Generator air filter cleaning

Rmack1 wrote:
In the handbook of my Yamaha EF2000iF generator says to clean the air filter 'with a solvent'.

Does anyone know what kind of solvent is best for this?

You want to be careful. Follow the instructions in the manual. The carb is run inside the cover of the generator at an elevated atmospheric pressure. The carb calibration is dependent on the clean filter and oil type used. Don’t use the tacky oil used for motorcycles.
Just rinse the filter in mineral spirits and follow up washing in hot water with Dawn dish washing detergent. Let the filter dry and re-coat with engine oil. Gently squeeze the oil out of the filter with towel.
MM49

Rmack1 wrote:
Well, I tested the acetone by just dipping a corner of my foam filter from my Yamaha EF2000iF generator in the solvent.

It started puffing up in an alarming way, so I squeezed it out and rinsed it and just wound up washing the filter in dish soap and water, and rinsing the heck out of it, letting it dry, and applying SAE 0W 20 oil in a baggie and working it in. Squeezed it out real good into paper towels to where you can barely tell it's oiled, and it looked good. Repeated without the acetone for the second genny.

It wasn't really that dirty, it seemed, so I'm hoping this will suffice for now. Next 100 hours I'll order the purpose made stuff to do it.

Thanks for all the advice, guys. I'll be sure to pass it on whenever I get a chance.

Acetone will melt a lot of plastics. Don't ask me how I know this.

Well, I tested the acetone by just dipping a corner of my foam filter from my Yamaha EF2000iF generator in the solvent.

It started puffing up in an alarming way, so I squeezed it out and rinsed it and just wound up washing the filter in dish soap and water, and rinsing the heck out of it, letting it dry, and applying SAE 0W 20 oil in a baggie and working it in. Squeezed it out real good into paper towels to where you can barely tell it's oiled, and it looked good. Repeated without the acetone for the second genny.

It wasn't really that dirty, it seemed, so I'm hoping this will suffice for now. Next 100 hours I'll order the purpose made stuff to do it.

Thanks for all the advice, guys. I'll be sure to pass it on whenever I get a chance.

Rmack1 wrote:

Ron3rd wrote:
If it's like the foam filter used in the Honda EU2000, you can wash it out with Dawn to degrease it and then re-oil it with motor oil.

Are you sure? In my research, I saw a vid that showed a foam type filter first being rinsed in a 'high flash-point solvent' whatever that is, then washed in dish detergent and then rinsed in water. It also claimed that motor oil doesn't work good for re-oiling it.

This was a larger filter than mine, but it would seem the principle would still apply.

Actually, the Honda manual recommends engine oil and states you can use either detergent or solvent for cleaning.

Quote from the Honda EU2000i Manual:

“Wash the main and outer filters in a solution of household detergent
and warm water, then rinse thoroughly, or wash in non-flammable
or high flash point solvent. Allow the air filters to dry thoroughly.

Soak the main and outer filters in clean engine oil and squeeze out
the excess oil. The engine will smoke during initial startup if too
much oil is left in the air filter.”

Note that this is for Honda and Yamaha might be different.

Many years ago I had a piece of farm equipment with an engine that had an foam filter that needed cleaning and oiling every day. I used gasoline to clean it and engine/motor oil on it.

I've also spent many years on a dirt bike. You've be given good advice. Go to the bike or ORV shop and get some proper filter oil.

Richard

Acetone will work but might eventually eat the foam. I have been riding and racing motorcycles my whole life and servicing foam filters. Solvent is the best bet followed by washing in hot soap and water. After that use foam filter specific oil as it has a solvent carrier to get the oil throughout the filter then the solvent evaporates to leave a stringy film that catches the dirt.

Does anyone know if acetone would work as the 'high flash-point solvent' or would it damage the foam filter?

Rmack1 wrote:
I concur with all of that, but I'm still confused on this;

rjxj wrote:
Examples cleaners & oils


I would also use an oil that is made for air filters. You will find that it is more tacky than engine oil.

My manual says you can use SAE 20 motor oil. A guy at the auto parts store said SAE 20 is very thin, more like water. Maybe you're talking about the same thing, just describing it differently?

The oils that are made for wet filters usually have more of a tacky feel to them. They are different then engine oil. Yes, as your manual says, you can use engine oil if you like.

I concur with all of that, but I'm still confused on this;

rjxj wrote:
Examples cleaners & oils


I would also use an oil that is made for air filters. You will find that it is more tacky than engine oil.

My manual says you can use SAE 20 motor oil. A guy at the auto parts store said SAE 20 is very thin, more like water. Maybe you're talking about the same thing, just describing it differently?