Foam Ends on Engine Air Filter

[Constant Mesh]

Do these foam sealing gaskets break down on a filter in an older rarely used FJR?

I recently looked at an old filter I had removed from my FJR many years ago and noticed that the foam material had begun to disintegrate.

I wonder if there are old filters out there in use and the foam has been pulled into the engine along with some dust and dirt?

 

[rbentnail]

<p>Why would you not throw away "<em>an old filter I had removed from my FJR many years ago</em>" <img alt="uhoh.gif" src="https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//public/style_emoticons/default/uhoh.gif" title=":uhoh:" /> ?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I think with filter in place with squished foam nothing is going anywhere. </p>

EDIT: hoe lee crap! WTF just happened?

 

[Fred W]

I have at least one old used filter on the shelf for “just in case” emergency. The filter was working fine when I took it out, so if I somehow fouled the filter that’s in there I could jam the used one in until I could get a new one delivered. I do the same thing with lots of parts I remove prophilactically. Spark plugs, air filters, brake pads, tires...

 

[Canadian FJR]

I’ve only ever used K&N air filters. How long is the original one expected to last under normal riding conditions. The service manual just says to check and clean it with compressed air every 6000 km.

 

[Fred W]

The air filter replacement interval is way too short, IMO. I generally replace it at 25k mile intervals, which is my big maintenance. Thats when I do the valve check, change plugs, exchange coolant, and swap out the air filter, etc.

An air filter will actually filter more dirt particulates from the air as it gets dirtier, and the pores of the filter get partially occluded, so stretching the change interval is perfectly safe. Theoretically, it could cause performance issues if the AF is more restrictive to air flow as it gets dirtier, but I have never met anyone that can feel a difference. Maybe at WOT you would lose a fraction of a horsepower, but that isnt how anyone I know runs their bike any more than momentarily.

 

[rbentnail]

I’ve only ever used K&N air filters. How long is the original one expected to last under normal riding conditions. The service manual just says to check and clean it with compressed air every 6000 km.

I'm with Fed on this one. I used to replace my air filter once per year but have found that even with our thick spring pollen it's good for 2 years easy. That's 20-22K miles for me. No problem either not using "original" ones. I'm not a K&N guy, they may require more frequent maintenance, but I've used UNI air filter # NU-3255, HiFlo Filtro # HFA4912, and Emgo # 12-95842 - all are IMHO quite suitable for 2 yrs.

 

[Fred W]

I’ve been using the EMGO ones for a while now. Put it side by side with the stock Yamafilter and can’t tell them apart. And they are about half the best price I could find for the OE.