How to Clean/Oil/Replace an Air Filter - For Beginners and Vets Too | Episode 288 

I have been using diesel and dish soap to clean filters for 25 years. NEVER EVER had an issue with filter durability. I like the PJ1 oil.

I always have the second filter oiled and ready to go. I put it in a Ziploc for later. If you have a long weekend of riding and it's been dusty you're ready to go. I also lightly grease the airbox. You would be amazed how much dirt gets stuck to the airbox walls. Thanks for the video.

Thanks, for sharing some how to videos on upkeep and maintenance as some of us are novices in these departments for sure! Great content thank you!

Cheers Kyle. I had this playing and mirrored your steps at home - only my second time cleaning an air filter so still looking to get a process bedded in. Job done!

Try out the sand cover for the airfilter, that keeps the filter cleaner and makes the cleaning process much easier. And you keep much of the dirt away form the bin of solvent.

Helped me a lot. Big thumbs up. Don't forget the wash after the solvent! Warm water and dishwashing liquid....

The Steg Pegz seem like a good way to reduce arm pump. I've heard good things about them so they should be worth the trouble of unscrewing them when needed. Glad to hear you are testing them out. Wish they made them for my old Yamaha.

Awesome video very detailed to how to clean your air filter thank you keep up the awesome videos

Just bought my first bike 07 450ktm sx thanks for the tips on cleaning the filter.....crazy first bike!!

On my older bikes I used to use the powdered notoil cleaners and spray on filter oil. But with my '17 husky, which has the same filter as your KTM, I'm using the liquid oil (I use the green twin air stuff that seems thinner than the blue). And I have to say I really like the process of being able to completely submerge the filter then wring it out. Done!

I ride in the desert. I use a filter dust cover. When its time for filter maintenance I unscrew the filter wing nut slightly to be able to remove just the dust cover first which is covered in dirt. Now im looking at a somewhat clean filter so when I remove it I have much less chance of dumping dirt down the intake tract. I also can extend the main filter cleaning intervals using the dust cover.

Kyle... Nicely done. Two other steps that are great to practice... 1... Cover the intake with a boot and wash the air box after you remove the filter. Especially in areas where you encounter some mud, it keeps you from getting dirt in the intake during the process of putting the filter back on. On those bikes you mentioned that have filters with a tricky fit, it's very beneficial. 2... After the solvent, use Dawn dishwashing liquid to help remove even more dirt. The solvent breaks down the oil and removes a lot, but the dawn get them even cleaner and does a better job of removing remaining solvent. Cheers.

Sure every rider has preferences but I'm pretty sold on the No Toil, would be great if you could review it. Great for the environment and easy to use so you are more likely to clean the filter more often! I also clean the air filter frame and airbox if they start picking up a bit too much dirt. If you clean the airbox be sure to stick a clean rag down the intake because the airbox cleaning covers don't seal 100%. That bucket with the grate on the bottom is a great idea, will be sure to get one of those. Great videos, best dirt bike channel on RU-vid...keep up the good work!

dish soap works great too. breaks down the old oil and dirt very easily

best carpet I've ever seen

Best dirt biking maintenance thing I've ever done was to switch from solvent based oil to alcohol based No Toil. I'd argue that the ease of cleaning helps you keep the filters cleaner, so that overall it works better. than solvent based. I'll never go back to solvent based oil again.

Your watch came out looking real shiny!

very good to know about the kit you use. Reusable is good instead of trowing it in the sewer.

Thanks for a great dirt bike channel. I use Twin Air but started using No Toil. No Toil works great and is way easier to clean. I use an old school ketchup or honey dispenser to apply the oil.

Also I wash with dawn dish soap and water after the solvent , allow to dry then I oil it and allow the solvent in the oil to dry then store it in a ziplock bag and it's ready to go when I do bike maintenance

just a tip , i use a 20mm paint brush and paint a thin layer of grease on the air box lip, you use alot less grease and its much easier as the filter doesnt absorb it while applying.

Good stuff, I will be trying the grease approach next time on my '17 KTM 500 :)

I like the no toil evolution oil, I use oxy clean to clean the filter and it can all be dumped down the drain.

nice vidio and great products to. for a long time v been using a 5 gal. bucket with about 1/8 filled with water and mineral spirits. they keep them selves separate for the dirt and a 5 gal. container of mineral springs will last a great deal of time. then I use an air filter oil that dries very sticky to the point it is stringy like. with that it makes a great sealing surface.

The one thing I’m very particular about. When I was racing I replaced the filter every race. Got sick of cleaning then and had filters everywhere. Now I just have two and replace half way through the day if it’s really dusty.

verry informative! great video! Did you do the open modification to your airbox by drilling holes in the subframe like in the Slaven video? Im wondering if i let my airbox alone or if i should do the mod, bike is still brand new, 0.1h on the hour meter

i use warm water and dishsoap and let it dry then spray with motul air filter spray (every 10 hours) Works very well for years

Thanks for your great videos!

Kyle what makes applying the oil a little easier is pouring the oil into an old dish soap bottle with a drip free pop top. Also I oil my spare filter and keep it in a large zip lock bag ready to go for those 2 day camping rides. Top videos by the way.

Cheers pal thanks for your knowledge 👍

I use PC Racing Pro Seal instead of grease. Been installed for years and works great.

thanks for the video bro 👊

I used bucket with oil but then I realised that I'm waisting a lot of oil after squeeze all extra oil. I did the same like you later on but now I'm using plastic bag. I put filter there oil and working. It's much cleaner method. Just FYI. What about dust cover? Are you using it?

Do you have to let the filter dry after you take it out of the cleaner (before you oil/grease it up)?

Kyle, if you don't get all of the old oil/dye off of the filter, how do you know if the new oil is completely covering the foam?

Do you guys recommend a filter netting cover? It seems like it doesn't seal as well. Maybe I should put the grease on top of where the net wants to wrap around. ? Just started riding.

Very good thanks 😊 🏍

Thanks so much mate.

Kyle: Everytime I see you riding in the Dez it breaks my heart. I spent 25 years in Rock Springs, WY riding/racing Husky's, and Yams with recreational riding on XR's. I'm now in Kansas with no real place to ride......I'm 72 years old and need to get back to my roots. I'd guess you're down in Utah by the looks of the terrain.....I used to sneak down and ride some down there....really great country. I'm a KTM fan but would really like to try a Sherco before I die. How do you like it? Keep the Faith, Tom P.S. Wonder how many filters I've cleaned in my lifetime.....

How long do you have to wait after cleaning n re-oil before you ride again?

Yay u got steg pegz on there😊 we r the local dealer on oahu in hawaii and i actually just mounted that same model on my friends bike and bc of the way the 2017 ktms are it was kinda hard to do

I have a 2003 Xr100r that has a pretty dirty air filter and i need to clean it. How long do you think i should leave it in the bucket of cleaner for?

Helpfullllll. Thanks

I have used all types of filters for the work I do such as air particle systems so I know a bit about filters. Air and dirt particles are measured in what’s called microns and even a dry filter with no oil would not let sand or dust get through the filter. We don’t want dust getting into the motor of course because it would shorten the life of the piston and cylinder but also oiling the filter heavy shortens the life of the motor due to air restriction. Air restriction is very harmful to an engine of any kind. If you were to wash an oily filter with soap and water and let it dry out grab a paper towel and squeeze it into your oil oil filter. You will see there is still oil in that filter. This amount of oil is enough to help remove dust however if using a solvent such as what he’s using it could remove all oil so lightly coat the filter with oil. Dirt and dust will not get past that filter enough that it would harm the engine but restricting air flow can cause it to run hot and will cause the engine to run hot as well as shorten the life of everything in that engine including the clutch. Also he used grease around the edges and that’s a good idea because that’s the only way dust is going to get by that filter. Locking and air filter in place securely is the most important part of an air filter cleaning or replacement. Cat dander is 3 microns and dust is much larger so I’m telling you that there is no way dust can get through that filter. It’s a shame that in 2023 they don’t make these air filters lock in place like they should because how they connect to your box is extremely important

I use mineral spirits(paint thinner) to clean, then Maxima oil . Any opinions ?

Friend that keeps tractor trailer engines running hundreds of thousands of miles said the big reason they get that longevity is because of really clean air. If he loosens a truck filter, a good new one goes on. Air filter hygiene as stressed in this video is the way to go: Add: Try to have a clean bike so dust crumbs don't fall in. Damp towel to pick any dirt on clean side of filter before you put filter in. Store next "ready" filter in a big zip lock bag so it doesn't get dirty waiting to go in. When solvent goes back in 1 gal can, leave the last 1/2 cup and the dirt in the bucket for disposal.

Glad this is for beginner but what solvant and oil brand/product do you use ?

kyle if you could only ride one bike for the year what bike would it be n why . thankyou

good clear info. and love it how i sneak a few short drone vids in

I used diesel fuel for years as well, but Now I just use regular gas because I always have it on hand for the mower. Then a good scrub with dawn for dishes.

rim grease works great

Your chain looks great! How do you take care of your chain and how do you wash your bike?

you have great videos

great video

can you do a video on over all maintaining a dirt bike i have had a crf125 and just got a crf150rb. and have fond out that it needs a lot more maintenance but i am not sure how to maintain it properly. thank you

How long does it take for air filter to dry after you apply new oil?

Do you need to wait for the oil to dry or can you just put it back on?

whats your guys opinions on filter skins?

I've tried using that Maxima Waterproof grease, but it is so thick that it just strings everywhere and I can't spread it at all. Maybe because it's been really cold here. I need to find a different grease

You mentioned that u used to dip the clean filter in the oil and now u don’t. What problem did u discover from dipping them? Is it safe to assume it resulted in too much oil in/on the filter?

Yeah gas is quite harsh, I use it for when I get a bike and don’t know what oils the previous guy used so I can use my preferred brand on the filter which have a gentle non toxic cleaner that is oil specific

How do you dispose of the solvent?

I use mineral spirits to clean them it works just as well

I just use gas it's super easy and seems fine to me.

great video. i didnt know yous over there werent allowed to ride your 2 stroke anywhere in the forest. here in australia we can ride anywhere in the forest.

Question I use Diesel to clean which works great (in my opinion) however I don't use oil or the grease is this bad? (2017 KTM 500 6 days)

Sweet you have a husqvarna bike mat

Please review the Husqvarna FE250 next, please Kyle!

Put a piece of masking tape on the side of the solvent bucket, so you can write on it with a pen, to keep track of how many times you've used it (# of air filters) before the solvent needs to be replaced.

How many rides do you do befour cleaning the filter on the two strokes? And also how many times can you clean one filter and reuse it before it starts to tear or rip

What do you do with the old solvent when you're done?

What do you do with your solvent when discard?

Any advice on what to do with the dirty fluids you washed the filters with?

Nice video

How many filters could you oil from 1 quart of twin air? I can get 15 from Bel-ray, which is my favorite.

Очень подробно. Спасибо!

Quick question… at about $30 per can for the Twin Air filter cleaner…do you filter the ‘just used’ oil, putting it back in the can or ???. With the plastic piece in the wash tub, all of the sediment would be in the bottom and allow straining/filtering the cleaner. Curious… I know that if we own high end bikes…we can afford the upkeep/maintenance. Big point due to hazmat liabilities 😎

can you re-use the salvant

How often should you replace a air filter on a 2020 ktm 125sx?

I need to clean mine but the manual talks about a screw in the upper left corner??? I can't find it and I don't want to yank on the cover any possibly break it. Is there a screw that needs to be removed first?? 18 450 sxf

go get two gallons of diesel fuel and put it in that bucket....same shit as twin air. been using diesel for years to clean filters. works like a charm!

you so need to review the husqvarna!

What do you do for disposal of the cleaner? Take it to your local parts store to dispose in their tank?

Beautiful table - looks like stained butcher block

the sand/particles does not go away when cleaning with solvent. You just massage them in to the filter. The only way to proper clean the filter is to wash it the washing machine after solvent and soap.

Hi I have a 2009 kx 250f and I think it mite be loosing compression how would I now for shour that it is pls help me I am a 15 year old in need of help

Howdy do, I love your vidoes!! I know I’m a few years late, but if you do find this comment, help please! 🤣 So instead of the regular cleaner for the air filter Iv been using warm water and dawn dishsoap, is that okay? I obviously still oil it and whatnot, just making sure it’s okay to clean it with that dishsoap, thanks! 😁

nice video

Can put in a large ziplock bag to help oil too.

Hi I'm brand new to dirt biking I have just bought a ktm enduro 125, what do I need to know? Important maintenance etc thanks

Have you tried their bio cleaning kit yet?

Just wondering, do you change your gloves from step to step or do you leave the same ones on the whole time? What do you do with old solvent cleaner? Thanks for the video!

I find that the grease makes a hell of a mess to clean up inside of the air box.

why don't you run one of the loudmouth intake systems?

Why do you need to oil the filters? What if i dont oil them

Another good video. What is the Stegpegz for?

this might dound crazy but can i use wahing up liquid as oil 😅

Still need to use a detergent to clean after solvent. Important missed step!

I just replaced my airfilter with brand new one oiled it and now my bike doesn’t start and sometimes pops when kicking it

So I got a new bike and did my 1st air filter cleaning but now my bikes... Don't start. Why ????