Heavy Breather Oil
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,881
Likes: 34
From: USA
Black is the absence of all visible light, while white is the presence of the complete spectrum.
There is some confusion in this matter when one goes from discussing things like paint to discussing things like filters! In one case, you are seeing what is REFLECTED, and in the second case you are seeing what is TRANSMITTED. Red paint, for instance, absorbs all colors and reflects the red back to your eye, so it looks red. A red filter reflects all colors BUT red, which it allows to pass through unhindered.
That is why mixing red, yellow, and blue paint will produce black (all colors are now absorbed), yet using three spotlights colored red, yellow and blue will produce a single spot of white light (all colors are present).
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 577
Likes: 2
From: Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Solution for those who want their Heavy Breather Filter Black
Hey Guys,
I was toying around with a few ideas, and after finding out the the filter is mostly Cotton, I figured why not dye the cotton like you would a shirt!
All you need is a bottle or packet of RIT black dye (or other black dye, but I've found that through reading that this stuff works great, some hot water and a bucket. I removed the large chrome ring (just incase, but turns out you dont need to, chrome holds up just fine). Boiled the water till it was hot, poured the dye and the water into bucket, tossed in the filter and mixed it around for about 15 minutes to half an hour, let it sit until the water was slightly warm, rinsed with warm progressing to cold water, let dry and done!
as for oil, I'm assuming you could still use the k&n stuff, but after some more reading I've found that all it is, is basically light mineral oil, so I used that.
The pics are really dark because the flash makes it look grey, but you get the idea! Hope this helps all of you with exposed filters and blacked out bikes who want to get rid of the purple-ish red, I know I was very pleased with the outcome.
I was toying around with a few ideas, and after finding out the the filter is mostly Cotton, I figured why not dye the cotton like you would a shirt!
All you need is a bottle or packet of RIT black dye (or other black dye, but I've found that through reading that this stuff works great, some hot water and a bucket. I removed the large chrome ring (just incase, but turns out you dont need to, chrome holds up just fine). Boiled the water till it was hot, poured the dye and the water into bucket, tossed in the filter and mixed it around for about 15 minutes to half an hour, let it sit until the water was slightly warm, rinsed with warm progressing to cold water, let dry and done!
as for oil, I'm assuming you could still use the k&n stuff, but after some more reading I've found that all it is, is basically light mineral oil, so I used that.
The pics are really dark because the flash makes it look grey, but you get the idea! Hope this helps all of you with exposed filters and blacked out bikes who want to get rid of the purple-ish red, I know I was very pleased with the outcome.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 235
Likes: 1
From: Delaware/Colorado
Hey Guys,
I was toying around with a few ideas, and after finding out the the filter is mostly Cotton, I figured why not dye the cotton like you would a shirt!
All you need is a bottle or packet of RIT black dye (or other black dye, but I've found that through reading that this stuff works great, some hot water and a bucket. I removed the large chrome ring (just incase, but turns out you dont need to, chrome holds up just fine). Boiled the water till it was hot, poured the dye and the water into bucket, tossed in the filter and mixed it around for about 15 minutes to half an hour, let it sit until the water was slightly warm, rinsed with warm progressing to cold water, let dry and done!
as for oil, I'm assuming you could still use the k&n stuff, but after some more reading I've found that all it is, is basically light mineral oil, so I used that.
The pics are really dark because the flash makes it look grey, but you get the idea! Hope this helps all of you with exposed filters and blacked out bikes who want to get rid of the purple-ish red, I know I was very pleased with the outcome.
I was toying around with a few ideas, and after finding out the the filter is mostly Cotton, I figured why not dye the cotton like you would a shirt!
All you need is a bottle or packet of RIT black dye (or other black dye, but I've found that through reading that this stuff works great, some hot water and a bucket. I removed the large chrome ring (just incase, but turns out you dont need to, chrome holds up just fine). Boiled the water till it was hot, poured the dye and the water into bucket, tossed in the filter and mixed it around for about 15 minutes to half an hour, let it sit until the water was slightly warm, rinsed with warm progressing to cold water, let dry and done!
as for oil, I'm assuming you could still use the k&n stuff, but after some more reading I've found that all it is, is basically light mineral oil, so I used that.
The pics are really dark because the flash makes it look grey, but you get the idea! Hope this helps all of you with exposed filters and blacked out bikes who want to get rid of the purple-ish red, I know I was very pleased with the outcome.
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,483
Likes: 39
From: Passaic County, NJ
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Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,998
Likes: 14
From: Central Ohio
I know this 'sounds' stupid, but...
I sprayed my K&N filter (which was red) with a light dusting of spray paint till it turned black.
I saw plenty of light still coming throught it... tryed it out, and... it works plenty fine.
I sprayed my K&N filter (which was red) with a light dusting of spray paint till it turned black.
I saw plenty of light still coming throught it... tryed it out, and... it works plenty fine.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 992
Likes: 1
From: Mechanicsburg, PA
Hey Guys,
I was toying around with a few ideas, and after finding out the the filter is mostly Cotton, I figured why not dye the cotton like you would a shirt!
All you need is a bottle or packet of RIT black dye (or other black dye, but I've found that through reading that this stuff works great, some hot water and a bucket. I removed the large chrome ring (just incase, but turns out you dont need to, chrome holds up just fine). Boiled the water till it was hot, poured the dye and the water into bucket, tossed in the filter and mixed it around for about 15 minutes to half an hour, let it sit until the water was slightly warm, rinsed with warm progressing to cold water, let dry and done!
as for oil, I'm assuming you could still use the k&n stuff, but after some more reading I've found that all it is, is basically light mineral oil, so I used that.
The pics are really dark because the flash makes it look grey, but you get the idea! Hope this helps all of you with exposed filters and blacked out bikes who want to get rid of the purple-ish red, I know I was very pleased with the outcome.
I was toying around with a few ideas, and after finding out the the filter is mostly Cotton, I figured why not dye the cotton like you would a shirt!
All you need is a bottle or packet of RIT black dye (or other black dye, but I've found that through reading that this stuff works great, some hot water and a bucket. I removed the large chrome ring (just incase, but turns out you dont need to, chrome holds up just fine). Boiled the water till it was hot, poured the dye and the water into bucket, tossed in the filter and mixed it around for about 15 minutes to half an hour, let it sit until the water was slightly warm, rinsed with warm progressing to cold water, let dry and done!
as for oil, I'm assuming you could still use the k&n stuff, but after some more reading I've found that all it is, is basically light mineral oil, so I used that.
The pics are really dark because the flash makes it look grey, but you get the idea! Hope this helps all of you with exposed filters and blacked out bikes who want to get rid of the purple-ish red, I know I was very pleased with the outcome.