KN-401 oil Filter

[ekap1200]

I have seen quite a few new owners of these 1200's lately , and if any of our new owners and new members use the K&N brand kn-401 it used to come with the correct O-Ring with the filter. The last 10 or so I have purchased DID NOT. These filters I was told ; is used now on a more recent model year that outsells the usage of us 1200 owners.
If you measure it and it is 0.157" that is NOT the correct size for our 1200's. Order instead from an online company that still lists the older 0-Ring for the ZG-1200 Voyager and , It will measure right around 0.119" They are both 90MMm but the dia is different.
Just thought I would throw it out here for you newer DIY"ers.
Gene Kap

PS , I just ordered a few from PARTZILLA and they were not that expensive...

[Bulrid8]

I just bought one from advance auto. It had the right oring in the box. Worked fine.

[Danger4u2]

Thanks, I'm one of those new owners.

[VoyKimmer]

Gene, This is disheartening. Not a new owner but recently switched from Fram oil filters with the correct size o rings to the K&N filters with the wrong size o ring and measured both and confirmed your findings. Looked up online the correct o rings and they are as much as the filters. I'm now sorry I switched brands. I called K&N engineering and they deny making any changes to the size even tho I gave them the measurement difference. I have half a dozen filters now with the wrong size o rings. They are telling me to go ahead and use the o ring that it should work. I will not do that risking pinching the o ring in the groove and being 1000 miles away from home when it gives way. I will try to use up these filters with the existing o ring in place then switch back to Fram. I know Fram gets a bad rap as coming apart but I have been using them for decades with no problems.

[voyager55]

I haven't changed O rings in about 7 years. No leaks or drips ever

[VoyKimmer]

Found this on a ninja site posted in 2013.

The first thing I do when I recieve these filters is throw away the larger 90mm o-ring. It may fit in the groove of the filter plate of the 2008 250 Ninja but it is not the same size as the OEM.. the OEM oring cross section is .120"(thickness) the one provided in the K & N kit is .160". The problem with the thicker oring is that it is going to leave a gap between the filter plate and the engine when it compresses. The Gap will eventually cause the oring to squeeze into it and create a "Splitting" point in the oring which will eventually result in a leak. I called K & N and was told that thier "Product Manager" checked it out and it's ok. I asked for thier test data and relibility data which they could not and would not produce only that "No one had called THEM" to report a problem. Thier story is that since no one has reported a problem...its not a problem. If you love your bike like I do, Do your homework check out the info yourself. K & N is oblivious to the problem and were very clear to me on the phone that they don't care. This is a good filter and the only one I run on my bike. I wouldn't pay 2 cents for thier customer support knowledge.. The only thing they know is that no one has called to complain so everything must be ok.. They told me it is ok to use thier oring and I should not worry.. Yeah Right..

[ekap1200]

Thanks Kim, when I buy them 10 at a time I get them for 9.00 apiece . So it worked out nice with the correct 0-Ring. I think the order from Parzilla was about 5 for the 0-Ring each. So I just pass that onto the customer. It is what it is..... I just wanted to pass the info on. Most will not notice the size or if the thicker one was in the bike when they purchased it, and they will never know. I have not checked out MSC or McMaster yet , and we at work are direct with many vendors I will be looking around. This is the time for me to go with an after market air filter. My stock is gone- It was getting old anyway ..... Lucky I didn't start a customers bike up and have that new 14 year old filter just get sucked into the engine.....from dry rot....
I have been saving the old air filters I changed out to have for the frame of them as I understand the retro involves using the outer plastic housing. As long as the foam is not shot out. I will let you know what I find. Oh that coolant bypass hose no on can find , I was talking to a mech from toyota that thinks a hose to a expansion tank might be the correct on to use, It just has the 90 deg and no joggle, but that's is what chaff's anyhow on the voyager. more on that later.
I did see that the correct U-Joint that is listed for the quad 49050-1002 has really dropped in price, down into the 70.00 range from 100.00 and as much as 112.00 price. I have two shafts ready for assembly but not many folks will spend that plus the clips if needed and my charge of 48.00 in labor to change out and then of course the shipping. But with spares getting used up, I am holding out......The arbor press and the split sleeve make it so easy to get them apart.

Talk to you later Gene Kap

[triton28]

Further to ekap1200's note about the size of the filter cover o-ring, McMaster Carr lists an oil resistent Buna-N o-ring of 90mm ID x 3mm cross section.
The Imperial measurement of .119" converts to 3.02mm so the cross section of the McMaster Carr 3mm o-ring is 0.000787402" thinner than the OEM o-ring as measured by ekap.
I don't think that small amount, less than 1 thousandth of an inch would matter so for those of you wishing to look at this possible substitute, the McMaster Carr item number is: 9262K456. Relatively inexpensive as well.
Just a thought.