UNI Air filters

[FJools]

Are the Uni replacement air filters worth considering ?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/UNI-AIR-FILTER-YAMAHA-FJ1100-FJ1200-1984-1993-/270974839672?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f175beb78

I would prefer retaining the std air box. The alternatives to these seem to be the paper type or the K&N gauze type.

[giantkiller]

I have some k&n filters you can have for postage both pods and one for the box. K&ns do not stop the fine stuff. I roached an ATV engine with a k&n. After engine took a shit. You could feel and see the grit in the intake. I always have spare filters no matter what brand. To swap out before they get too dirty and always take proper care of my filters.  K&ns flow slightly better than the others... And flow dirt into your engine better too. If you want to keep your air box I would use the uni. But I like the uni pods. More room for other things like the air horns I have under my seats. Much easier servicing carbs. And lighter. And the intake sound is awesome.

But that's just me

Oh yah I'm sure the pod flow more air than the box. But I'm no expert. Randy or someone who does know.   Could educate us if that's true. And if it does indeed mean more power. Not just sound great.

[Pat Conlon]

I would prefer retaining the std air box.

Wait until you have to remove/replace your carbs for cleaning, you will rethink this preference.

Guaranteed.

[movenon]

I would prefer retaining the std air box.

Wait until you have to remove/replace your carbs for cleaning, you will rethink this preference.

Guaranteed.

+1  My bike had a K&N on it when I bought it. POS. I threw it in the trash. I now run pod's. The K&N might have be a contributing cause to my 120 PSI compression on all cylinders.  That's yet to be determined.  I like all the extra room I now have where the old box was not to mention how easy it is now to pull/service the carbs especially if I need to do it on the road.  Ever notice things don't break in the shop ?    You can always reinstall the old air box if for some reason you have the need.

But if I wanted to keep the stock air box I would probably use the filter you are looking at.  Make sure the filter seals on the top side against the box. One of the pet peeves is you can loose that seal. 
George

[FJ1100mjk]

Ya know, I always find it interesting that some folks here, and other places, trash (literally) K&N filters and deride their performance. Some cite independent studies, heresay, or their own observations. However, if they are such junk, I don't understand why a quality supply house such as RPM Racing offers them http://www.rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=Carb%3Aknfilter, OR that K&N continues to grow in size and applications over the decades.

One could surmise, that if a company sold such garbage it would have ceased to exist long ago. Either that, or the marketing and selling of its products is one of the biggest scams/swindles perpetrated on motoring enthusiasts and performance seekers for a long time running.

I have been running a K&N filter in a non-FJ application for years. I have always cleaned and re-oiled it using the company's products and procedures. When I remove it, wipe the inside of the air horn on the air mass flow (non-carb application) module with my finger tips and rub them together, I feel no grit at all.

Good luck with whatever filter you use. Regardless.

[ribbert]

Ya know, I always find it interesting that some folks here, and other places, trash (literally) K&N filters and deride their performance. Some cite independent studies, heresay, or their own observations. However, if they are such junk, I don't understand why a quality supply house such as RPM Racing offers them http://www.rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=Carb%3Aknfilter, OR that K&N continues to grow in size and applications over the decades.

One could surmise, that if a company sold such garbage it would have ceased to exist long ago. Either that, or the marketing and selling of its products is one of the biggest scams/swindles perpetrated on motoring enthusiasts and performance seekers for a long time running.

I have been running a K&N filter in a non-FJ application for years. I have always cleaned and re-oiled it using the company's products and procedures. When I remove it, wipe the inside of the air horn on the air mass flow (non-carb application) module with my finger tips and rub them together, I feel no grit at all.

Good luck with whatever filter you use. Regardless.

You're absolutely right.

Several members have posted here recently suggesting these filters were responsible for engine failure and excessive wear..

Other than ingesting a stone or something hard and large, even running no air filter at all will only prematurely wear the rings and cylinders because of the abrasive action of fine particle airborne dirt, and then, only over more miles than most here put on their bikes.

Even a poor quality filter will do a reasonable job, a good filter a better job. The thing I don't like about foam filters, any brand (leaving aside the argument about whether they are any better than paper) is they are only any good if you are regular and thorough with the servicing of them.

I am no poster boy when it comes to these things and was quite shocked the last time I did my foam filters at how little dirt washed out of them. They should have been filthy and they weren't.

I mentioned yesterday about different forums each having their own set of entrenched beliefs that are at odds with the greater motorcycling community.

A couple of examples that spring to mind, I have seen an FJR forum that swears EBC HH pads with destroy you rotors in under 10K, everyone agrees.
Another one says you may as well throw yourself off a cliff as use Arashi rotors, they will kill you, they fly apart, they all "know" someone it happened to yet the Hyabusa track day forum endorses them and it would appear they all use them and love them, without incident. We alone probably have hundreds of members using them and swear by them.

Maybe the widely held belief here that K&N filters are the work of the Devil and one step up from pouring sand into the carbs is just one of those.

I am not offering any personal opinion here just pointing out that these entrenched and widely held views do not always have a basis of fact, despite the "factual" anecdotes.

I have always taken reviews here of filter A vs filter B with a pinch of salt because I don't agree with either of them.

From supercars such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche etc where performance regardless of cost is what it's all about to long haul trucks where engine life and fuel efficiency are paramount to earth moving equipment with super expensive engines operating in harsh environments, to aircraft where reliability is everything, paper filters are the only choice. There are only two cars produced with foam filters and they are some new fangled impregnated material that is supposed to last 200,000 km without servicing.

Having said that, I use Uni pods because my bike is a toy and mostly I love the induction sound, I like the extra room they leave and although carb maintenance is rare, the improved access is great.
IMO running these will take some life off the motor but it doesn't worry me. I look after it well in every other respect and on average will get more miles from my engine than most.

Foam filters are traditionally used in situations where excessive dirt is encountered such as dirt bikes or off road racing or simply as a means of keeping large debris out of your engine.

Noel

Usual Disclaimer

[Dads_FJ]

I use the UNI filter with stock box with no complaints.  I tried the pods but didn't care for them.  To each their own!

[~JM~]

Either that, or the marketing and selling of its products is one of the biggest scams/swindles perpetrated on motoring enthusiasts and performance seekers for a long time running.

How many other filter companies do you see advertising on TV & in the magazines? K&N has done an excellent job at marketing for many many years. I was once a K&N filter user. Every vehicle I owned had a K&N. Until one day that I went to service one & I noticed an extremely fine layer of dust on the clean side of the filter housing. To fine to feel with your fingers, but if you take a white cloth & wipe the inside, you will probably be shocked at the brown or tan color on the cloth. Now I believe that some parts of the Country may not have the problem as badly, due to a more loamy soil, vs. sand & dust. I lived in the Arizona desert at the time. Anyway... I removed every K&N filter & checked each vehicle. I found the dust on the clean side of each one. Now before anyone jumps to the conclusion that I must not know how to service the K&N filter correctly, you're wrong.

Now I only use UNI oiled foam filters, or the AFE gauze & screen type of filter. The AFE is far superior to the K&N in filtering ability, as it is 7 layers thick. If you must use a gauze & screen filter, buy an AFE. You won't regret it. http://afepower.com

[FJ1100mjk]

You're absolutely right.

Noel

With that comment, and considering the source, I am honored.

But you know, the saying goes, "Every now and then, a squirrel finds a nut." 

[ribbert]

..... one day that I went to service one & I noticed an extremely fine layer of dust on the clean side of the filter housing. To fine to feel with your fingers, but if you take a white cloth & wipe the inside, you will probably be shocked at the brown or tan color on the cloth.

Glad to see the filter did it's job.

Noel

[ribbert]

As I said, I run Uni pods and have no intention of changing them but I find the absence of dirt when I wash them disturbing. Take an air hose to a paper filter at the same mileage and crap will fly out  every where, and that's just the loose stuff.

I also hate the process of removing, washing, oiling and refitting them, but for the previously stated reasons I will stick with them.

Noel

[~JM~]

..... one day that I went to service one & I noticed an extremely fine layer of dust on the clean side of the filter housing. To fine to feel with your fingers, but if you take a white cloth & wipe the inside, you will probably be shocked at the brown or tan color on the cloth.

Glad to see the filter did it's job.

Noel

The filter failed! How do you consider dirt on the supposed CLEAN side as a sign that the filter is doing its job? There should be zero dirt or dust on the CLEAN side of the filter.

[Arnie]

I replaced my paper OEM filter element with a UNI filter element as shown in that Ebay ad and used it for probably 20-30K kms.  Then I replaced that with UNI dual-pods.
I can't tell you how each one actually performed, but the one you're asking about uses a single layer of foam that is only 5-6mm thick.  The UNI dual-pods use a dual layer of foam that it about 10-12mm thick.
The benefits of the UNI dual-pods include that delicious intake honk :-) and the ease of access to both the filters and the carbs.  I won't be going back to the airbox - ever.

If you still want the insert, send me a PM and I'll look in my shed to see if I still have it.

Arnie

Are the Uni replacement air filters worth considering ?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/UNI-AIR-FILTER-YAMAHA-FJ1100-FJ1200-1984-1993-/270974839672?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f175beb78

I would prefer retaining the std air box. The alternatives to these seem to be the paper type or the K&N gauze type.

[giantkiller]

Yes I too used k&n filters on everything. Until I killed my ATV. Like I said I always have spare clean filters. And change them out. And yes it was probably the extreme dusty conditions. (Fresh k&n filter less than a full day's ride.) Have since ridden the same trails many times over with. Afe and foam filters.(6 different ATVs since the k&ns) and have never had the problem. The k&ns flow better. So everyone wants that little edge. (They still sell lots of open velocity stacks) And you may never run into fine enough grit that it will get through. But I will never take the chance again. (Built 2stroke motor grit everywhere. Took motor apart cleaned it out as good as I could.  Put a bigger piston in it. Put it back together. And sold it right away)

I have never had a problem with AFE filters I am currently running in my diesel or my ATVs. Although I do still check the intake every time I change a filter. (Paranoid now) And I never had any problems with the foam filter (twin air, uni).

I just don't have the money to waste rebuilding my motors. If I should ever run into the right/wrong conditions. (Again)  too take the chance running velocity stacks or k&ns slightly better (in my opinion from personal experience) for the slight edge they might give me.

I just want people to know. That It does/did happen to me. So they don't have to cut their vacation short. With their awesome new built motor. Sitting in camp for 2 days. While everyone else's out riding. So they can make an educated decision.

[simi_ed]

You're absolutely right.

Several members have posted here recently suggesting these filters were responsible for engine failure and excessive wear..

Other than ingesting a stone or something hard and large, even running no air filter at all will only prematurely wear the rings and cylinders because of the abrasive action of fine particle airborne dirt, and then, only over more miles than most here put on their bikes.

<snip>

Noel

Usual Disclaimer

Noel, I must disagree with your statement above.  My favorite lubricant manufacturer Amsoil, put out the following info for dealer training: Ninety percent of the contaminants within an engine come from the air, and the air filtration system serves to eliminate, as much as possible, these contaminants in order to reduce engine wear.  Intuitively, this makes sense.  Air is consumed at 14x the rate of fuel, so it has to be the largest source of contaminants and then engine wear.

I know that some here think that Amsoil is more n the business of selling oil than protecting their customers, but the 2 do go hand in hand, and Amsoil performs testing to verify all of their claims, using SAE and/ASTM specs to test to.  Plus Amsoil has been in the business for over 40 years and they do have the resources to run exhaustive testing (and do!)
Bottom line:  A good air filter will prolong your engine life, far beyond just protecting the rings and/or bores.  I'm running UniPods!