RT Air Filter Replacement

[cearley]

Can some one point me to a How to article on changing the RT air filter ? I am approaching 10K trouble free miles in just under a year. I just picked up an K&N filter with the hopes of extending the service interval for this item. Thanks in advance for any help with this.:helpsmilie:

 

[NancysToy]

I'm a little confused. The oiled air filter will require more frequent service, not less.

 

[rcturner]

From the 2012 owners manual:


Air Filter Removal
1. Remove the following body panels. Refer to BODY PANELS .
– RH middle side panel.
– RH top side panel.
2. Remove both screws on the right side of the acoustic panel.
3. Remove the left-most screw from the rear side panel.
4. Remove the dart from the rear side panel.


Release the 3 retaining clips from the air filter cover.


Tilt air filter cover to expose air filter.
Pull filter out.


NOTE: The presence of some oil in the air filter area and housing is normal. Clean as necessary.

 

[NorthStar]

From my Midwest RT Shop Manual

Please see attached.

 

[ulflyer]

Can some one point me to a How to article on changing the RT air filter ? I am approaching 10K trouble free miles in just under a year. I just picked up an K&N filter with the hopes of extending the service interval for this item. Thanks in advance for any help with this.:helpsmilie:

Checked mine at about 20K miles and it was really clean; put it back and won't look at it again till I hit 40K. I don't live in a dusty environment .

 

[cearley]

I'm a little confused. The oiled air filter will require more frequent service, not less.

According to the K&N website the maintainence intervals are fairly long. Won't be a problem for the way I ride.
How often do I need to clean my K&N air filter?

If you have not experienced a decrease in mileage or engine performance, chances are your filter is fine and does not yet need cleaning. To be more specific, the filter does not require cleaning if you can still see the wire screen on the entire air filter regardless of how dirty it may appear. When the screen is no longer visible some place on the filter, it is time to clean it. When used in normal paved road, street or highway conditions, our replacement air filters that fit in the factory air box should require cleaning every 50,000 miles and our large conical filters on an intake system should require cleaning every 100,000 miles. When used in dusty or off-road environments, our filters will require cleaning more often. We recommend that you visually inspect your filter once every 25,000 miles to determine if the screen is still visible.

Thanks to all for the replies.

 

[NancysToy]

According to the K&N website the maintainence intervals are fairly long. Won't be a problem for the way I ride.
How often do I need to clean my K&N air filter?

If you have not experienced a decrease in mileage or engine performance, chances are your filter is fine and does not yet need cleaning. To be more specific, the filter does not require cleaning if you can still see the wire screen on the entire air filter regardless of how dirty it may appear. When the screen is no longer visible some place on the filter, it is time to clean it. When used in normal paved road, street or highway conditions, our replacement air filters that fit in the factory air box should require cleaning every 50,000 miles and our large conical filters on an intake system should require cleaning every 100,000 miles. When used in dusty or off-road environments, our filters will require cleaning more often. We recommend that you visually inspect your filter once every 25,000 miles to determine if the screen is still visible.

Thanks to all for the replies.

These are not like the big conical filters for the diesels. I'll guarantee that if you go so long that you can't see the fabric anymore, you will be pulling dirt into the engine. Oiled filters are great, but they have bigger pores than the paper ones and rely on being cleaned and oiled regularly to perform well. I'd suggest that you read some additional information on the K&Ns and their kin. I run aftermarket filters myself...but I would definitely not change them just to increase the service interval. JMHO

 

[cearley]

New K&N Filter installed

From the 2012 owners manual:


Air Filter Removal
1. Remove the following body panels. Refer to BODY PANELS .
– RH middle side panel.
– RH top side panel.
2. Remove both screws on the right side of the acoustic panel.
3. Remove the left-most screw from the rear side panel.
4. Remove the dart from the rear side panel.


Release the 3 retaining clips from the air filter cover.


Tilt air filter cover to expose air filter.
Pull filter out.


NOTE: The presence of some oil in the air filter area and housing is normal. Clean as necessary.

I did the replacement of the filter this morning. Took me about 1 hr 15 min. with interuptions from a landscaper planting a tree in the front yard. It went pretty smooth for my first time. The old filter looked almost new and the air box was clean too. Went for a ride and noticed that the previous lope or roughness that used to happen at 3000 rpm was no longer there. I could actually run in 4th gear at 3000 and the engine was steady , and woulld pull smoothly from there. I am guessing that the bike was running a little rich from the day I got it. Right now I'm pretty happy with the switch from the stock air filter. Thanks again for the feedbacks. :bowdown: Happy Spyder riding to all.

 

[Bigdog]

Keep us informed of the fuel mileage. Wheather it increases or decreases?

 

[jthornton]

Just a thought for Your consideration -
Remove the air box and resonator & replace it with the Kewl Metal air box.

Warranty issues, service issues and any other issues - I can't address.
I've done this to our two and love the results.

What was the results from installing the Kewl air box and resonator?

JT

 

[KCPete]

I've done the same as Roger, and agree with his findings! Now just need to open things up and replace exhaust gaskets @16k miles. Good thing it won't be ryding weather this week...it's May, and there's SNOW in the forecast again! :banghead:

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[jthornton]

Do you mean this air filter?

I've not looked under the right side so forgive my ignorance but how did putting that air filter on turn off the right foot heater?

Thanks
JT

 

[jthornton]

Thanks for the info.

JT

 

[cjackg]

Yes that filter.

The air flow around the engine is cooler so there simply isn't that much heat.
I have noted that the air issuing from the right vent seems cooler to me.
I put the disabling of Right Foot Melter in the things I suspect because I haven't run my Spyder in the conditions that those who have real problems with it have.
In fact to me it never has been a problem but as stated above I noticed the air was cooler.

You might want to ask Jack (CJackG) or DocRiverside about the Right Foot thing as they live in warmer climate than I do and they have done the mod.

DocRiverside was the first to do it on an RT, I believe.

I mostly agree with Roger's observations and do like this mod. The reduction in heat around the glove box & seat is very noticeable and there may even be a little less heat on the right foot. Working access for everything to do with the engine is phenomenal.

The one thing I am not thrilled about is the heat build up around the engine intake when the bike is sitting idling, and the fact that the engine is always pulling much warmer air through the intake than with the stock airbox in place. Makes you wonder if there are performance or longterm implications but this same KewlMetal kit has been used widely on RS spyders for years. I am not an engineer but keep hearing that cooler air in the intake is preferable for efficiency and power and this kit results in warmer air going in...

Jack