Why my strom has been running like crap: Filter Story

[replaced]

My V-Strom was running terrible this season. It seemed low on power and would not idle at stops. I finally had some time this weekend to service it. After opening up the airbox, viola! My poor performance problem was obvious.

http://www.stromtrooper.com/brendan%20kearns%20gallery/134-3490_IMG.JPG

It seems as if a little critter decided to move into my airbox and stuff it full of birdseed. Riding the strom in this condition probably didn't help matters. It took about 45 minutes to clean it out. I ordered another OEM filter ($33.00) and will install it soon.

The good thing is that my plugs (20K miles on them) looked perfect so I guess the computer adjusted for the poor airflow. I really like this bike.

[rider1951]

Get yourself some window screen and put over the filter before you put it in. It will help keep the filter cleaner. Mine looks good after 10,000 miles.

[tedder]

howboucha, that's pretty impressive.

[scooter]

Yeah the air filters gets large particles in it just from normal use, you don't need a critter climbing up into the air box.

Have you guys tried cleaning your own filter. A pain in the ass because if you follow the manual about blowing the air from the throttle body side the filter doesn't get vary clean. I will have to find a K&N then you can do a better job of cleaning it.

Hmm ! window screen. Rider 1951 did you notice any performance loss. Also how are you attaching the screen to the inlets. I think the air inlets are made of plastic. Would Tie Wraps work ?

Scooter

[Htown Trooper]

Are you sure that isn't my air filter. :D

I did a throttle body sync this last weekend and thought I would take a look at the filter to see if I needed a new one or not while I had everything apart. After seeing the filter had become a bees nest I was pissed that I hadn't bought an air filter ahead of time.

I was thinking of trying window screen to reduce the accumulation of large objects in the filter. If I can get it to work I'll post up a let everyone know.

[grnddad]

Despite the subject is the air filter a question. How to do a throttle body sync yourself? Special tools needed?

[Pauljo]

For those that have accessed their air filter on the DL1000, a couple of questions.

Did you actually have to remove the gas tank as the service manual advises to get to the air cleaner filter?

If you did remove the tank, did much gasoline leak out when you disconnected the fuel hose from the tank?

Did you have to remove any other body panels?

I'd like to see what condition my filter is in, but I'm leery about removing the tank - especially because it is currently full.

[Mishadbull]

I cant say for sure on the 1000 but on my 650 when I removed my tank (about 2/3 full) I lost about 1/4 teaspoon of fuel from the disconect fitting. Not a lot of fuel to be sure so I just used a shop rag to catch any drips when I disconected it . I DID have to remove the whole tank and not just tilt it up as the filter box has screws that are unaccesable when the tank is in the way. On my tank I beleve that there was a breather hose (dry no clamps), a high pressure line (quick-lok fitting small amount of fuel) and a line to my evap system (dry with a spring clamp {finger tension}) all in all it was easer to get this tank off than my Bandits or my ZR550's. though an extra pair of hands is usefull in lifting the tank off as it is a bit bulky.


Mike

[xlrider]

My strom is in the shop for 18.0000 km maintentance.
Got a phone-call to tell me the air filter was almost completly blocked with dust. He said, he never had seen an air filter so dirty after 18.000 km :(

So, we agreed to put in a K&N filter.
It's double the price of a normal one, but if I use a standard one, it will have to be replaced every 12.000 km.

Let this be a warning to all the strom owners.
CHECK THE FILTER every time you do a maintenance.

[Bob]

Just did my 6000 km. check, and my air filter looked even worse than the one in the picture, much worse. I bought the bike July 19 with 4100 km. and it had been on a farm for two years. It was definitely a mouse nest. I rode it for 2000 km. like that and, amazingly, it ran well. Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to post the picture for you, since it says we have to upload from a web server. The filter is unbelievable. If someone wants to volunteer to post it, I can e-mail the pic to you.

I've got the new air filter in now and have been riding and it doesn't even make that much difference in performance, though there is some and the bike has a nicer intake sound while opening the throttle.

Definitely do your air filter checks and also check that air filter after a period of storage. I've heard of mice building nests in mufflers and seen recommendations to tape over your muffler ends with duct tape for the winter. You could tape over the air box intake for storage too.

Luckily my place is pretty much mice-free with two cats and a hunting dog.

Bob

[Pauljo]

I tried to lift my gas tank today following the instructions in the service manual. No dice.

1. Removed the seat.
2. Removed the two lower (black) covers.
3. Removed one bolt from both (yellow) side fairing pieces.
4. Removed that front black plastic tank trim piece (two bolts, two pushpins).
5. Removed the tank retaining bolt and the prop piece.

At that point you are supposed to be able to tip the tank up and put the prop piece under it. However my tank seemed to be hanging up on something - it wouldn't tip up.

I suspect they left a step or two of additional disassembly out of the instructions. can anyone help?

Thanks

[azsidewalker]

I raised my tank today to do a TBS and mine felt like it was being restricted as well but it did come up with effort. I think it is stuck in the front rubber mounts. The wires and fuel line were not binding.

[Pauljo]

I raised my tank today to do a TBS and mine felt like it was being restricted as well but it did come up with effort. I think it is stuck in the front rubber mounts. The wires and fuel line were not binding.

I'm assuming you didn't do anything more than I did up to the point that you raised the tank?

With the prices they get for parts, I was concerned about breaking something of course, so I didn't apply strong force. I ordered a new air filter today, so I'll need to try again in a week or so. Today I was just trying to get better access to any wiring under the tank - trying to troubleshoot my intermittent brake light sticking on problem.

[Bob]

They have left a step out. You have to loosen off the nut on the front mounting bolt for the tank. It's a long horizontal bolt. The tank tends to be held too tight to lift unless you crank off the nut a bit. I suppose some people might be able to get it to lift high enough to get the prop under if their nut isn't too tight. Check the instructions for removing the tank altogether. It has the step of removing the nut and bolt. You will need to remove the tank altogether though to replace the air filter.

It's surprising what gets in there. I put in a new air filter after a mouse built a nest in the old one, and then checked it 6000K later and had dead wasps, flies, you name it in there. Those 6000K were almost all highway miles though, so I guess a lot of insect life got sucked in. It obviously does pay to check it at regular intervals.

Bob

[Pauljo]

Bob,

Thanks. That's probably it! I only ordered the Suzuki OEM air filter. I'm assuming that the gasket that goes around it is reusable at least a few times.

[Bob]

Now you've got me worried. What gasket? Mine did not have a gasket on the original air filter when I bought the bike used, and there was no gasket on the replacement Suzuki OEM air filter either. But then if you haven't had the air filter cover off yet and are looking at the photo and assuming there is a gasket from that, there isn't.

Bob

[Pauljo]

https://www.ronayers.com/fiche/300_0331/air_cleaner/air_cleaner.cfm

Bob,

Look at part number 6 in the fiche. That is what I was referring to.

[Bob]

Thanks Pauljo. Now I am really curious. I don't think my bike has that part. If it does, it isn't easily noticeable and just looks like part of the underlying air filter compartment base. I bought the bike earlier this summer, a 2002 with 4000 km. on it. You wouldn't think someone could lose something like that in just 4000 km., but maybe it got taken off at the 1000 km service and not replaced. I just did the 12000 km service not long ago, but I guess I'll have to pull the tank to know for sure. This could explain how I got all those wasps etc. in there in just 6000 km.

Bob

[Doebag UK]

Hi all from the UK. Just serviced my Vstrom ready for the winter season, my airfilter looked very similar to Howabouchas one. Quite a few dead wasps in there, maybe they are attracted to the yellow paintwork! The front sparkplug was "interesting" to gain access to, but it all went smoothly.
This is my first winter with the 'Strom, so is there anything I should look out for on the bike as regards maintainence or the finish of the bike. Previous bikes I have rode through the winter have always needed the brake calipers cleaning out regularly to remove corrosion and road salt. Is the 'Strom any better or any worse?
Ride safe Doebag UK

[blumul]

Mine does not have one either. Never has as long as I know. I bought it used with 2700miles. Will be ordering one soon.

[JohnInNH]

If you get that much crap in there I would be more apt NOT to but a K+N air filter in. The paper just plain works. A small gap in the weave of the cloth will let dirt in. K+ N is OK but you will sand blast your valves and cylinder walls ;)

I had about 3 lbs of crap in my truck air filter housing. Red squirrels had chewed through the foam, but the wire stopped them .. Had they gone through it would have sucked all that crap into the motor. Chicken wire over the intake will stop little critters from getting in and will not block any noticeable air flow.

Get the 3/8th to 1/2 inch square hole stuff.

I run a K&N on my Guzzi but the placement does not seem to pick up much crap. (pavement only helps too)

For severe dust I would not use one. But that's me.

[TomG]

The filter is a PITA to clean as recommended. I ended up using a shop vac on the intake side. It worked but it kind of fuzzed up the fibers.

I've heard some other reports that K&N filters let a little too much grit get through. I haven't seen anything official, though. FWIW, the filter on the 650 has quite a bit more surface area than the oiled foam filter on my 750 Kwak.

[BradM]

I used a piece of aluminum gutter screen mounted over the air intake to knock down most of the large insects and it seems to work very well. Just trim piece to cover the area and across the top sandwich the screen between two thin pieces of aluminum drill a hole in it and mount to a bolt in the area, maybe an hour of fabbing something together.

And something as tight a weave as window screen can knock air flow down as much as 40% as I recall from my SCCA days, I had a link to a site then that had various screens weaves for use with naca ducts, brake ducts and drivers air and the % of flow vs. clear and windows screen had a significant restriction.

[gostrider]

the crap in this filter is just the normal crap collected on the road mine was the same
i put a piece of mesh to deflect the bugs in front of the intake area below the stearing stem above the radiator i didnt block the flow completly just angle it back & down to stop the bugs
there's a couple of 6mm bolt holes hear already one unused one holds a wiring clamp
the gasket is a rubber seal that needs to be removed from the old filter & reused

has anyone tried removing the rubber intake duct?

[CaseyStromRider]

Yeah, I had the same thing happen to me with my car. The SO left half a bag of birdseed in the garage. All the mice in the area had a party! Some moved in to the air filter, some into the spare tire well in the trunk. It was a while before I discovered it all and got it cleaned up. Was not pleased with SO for a while after that one! No more storing bird seed in our garage!

[greywolf]

Mine put the food for the kid's pet rabbit in the attic. Same result. As the rabbit was no longer with us, I still don't know why she didn't dump the stuff.