attn. k&n owners

[member]

all k&n owners... today i pulled my k&n air filter off to check it and guess what?? i found dirt in the air boot :grr: :mad: imma order a outerwears today




http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid107/p13915d36a369baad9821212cc26f291c/f95f64d1.jpg




http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid107/p7aa08f1e8eeb30644bff79fbabad45d2/f95f64cb.jpg

[Dill Pickle]

do you ride with your lid off? j/w.. and yes get an outerwears

[member]

no the lid was on

[speeddemon105]

Well for one thing it looks like a ton of mud has made its way in there.

Thats also why I don't use K&N. I want my air filter to actually filter the air and not let anything through.

[Bill Fuller]

Don't waste your money on the Outerwares,buy a Uni or Twinair foam filter.Performance gains are minimal with the K&N and the piece of mind knowing that dirt is not getting into the engine is worth what little loss of power everyone claims.If dirt is in the air boot than you know it went farther.

[JDiablo]

i have a uni and ran it a couple times without the lid on and was riding in dusty areas for a lil bit...took the seat off to clean it and i was like "o chit" no lid...but i checked out my filter was dirrryyy but the inside was clean....get a uni or twin air

[250EXking]

After reading this thread i ran down and checked my 250, the intake was fine. no dirt of dust. no problem with mine.

[member]

Originally posted by speeddemon105
Well for one thing it looks like a ton of mud has made its way in there.

Thats also why I don't use K&N. I want my air filter to actually filter the air and not let anything through.

never went throught deep mud .. just about 3 inches deep but it threw it everywhere so maybe some got in their from that

[Braff1]

I had the same problem with the K&N in my predator. It is out and the UNI is in. Won't go back.

[Jonesy]

The actual K&N filter does nothing but reduce the amount of air, so the engine doesn't get to much air. on a k&n filter, well any filter for that matter, the oil is what filters and collects the dust. So if your filter hadn't been oiled properly or cleaned every so often then the oil will become so dirty, and will in effect not filter all the minute particles out of the air entering the engine.

How much oil was on the filter when you took it off? when was the last time you cleaned and oiled the filter? How dirty was the filter itself?

Not flaming on you or anything, just trying to inform.
Jonesy

[ReconRider25]

^^^^well said. and that "dirt" in the intake boot looks like it was wet. my guess is from water? you prob got a muddy/water mix through there. the gauze filters arent reccommended for rding in wet areas, drier ones. i dont think it was the filters fault. same thing wouldve happened with a foam filter.;)

[kj400]

If you dont put grease on the inside of the airboot dirt can slip by that way to .

[jcv400ex]

sorry to burst your bubble.......but after you spent 60 on the kn setup with the outwear......you coulda bought 3 UNI filters and switch them out from ride to ride........:p

[QuadJunkies]

We personally hate the UNI, we have one on the Mini and are getting rid of it, I guess depending where you ride too I guess, I prefer the K&N:)

[crap-banshee32]

i have no problems with my k&n...i love it..no dirt gets in mine, and i run ni airbox lid, with the outerwear on the filter....all u have to do is make sure the filter it tight on the boot and u keep the filter oiled...and it works great and u will have no problems...



Nick

[dirtmomma]

WEll I'll have to say we run both kinds UNI & K&N & haven't had any problems, my 300 has the K&N w/ no airbox lid & NO outerwear but I clean it alot & keep it WELL oiled!! We run a UNI on the blaster w/ an outerwear cuz we run NO airbox AT ALL, & we've never had a problem w/ that either it gets cleaned & oiled quite a bit also!! You need to clean your airbox out!! My hubbys looked like that on the 400 a couple weeks ago & I scraped allthe mud/dirt then got the baby shop vac out & vaccumed it up then cleaned it out w/ wet rag also I try to wipe mine out @ every wash since I dont' run a lid. Have never tried a UNI on my 300 but when I need a new one I may just go w/ the UNI because of price :cool:

[speedy400]

k&n "airfilters" dont filter crap I think. I love my uni.-darren

[Toadz400]

Just from my experience I'll never put a K&N on any of my machines. I ran a K&N with outerwear on my 400ex, without a lid. Each time I rode, there was dust on the intake boot...and yes I cleaned and oiled it properly, just like the instructions said. After I switched to Uni, I never had another speck of dust in there again, ever, no matter HOW dusty it got. So just from my experience...K&N is not my choice, but for some people things work out better than others. My .02.

-Neal

[toby400ex]

I had a k&n on my 300ex and now my 400ex, never any dirt in the boot. I think some people dont oil them enough.

[JOEX]

Judging by the picture alone it looks to be several lighter areas on the filter which indicates not enough oil on it.

It could be just the picture though.

[MOFO]

Originally posted by jcv400ex
sorry to burst your bubble.......but after you spent 60 on the kn setup with the outwear......you coulda bought 3 UNI filters and switch them out from ride to ride........:p


Yep, UNI all the way for HEAVY dirt and dust conditions.

Also, I agree with Joe, it does look a tad "under" oiled... or it could be the picture. That is the most important part of the K&N's...you HAVE to keep them oiled properly.

I'd say the filter is NOT the problem. Put grease around rim of the filter were it slides into the air boot. I bet THAT is were the dust/dirt is getting in and not coming thru the filter itself..;)

[swamprider7]

Originally posted by Toadz400
Just from my experience I'll never put a K&N on any of my machines. I ran a K&N with outerwear on my 400ex, without a lid. Each time I rode, there was dust on the intake boot...and yes I cleaned and oiled it properly, just like the instructions said. After I switched to Uni, I never had another speck of dust in there again, ever, no matter HOW dusty it got. So just from my experience...K&N is not my choice, but for some people things work out better than others. My .02.

-Neal

I had the same thing happen to me on my 400ex and I kept the filter well oiled with an outerwear on it too. I now have a uni and won't be switching back.

[Bretmd94]

I have heard this from several people about k&N filters.

K&N filters = more air flow, but the smaller dust particles can get through.

Uni= less air flow but better protection

In other words K&N filters kick major *** in the sand. But if you riding in a dust infested field or track, go with a Uni. Its good to have more than one filter anyways. All my frineds dont oil theirs enough but we do ride mainly in the sand. So they are probably okay.

Im going to use my sparks foam filter for any dirt riding and eventually get a K&N for the dunes.

[Toadz400]

Originally posted by swamprider7
I had the same thing happen to me on my 400ex and I kept the filter well oiled with an outerwear on it too. I now have a uni and won't be switching back.

Yea, people say their K&N filters just fine, but mine didn't. It didn't have any tears or holes, even in the outerwear. I always oiled it too, and plenty of the stuff also. I'll also never go back to K&N after my Uni, I run a Uni on my Banshee & 400EX and have had no problems whatsoever.

[Fast350ex]

I have a K&N with a pre-charger on my 300ex, I run it without an airbox and I put a thin layer of grease on the inside of the intake boot. And on the outside where the filter meets the intake boot. I clean and oil my filter every 3 races or so. I'v noticed that when I take my filter off, the grease has caught a few particles of dirt but not much. Every time I clean my filter, I replace the grease around the intake boot, and it works fine, I guess my filter works good because I oil it so much. I don't have any problems with the K&N air filters.

[hondaex03]

I have a K&N system in my truck and I checked the intake and it was clean and I just got back from muddin, the filter is fully exposed under the hood. I just keep it clean and oiled all the time. I am thinking about getting one for my 400ex with my HMF in about a month or so.

[RideRedEX]

i run a k&n on my 300 and never had a problem with dust getting thru. I do put grease around the boot as well. I usually put so much oil on my filter that after i run it for 30 minutes i have to change plugs because of all the excess that got sucked off and fouled my plug. but better safe than sorry

[04EXdude]

Is the UNI filter better than a stock filter?

[member]

yea uni is better than stock... ok i went out and took the air box and intake boot off and cleaned them up real good and cleaned the filter and oiled it up really good... i put some grease on all the connections... like around the filter.. a little by the carb and a little on the snorkel .. hopefully this will help if it doesn a outwears will be on its way

[Aceman]

Originally posted by member
all k&n owners... today i pulled my k&n air filter off to check it and guess what?? i found dirt in the air boot :grr: :mad: imma order a outerwears today




http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid107/p13915d36a369baad9821212cc26f291c/f95f64d1.jpg




http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid107/p7aa08f1e8eeb30644bff79fbabad45d2/f95f64cb.jpg

Why don't you oil your filter and grease the intake boot properly then if you find dust in the intake boot write a thread about it? You clearly don't maintain it properly so don't complain when it doesn't filter properly. Also it looks like you drowned your filter in mud/water, you could try keeping your airbox/filter cleaner by not using it as a submarine.

[AndrewRRR]

I run K&N's on my bikes with outerwears (I'd never run one on an ATV without an outerwear). It's critical to keep a K&N oiled properly. Particles can pass through the cotton gauze if there isn't oil for it to cling to. Also when washing your K&N NEVER use compressed air, you'll blow holes in the gauze.
I used a UNI on my CR250 and didn't hate it but I prefer K&N's for quads. I'm not a big fan of foam filters.
I have a feeling if your filter was oiled, the crud wasn't comming through the filter it was comming around it. I know on my 250r (and your 400ex looks the same), the airbox boot the filter clamps to is rubber. Overtighten the band clamp even a little and it'll cause the boot to deform and bam, you have a nice open gap for junk to get in. This happened on my R. I found sand in my intake boot and unfortunately in the bottom end of my motor. Turns out the filter was overtightened. Afterwards I got some Hinson stainless airbox support rings ($20) and haven't had a problem. You can crank them down without deforming the boot. I'd see if they make them for 400ex's if I were you.

[member]

Originally posted by Aceman
Why don't you oil your filter and grease the intake boot properly then if you find dust in the intake boot write a thread about it? You clearly don't maintain it properly so don't complain when it doesn't filter properly. Also it looks like you drowned your filter in mud/water, you could try keeping your airbox/filter cleaner by not using it as a submarine.


ight jackass i bought that filter 3 weeks ago and i asked the dealer if i needed to oil it or do anything to put it on with and he said no just put it on when you get home... so i did just that and 3 weeks later i open it up to make sure everything is good and thats what it looks like.. i learned some new stuff today like to grease the intake boot...now dont jump on peoples case for not being informed to do anything special to make the filter work...

[toby400ex]

Originally posted by member
ight jackass i bought that filter 3 weeks ago and i asked the dealer if i needed to oil it or do anything to put it on with and he said no just put it on when you get home... so i did just that and 3 weeks later i open it up to make sure everything is good and thats what it looks like.. i learned some new stuff today like to grease the intake boot...now dont jump on peoples case for not being informed to do anything special to make the filter work... So was the filter oiled? I wouldnt ever trust a dealer, unless you know them personally.

[member]

the whole filter was red so i assumed it was pre oiled... plus that is what the dealer said....i know in the picture it looks like their is some white but i didnt see any

[Aceman]

Not informed?? Why don't you read the maintenance instructions that come with your KN filter. It obviously needed to be oiled awhile ago. They also state to run a prefilter in dusty conditions. Plus, you waited 3 weeks to check it!! What else can I say, you need to read instructions. Well now you know.

[Dunesurfer]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Jonesy
[B]The actual K&N filter does nothing but reduce the amount of air, so the engine doesn't get to much air. on a k&n filter, well any filter for that matter, the oil is what filters and collects the dust. So if your filter hadn't been oiled properly or cleaned every so often then the oil will become so dirty, and will in effect not filter all the minute particles out of the air entering the engine.

How much oil was on the filter when you took it off? when was the last time you cleaned and oiled the filter? How dirty was the filter itself?

Not flaming on you or anything, just trying to inform.

WTF?? Reduces the air flow so it doesn't get to much??( the more air the better, Thats the whole point) As the filter get dirty it reduces flow but still filters. And outerwares work good, get the water proof model if you ride wet areas.

[Dunesurfer]

Originally posted by speedy400
k&n "airfilters" dont filter crap I think. I love my uni.-darren

Uh, I don't think they are designed to filter crap, just air. lmao

[member]

Originally posted by Aceman
Not informed?? Why don't you read the maintenance instructions that come with your KN filter. It obviously needed to be oiled awhile ago. They also state to run a prefilter in dusty conditions. Plus, you waited 3 weeks to check it!! What else can I say, you need to read instructions. Well now you know.

ooops when i said 3 weeks to check it i ment to take the air filter off and check inside the boot.. i would check the actual filter every few days and it looked perfectly fine.. the whole thing was red no white at all.. wasnt dirty... it recently got that dirty after a weekend ride .. and after that ride i decided to pull the filter off clean it and check the boot because i had heard people have had problems with k&ns letting dirt in.. sry if i said that wronge.... i dont know where you read that it says you have to run a prefilter but i didnt get instructions with my k&n i just got what was on the back of the box

[jaggers]

i personaly run a k&n and am very pleased with it. No more foam for me. Sorry guys, Anyone ever tried using panyhose for a pre filter. Im sure its not as good as the origonal but its so much cheaper. I currently run this setup I just havent got to try it out yet. Happy trails

[JOEX]

I tried using pantyhose once but the woman slapped me when I tried to take it off!:eek:

[foleyit]

I use K&N filter on all of my quads with an outerwear due to dusty areas. You definitely need to properly oil your K&N or foam filter on a regular basis. Sorry to hear that the dealer gave you the wrong info. But he wasn't concerned about your quad. Sounds like he was more interested in making a sale, and the potential for repeat business when your quad takes a crap.

[pnut420]

Originally posted by member
ight jackass i bought that filter 3 weeks ago and i asked the dealer if i needed to oil it or do anything to put it on with and he said no just put it on when you get home... so i did just that and 3 weeks later i open it up to make sure everything is good and thats what it looks like.. i learned some new stuff today like to grease the intake boot...now dont jump on peoples case for not being informed to do anything special to make the filter work...

lol. Have you seen what a K&N filter looks like yet after it has been oiled, it is alot more red than than light pink that I see in the pic. Also not running an outerwears in the conditions you were riding in is stupid, so before you call anyone a jackass look in the mirror. :blah: .

If you hold a K&N and lok through it you can actaully see through the filter, escpecially with no oil, so just think, the only way it is going to filter the smaller dirt is to run an outerwear, I didnt need a dealer to help me on that, pick up a magazine or two on quads and you might find a little info. Good luck in the meantime

[cals400ex]

the K&N's do come pre-oiled. the red color shows the oil. you will have white spots on the filter that aren't oiled properly. everyone has their own opinion on which filter to run. i run them on my cars but not on my atv. i never will run them on my atv. good luck with your filter situation.

[RED121572]

I have a K&N with outerwears. Its a good combination to use.

im selling a brand new (still in original package) K&N outerwares cover for a 400ex for $16.00 shipped. I paid $19.99+tax for it but im runninga Uni so I have no use for it...tell me if any of you want it

[smount101]

Is the outerware cover waterproof?

[BigBadJ-400ex]

check your p.m's jumbo747..

[KY Woods Rider]

I'm trying not to sound like a smart @$$, but quit blasting through the mud holes at high speed. It's obvious that there has been a fair amount of muddy water in the airbox, and if you're running the airbox lid, don't have any holes drilled in it, and the airbox snorkel is in place, there are only two ways that can happen. #1- you sunk it and muddy water rushed into the airbox via the snorkel. #2- you're blasting through the mud holes at high speed and sending a spray of muddy water through the snorkel. No matter what type of filter, oil, or Outerwear you use, if you give the filter a good bath when crossing mud holes or creeks, some amount of water and the dirt carried by the water will make it through the filter. The exact amount that gets through will depend on the type of filter, oil and Outerware used, as well as how much water you let into the airbox, but nothing will make it 100% waterproof.

As for the K&Ns passing dirt, they usually do a good job of filtering, but I've seen them pass some dirt when being used where there is a lot of dust. The only time I've seen a foam filter pass dirt (other than the aforementioned bath of water) is when there was a hole in the filter or some bonehead didn't oil it. Personally, I prefer a quality foam filter and a good filter oil for my type of riding, because there's a lot of dust in the summer and I prefer that dust to stay outside my engine.

[AndrewRRR]

Originally posted by KY Woods Rider
No matter what type of filter, oil, or Outerwear you use, if you give the filter a good bath when crossing mud holes or creeks, some amount of water and the dirt carried by the water will make it through the filter.

Amen. It's a quad, not a jet ski. lol

outerwares are water resistant not water proof

[hondafreestyler]

how often should I oil my k&n? ...

and how much oil do u recomend

[James Parent]

i take my filter off and put it back on after every time i ride longer than an hour or so. might just brush it of will a soft brush if its not that dirty and still red or, if i have a day or two before im gonna ride again ill just clean it. i would say clean it after 2-3 rides or if you can start to see an excess build up of dirt on it. i heard that after you clean it and get that first little layer of dust on there it actually helps filter better.. maybe something i heard can someone agree?

[foleyit]

Originally posted by hondafreestyler
how often should I oil my k&n? ...

and how much oil do u recomend


I ride primarily sand so I've drilled 1" holes in my airbox and snorkel. I put in the uni filters in the holes in the airbox, and am using outerwear screen for a lid and have an outerwear on my filter as well (wouldn't recommend if you riding in more of wet terrain) . I am normally ok for a weekend of riding. But generally, it's a good habit to clean filter every 2-3 rides. I have a second filter and will swap out filters on long weekends.

How much oil? Depending on your cleaning kit you have either the oil you squeeze out or the new filter oil spray.

Squeeze bottle
If you have the first squeeze bottle then you should apply oil in the pleats so that they are a reddish color you will see spread to surrounding pleats like a "wick". You should let your filter sit for 20 minutes and apply oil to any places that are white or grey in color.

Filter Oil Spray
From about 10 inches spray oil onto the pleats so they are a reddish in color, when applying the oil this way the filter needs to sit for approximately 10 minutes. Then respray any spots that you may have missed or whitish or grey in color.