Advice for an air filter? Foam vs paper?

[VK]

Does anyone have experience with Uni air filters in our Visions?  I have a 1982 Vision with 14,000 miles and its original air filter (I am the bike's only owner so I know this to be true).  The bike is running great, but the filter looks like it should be replaced to me.  I was all set to buy a Uni-filter when the store manager told me he thought the foam filter might adversely affect the bike's fuel economy.  What are your experiences regarding Uni-filters vs stock paper filters?  Another possibility I may consider is to "remanufacturer" my old filter with new paper.

As always, thanks for any advice you may have to offer!  VK

[Blake]

uni is definately an improvement over paper.. paper is very restrictive and "clogs up" easier (in my experience)


ladder of filters

Best
K&N (individual pods..but dont even try..youll screw the jetting
Uni (good flow, no messing with jets
Paper (might as well use it as fire starter)

but i believe most everyone here who replaces their filters go with uni's.. ive had mine on for a good couple years with no problems.  go for it i say.





Blake

[h2olawyer]

Switched from original paper to UNI this spring.  I strongly recommend it.  Needed to richen my mixture a bit.  The old paper was lots more restrictive even after I cleaned it with compressed air.  The combination of a foam filter with richer mixture and synthetic oil mean the bike runs lots cooler than it did last year.  8)

[QBS]

Several years ago Motorcycle Consumer News did a comparison test between paper, Uni, and K&N filters.  They didn't recommend Uni because it was found that Uni  passed more dirt than the other two.  The reason that Unis' pass more air and are less restrictive is because their pores are bigger and therefore less effective at capturing smaller dirt particals.

FYI:  A dirty filter is much more effective at trapping dirt than a clean.  Eventually they get so effecient, that they trap air!

My recommendation:  Convert a car filter to a V filter.  The instructions are on either or both of our primary V web sites.  This one (Thank You,  Ron!!)or Luckys' (Thank You, Lucky !!)

Cheers.

[Walt_M.]

I am still running stock paper filters, great, no hassles. The car filter mod looks good but I haven't measured the filter area yet. My best guess is that the original paper element is the first choice and a modified car element would be 2nd, per this board. K&Ns would be good if you can adapt them.

[GA_Wolf]

I did the car filter mod..just as an earlier thread described, it works great..bike breathes much easier....one thin..the original foam seal on the stock filter base was granulating...to I scraped it clean and made a seal using hi-temp red RTV, by filling the channel the original seal was in. Filled it, smoothed it flush with the lip of the base and let is set up..the RTV remains flexible enough to ensure a good seal.

[silicon_toad2000]

please excuse my ignorance. Does a Uni filter fit straight into the vision airbox, or does it need to be modified to fit.
Is there a straight replacement unit?

[h2olawyer]

The UNI filter is a direct replacement.  The Dennis Kirk part # is 30847.  You will need to get some foam filter oil as well.  I don't know about the older UNIs but the new one is two layers of foam.  The outer is fairly large cell foam and the inner is pretty fine.

[Rick G]

Uni's work fine , I don't even oil mine , when your running hard the breather oils them just fine .  if you in a part of the country that is very dusty you might go with the Yamaha filter but if your in the wetter areas the uni will be fine , its a drop in.

[MotorPlow]

I use a UNI foam air filter (oiled).  Dropped it in before I ever even rode the bike, so don't know anything about the stock paper filter.  As for gas mileage, I get close to 50 MPG, so at least on my bike, fuel economy is not an issue.

Chris in Callaway