K&N and competitors

[Normspeed]

I spent a couple days modifying the air intake on my 88 Honda Shadow. The factory airbox setup was a real pain to remove and replace, so I made up some inlet tubes from PVC and bought a couple K&N filters. Came out nice. Total cost for the miscellaneous parts was around $8.00 but those two little K&Ns cost me $70. I was lucky on the shipping, the local Auto Zone ordered the filters and had them Fedexed to the store at no charge to me, got them in one day. The pics show how nice the project turned out.

Meanwhile, I checked my paper elements on the P24 and they are still surprisingly clean. No indication of any restriction on the air flow either. But, being in a filter buying mood, I went ahead and ordered up a pair of washable filters from Jeg's. Total cost for the two filters and shipping was only $22.97. Here's what the washables look like. Hope they flow as much air as their K&N counterparts.

[Merle Coggins]

How's that Shadow run now? I had filters like that on a KZ1000 and it was super lean, expecially with the Kerker pipe. You may need to rejet your carbs. I also had a Nighthawk that I put a K&N replacement filter in place of the stock filter. It was a direct replacement and improved my mileage without any carb rejetting. I also have K&N replacement in my Gold Wing currently.

Merle

[Normspeed]

Merle, I already had a cobra pipe and a Cobra stage 1 jet kit in there. You're right, it runs great but at wide open throttle it starts missing and won't hit top rpms. Luckily I kept the jet kit leftovers, and there are instructions for adjusting the needle height as well as a second set of jets for altitudes above 3,000 feet. I'm now at 4500 feet. The stage 1 kit is really for stock airboxes, but I'm pretty sure I can mess with the main jets and needle height and get it cleared up.

The odd thing, in the jet kit paperwork under troubleshooting, they say if it misses when you're asking for power, like accelerating or going up a hill, the carbs are too rich. But this feels to me like a too lean situation.

[Don Coatney]

Normspeed;

Just a thought. Is that Norm slow speed or Norm fast speed:D

Need more information. Maybe it is time for a handle change for

you. How about Fresh Norm as in freshly retired (dahm you as

I am still working:mad: ). You are not nor will ever be be as old

and set in your ways as old Norm AKA Norms Coupe:D

Anyway here is my on topic reply. I bought 4 of the washables

a couple of years back. As my paper replaceables are not yet

in need of replacement my washables are still new and in the

box on a shelf in my garage. Have you bought any of the K&N

spray on goop they recommend?

[Normspeed]

Well Don, I'm running the K&Ns dry as I just put them on. First thing I'll do is oil them, I have the goop. If it still runs funny, I'll try the higher altitude jets. After that I'll try different needle heights.

Aren't high altitude jets usually leaner?

[Frank Elder]

I don't know it's hard to tell at 38,000 ft!

[Normspeed]

Bada Boom!

Well I oiled the filters with the red goop not the spray and sure enough the missing and popping at full throttle went away by 99%. Now it's just a barely noticeable flat spot at full throttle between 75-85. I figure I might try a set of main jets just a step richer.

Mr. Undercoatney, your query was right on the money.

[Fireball]

Aren't high altitude jets usually leaner?

Yes, less oxygen in air at high altitudes means less fuel needed for correct mixture.