stock air cleaner for a 1980

bdento59 · Post by **bdento59** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 10:55 am

Am I correct in saying that the 1979-80 stock air cleaner is NLA? If not, will the 1980-81 element fit? I have an '80 with a K&N and I'd like to go back to stock to help sort some continuing carb and mileage issues.

TIA

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 11:39 am

Yes it will fit.

daves79x · Post by **daves79x** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:21 pm

Bill:
Depends on how much of the air cleaner you need. The foam element is available, but the screen and spring (you'll need the spring with whatever you use) are not.

Dave

bdento59 · Post by **bdento59** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 9:02 pm

daves79x wrote:Bill:
The foam element is available, but the screen and spring (you'll need the spring with whatever you use) are not. Dave

Dave, I have a K&N using the stock spring to secure it. I've never seen the '79-80 stock setup, but it looks like a metal cage with foam over it on the microfiche. I'm just trying to get back to as close to stock as I can in an effort to minimize tuning variables. I want to see how well I can get the carbs tuned throughout the range, and once i replace the pilots, I hope to be in a better piosition to do so. That's where i'm going with the stock air cleaner setup, especially since I've heard so many folks talk about a big mid-range flat spot with the K&N that can't be tuned out.

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 9:49 pm

I run K&Ns on my 79 and 82 and never feel any flat mid range. I'm assuming my carbs are stock. Oh, they are 'in the airbox' filters, not pods.

bdento59 · Post by **bdento59** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 9:55 pm

Terry wrote:I run K&Ns on my 79 and 82 and never feel any flat mid range. I'm assuming my carbs are stock. Oh, they are 'in the airbox' filters, not pods.

Darn it Terry, I was just begining to believe everything I read AND hear on the internet and you had to go and spoil it.

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 10:20 pm

Sorry Bill but they work fine. The 82 has over 92,000 and the 79 is almost to 50,000. I traded the stock frame/foam cover unit on the 79 to Louis who I'm sure can find an 'OE only type' owner that wants one.

The foam was detiorating but the mesh frame was still good. The K&N is just easier to clean and reoil (real filter oil) and less expensive than buying and rebuying those paper replacement filters.

SteveG · Post by **SteveG** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 3:34 am

Hi Bill,

My 82 has the K&N filter also. I can't say there is any flat spot in the midrange either, but I haven't compared it to a stock filter either. The bike pulls very linear throughout the rpm range. This was in the bike when I got it.

Steve

EMS · Post by **EMS** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 10:38 am

I think the stock 79 set-up is a nightmare. The foam needs to be oiled and after a while, it wants to disintegrate. It is a mess. I prefer the metal/paper element replacement. 17210-MA2-000

Phil · Post by **Phil** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 4:51 pm

EMS is this a straight in replacement for the stock 79 filter ? From an 81/82 ?

EMS · Post by **EMS** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 7:15 am

piit · Post by **piit** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 3:49 pm

I own Â´79 and the element is circle. I have understood that the prolink element is a bit oval. I might be in wrong, but doubt it

Mike Cecchini · Post by **Mike Cecchini** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 10:35 pm

EMS wrote:I think the stock 79 set-up is a nightmare. The foam needs to be oiled and after a while, it wants to disintegrate. It is a mess. I prefer the metal/paper element replacement. 17210-MA2-000

Hell......the whole thing is a nightmare. 2/1/2 K&N's do the trick..... as long as you go up 4 steps on the main and shim the needle 1 mm (if you run 6/6 Pipemasters.)

bdento59 · Post by **bdento59** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 10:42 pm

Mike Cecchini wrote: Hell......the whole thing is a nightmare. 2/1/2 K&N's do the trick.....

Good advice, except IIRC they're NLA from K&N?

EMS · Post by **EMS** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 7:26 am

CV carbs and pods don't go together very well either.