How do you change the air filter?

RidgeRider · 07-15-2008, 9:34 PM

Did the search thing. Nothing. How do you change the air filter? Saw a few posts about removing the gas tank. Say it isn't so! Wade

XXNUTZ · 07-15-2008, 10:09 PM

Sorry to say it is "so" Wade, the only way to get to the air box and filter is by taking the tank off. Depending on the year just watch how the hoses connect to the tank. There is a downloadable service manual on this site for your servicing pleasure. Cheers.

SilverBrd · 07-15-2008, 11:57 PM

Not too hard to do if you have a way to prop the tank up or have a second set of hands. Make sure you have little gas in your tank for weight reasons.
Pull your seat and remove the bolts that hold your tank by the battery tray. Once the bolts are removed, slightly pull/wiggle your tank towards the rear of the bike so the tank will slide out of the support brackets. Once it slides out be careful with the tank scratching the frame as you should probably put a towel there. You can then lift your tank high enough to access the air box. Remove the nine screws, pull the lid off, and there you have it.
I had my son help me and it was pretty easy to do this with him holding the tank up for me while removing the filter, cleaning the air box, and then installing the new filter.

Hope this helps

ArmyStrong · 07-16-2008, 12:17 AM

Wow. Being too lazy to look it up at this moment, how often should this be done? (city riding)

gacotten · 07-16-2008, 12:20 AM

On the 2001 they ask you to pull the rubber mounts on either side of the front of the tank before lifting it up. I tried to pull the tank like you said and it wouldn't budge. I think I need to do like they said, that will require taking the covers off both sides of the tank to gat at the rubber mounts.

Anyone out there with a 2001 that can give me a hint?

RidgeRider · 07-16-2008, 10:43 AM

Thanks for the help. I searched the 463 page service manual for 1997-98 using "air filter change" but found nothing, nada, zilch. Narrowing the search down to "air filter" it brought up one find, a section on SECONDARY AIR SUPPLY SYSTEM. Nice.

Concerning running the gas out, SilverBrd, I don't see any problem. I'll just crank it up. My son brought it over July 4th with the gauge showing full. I have 109.9 miles on it and the gauge now shows a little less than 1/4 tank. I don't think I want to know how many MPG it gets, and I'll probably only ride it enough to keep the carbs clean and the battery charged. Back to the Ninja 250. Wade

bullet · 07-16-2008, 11:31 AM

before removing the tank from the support brackets ,make sure the side plastic covers of the tank are removed..they won't leave you lift the back of the tank if they're not removed....take extra care when removing the tank from its mounting brackets..the most usual thing is that one of the 2 rubber fittings in front of the tank might fall under the airbox...and its very difficult to put your hands it there to reach it..so beware...!

SilverBrd · 07-17-2008, 2:46 AM

I would recommend checking your air filter at least yearly or end of riding season for you yankee boys.

Getting the tank off those brackets is a bit of a task. wiggle it from side to side and pull it back towards the rear of the bike. Go ahead and pull your inner farings to give you more playing room as well.

RidgeRider · 08-10-2008, 2:28 PM

I got the air filter and shim and was all set. No problem with reducing the gas in the tank. Gas tasts horrrrible!!

No problem pulling the tank back and proping it up with a small piece of wood. Put the shim in fairly easily. Couldn't find the air filter. Wasn't below the tank like I thought from reading the posts. Looked up at the bottom of the gas tank. Formulated new plan. Son David is returning from Ft. Riley on the 15th and has three weeks leave before going to Iraq. Since the bike is in my name, but technically his, I am going to show him how easy it is to prop the tank up, explain how I installed the shim, and any other guilt trips I can lay on him, and tell him I will assist while he installs the air filter. Wade

Nutter67 · 08-10-2008, 9:00 PM

Hopefully there was a big black plastic thing sitting on top of your carbs and engine. On my FI bird, it takes up most of the area inside the frame spars. There is about 8 (or so) screws holding the top on. lift that off and there you go - lift out lift in.

Banshee · 08-11-2008, 1:11 AM

Ridgerider, you have a '97 so you would have carbs. Undo the 2 bolts at the back of the tank, pop the plastic panel out on either side of the tank at the rear and lift the back of the tank. If you have the OEM toolkit the extension for the axle spanners fits under the back to prop it up & you lock it there with the axle spanner as well.

Turn off the fuel tap & remove the 2 big fuel lines, as well as the vacuum line on the back of the tap. There is also a long overflow line and a tank breather, the latter can stay on as it doesn't connect to anything.

Now you remove the axle spanner, lift the back of the tank slightly and slide ti back about 1.5" then lift it off.

The big black sort of round plastic thing on top is the airbox. Remove the screws holding the top on, unhook the wiring that runs around the back & you can lift off the top of it.

Once you have done it once, it will take maybe 5 minutes to repeat. Putting it back is just the reverse, make sure you put the vacuum line from the manifold onto the back of the fuel tap and don't forget to turn it on again. (Been there, forgotten to do that!

) Also you need to pull the plastic panels out a little as you lower the tank back down, or they tend to get caught under the tank & you have to lift it to pull them out again. No damage, but inconveinient.

RidgeRider · 08-12-2008, 12:01 PM

I got up early determined to master that filter change. I think I understand how to do it now, but my history with mechanical things is not that good. I propped the tank up and took a good look.

Gonna stick with the above plan to get son David to do the actual work while I supervise. Plan your work and work your plan. Thanks everyone for all the help! Wade

RidgeRider · 09-09-2008, 9:45 AM

I got David to come over yesterday to help with changing the air filter. I took the two 12mm bolts out, pulled out the plastic tabs at the side and David pulled the tank out toward the rear of the bike and lifted up the front of the gas tank.

That was my problem. I thought from reading the posts that I was supposed to lift the rear of the tank. The gas lines and tank electrical line prevented me from seeing the air filter housing from that view. Lifting up the tank from the front, and propping it up with a wooden prop made it easy to access the screws and remove the top of the air filter. I then replaced the filter, but noticed that the filter removed was a K&N air filter. I will clean it and keep it in spare because I had already bought a Honda filter. Put in new filter, replaced screws, put tank back into holders, replaced seat, done. Took less than 15 minutes. Thanks again for all the helpful replies. Wade

steveb · 09-09-2008, 6:45 PM

That's a pity about having bought the Honda filter as the K&N one is "everlasting" just needs cleaning and re-oiling and away you go!
On my air box lid there is a K&N sticker which tells the mechanic (me in this case as I wouldn't pay to have the filter changed!) that inside is a re-usable filter, pity you didn't have that, would have saved the cost of the Honda one.

Glad you got it all worked out though, great advice is one of the best things about this forum

Warchild · 09-09-2008, 7:17 PM

Page one and two of this superblackbird.com article cover how to get to the airbox without any drama:

Tank/airbox maintenance

Banshee · 09-09-2008, 9:14 PM

PROBLEM!

When a K&N is installed you have to remove a big O'ring that seals the the air filter to the bottom half of the airbox. If you go from K&N back to normal air filter you MUST install a new O'ring or the filter will not seal properly.

The K&N has an edge that goes into that O'ring valley and seals with white grease on the injected models. To properly seal you will need to either install an O'ring or replace the K&N filter.

lois · 09-09-2008, 9:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArmyStrong

Wow. Being too lazy to look it up at this moment, how often should this be done? (city riding)

Once every 2 years is plenty Russ....don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

OK.....OK......thats city riding. If you ride in a non city setting I would recomend once a year. If you need to do it more than once a year, you need to get a dirt bike and give your bird a break from the motocross track.

Lois > aka - snappy dresser

RidgeRider · 09-10-2008, 5:34 PM

Banshee, the Honda filter has the groove all the way around and slips down tightly. After the screws were tightened down, I don't think it will leak. The K&N has an O-ring completely around it, but I don't think it was sealing any better than the factory filter will. I looked at the O-ring and there were a few places where the ring looked pressed, but not many.

On my bike someone had put the yellow tag K&N included on the filter itself. It said it was a reusable filter and to clean and oil with K&N products. Also said it should be cleaned and reoiled every 50,000 miles. In ink, printed on the label, the previous owner said it was replaced in 1999 at 12,500 miles. The odeometer now shows almost 31,000 miles. It seemed really clean, but the Honda filter seemed to allow more air through. Just my thoughts. Wade

Banshee · 09-10-2008, 11:26 PM

AH! Ignore my previous warning. I just realised you have a carbed 'bird! Strange considering I got it right in my post above!

The K&N on the carbed BB is in a hard plastic surround (I had one on my '98), where the injected model is in a flexible one (as in my '07). The carbed one is also a direct swap, where the injected one requires you to remove the O'ring glued into the airbox lower.

I think I prefer the carbed model over the injected one really.

edit: With suitable mods of course!