Air Filter

[Rob Blake]

My 1954 16 MS has no air filter. I'm new to this type of engineering. I'm a car mechanic.
My question is should I fit one or not? If yes can anyone recommend one please? There's not much space between the rear of the carb and the oil tank.
Thanks in advance, Rob

[dave16mct]

No, I wouldn't bother if I was you.
Dave.

[SPRIDDLER]

Nope, and they weren't considered necessary by the factory.
Filters were offered as an option for some models for extremely dusty export markets, military use and motocross or desert racing.
See the 1954 range here:

http://archives.jampot.dk/promotional/S ... ochure.pdf

[jackstringer]

These bikes are much like the riders, bugs and flies are considered essential vitamins when out on a ride.

[Rob Blake]

Thanks guys. Much appreciated. Love the brochure

[Pharisee]

You can get a bell-mouth with a mesh over the end. Only good for keeping out bricks and low flying birds, though.

[GSAX1]

I read a test in one of the old motorcycle magazines; the blue 'un (The Motor Cycle) or the green 'un (Motor Cycling). I had a stash of issues from around 1955. The test pretended to be quite scientific, and two similar motorcycles were involved; one equipped with an air filter, and one without. The engine oil was analyzed and tested for contamination at the start of the test. Both bikes where ridden and used on a daily basis for many months (don't recall how long) , and the oil was tested at similar intervals.

At first there were few contaminants in both, but soon it started to increase in the unfiltered bike's oil. Mostly there where silica contaminants, which are very hard and cause wear. What puzzled the testers after a while was that on the filtered bike the contaminants slowly increased during the testing period, however on the unfiltered bike they peaked, but went down again. After some time the oil in the unfiltered model was no worse contaminant-wise than the one with filter.

Finally the testers found out that the reason was that the bike without filter was getting worn in the upper end, this causing an increased oil consumption. The rider of course filled her up to the correct level every week, thus diluting the contaminated oil and making it to appear less contaminated. They concluded that indeed an air filter was good for reducing wear, however on a bike that already used quite some oil it did not matter that much .

[clive]

and I guess on bikes that only do a few hundred miles a year it will matter even less..

[Expat]

Hi Rob,
Hopefully this link shows what I cobbled together for the filter that came already fitted to my ‘60 G3.

Hope it helps,
Steve

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=17272

[Rob Blake]

Thanks Steve. I'm going to an auto jumble this weekend. Might find something suitable