690 - how to clean dust from airbox?

[Xpat]

So I have pulled the airbox off my 690 and there is a fine dust in the airbox and throttle body. I will be changing the filter for foam or DNA and using silicone to seal it properly.

But now - how do I clean inside of the airbox and throttle body - just wipe it out?

[trevorwb]

Wipe it out.If u r worried do an oil flush and then a change.Fit the Ktm powerparts foam filter.Cloth(DNA) air filters are not great for dusty conditions.
Mine came with a DNA and it was the first mod I did.Also my air box lid and filter are greased when refitting.

[Xpat]

Thank you.

I have bought the foam UNIFILTER, but after little late thinking realised that it may not be the best choice for long distance adventure riding I'm planning - trying to clean it properly in the middle of Botswana or Mozambique - and carry all the necessary crap for it - doesn't appeal. I know that DNA/KN filters are frowned upon by offroad crowd because they may not filter as much as foam (but then paper filter - dry and in good order - should filter more than foam, just cannot be cleaned - that's why it flows less air in my understanding). But I have KN/DNA in my 1150GSA and Tenere (stage 3 where the whole side of the airbox is open) and so far after over 140 000 km all over Africa on those two bikes I didn't run into problem.

I should also say that I ride mostly solo or with one or two mates at most and I"m usually up front. So I do not ride eating dust for 100s of kms as some people who ride in group or race do.

I have read tons on the internet about this dust issue and while there doesn't seem to be general consensus on the solution (for some people grease on the lip works, for others not entirely), my feeling is that the problem isn't the filter, but the proper insulation around the lip of the airbox. I will try either the grease route, or - probably more robust - silicone, and see what happens.

[boland]

If tried both grease and silicone. Only silicone has been 100% effective

[trevorwb]

I have cut the heads off cable tye's and laid them down the length of the filter so that the lid presses down harder and seals better .The lid seems to be bowed in that area.Grease I lather on filling any gaps.

[Xpat]

If tried both grease and silicone. Only silicone has been 100% effective

Which silicone did you use?

[ChrisL - DUSTRIDERS]

Xpat if you bought the same Unifilter as i have you will have receaved a pair. One on the bike and one already oiled in a plastic ziplock bag. Two is all you need for a 5000 km+ trip.
Just swap then around. No need to cart cleaning stuff with you.
Wish i have fitted a Unifilter long time ago. No dust in the standard paper filter.

[Xpat]

The bike has still paper on, so I have only 1 UNI. And carrying another one is hassle - takes space in the luggage and will get squashed a lot.

[Rascal]

wipe the indside of the airbox with a oiled rag, will help catch some dust. Also put some rim grease (what mx bikes uses on their filters to seal) to make a perfect seal with the ktm powerparts filter. Never had a spec of dust past the filter again.

[ChrisL - DUSTRIDERS]

The bike has still paper on, so I have only 1 UNI. And carrying another one is hassle - takes space in the luggage and will get squashed a lot.

Xpat I promise you takes up no exstra space and looks just the way it did when i packed it at home. I normally swap filters at 2500 kms if lots of dirt was done which you will do.

The Uni's i have is long and not round. Do not know how yours look like.

I like the Uni's much more than the wash and oil filters.

[Bill the Bong]

For a 5000km touring trip you don't really need to clean it.  Worst that will happen is that that it will be a be a bit rich on open loop running.  During Amageza I run 2 days per filter (I have 4 Unis) and there we run for many hundreds of kilos off road and in somebody's dust. A long stage is 700+ km.  My air box is also modded for more flow.  The standard snorkel keeps the filter really clean.

[Xpat]

Thanks for the feedback - I'll stick with UNI then for the time being.

[boland]

I use gasket maker. With the paper filter you can just put it on all the sealing surfaces. With the unifilter I put some grease on all the sealing surfaces first and then the gasket maker. That way the silicone comes off easily when you want to clean the filter.

[Xpat]

Thanks, will do the same 

[RiverRunner]

The AUS Uni guys told me a couple of months ago via email they are fitting up a prefilter for the stock 690 airbox.  I imagine it is something open cell foam going into the stock snorkle before dirt hits the main filter.

Hope they bring it out soon.