Honda Air Filter Cleanable?

jacMA

jacMA

Joined
Dec 30, 2022
Messages
45
Age
60
Location
Boston
Bike
2000 ST1100
Hi,

Is this filter cleanable - wash and spray with K&N oil or just replace it? I think it's OEM. This is, at least, the second air filter in the bike, and I'm at 32k.


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I'd replace it. Oiling a filter that's not meant to be oiled seems like asking for trouble. If budgets very super tight maybe vacuum and wash? I wouldn't bother. I'm not a fan of K&N but there are popcorn threads about that.

I've read here there is one maybe two brands of air filters that are cheaper but on par with the unit Honda sells. I'd look to that or pay full pop for Honda branded. Which ever is more convenient or appropriate for you — your call.
 
Replace - EMGO makes one identical to the stocker (supposedly made at the same factory) for less than the OEM.

www.ebay.com

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No, and without trying to start controversy, I don't like the variables with reuseable air filters. Even though my KLR came with one stock-and still has it.
 
Spraying stuff on a paper air filter will plug it up in very little time, The filtration of air through the filter is also used in part by the directional changes of the flow. The stickier the spray means the openings between the strands has to be more open with frequent changes in direction to adhere the particulate to the media, In use it works well. But so do the stock filters.
If you are going in extreme conditions adjustments should be made.
So I will go back to, No don't spray it, stock is just fine, most replacement filters are fine.
 
You don't show the outside, but the inside looks very clean, if the outside is anywhere as clean, you might not need to replace it at this time.
 
I’m not sure how much the EMGO is…I’ve been using HiFlo Filtro and the number for that filter for the ST1100 is HFA1911. They’re generally $25 on eBay.

EDIT: The EMGO part number is: Emgo - 12-90380, also available on EBay for the same $25 and in general, free shipping
 
Uncle Phil said:
Not the case with the EMGOs that I have found (had them side by side). ;)
Click to expand...
Got a pattern delivered (instead of the OEM I'd ordered) by David Silver for the ST1100, ran weird and ended up with snow white plugs... :(
Put an OEM in (which media is way thicker) and it cured...

Issues with a CB600F (Hornet) after refurbing the carbs (me) with a "sports" air filter (by owner):
- hard start
- crappy idle
- bogs upon opening the throttle (dangerous, nearly stalls when it should accelerate)
threw that repro out, put the OEM cartridge in:
- fired instantly
- smooth, stable idle
- revved like a dentist's tool (powerful acceleration across the entire rev band)
So IMO will a less restrictive filter lean out twice:
- too much air to begin with
- too low pressure difference at the intake to raise the diaphragms accordingly

Like when folks eliminate air-box + filter to hose-clamp stacks on the intakes when café_ing a bike; they'd need way larger idle and mains jets, but getting those sizes and needle height right is a never ending experiment, and the engines just won't run properly ever after...

On an EFI engine the ECU will correct due to the sensors, on a carburetor fed engine the air-filter seems more then just some media to keep the dust out...


IMG_20220709_151338.jpg IMG_20220709_150847.jpg
 
Same here with the Hi Flo Filtro brand (bike runs fine/ no issues). There was even a hack to use a Fram CA-651 round filter in the air cleaner housing but you had to use a ‘spacer’ meaning the filter was a little shorter than the OEM. I did it at one time using some rubber sealing insulation and it worked fine, but the Hi Flo filters fit exactly like OEM, so both STs run with them now.
 
Uncle Phil said:
Martin - Was it an EMGO or some other aftermarket?
I've had no trouble out of EMGOs.
Click to expand...
Can't tell, they slap 17211-MT3-000P on, stuff it into a similar looking, white box as the OEM; only the plastic bag around the element is missing...
The zinc on the frame isn't as shiny, the metal mesh on the inside is missing...

I do wish I had something to measure them with, except shining a flashlight through the paper...

pattern on top, OEM on the bottom...

IMG_20220709_150949.jpg
 
I’ve washed an OEM with light detergent and a soft brush and garden hose and left it to dry for a couple of days. Worked great.
 
Let me look today, I think I have a stash of filters in the shop.
 
I remember back in the '80s when you went for an oil change the routine was to use compressed air to blow the dirt off the filter. Ten years later they would no longer do that because the claim was that it could cause enough damage to the filter rendering it non effective. I don’t know if was a way to increase revenue or if it was factual. I would imagine that actually washing the filter material increases the possibility of damage.
 
Gerhard said:
Ten years later they would no longer do that because the claim was that it could cause enough damage to the filter rendering it non effective.
Click to expand...
Such does crack up the pores...
On sites we use Hilti shop vacs that have like a square car type filter element, attempts of "cleaning" those with compressed air only resulted in fine durst from drilling concrete and bricks getting blown all over the rooms we worked it, totally contrary to the intention...
So, besides gently knocking the filters off in a garbage bin, there goes a new one every 3~5 months...
 
It is my understanding that paper media filters are disposable and anything you do to clean or reuse them damages the filter. These are designed to catch a certain % of particles of a given size - for example 95% of particles 0.5 micron and up. Trying various methods to clean the one time use filter will get you anecdotal evidence - one person's trial that might or might not be effective with no proof either way. Yes, we can all find cheaper filters, but absent an independent testing of it's effectiveness it is really guesswork as to how good it really is.

In the end, many of the aftermarket items are 'good enough'. We have one bike on this forum (that I know about) that has gone 400,000 miles. Realistically, we could expect more STs to go that far, but many will die in accidents along the way or sit in garages until they die. If the average mileage of STs at the point when they are scrapped is under 200k miles, it doesn't matter if the owners used paper filters, KnN filters, or any brand of oil or oil filter. Back in the day, how many bikes did we see with velocity stacks and no air filters on the carbs? Those bikes ran for maybe 50K miles before something else caused their failure. Today, we can get more than 4 times the life out of an engine but how many of us use all of it?
 
SMSW said:
It is my understanding that paper media filters are disposable and anything you do to clean or reuse them damages the filter. These are designed to catch a certain % of particles of a given size - for example 95% of particles 0.5 micron and up. Trying various methods to clean the one time use filter will get you anecdotal evidence - one person's trial that might or might not be effective with no proof either way. Yes, we can all find cheaper filters, but absent an independent testing of it's effectiveness it is really guesswork as to how good it really is.

In the end, many of the aftermarket items are 'good enough'. We have one bike on this forum (that I know about) that has gone 400,000 miles. Realistically, we could expect more STs to go that far, but many will die in accidents along the way or sit in garages until they die. If the average mileage of STs at the point when they are scrapped is under 200k miles, it doesn't matter if the owners used paper filters, KnN filters, or any brand of oil or oil filter. Back in the day, how many bikes did we see with velocity stacks and no air filters on the carbs? Those bikes ran for maybe 50K miles before something else caused their failure. Today, we can get more than 4 times the life out of an engine but how many of us use all of it?
Click to expand...
Actually, I agree here…my 2 STs might see 100K miles each, and I have no doubt they’ll make it at least that far with the current maintenance I perform. For my 2000, it has just past 50K miles and the 94 has 54K…I doubt either one will hit 200K, at least not in my lifetime (assuming I’m still riding 20 years from now). Ultimately, ‘good enough’ is likely fine for these bikes, since they have pretty low stressed engines vs a supercharged 14K RPM bike like the race bikes (like an H2 although I’m not use what that redlines at). Same with my cars…I use acceptable products (like Supertech synthetic oil, which has been rated as perfectly acceptable for the normally aspirated engines my cars have)- can those go to 300K miles? Maybe, maybe not, but again, likely not in my lifetime as I normally don’t drive that much.
 
There’s no information in the owners’ or service manuals that suggests the OEM filter is reusable. Best to replace it with like.
 
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