Gen 2 Air Cleaner Element Inspection

[Mythos]

Air Cleaner Element Inspection

The air cleaner element should be inspected for damage and cleanness every 4000 miles according to the Hayabusa service manual. The air cleaner element should be replaced if it is found in unacceptable condition. The maximum service life of an air cleaner element is 11000 miles or 36 months. It should be changed more often if the bike is run in a dusty environment.

Some after market air filters are meant to be cleaned and reused. The OEM air cleaner element should ONLY be reused without attempting to clean it or it should be discarded and replaced with a fresh one. Attempting to clean an OEM air cleaner element will probably result in damage to the filter or unnecessary engine wear caused by foreign particles entering the engine.

Tools:
phillips screwdriver
12mm socket
small vacuum cleaner

Prop the fuel tank. (step 1-2 https://www.hayabusa.org/forum/maintenance-do-yourself/168658-gen-2-how-remove-fuel-tank.html<<CLICK).

1. Remove the screws around the border of the air cleaner box using a phillips screwdriver.


Remove the screw in the center of the air cleaner box cover.


2. Remove the throttle cables bracket fastener with a 12mm (pretty sure it was a 12mm, maybe 10?) socket. Clear the throttle cables from the air cleaner box cover.


3. Remove the air cleaner box cover. Remove the air cleaner element and inspect it for cleanness and damage. Replace the air cleaner element if necessary.


My filter at 4.5 K. I reused it this time.

4. If any water is present in the air cleaner element box, remove the drain plug from the lower left corner. Avoid introducing any foreign matter into the air cleaner box or throttle body ducts. Use a small vacuum cleaner to remove any debris that is present in the air cleaner element compartment before replacing or reusing the OEM air cleaner element .


5. Install air cleaner box cover. Tighten all screws and the bolt that secures the throttle cables.


To save a tiny bit of weight, I used a zip tie in place of the throttle cable bracket. The hex head bolt that secures the air box cover to the frame must not be omitted, however. It seems to hold the entire air cleaner box in place.

 

[RedBull]

Gen 2 Air Cleaner Box Removal | Maintenance and Do-It-Yourself

Air Cleaner Box Removal The air cleaner box needs to be removed to access the PAIR solenoid and install PAIR reed valve blockoff plates. It is also necessary to remove the air cleaner box to access stick coils and spark plugs and to remove the engine head cover to inspect valve clearances...

www.hayabusa.org

 

[Mythos]

I'm at 14000 miles now. The stock air filter still looked pretty clean at 11000. I'm going to replace it soon anyway!

 

[Mythos]

Tip: When threading the self-tapping screws that secure the air box cover, place the screw in the hole, seat the screwdriver in the slots and turn COUNTER clockwise slowly. You will feel the screw drop into the threads that had previously been cut rather than self-tapping new threads in the plastic. This will avoid unnecessary wear in the boltholes. The counter clockwise to drop into the threads trick is a good practice to use on any threaded fastener to ensure proper thread engagement. The only times it has failed me is when Loctite had been previously used. The old dried Loctite can sometimes thread out when the fastener is removed establishing its own thread which probably won’t match up to the actual threads in the bolthole.

Another Tip: When installing the air box cover, Tighten the center screw first. You cant see that screw way down in that hole but you can feel when it’s tight by how the cover fits. Tighten it just until the outer edges of the air box cover can not tilt. That way you know it is tightened all the way without over-tightening.

That center screw will also need to thread through a hole in the air filter element which may not encourage proper engagement to the preexisting threads in the center bolthole. I will have to have a closer look at that the next time I change my air filter. I hate to cut new threads every time.

Here's my filter after 15,000 miles use. Actualy doesn't look any worse than the ZX-14's filter after 6000 miles. Nonetheless, I'll be changing it more frequently in the future.

The inside of the airbox was completely dust free except the compartment right under the filter and even though that had very little particles, I vacuumed it out.