Gertrude Gets A New Air Cleaner

[GrandpaDenny]

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000C426JC? ... ct_details K&N filter for I think '82-85 Camaro. No trimming required, it snapped right in. I filled in the gaps with Permatex Ultra Black. I discovered a few interesting things that I'll relate before disclosing the results:
1. The old filter was in upside-down. I had put it in the same way the one she came with was installed.
2. The hold-downs were missing. I didn't even know about them until someone mentioned them, then when I looked at the parts diagram I discovered that the filter was in upside down. I used the foam tape that comes with the K&N filter on the lid, three layers I think.
3. The old filter had the grooves for the hold-downs on the sides rather than fore-and-aft. What really makes this interesting is that it was an OEM part, bought from Partzilla.

Ok, the results. Maybe a little more power, up to the usual (for her, since I switched to Techron) flat spot around 5800 rpm, then OMGs it's like she has an afterburner, pulls like a maniac to at least 6800 rpm. She would NOT do that before.

About the switch to Techron. When I bought her 2 1/2 years ago, she wouldn't barely hit 3500 rpm on a good day. Some days 3k was all she'd do. Seafoam was suggested, and I started using it. That helped some, and so did changing the fuel filter. Gene Kap (ekap1200) discovered some air leaks, such as a burned(!) lower air box, and folded over carb boots. So she kept improving over time, and using the Seafoam as well definitely made a difference. About two months ago I switched to Techron just to give it a try, and almost immediately (I think second tankfull) I had to turn the idle down as she was idling faster. She also started being able to, with a couple of flat spots, hit 6000-6500 rpm (before the Techron 5K was about it, sometimes almost 6 going downhill LOL).

So the moral of the story is... The Progress Continues. Not bad for an $800 bike with DSPO issues.

I haven't had the balls to try to run her up to redline - she's got 85,000 miles on her and was NOT well taken care of the first 54k, before I bought her.

Oh, and Gene, note she doesn't peeve a drop of gas out the overflow anymore; hasn't for maybe a year. She still gets lousy gas mileage, but that may be because of the stop-and-go city driving.

[GrandpaDenny]

Update on the gas mileage - definitely due to stop-and-go driving. When I was commuting 65 miles to work each way, she got 43-45 MPG just as advertised. Now that I'm back to stop-sign-or-stop-light-every-block Philly commuting, it's back down to 38 MPG.

[Chris Cochran]

I hate constantly stopping. Here, where I live in western Washington state, when I get out to ride I have to go a ways before I leave the stop lights behind and find open road. I always get torqued off when I am returning home and start hitting lights again. It doesn't matter which direction I go, there are at least eight lights I have to endure before getting back to the house.

And it seems each one has a sensor just looking for me to approach so it can turn red!

[GrandpaDenny]

Eight lights? Eight lights? Between here and the expressway to work, a whole mile and a half, there are seven traffic lights and seven stop signs.