Dumb Air Filter question for the day
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,714
Likes: 650
From: San Ramon, Ca
Nope wrong again
i guess that is the SE
air fltr.
Well I took it off to clean
it, and it was SOAKED
with oil. Its only been
7 or 8 mos. 3K mi ?
So, on these FI ... Things,
is it poss to run a cross
over (Earlier Evo style)
to eliminate the breather
pumping oil in there ?
i guess that is the SE
air fltr.
Well I took it off to clean
it, and it was SOAKED
with oil. Its only been
7 or 8 mos. 3K mi ?
So, on these FI ... Things,
is it poss to run a cross
over (Earlier Evo style)
to eliminate the breather
pumping oil in there ?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,143
Likes: 11,211
From: San Diego, CA
The stock filters were paper element filters... that is one of the Screamin' Eagle Stage I (high flow) filters... They are a synthetic, washable filter element that doesn't need oil...
From the HD website:
"The High-Flow Air Cleaner Kit provides increased airflow to boost the power of your fuel-injected model.
• Raw Aluminum back plate
• Features a one-piece cast back plate with integral breather and mounting brackets for simplified installation
• Synthetic washable air cleaner element does not require oiling
• Round air cleaner element can be dressed with most Original Equipment or accessory air cleaner covers or choose to flaunt your performance gains with the open element look"
I like them more than the K&N or any oiled filter... I have three of them, and the one on my 2003 Heritage is 17 years old, still cleans up nicely, and still works well...
a current example of one:
https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/e...Kit/p/29400239
From the HD website:
"The High-Flow Air Cleaner Kit provides increased airflow to boost the power of your fuel-injected model.
• Raw Aluminum back plate
• Features a one-piece cast back plate with integral breather and mounting brackets for simplified installation
• Synthetic washable air cleaner element does not require oiling
• Round air cleaner element can be dressed with most Original Equipment or accessory air cleaner covers or choose to flaunt your performance gains with the open element look"
I like them more than the K&N or any oiled filter... I have three of them, and the one on my 2003 Heritage is 17 years old, still cleans up nicely, and still works well...
a current example of one:
https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/e...Kit/p/29400239
Last edited by hattitude; Dec 7, 2020 at 10:06 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,525
Likes: 6,406
From: Honah Lee
That is the old style SE oil wetted filter. Wash in detergent and dry. Apply oil and put a paper towel around it for a day or so to catch drips. Do not blow hard thru it. Make sure it is OK if you do not know the history. After cleaning and drying, look thru it from a dark garage with a LED light. If you see big openings, it is junk.
Also, look at the I assume throttle body (you need to add a signature line of your bike year and all letters). Any way see that little opening. All the air that is pushed in there by atmospheric pressure of about 15 psi can easily go thru a good factor OEM filter at any normal rpm that a sane person turns. All that filter does is make you think you got more power since it sounds like a Hoover Vac.
I got one just like it only new style with that front rubber is metal wrapped. Older version like yours is better. I throw a little oil on the outside occasionally. Plus it self oils pretty well anyway. K&N gave me mine under warrant. Good people. Mine had big holes in it.
Also, look at the I assume throttle body (you need to add a signature line of your bike year and all letters). Any way see that little opening. All the air that is pushed in there by atmospheric pressure of about 15 psi can easily go thru a good factor OEM filter at any normal rpm that a sane person turns. All that filter does is make you think you got more power since it sounds like a Hoover Vac.
I got one just like it only new style with that front rubber is metal wrapped. Older version like yours is better. I throw a little oil on the outside occasionally. Plus it self oils pretty well anyway. K&N gave me mine under warrant. Good people. Mine had big holes in it.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Dec 7, 2020 at 09:42 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 8,129
Likes: 1,981
From: Ottawa, CANADA
The stock filters were paper element filters... that is one of the Screamin' Eagle Stage I (high flow) filters... They are a synthetic, washable filter element that doesn't need oil...
From the HD website:
"The High-Flow Air Cleaner Kit provides increased airflow to boost the power of your fuel-injected model.
Raw Aluminum back plate
Features a one-piece cast back plate with integral breather and mounting brackets for simplified installation
Synthetic washable air cleaner element does not require oiling
Round air cleaner element can be dressed with most Original Equipment or accessory air cleaner covers or choose to flaunt your performance gains with the open element look"
I like them more than the K&N or any oiled filter... I have three of them, and the one on my 2003 Heritage is 17 years old, still cleans up nicely, and still works well...
an example of one:
https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/e...Kit/p/29400239
From the HD website:
"The High-Flow Air Cleaner Kit provides increased airflow to boost the power of your fuel-injected model.
Raw Aluminum back plate
Features a one-piece cast back plate with integral breather and mounting brackets for simplified installation
Synthetic washable air cleaner element does not require oiling
Round air cleaner element can be dressed with most Original Equipment or accessory air cleaner covers or choose to flaunt your performance gains with the open element look"
I like them more than the K&N or any oiled filter... I have three of them, and the one on my 2003 Heritage is 17 years old, still cleans up nicely, and still works well...
an example of one:
https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/e...Kit/p/29400239
Actually, that one looks like one of the earlier versions made by K&N that is meant to be oiled. The non-oilable ones have "Dry Type Element. Do Not Oil" (or something similar) stamped on the front where the other writing is (liek the one in the picture you linked).
Cheers!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,143
Likes: 11,211
From: San Diego, CA
Most people buy an aftermarket kit to vent the breathers to a catch can, or just to the atmosphere (like I do)..
It requires some parts to run new breather lines, and some modification to the backplate of the air filter... I did it to all my harleys, currently have three twin cams, and all have the same filter back plate mods, and breathers vented to the atmosphere... if you search this site for external breathers, you should finds pages of suggestions/examples...
I drill into the mounting/breather bolts portion of the backing plate. I put a fitting into both front and back, to let the Crankcase vent from the backing plate. I attach hose to both, run them together, and then along the engine and down to the frame at the back of the engine.. I have put a small filter on the end of the line to avoid any drips, but now I just leave the hose open...
I then block the internal venting passages of the backing plate with a set screw, tipped off with JB weld...
Here are some do-it-yourself breather bypass kits....
https://www.dkcustomproducts.com/diy...ystems-335.htm
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,143
Likes: 11,211
From: San Diego, CA
Actually, that one looks like one of the earlier versions made by K&N that is meant to be oiled. The non-oilable ones have "Dry Type Element. Do Not Oil" (or something similar) stamped on the front where the other writing is (liek the one in the picture you linked).
Cheers!
Cheers!
I have to respectfully disagree... the older ones don't have the "do not oil" on them...
Here are two pics of my original synthetic air filter, that I just took. I bought the Screamin' Eagle air cleaner kit in 2003 with my 95" big bore kit. It came with the synthetic air cleaner element. As you can see, it's still in use on my 2003 Heritage...
FWIW....
My memory isn't what it used to be... but... I don't remember the MoCo selling an oiled element air filter back in the early days of the twin cam.... I bought a couple "Screamin Eagle high flow air filter kits" and they all had the synthetic, non-oiled filter elements... I wasn't looking to avoid the oiled elements at that time, I was just getting a high flow element from HD and that's what the MoCo had....as late as May 2012, when I bought the "SE Stage I A/C #29260-08" for my 2012 Limited, they came from the MoCo with the synthetic, non-oiled elements... I believe it was sometime after 2012 that the MoCo made it's contract with K&N to provide them with oiled filter elements for their high flow kits... I could be wrong, that's just how it worked for me...
Last edited by hattitude; Dec 7, 2020 at 10:05 AM.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 8,129
Likes: 1,981
From: Ottawa, CANADA
I have to respectfully disagree... the older ones don't have the "do not oil" on them...
Here are two pics of my original synthetic air filter, that I just took. I bought the Screamin' Eagle air cleaner kit in 2003 with my 95" big bore kit. It came with the synthetic air cleaner element. As you can see, it's still in use on my 2003 Heritage...
FWIW....
My memory isn't what it used to be... but... I don't remember the MoCo selling an oiled element air filter back in the early days of the twin cam.... I bought a couple "Screamin Eagle high flow air filter kits" and they all had the synthetic, non-oiled filter elements... I wasn't looking to avoid the oiled elements at that time, I was just getting a high flow element from HD and that's what the MoCo had....as late as May 2012, when I bought the "SE Stage I A/C #29260-08" for my 2012 Limited, they came from the MoCo with the synthetic, non-oiled elements... I believe it was sometime after 2012 that the MoCo made it's contract with K&N to provide them with oiled filter elements for their high flow kits... I could be wrong, that's just how it worked for me...
Here are two pics of my original synthetic air filter, that I just took. I bought the Screamin' Eagle air cleaner kit in 2003 with my 95" big bore kit. It came with the synthetic air cleaner element. As you can see, it's still in use on my 2003 Heritage...
FWIW....
My memory isn't what it used to be... but... I don't remember the MoCo selling an oiled element air filter back in the early days of the twin cam.... I bought a couple "Screamin Eagle high flow air filter kits" and they all had the synthetic, non-oiled filter elements... I wasn't looking to avoid the oiled elements at that time, I was just getting a high flow element from HD and that's what the MoCo had....as late as May 2012, when I bought the "SE Stage I A/C #29260-08" for my 2012 Limited, they came from the MoCo with the synthetic, non-oiled elements... I believe it was sometime after 2012 that the MoCo made it's contract with K&N to provide them with oiled filter elements for their high flow kits... I could be wrong, that's just how it worked for me...
Cheers!
Last edited by Clammy; Dec 7, 2020 at 12:02 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,143
Likes: 11,211
From: San Diego, CA
That looks like a filter meant to be oiled. When I bought Reaper in 2005, I had the dealership do the "Stage 1" which included the Screamin Eagle Air filter kit. It came with an HD branded K&N filter, that was meant to be oiled, that looked exactly like the one in your pics. That was the kit for the first few years, before they went to the non-oiled filter, which had a blue coloured filter media (at first, anyway), and said "do not oil" on it. I'm no expert, but I've never seen a non-oilable filter (from HD, anyway) that didn't say "do not oil" on it.
Cheers!
Cheers!
Don't know what to say... it's a synthetic filter that does not need oil...
I have had a few of them and they look the same as the one in the pic... I did recently buy a couple new ones (within the last year), just to have them because I like them and heard they were being discontinued. The newer ones have the "do not oil" on them, but the filter elements look the exact same...