Dirt bikes, as well as other off-road riding vehicles, utilize an air filter made of foam. This is different from cars and other filters found in home appliances, such as vacuum cleaners that use paper filters. The reason is that the foam is denser and can hold dirt more effectively than a paper filter but still allow enough airflow.
As petrolheads try to extract the best performance from our engines, one of the fastest and most efficient ways to get an increase in performance is by regularly checking and cleaning your bike’s air filter using the top filters and cleaners for the air.
Types of Dirt Bike Air Filter Oils
In general, you will come across two different kinds that are foam filter oils:
- Motor filter oils derived from petroleum
- Plant-based foams and synthetic filter oils
It is important not to get caught between the air filter oil and the engine oil for beginners. They’re completely different. If you’re riding a two-stroke dirt bike, then you’ll need to make sure that you’re running the best 2-stroke oil.
Oil for synthetic air filters
Air filter oils made of synthetic are well-known for enduring extreme temperatures and extreme conditions. They are typically absorbed more effectively and evenly into the filters than petroleum-based oil. The other advantages of synthetic oils are their non-harmful properties to the surroundings.
They’re biodegradable and give an enjoyable ride. If synthetic oil gets combined with petrol, it turns harmful and is not an eco-friendly alternative. The most significant benefit of using a plant-based air filter oil is that it’s simpler for you to wash your filters. The soft foam will not need to be replaced every so often since synthetic oils are the best alternative for greater durability.
Petroleum air filter oil
Petroleum-based air filter oil or the regular oil in your vehicle is certainly not the ideal choice for filters for your dirtbike. However, if you’re left with no other options and require some speed, you could make use of this as a one-time away or two-time.
Before, when synthetic oils were a thing, the riders used regular motor oil. Regular motor oil does not provide the same performance as synthetic oils. For instance, motor oil doesn’t uniformly absorb into the air filters, so you will have areas on your filters more prone to grime and dirt.
Motor oil is also in the air intake as it starts to leak out of the filter and create a pool of fat inside the airbox.
Oiled Air Filter Vs Dry Air Filter
There are divergent views from air filter oil producers on the most effective level of lubrication needed for optimal performance on the road. Some of these firms, like Twin Air, have said that oil-lubricated filters have significant advantages over the unoiled filters. Filters that are well-oiled can let more airflow while capturing more dirt. Twin Air has been producing some of the top dirtbike air filters. We provide more details when we review the ultimate dirt bike air filters.
Contrary to this, tests conducted by other filter makers assert that their best performance can be attained through the use of their air filter without oil. In contrast, other tests suggest that air filters that were just cleaned and oiled are less effective than a filter used to ride on or two.
It’s true that unless you’re an experienced racer, even a 1% increase in performance isn’t likely to be significant. It is important to periodically clean your air filter and apply oil for your air filters to ensure the health and longevity of your bike.
Cleaning An Air Filter
When cleaning your air filters, the cleaning agent you’ll need to use will depend on the air filter oil you’re using. The majority of air filter cleaners on the market today use chemicals that can reduce the effectiveness of petrol-based air filter oil.
Cleaning an air filter using petroleum-based oil must be thoroughly cleaned with water and soap or a detergent that does not work as a solvent for petroleum-based oils.
Cleaning the air filter using plants or synthetic oils is not a requirement for an extremely strong detergent, but it must be thoroughly cleaned by using soap and water.
Don’t use regular gasoline to cleanse your filter. While gasoline is excellent in removing dirt and grime, it will cause damage to all kinds of glues and seals made from rubber that keep your air filter box to one another. Additionally, it will affect the quality of your air filter more quickly than other cleaning products.
Foam Air Filter Oil Application
Applying oil to an air filter made of foam is easy. After you’ve dried and cleaned your air filter, take the bottle or the can filled with air filter oils and spread it liberally onto the filter.
The air filter must be fully saturated but not too watery. To prevent oversaturation, press your air filter till excess oil drains away – but not so much that the filter is dry.
Pre–Prepping Your Foam Air Filter
There’s plenty of debate about whether it is better to prepare your air filter for days or weeks before riding. Air filter oil makers declare that it’s perfectly fine to oil your filters before riding and keep them in-store the next time you ride.
Preparing for this beforehand simplifies the next time you go out because you’ll ensure you always use a fresh and hygienic filter. If you decide to oil your filters before use, it is important to store them properly.
Ideally, there should be air holes that allow the alcohol to evaporate. We have always used plastic sealed bags to make air filters that were pre-oiled, and it makes things neat and easy.
Best Foam Air Filter Oil Reviews For 2024
Keep chugging along with the top products for the dirt bike’s air filter.
Uni Foam Air Filter Oil & Cleaner Kit
This small package includes everything you require to ensure that the air filters are clean and well-oiled. It will also function in optimum performance. The kit contains 16 oz. Aerosol filter cleaner, as well as a 5.5 OZ. aerosol foam oil filter
The detergents are powerful enough to get rid of dirt and grease from any air filter (not only a foam filter). It’s fast, and the aerosol containers provide more efficient application and cleaning.
Uni Foam oil does not contain detergents that can harm your air filters. Therefore, you should not have any issues maintaining the strength of your air filters. It is a great way to guard against dirt and dust and allow for a strong airflow.
Utilize the cleaning agent initially with a spray on the whole air filter. Allow it to soak up the detergents until dirt particles are released. Cleanse the dirt by rinsing the water. Then let the filter sit until it is dry. After it’s dry, apply a generous amount of filter oil, and you’re ready.
Maxima Air Filter Maintenance Kit
Maxima has always been top of the line in the field of developing the top air filter cleaners as well as oils.
Their products are exceptionally strong and come with competitive prices. If you’re looking for individual oil for the air or filters, they have the items separately.
While buying the air filter oil and a cleaning kit will save you lots of trouble, and it means you’ll keep both in your arsenal and will never run out.
The Maxima 2 Pack includes their 15.5 oz. A cleaner and 13 ounces, and spray to clean the oil for air filters. The great thing about Maxima cleaners is that they’re made to work with all kinds of air filters.
It may not sound like the ideal choice for bikes; However, glance at the 100’s review and the thoughts will be changed. The cleaner is compatible with foam filters and paper filters, and it is safe for all of the rubber components and seals inside the housing of the air filter.
It’s water-soluble, so once it’s been applied to the cleaning agent, rub the grime away, then rinse your air filter in water, and it should disappear with ease.
The Maxima air filter oil is synthetic and water-resistant. This means that it will last longer on your air filter, as well as excellent protection in rainy conditions. The water-resistant properties of the oil were carefully designed to stop the build-up of dirt and grime that can lead to mud clots. This means that airflow will be excellent throughout the year and for the entire duration of your ride.
Lucas Oil High-Performance Foam Filter Oil
Lucas Oil has been around for a long time and has grown to become one of the leading additives manufacturers. Their goal has been to produce the highest quality oils and lubricants that they can adhere to.
High-Performance Foam Filter Oil is made from a basic mix of low viscosity and low solvent substances, and it’s safe and isn’t extremely thick.
This creates excellent protection for the filter, permitting a high flow of air while still keeping dirt and dust from getting into the machine.
The components that make up Lucas Oil air filter oil are waterproof. Lucas Oil air filter oil is waterproof, which can help stop rain and humid conditions from destroying your ride without clogging the foam’s pores.
The cool thing about High-Performance Oil is the color of the oil and the air filter that is applied after application. Many riders, like myself, have several air filters that they bring along when they go on weekend enduro or adventure journeys. The first one is pre-oiled, so I don’t have to sit on the floor doing air filter cleaning all day long.
The blue hue in Lucas Oil makes it very easy to determine what air filter is clean to use and which needs cleaning.
Maxima Foam Filter Treatment Oil
This is an excellent standalone air filter oil from Maxima. It’s extremely tacky, which means that the oil is extremely sticky—this “tackiness” in the oil results from an additive used in non-aerosol air filters.
Tackiness is different between brands, and performance is also affected by tackiness.
The issue is that every manufacturer claims that the level of tackiness their products offer will result in optimal engine performance.
Therefore, providing advice on the most effective tacky filter oil isn’t likely. As we said that unless you’re racing professionally, You don’t have to be concerned about making your bike better by 1 percent.
The best thing about Maxima air filter oil is that it was developed in a 3-year development program. The final product is an oil made of synthetic material that allows up to 12 percent more airflow and captures up to 8 percent more dirt and dust before it gets into the intake of air.
This oil for air filters can be used with any air filter. The chemicals in the oil won’t alter rubber seals, making the oil a safer choice. It’s also gasoline and water-resistant, so riding through the rain or pooling gasoline isn’t a problem.
PJ1 Foam Air Filter Oil
The little package includes all the items you need to ensure that your air filter remains cleaned, oiled, and performing at its best. The kit consists of 16 oz. Aerosol filter cleaner, as well as a 5.5 Oz. aerosol foam oil filter
Products manufactured by PJ1 can be found in more than fifty countries across the globe. Some of the products have been on the market for more than 40 years; this means that there was enough time to refine them.
The PJ1 air filter oil is an excellent product that has proven to be a great choice for motorsport enthusiasts worldwide. The products they make were designed with the goal of performance in mind. This doesn’t only mean that your bike is performing well It also refers to how their products are tough and weather-resistant, chemical resistant, and provide the best performance.
The PJ1 spray foam filter Oil can be used to safeguard the most powerful components in your vehicle from dirt, dust, sand, mud, and everything else that could otherwise pass through your air filter.
It’s extremely tacky and thick and thick, which is why it offers the best protection. In contrast to other less expensive available products, PJ1 filter oil will not be drained out with time. This provides greater protection for your carb intake from the elements. It allows for enough air to enter, which aids in achieving an ideal mix of air and fuel. It is important to avoid operating your dirt bike in excess or too light.
The aerosol spray allows for a quick and simple application. The rush also has nice red, which can help you identify any areas that you might not have noticed. Beware of clothing and skin as it’s difficult to wash off.
Cleaning the air filter after using PJ1 oil requires the use of a solvent for cleaning that is more than water and soap as it’s petroleum-based.
TEN THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT AIR FILTER OIL
(1) Paper. Fabric filters and oiled foam elements are utilized in dirt bikes and other offroad applications as opposed to the paper filters commonly used in household and automobile air filters since they can keep dirt in place and keep the air moving. Motorcycle foam filter oil and fabric filter oil starts as basic petroleum, synthetic, or plant/vegetable-based oil. The oils that are marketed as biodegradable and “bio” are made from plants, and however, they contain some traditional petroleum as well. No-Toil claims to provide only 100% plant-based, biodegradable filter oil available.
(2) Plant-based. Synthetic oils are extremely pure and can withstand heat. The companies that use synthetic oils believe that they can fill the filter more thoroughly and evenly. Plant-based oil has many advantages. It is biodegradable and safe but is damaged when mixed with petroleum-based products. It’s less abrasive on your filter, and it won’t break down at the same speed. The oils that are plant-based make cleaning your filter much easier.
(3) Motor oil. If you’re in a real bind, it is possible to apply regular motor oil to the air filters, and it’s more effective than none. Suppose you’re an old-fashioned person and have had to do it several times. The issue is that oil accumulates inside the airbox, then distributes unevenly, and is taken up into the air intake channel. Air filter oil is formulated with specific additives mixed with the oil to address the issues.
(4) Alcohol. Isopropyl Alcohol is often employed to aid the oil to get into the filters more easily. It thins the oil, making it more watery and easy to use. However, it should be allowed to dry before the filter can be utilized. If it is not, the oil could be absorbed into the intake and catch fire. Adding alcohol can be challenging since it categorizes oil as a hazardous substance. This can make it more difficult for shipping, storage, and export. Alcohol also consumes the less expensive glue that some filters use. To make a substitute thinner, No-Toil developed an oil that is temporarily bonded to water, removing the requirement for alcohol. However, it has a slower duration of evaporation.
(5) Tackifier. Another ingredient is a “tacker” to make the oil more sticky. Certain brands are extremely slippery, while others argue that fat with a thinner thickness performs better. Additionally, there’s the chemical that makes filters fireproof. DT1 considered the efficiency and cost of adding an extra layer of flame-resistant foam on their filter (as other firms use) against the oil that is flame-resistant and chose to use the latter.
(6) Oiled as opposed to Dry. Twin Air claims that their tests demonstrate that, among other things, a well-oiled filter will be able to move greater airflow than a bone-dry one and will catch more dirt than a filter that is over-oiled. DT1 has conducted tests showing the full power gain from decreasing the amount of oil exposed to the filter. MXA tests have shown that a slightly dirty filter is more efficient than a newly cleaned filter. Choose your favorite.
(7) Cleaner. The type of air-filter cleaner that is used will depend on the filter oil that is used. Certain cleaners contain solvents that break through petroleum-based oil. Once a petroleum-based liquid is removed from the filter, it remains dirty and should be cleaned with water and soap. Another kind of cleaner is detergent made to clean plant-based oils. When using plant-based oils, the harsh-solvents phase is skipped. The third kind is gasoline. It can be more effective at cutting through fat than any other solvent or filter cleaner, but it will also consume rubber grommets, seals, and glues and reduce foam. After a few gasoline baths, the foam filter feels dry and soggy (even after drying).
(8) Application. The most recommended method of applying the majority of foam filter oils is to thoroughly fill the foam with it and gently squeeze out any excess. The filter oil is usually in a spray container applied at the touch of a button but beware of increasing efficiency by applying a thin coat. This is a good idea, however, it will cost you. Fabric filters can be made using an oil spray or bottle with a spouted cap to apply a small amount of oil on every pleat. Based on its surface area, K&N offers a chart of the ideal amount of oil needed for each filter.
(9) Storage. If you are storing the oil from your filter for more than a few days, ensure that it is stored in a container made of metal because plastic buckets that are sealed are not pliable enough. If the oil gets dry, it can turn into ineffective sludge. While some companies advise not to oil and store filters, most companies say that it is acceptable to pre-oil and keep your filter in a Ziplock bag so long as there are holes that allow alcohol to evaporate. MXA always uses pre-oiled filters on all of the test bikes we use.
(10) Rain. MXA has tried almost every filter oil brand, from Maxima’s super-tacky synthetic-based oil to No-Toil’s 100% plant-based oil. We have always avoided bio-marketed filter oil because it did not seem to be able to withstand the water spray. Nowadays, bio-based lubricants are better, but we employ petroleum-based filter oil in rain races.
Clean your air purifier.
The issue of how often you should clean your air filter or not is a highly debated topic. It is important to keep in mind that air filters aren’t too expensive, but engines are! If you harm your air filter when cleansing it, then you are at a chance of causing massive damage to the machine!
In endurance or competitive races in which reliability is the main concern, it is not advisable to start with an air filter that isn’t working properly. If you are forced to clean your air filter, then apply these suggestions, but Motocross Advice believes it is unnecessary.
Last Checkpoint
The best review of foam filter oils. The most suitable option for users is to purchase the Maxima foam air filter treatment Kit. It may appear unnecessary, particularly if you are using a different cleaning product than the oil; however, keeping it simple is the best approach. Don’t get caught up in the smallest of aspects. Maxima has received glowing reviews from people all over the world. It is ideal for keeping the air filter on your bike.
