Air filters

[slomo]

Guessing most of these oil burner type engines are from poor air filters. Or not checking the oil prior to mowing. Talking about the first one.

You pull an air filter, looks pretty clean. There is always grit and lawn debris PAST the air filter. Don't care if you buy OEM Briggs filters or what. Sandy lawns and baggers are tough on mower engines.

My deal is I think I'm looking for some medium strength RTV. Something to gently glue the air filter to the housing, hoping nothing gets passed the air filter. I've done grease which is better than nothing. Feel a solid adhesive would be better. Run that filter till she has starting issues then replace as normal. Does this sound super wack or what? The more I think about it the more I wonder why we all are not doing this. Comments please........

 

[logert gogert]

Guessing most of these oil burner type engines are from poor air filters. Or not checking the oil prior to mowing. Talking about the first one.

You pull an air filter, looks pretty clean. There is always grit and lawn debris PAST the air filter. Don't care if you buy OEM Briggs filters or what. Sandy lawns and baggers are tough on mower engines.

My deal is I think I'm looking for some medium strength RTV. Something to gently glue the air filter to the housing, hoping nothing gets passed the air filter. I've done grease which is better than nothing. Feel a solid adhesive would be better. Run that filter till she has starting issues then replace as normal. Does this sound super wack or what? The more I think about it the more I wonder why we all are not doing this. Comments please........

Sounds like a good idea. Only flaw I see is when you go to replace the filter. Depending on what you use to make the seal will get stuck

 

[Tiger Small Engine]

Guessing most of these oil burner type engines are from poor air filters. Or not checking the oil prior to mowing. Talking about the first one.

You pull an air filter, looks pretty clean. There is always grit and lawn debris PAST the air filter. Don't care if you buy OEM Briggs filters or what. Sandy lawns and baggers are tough on mower engines.

My deal is I think I'm looking for some medium strength RTV. Something to gently glue the air filter to the housing, hoping nothing gets passed the air filter. I've done grease which is better than nothing. Feel a solid adhesive would be better. Run that filter till she has starting issues then replace as normal. Does this sound super wack or what? The more I think about it the more I wonder why we all are not doing this. Comments please........

Dusting down an engine is what you are talking about. I don’t think it happens that much. If air filter seal were that critical, manufacturers would have been doing it for years now. A good air filter and checking/changing the oil are very important to a small engine’s longevity as well as making sure the cooling fins under shroud are free of debris.

 

[StarTech]

Well since 2009 when I started doing repairs for others on lawn equipment I rarely seen a problem with filter; unless, the operators fail to change the filter when needed. Nearly all filters seal tightly. Now low quality filter are being sold via places like eBay, Amazon, and local flea markets. Any engine that are being dusted does have a filter side problem that needs resolving.

Now several years ago some handheld trimmer OEM tried going to just a screen on the air intake side claiming the engine could handle what ever got pass the screen. Didn't last too as the equipment didn't last too long either.

If I see dust in the air intake side I look for the filter sealing problems and usually find the filter is bad.

 

[slomo]

Sounds like a good idea. Only flaw I see is when you go to replace the filter. Depending on what you use to make the seal will get stuck

Clear GE 100% silicone in the caulking tube is super tough when removing. Course once the filter is causing starting/running issues, time to change it anyway. Why I was asking about a medium strength goo. Something that sticks tight but, could be, removed with effort.

Might try some GE silly-cone and see what happens. Thin bead is all it would take. Seal out all the grit and dirt possible. Start with a new filter and silly-cone it in place. Can't hurt anything once it has cured for a day.

Just thought about the filter cover closing if you use too much. Again a thin bead should be okay on most filter units. Just gluing the filter to the housing.

 

[Rivets]

Did it ever occur to you if you glue the filter to the housing, you will probably ruin the housing when trying to remove it? Notice how easily they warp with nothing applying added pressure to them. These housings warp easily aand it won’t take much pressure to change a flat surface into a curved one. Best and cheaper to do your due diligence and check the filter more often than recommended. Trying to build a better system could easily back fire.

 

[StarTech]

Or you could use one side tape like they use for PU camper shells. AND apply the sticky side to the base of the filter and not the housing.

 

[Rivets]

I pity the poor tech that has to work on a filter where someone has tried doing this. Try explaining to the customer why they have to pay for a new filter housing.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

Some chainsaws are bad for not sealing like the MS361. The "lumberjack" fix is to put some grease around the egde of the filter to help sealing.

 

[slomo]

Did it ever occur to you if you glue the filter to the housing, you will probably ruin the housing when trying to remove it? Notice how easily they warp with nothing applying added pressure to them. These housings warp easily aand it won’t take much pressure to change a flat surface into a curved one. Best and cheaper to do your due diligence and check the filter more often than recommended. Trying to build a better system could easily back fire.

I mentioned a medium strength goo of some variety. Flimsy housings were thought about. Something to seal and be somewhat removable. Not talking about JB Weld type goo.

See my thought on checking more often is when you are checking slash disturbing the seal or lack there of, you could allow grit into the engine. I install a new filter. Leave it alone until it takes a couple more pulls for example to start or starts running low on power. Then pull her out and install a fresh one. Just trying to stop all this dirt from getting inside these engines. Even with grease, I pull a push mower Briggs filter and see nothing but dirt all inside the housing. Like why buy a filter if these are passing all this grit.