air filter cleaning agents?

kxf993

kxf993

PR Member
I recently purchased the NO-TOIL filter cleaning agent and it hardly gets the job done. I'm curious what the best cleaning agent is for air filters. any suggestions?
 
If the filter already had no toil oil on it your fine. But I suspect you had regular oil on it. If that's the case the no toil won't work. I use pj1 spray on cleaner. Works good and available off the shelf at kames.
 
Beamer 315 is correct. No toil cleaner only works with no toil oil. If your filter had other oil on it use some kerosene or anything to get that oil out. Then start using the no toil oil and it will come clean. We have used the stuff for years and we love it. Our only complaint is the last few years we have lost filters due to the seems coming apart. We started buying no toil filters as well as was suggested.
 
Like they said - must use it with no toil oil only. It works great IMO. I've been using the cleaner/oil/filters for years.
 
the best cleaner I've found that's easy on your filters is good old kerosene, plus its cheap when you consider the price of a gallon of kerosene is less than a smallish can of airfilter cleaner. This is for a foam filter ofcourse. Kerosene is not hard on filters or filter glue like gasoline is, dont use gasoline.
 
I used no toil for a few years. But due to a deal on maxima spray on oil I got a while back I've been using it and buying pj1 cleaner. No toil is good stuff and as soon as my supply of maxima dries up i will return to no toil. One thing I did notice with it is that if you leave it on for a while it kind of gets sticky or hardens. Makes removing the filter a bit tricky. Just don't be a slacker with the stuff and you will be fine. I however am quite guilty of forgetting my own bikes due to way too many customers bikes and have found getting a mo toil treated filter out to be a bit interesting after a couple weeks.
 
for airfilter oil, I like the FFT from Maxima. It comes out of the bottle really thin like water so you can work it into your filter nicely and then after a few minutes it sets up and becomes nice and tacky. Good stuff. Besides that I add a layer of grease around the lip of the filter and have never had any trouble.
 
ah that explains it. i have been bel-ray filter oil and the no toil cleaner just wasn't getting any of the oil off. i guess ill have to invest in some no toil oil then. thanks!
 
If you used Bel-Ray waterproof the only thing I've found to work is sun-oxy laundry additive. Soak it for a little while and it cleans up nice. The sun-oxy is fairly cheap as well.
 
I've never used No-Toil, but as always, I'm cheap so I'm on the same page as Big Yac. I have small tank with a settling screen that I keep 5 gallons of kerosene in. I put on rubber gloves, wash all five of my filters at once, smother them with Maxima FFT, grease the lip and put them in plastic bag to have at the track as I need them. The kerosene lasts almost forever, and the oil is pretty reasonable.
 
snoop250 said:
If you used Bel-Ray waterproof the only thing I've found to work is sun-oxy laundry additive. Soak it for a little while and it cleans up nice. The sun-oxy is fairly cheap as well.
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X2
For NO TOIL. This is what we used,SUN Oxy with the Sun clothes washing detergent. About a cup of detergent in a bucket with a quater cup of the sun oxy clean added. You will be surprised at how clean this will get your filters. and how much less it costs About a 5 lb box of detergent and a quart size of the oxy additive for about 10 bucks at the dollar stores, Lasts about all summer with a couple of bikes.
 
Agree with all on the kerosene comments. Then a hot soapy wash, dry, and another hot soapy wash, dry...and then the oil of your choice. I do it after everytime I ride/race. I have a couple of Twin Air Filters I rotate. Have never had problems with the filters falling apart, coming unglued, etc.
 
No toil all the way......one clean wash with the cleaner or as TC mentioned oxyclean. Filters come out looking new no messy gas or kerosene. I did the 5 gal bucket of gas thing for 20 years. It works very well but I always worried about the gas sitting around. Amazing how much easier no toil is in your kitchen sink with no mess . I've even been lazy and stuck them in the wash machine with great results.
 
wbecker mentioned something is his post that I didn't in mine. After cleaning with kerosene I always put the filter through a wash or two with hot soapy water and then a final hot rinse to get everything out.
 
All of these still sound like too much work for me.
I'm just gonna start throwing them away when they get dirty. :)
 
everything mentioned above sounds like too much work other than no toil. no smelly gas or kerosene, no mess, no washing it 3 different times.. i fill up my utility sink with warm water and some no toil, drop in like 7 filters, scrub em together, rinse, fill it up again, rinse, done
 
What do you use to seal the filter to the ring? If you use grease, isn't it difficult to remove with soap and water?
 
MX099 said:
What do you use to seal the filter to the ring? If you use grease, isn't it difficult to remove with soap and water?
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The No Toil rim grease washes out with the detergent no problems.
Or... I found that the purpose of the rim grease is actually to allow the filter to release from the air box without damaging the foam rim. Not for sealing, as most think (as per the filter treatment on the rim would seal just the same, but will tear and become damaged when trying to remove from the air box without having the grease).
SO for an inexpensive substitute (as I am always looking to save a buck) I found that you can get a large jar of Vaseline petroleum jelly (that will treat about 20 filters) For about the same price as a small tube of (regular rim grease that treats maybe 3 filters). Use the Petroleum Jelly and apply liberally for rim grease, it washes out just the same, without any gummy mess, or residue. Just like the No Toil rim grease just much less expensive.
 
I use plain on wheel bearing grease on the rim of the airfilter and with the kerosene it comes out really easily. I too didn't think the grease was to seal the filter to the airbox as much as catching a little more of the stuff that might get in around the edge. Honestly washing in kerosene and then some hot soapy water may sound like its alot but it really only take 10 minutes or so and if you're doing it in advance and not at the last second whats 10 or 15 minutes.
 
do you guys all use grease on the rim? ive heard some do some dont.

i cant imagine it helping seal much more. i have no concerns of my filter sticking to my airbox. i clean out my airbox every few washes and filters are changed the day after i ride, every time, at most the following day if im not able to do it sooner.
 
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