Missing Air filter!?!?

I bought a 95 zzr250 a month or so ago, which was going fairly well but after changing the oil I thought it still sounded abit rough and sick. So have just been checking how the air filter looks if it needed cleaning or replaceing and was very suprised to find the slot and bracket mesh bits that hold the air filter empty! So am going to be booking my bike in for a full service now to get everything looked at befor i ride it again... Reckon I'll need to get the carbys cleaned and maybe the engine reconditioned or cleaned?? has any one else ever ridden around with out an air filter I've done at least 2000k's on it. and it's any ones guess how long its been with out one.... Any thoughts on this from any one. I feel sick thinking about not sure how worried i should be. I'm suprised the engine hasnt seized.. this sucks.

G'day - have you been riding around on dirt roads or only suburban/city stuff? If not on dirt, I wouldn't be too worried. Just whack an air filter in and carry on - it's sounding rough cause its sucking more air without the filter.

ive gone down a few short dirt tracks but went really slow any way to stop stuff flickuing up. Yeh will go buy some foam tomorrow I reckon and cut it up and chuck it in..

Yeh will go buy some foam tomorrow I reckon and cut it up and chuck it in..

Wrong - I meant a genuine or reputable after-market filter !!!!

yeah i guess... going to go get one of these real ones tomorrow. no more of these make believe filters people keep selling me. there was even abit of road rock and tar working its way through the mesh stuff that holds the air filter. so dissapointed about that should of checked it soon as i got the bike home. Only got my first the socket wrench set today for moving the tank forward abit. hopefully havent stuffed the fuel line doing that. couldn't get the tank all the way off was stuck on that fuel tap so just moved it around abit.

Dont panic Tim . Just get a filter and put it in . Then see how it runs . The engine will be fine . If you have any problems give me a call and might be able to have a look tonight . See how early I can finish work .

Alright thanks billy. Have just got elliot bros to order me in one, should be in by monday. no riding till then.

well I think i flooded my carbys with air filter oil. It was driping out the bottom of the bike on to the ground after I had installed the new air filter. So was not good. tryed fixing it but now my bike wont idle. Think it might of been tuned with out an air filter so isnt used to having one Or I;ve just stuff it with air filter oil. WHY DO THEY SELL U SO MUCH WHEN U NEED SO LITTLE its criminal. It just saids on the bottle to cover it completely so i used like 300ml and soaked it
drained most of it off tho now. ringinged it out with paper for agers. But still bike is not happy. Can get it to sort of idle I guess with the choke on. but it isnt a pleasant sound. Like an old person drowning with a microphone. I can like see in side air intake bit for the carbys and it looks pretty oiley looks bad. still can ride my bike tho. just stall all the time at lights. have to keep the revs up is hard to stop while trying to rev above 4000rpm and change gears. still think id rather by new summer riding gear tho then take it to a mechanic cant take boiling alife in rjays wet weater gear aqua sheild is the worst.

Last edited by Magpain on Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:01 am, edited 1 time in total.

Mate, for future reference just a light spray of air filter spray after each time you clean it, you just want it moist and sticky.

you just need to get your carby's cleaned and she'll be all good. any bike mechanic can do this, it's not a hard job, or PM billy the kid, he might be able to help out, I think he's around Bendigo way somewhere..

I dont think the oil will kill anything, it will just clog it up for a while,

Chin up, we all do stupid shit once in a while, dont worry about it..

there is even a member from Sydney who is banned from working on their own bike, you may have to employ a self imposed ban for a while

haha yeah was pretty stupid. thanks hoffy.
Might ring a mechanic a mate recommended and see if I can hang about learn a thing or two.
The Kids been helping me out abit. but theres only so much you can do...
I might just try fix it my self and if its still not idleing or just completely stuffed from me "fixing it" after the holidays then ring some one. every one will be busy over christmas.
I've got an old GPX 88 ninja 250r service manual supplement. But can't find things in it that are on my ZZR250 95. So Iono.

Mate, carbs are not something a first timer should do, you should get help with these at least till you see them apart etc..

I think a short self inposed ban might be a good idea, while I gather more intel.


10:30pm fixed it... there was to much engine oil. drained it out and poured it back in at the right levels and is runing hot as shit.

Good work Tim .