Why should I have an air filter?
Debris from unfiltered air can cut an automotives engine life down drastically. An ATV riding in the dusty conditions could wear out the engine’s cylinder walls much quicker without an air filter or with a damaged filter. An ATV riding in the mud could have an extremely damaged engine in a single ride. Maintain your air filter at any cost and check it after every dusty ride.
Paper Filter
Replace these with a reusable air filter if possible. Since ATVs operate in so much dust and dirt it is not practical to replace them every ride. We recommend not to use compressed air to blow the dirt out of the air filter because it can damage the filter and allow particles to flow past it on the next ride. Paper air filters tend to clog when they get wet so they are not preferred. See if you can get a reusable foam air filter that can have air filter oil applied to it to fit your machine.
Foam Filter
In our opinion a foam type air filter is the best for off road, dusty riding. They are best cleaned using a foam filter cleaner. The use of a solvent or gasoline is not recommended. These liquids are flammable, may cause skin irritation, and will cause the air filter to weaken and break down causing a leak for dirt to get through. I would suggest going to your local A TV dealer and purchasing an air filter recharge kit, which has an air filter cleaning solution and air filter oil. Liquid dish soap and water can be used to clean the filter also. The air filter is completely clean when dish soap becomes extremely sudsy and white while squeezing it in the palms of your hands. Never twist a foam air filter to dry it. This can tear the filter. Always squeeze it in the palms of your hands. I place the foam filter in front of a fan to dry it out faster if I need it sooner. You should not ride your ATV without applying filter oil to the foam filter. Follow the instructions on the can. Spray enough oil so that it gets all over the air filter, inside and out. Massage it around and squeeze out any excess oil.