Pod filter cleaning?

I have had the bike a year and have never cleaned the filters.

Is this possible? Or must they be replaced instead.

If it is possible to clean them, would someone be so kind as to explain the process and list associated products necessary for said action.

Blah blah blah.

Seriously though, it has been posted that dirty air filters can contribute to various mixture/tuning problems.

Cheers,

Q

If you have K&N pods you can simply get a shallow bucket of 409 or any other similar cleaner, swish and roll the filters through the cleaner and you'll see the cleaner turns black from removing dirt pretty quickly, then rinse the filters with low pressure water, then let them dry a day or so then spray with K&N filter oil.
If you have Emgos or other foam filter normally you wash them in gas, let dry then add oil sparingly. They always say "don't use gas" so you can substitute some other solvent. This is simply for safety. I was surprised John Deere actually said to clean their filters with gas. If it's good enough for John, good enough for me and works just fine.
After you oil it may take a day or two for the oil to distribute and allow normal breathing. This is one of the many things I hate about pods. Any motorcycle I have K&N filter on, I have a spare clean set ready to install, as it's a couple days downtime otherwise.

How often do you clean them?
Is there a noticable difference in engine performance after cleaning?
Must I really wait the day or two?
May the filters be dried with a hair dryer, sunshine, heater duct or whatnot?

i use the same method of cleaning filters whether they are k&n gauze style or foam.coffee can of gas hold em down with the openings facing up,swish them around then take the water hose and spray down the side,not through the side,(with opening facing water hose)to blow the crud off.then with foam filters i take paper towels and squish them with the paper towel around the filter to get the water out.and finish by carefuly blowing air through them until they are dry.(if i can't let them set and dry.)with k&n you can dry them with air but be vary careful as it is cotton gauze and you can blow it apart.then oil back to whatever is appropriate.hope this helps.

Haven't used the gas or 409, I just bought the k&n cleaning kit (I got my kit @Advance Auto), which should last a few years. Spray them down w/the cleaner, let them set about 15min, spray them down w/clean water and let them set overnite to dry. The next day spray em down w/the k&n oil, let set another 15 min, put em on and ride. Normal riding on hard surface roads maybe @ the beginning of riding season then mid-season. They do get pretty dirty, pretty quick.
I don't know if the k&n stuff would work w/the foam pods.

I got some stuff called "no toil" oil and wash cleaner for foam filter elements. The upside is the oil is special biodegradable stuff that dissolves in their cleaning solution.

Before giving cleaning advice, it might be prudent to determine what type filters are being discussed. I suspect a set of Emgos will soon meet a grizzly death!

Good point, but since it clearly states in my sig line that I have K&N Pods and use the K&N cleaning kit, it would be safe to presume that I am only refering to K&N pods.

Looking at these pods here (that came with the bike,..) I see no identifying marks on them.

Stainless steel looking end cap, rubber end devoid of any lettering, two layers of screen with some whiteish-grey fiberous stuff in between, rubber top with one indented line curcumspecting the plateau, held together by smokey colored glue of some type....

Wish I had a camera.

Well, to me, and I may be wrong, it sounds like you have a "k&n" style knockoff. The K&N have initials in the metal endcap. My understanding of the knockoffs, is that they don't last as long but cleaning should be the same as a K&N. Spray/soak w/cleaner, let set, rinse repeat until clear rinse water. When dry, spray w/filter oil, let set and ride. Pretty much what you would do if you had an airbox filter. If you get the kit, there are insturctions.

Mr. Jones, Sorry I wasn't clear. The gentleman seems to have inherited a nasty set of Emgos. Since the elements are paper, I suspect the water would have the same effect on the Emgos as it does when you drop a roll of toilet paper in the toilet. The best you can do is blow them out some but I suspect it is time to consider purchasing another set of pods. Emgos are about $40 for 4 and K&Ns are about $160 for four. Emgos are disposable, and as has been pointed out, you can clean and re-oil the K&Ns. For life. Which is best depends miles you ride a year, conditions, etc. If you put the bike away anually with a short riding season, and live somewhere clean, perhaps Emgos might last 5 years... probably a better buy the K&Ns... you can think through the permutations of these factors and make a good decsion.

Nasty Emgos they must be then.

Well they have been taken out of the proverbial toilet and dried and oiled and are back on the bike that I ride year' round. Guess among other things, I will be in the market for another set of filters.

I oddly enough, do enjoy spending endless amounts of money on this hole,... ooops, did I say that? on this bike. It makes me feel better when those Kerkers are ringing out at 4 in the morning after a busy shift coming home tired knowing that I have PAID MY FRIGGIN DUES.

On to other things Gents.

Cheers,

Q