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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | Has anybody looked at their air filter after riding in heavy rain? My bike runs like crap in the rain and for awhile after the rain stops. My mileage on instant economy drops into the twenties from the normal 39-42 range. You guys getting mid forties must only ride downhill, cause no matter how nice I ride I don't even come close to that. Anyway, my Vision has not gone back to running normal after the last time I got hammered by a downpour. I pulled my plugs and they look fine. When I pulled my K&N air filter out there was no oil at all on it and the metal mesh is rusted. Oiled it real good and put it back. I'll see if it makes a difference tomorrow morning.
My question is will riding in heavy rain wash off the filter oil? Since I ride in the rain every day (or so it seems), I guess I'll pull it and check it tomorrow after the afternoon downpour.
Edited by cw1115 2008-08-26 7:33 PM
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Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | On the k&n website there is a warning about Over oiling the filter. It chocks it which then Kills your mpg.. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | Thanks. I have a K&N on my Marauder and have serviced it several times. My concern is that there was NO oil on it when I checked it. It was installed about 4000 miles ago and I'm just wondering how long it has been like that. |
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New user
Posts: 2
| I rode 9800km and encountered three real bad rain storms, my mileage went out the window shortly after the rain started . I was still running the stock filter at the time. now running a K&N. I pulled the plug on the frame and found over 3 litres in the frame. Herb |
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Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | when i used to have a CONE k&n air filter installed on my vulcan 2000 & i would get caught in the rain. my filter no longer looked red. it was actually white. when i washed it with the k&n solution i could see the dirt coming from it even though the red oil wasnt showing. |
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New user
Posts: 3
| I ride inthe rain most of the time in the WA. state and my range is 43.9 to 56 mpg. When I ride like a lady it does well. When I bet the snot out of my son's Harley I get less. I do change the air filter at oil change and I use the high performance filter. |
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Tourer
Posts: 404
San Antonio, TX United States | When you say "Change" I assume you are just washing out the filter and re-oiling it. What i have started doing in the shop, is I keep a oiled filter ready to go in a heavy zip-lock type bag. This way i can pull service on customers bikes and get the bike back out properly by swapping filters out. The filter should be soaked per instructions with the K&N filter cleaner, set for 10 minutes then back flush the filter with water till the water runs clear and the filter looks clean. You then have to let the filter set most of the day so all of the water can finish draining and evaporating from the filter material. Then properly apply the oil per the instructions on the can of K&N oil. I have watched to many people rush through or not even read the instructions on the K&N recharge kit. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | Thanks. I wasn't sure if enough water got up ther to wash off the oil. I guess it does. I had a Barron's big air with a K&N on my v-star and it came with a rain guard. Looked like a garter made out of a very fine mesh to keep water out of the filter. Now I know whould have happened w/o it. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1350
| I have K&N filters on both bikes and both trucks. I don't own a Vision yet. I have the top and bottom off the airbox on my '99 and the custom airbox cover I have on my '03 has the air coming straight in the front. I have never had a problem in the rain on either bike.
If I was you the first thing I would check is if any oil got on your intake sensors. Maybe you notice the poor running more when it raining? Clean the sensors and throttlebodies real good. Properly clean and re-oil the filter and see if that helps. Over the years what I have read is over oiling the filter at some point causes the most problems. After I follow the directions to the letter, I let the filter sit and lightly tap it to get any excess oil out. I do this several times before I put it back in.
Hope this helps.
If that doesn't help check for any moisture getting on electrical connections for sensors. Years ago I installed spark plug lites on my '99, one little drop of moisture got in one and my bike ran on one cylinder till I could replace. 85 miles to a fillup.  Won't do that again and that is a big reason I won't let anyone splice into my wiring harness. If it's not stock, it don't happen. |
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K&N air filter and rain.
