Unifilter element

[mauricejota7604]

I was out riding my "Orphan red 3C over the last couple of days and noticed that the old girl began running worse and worse poor response and bad pickup off the stop.
Thought I would pull the airbox off and have a look and found that the unifilter air cleaner element had to decided to fall to bits and block up the low speed orifices in the rear of the dellortos I guess the rest went into the cylinder then burnt in the exhaust.
Those filters are bloody useless, if you oil them they are too restrictive and un oiled they cant take the vaccum in the airbox!

 

[Basketcase]

Breakup might just be chemical/heat breakdown of inferior plastics.

My old Ariel Square Four had an oiled copper wool filter, probably not up to Australian dust.

 

[Legs]

Had my unifilter in the Yellow Peril for over ten years now, no problems.
I wash it with two-stroke fuel then put in the sun to let the fuel evaporate, leaves a fine oil coating on the filter.

 

[redax5]

Bruce bought his Uni Filter over on the weekend from his 81 Jota, or what was left of it
all he had was the metal gauze from the middle, both green and red sides totally gone

I also had 1/2 dozen left in stock, new ones
checked them couple of years ago and they had all fallen to pieces, never used so is not a chemical issue

 

[piranha-bro2]

Used BIG Unifilter pods for years on the SF - never had an issue unless it sat for 15 years like this last layup. Will use them again.

Maybe the triple ones are a different foam?

 

[Basketcase]

Maybe a special cheap deal on "genuine" elements from an online site?

 

[redax5]

Maybe a special cheap deal on "genuine" elements from an online site?

bought my stock direct from Uni Filter so not cheap at all

 

[Vince]

Been seeing one of the pom parts suppliers has a metal frame that can be stripped to change the Air Con foam. Expensive but another option, seen on eBay.The recommended cleaning agent on the dozens of Uinifuilter elements I have used on dirtbikes is Kero if your using non-water soluble air filter oil, petrol they stated degraded the foam. The other option is water soluble filter oil that gets washed out in warm soapy water. Neither explains Reds old stock rotting. They do have a use by date when they turn to dust. Seen that on old dirtbikes. Seen them catch fire with a big backfire as well. They used to be at Hornsby but I think they moved to Gosford a while back.

 

[Dellortoman]

Dunno about other models, but my 1976 3CL/Jota had a double-sided plastic mesh frame which sandwiched a layer of what looked like dry aircon filter media. The original filter media was falling apart, so I popped the frame apart and put a new layer of aircon media in the sandwich. The filter media was too thick to fit in the sandwich, but it splits into 1/2 thickness easily to make 2 filter elements. Clipped the frame back together with the new media in it and put it back into the airbox. Dead easy to do and the bike ran perfectly (filter not too restrictive). It also cost nothing because I scrounged about a square metre of the filter media from a mate in the aircon industry. Since then I've swapped to Mikunis with pod filters so no longer use the aircon stuff for that bike.

 

[81Lav]

Some time in the distant past I must have replaced the original filter with the Unifilter.
When I checked mine on the weekend as part of recommissioning the old girl mine looked very much like Maurice's.
My problem is I no longer have the original plastic housing that Cam speaks of.

I reckon the AC filter material is the way to go.
Cheers
Bruce K

 

[Vince]

So here is that metal air fuilter frame, pricy.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Laverda-180-all-models-120-Jota-Air-Filter-Alloy/113561716181?hash=item1a70ce45d5:m:mKPt-i6qZ2E3m9HwxrWGb_w:rk:2f:0

 

[rowdypat]

https://damclassicracing.com.au/62101042-air-filter-3c-re-useable-with-steel-frame/

 

[Chappo]

When I bought my bike it had the original paper filter. When it needed replacing, I would have contacted Eades in Sydney.

They must have quoted me a stupid price, because I cut the paper out of the frame and bought a foam filter from an auto store. It was oval and about a centimetre thick. I cut a rectangle out and glued it to the rubber frame.

After some years it perished (so had the spare I bought). I bought the same type again. It was some years back now and it is still OK. I don?t oil it, the paper that came with it says you only need to do that for dusty environments.

I just googled ?ramflo kc015? and found one  for $16.50, plus whatever their postage is.
Cheers

Edited to say it can't be too hard to make a plastic frame that would slot in. You could find something amongst the strips of plastic edges and mouldings at the hardware store to make something out of.

If anyone wants the measurements, let me know.

 

[sfcpiet]

I can reccommend GREEN filters for the 3C/3CL/1200/Jota 120 models  https://www.green-filter.eu/green-sportluftfilter/bike-filter/laverda/1000-3-cl/ .  These are direct replacements for the originals and similar in construction to K&N.  Frame is moulded rubber, the filter is pleated fabric sandwiched between wire mesh.  Fully washable and infinitely re-usable.  Made in France, obviously somebody there is a Laverda nut, the rest of the range caters mainly for modern cars and bikes.  Not cheap, but cheaper than the e-bay bodge-jobs, and probably the last filter you will ever need to purchase. 

Also available for the Zane 650/668 and 750 models.  The 750 type also fits the RGS.

I've been fitting these for the past 10 years without issues.  If interested and you can't source them, I'd be happy to supply. 

piet

 

[LJ-2]

Bought a foam filter from Slaters (prob from Wagners) seems fine.

 

[2622]

Hmm we have quite a few Unifilter in club spares so keep it on the downlow otherwise we will die with them.
For me I just buy the stock standard from Wolfgang for any bikes that dont come with and use simply AC filter guaze...

 

[Ventodue]

I can reccommend GREEN filters for the 3C/3CL/1200/Jota 120 models  https://www.green-filter.eu/green-sportluftfilter/bike-filter/laverda/1000-3-cl/ .  <snip>

Good to know, Piet - ta.  I have at least one spare at the mo' having, somewhat bizarrely, manged to buy three from a local auto-factor here in Montpellier.  Lawd knows why he had them ...

I reckon they'll see me out  .  But thanks  :-*.

Craig

 

[gpacs]

https://damclassicracing.com.au/62101042-air-filter-3c-re-useable-with-steel-frame/

These work a treat $87 AUD + gst, steel frame, washable, reuseable, don't fall apart, you can use oil or no oil depending on your preference. Txt me Maurice when you are in town next and I'll bring one with me.