Oil your filter that is. I have a heavy breather ac that I just cleaned and oiled 3 days ago and it's already starting to look dry on the top. I figured the exposed filters would dry quicker than covered filters, but this seems a little quick. Anyone else notice this.

 

Anybody out there?

 

I run a K&N open filter, and I just wash and re-oil it when it looks really dirty. Usually every couple or 3 months, depending if I ride in dusty areas or there are lots of bugs. Also, I'll re-oil it if I've ridden on a long rainstorm.

Cheers!
[sm=icon_rock.gif][sm=icon_rock.gif][sm=icon_rock.gif]

 

Do the filters in the SE A/C Kit need maintenance, other than just cleaning now and then. I think they are a paper element right?

 

You really can't "clean" paper filters the way you can a K&N. Once you put any water on them they tend to disintegrate or shrink leaving gaps that will let crap into the engine.
Usually when you clean a K&N it turns white, then the oil turns it orange. If it hasn't changed color from orage to whiteits not dried out.
Also you shouldn't over clean a K&N, just because its dirty looking it doesn't mean it needs cleaning. Try taking it off and see if you can see daylight through it, if so its still good to go. No matter how dirty it looks. Their contention is that the more dirt it collects the more dirt it keeps out of the engine. In other words the dirt it collects actually helps it filter more dirt out of the airstream.

 

I run K&N's. I wash and oil them every oil change which for me is around 3,000 miles.

 

Unless your running the bike through talcum powder dust storms and use an ice pick to get the big chunks out that's a whole lot too often.
Do yourself a favor and back off or you could possibly screw up the MAP sensor in the intake with all that oil. Its a common problem oncars and trucks. Guys get a little over zealous with the filter cleaning and screw up the MASS or MAP sensors with the excess oil from the filter.
Next time you have a minute pull off the filter and get a loooong q-tip and take a swipe at the side of the passageway behind the throttlebody. See if it has any oil or dirt down in there from the filter. if it does it generally means that its sucking some of the loose fresh oil from the filter and between the oil a dirt its going to coat the temp and MAP sensors throwing off the ECM.
Makes the engine run like crap till you either clean things out or in the worst cases replace the defective sensor.

 

Sorry Frank. I live in West Texas where we have a ton of dirt and sand. Plus, I'm very careful with not overoiling the filter after cleaning.

 

The K&N replacement filter for the onethat comes with the SE A/C kit is on my list. Man it's a long list.