the next time you get on the throttle it sucks the excess fuel and thinned out filter oil into the motor. But that's just a guess.

[web]

Automotive experience only, but.. Bright red only in the box when new. Gray ish is normal. If you try to keep them bright red by oiling every other week, you're actually clogging them with oil, and oiling your carbs instead

Keep to recommended maintenance intervals. They're fine.

[Tintop]

Automotive experience only, but.. Bright red only in the box when new. Gray ish is normal. If you try to keep them bright red by oiling every other week, you're actually clogging them with oil, and oiling your carbs instead

Keep to recommended maintenance intervals. They're fine.

+1

[MRieck]

Automotive experience only, but.. Bright red only in the box when new. Gray ish is normal. If you try to keep them bright red by oiling every other week, you're actually clogging them with oil, and oiling your carbs instead

Keep to recommended maintenance intervals. They're fine.

+1

+1

[Tracksnblades1]

just one of the reasons i stopped using them (or any of their kind) ages ago. a single big foam filter in an airbox has much lower maintenance. I understand that these "filters" are easy to install, but they are totally overrated, IMHO of course, guess K&N will disagree

+1

https://nicoclub.com/archives/kn-vs-oem-filter.html

For all that "properly treated" dirt....

[DaveBarbier]

Excellent, thanks guys. I’ll leave them alone. I guess with a nice running/performing bike I tend to look for problems.

[PeWe]

I cleaned my KN pod filters the last bike month in October when testing jetting to be sure no clogged filters causing richer.

They were really oily, even after I sprayed them with naphta, bath in water with strong mix of machine dishwasher powder  followed by compressed air blowing them dry from inside.

 Then I felt the oily mist. They did not get new filter oil. The filters have a red tone.

Test ride did not show any difference I could blame the filters.

Pod filters the only choice for my TMR carbs unless stack option.

[754]

 I recall being under a shade tent at Bonneville. The K&N filter guy showed up, long time employee like 30 years or more..  and we looked around and said, I guess  you don't have much work to do here, 90 percent of the racers use your product.. ..
 So wether you like them or not, they work for a lot of people...
 I told him I had a couple really old K&N,s that were like new , so early that the carb end was not even rubber, more like the plastic Krauser used on their bags.!

[scottly]

I cleaned my KN pod filters the last bike month in October when testing jetting to be sure no clogged filters causing richer.

They were really oily, even after I sprayed them with naphta, bath in water with strong mix of machine dishwasher powder  followed by compressed air blowing them dry from inside.

Nnoooo!!! You did not read the instructions? 

[Tintop]

I cleaned my KN pod filters the last bike month in October when testing jetting to be sure no clogged filters causing richer.

They were really oily, even after I sprayed them with naphta, bath in water with strong mix of machine dishwasher powder  followed by compressed air blowing them dry from inside.

Nnoooo!!! You did not read the instructions? 

+1 PeWe keep an eye on them.  The Napha will kill the sealing compound.  Should only use 'Paper filter cleaner'.

[754]

 K&N are cloth element, cheaper ones are often paper.  If you ever had a Honda 2win and got paper filters wet, you know how much fun that is..

[PeWe]

I cleaned my KN pod filters the last bike month in October when testing jetting to be sure no clogged filters causing richer.

They were really oily, even after I sprayed them with naphta, bath in water with strong mix of machine dishwasher powder  followed by compressed air blowing them dry from inside.

Nnoooo!!! You did not read the instructions? 

+1 PeWe keep an eye on them.  The Napha will kill the sealing compound.  Should only use 'Paper filter cleaner'.

Naphta is a rather mild degreaser, not like acetone or thinner.
I changed to the washer powder after a few minutes.
 I have a new  KN filter cleaner kit with oil to use next time.

I also have an old KN filter oil spray can that still is able to spray the red oil. Bought it 1984.

[scottly]

You do NOT use compressed air to "blow out" a gauze filter, nor use solvents. Isn't naptha the fuel for old school Zippo cigarette lighters?

[PeWe]

No not that strong. Zippo lighters used cleaner version of gasoline here. It is more like a common degreaser that do not harm paint. Fine for tar stains on cars paint.
My "air blower" has a throttle. Blow from a distance work fine too.