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Foam Replacement?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
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Anonymous

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Hello New here and like the site, Great Info.

Well I just got a 82 GS-850-GL and the air-filter assembly in the air box has a problem, the foam that sandwitches between the filter assembly and the hole the air flows up to the carbs, well it has discentgrated and I calle d2 suzuki dealers and one says i have to purchase a new assembly and the other says he can't find anything, I don't want to use those little aftermarket ons, i want to stay stock, what can i do to fix it besides buying a new one?

Thanks
Lennie
 
A quick fix is to get some of that stick-on door seal foam and stick it to the top of the filter--it's better than nothing. That is what I ended up doing.

Then one day I was browsing the printed Dennis Kirk catalog and found that they sell "pre-filter foam" in 12" x 24" x 3/8" sheets that you can cut to fit. The part number is 30-1573 and it costs $11.99. They also sell bulk filter foam (part number 30-1500, $11.99).

The door seal foam is working OK for now, but I plan eventually to replace it with the real thing.
 
Uni makes both a foam filter for the GS bikes and bulk foam if you choose to make your own. Not sure, but I think Emgo makes a foam filter for the GS bikes too..
 
Replacement (aftermarket) foam filters for GS's are available over here.
13.20 Euros.
I'm sure that they're also available in the US.

airfilter.jpg
 
JoJo, very glad to see you back posting, hope you are feeling better. You have been in my prayers. Now back to the topic I think what he needs is the foam that goes between the filter cage and the housing. He can go to lowes or other hardware store and buy 1/2"X3/8" weather stirpping. Make sure that you clean the contact surface and then wipe it with alcohol so that it will stick better. I bought the next size up and it is too tight and keeps pulling off when I try to install the cage. If you want to replace the whole thing cage and and filter you can get it from Suzuki. I don't know how much yours would be, but the one for my 83 GS1100GK is about $70.00 usd from ronayers.com I think $1.50 for the weather stipping was a much better deal, and you have enough to redo it several times if necessary.
 
dgeorge said:
JoJo, very glad to see you back posting, hope you are feeling better. You have been in my prayers. Now back to the topic I think what he needs is the foam that goes between the filter cage and the housing. He can go to lowes or other hardware store and buy 1/2"X3/8" weather stirpping. Make sure that you clean the contact surface and then wipe it with alcohol so that it will stick better. I bought the next size up and it is too tight and keeps pulling off when I try to install the cage. If you want to replace the whole thing cage and and filter you can get it from Suzuki. I don't know how much yours would be, but the one for my 83 GS1100GK is about $70.00 usd from ronayers.com I think $1.50 for the weather stipping was a much better deal, and you have enough to redo it several times if necessary.

Thanks for the support, Daniel. I'm feeling quite well now. :D

Back to the foam:
Could be I misunderstood the question... :oops: In that case, your solution is the right one. Worked with my GS850GN too.
 
I may also be misunderstanding but it sounds to me like you just need the replacement foam air filter elemet. It looks like an upside down "foam bathtub". They are readliy available for less tha $20 US.

One word of caution. If the airfilter has deteriorated that bad then it's likely that both airbox door gaskets are shot too. There is none on each side of the bike just forward of the plastic side covers. The airbox has to be completely sealed tight except where the air enters on the bottom.

If it is sucking air ANYWHERE ELSE or if the filter doesn't fit snug, you will run massively lean and very hot.. .......I made new door gaskets out of some pieces of 3/8" thick grey packing foam I had laying around. Worked like a charm.

PS.....The mouse pad thing is an excellent idea too.....another "out of the box thinker"....yeah
 
It was the spacer foam i was talking about, I thought about the foam with sticky backing, just did not know if it would be ok to use.

And the side covers fo rthe airbox were bad too, i replaced both and the air filter one and it seems to work.

Thanks
Lennie
 
SqDancerLynn1 said:
If you have an old mouse pad you could use that also

just cut it to shape? i just discovered the same problem on a bike i just purchased.
 
On my 82 GS850G, I did not cut a gasket in the tradational sense.

I took a 6" square piece of grey packing foam and cut out a solid piece large enough to fill the entire lower half of the cover and yet bigger that the air box opening.

Then just put the cover back on with the full peice of foam inside it and screw the cover tight.

Remove the covers once more just to make sure you have indentations in the foam that's the shape of the air box opening. On my bike the indentations makes the shape of a square (more or less). If you do you bcan be confident you have a good seal.

On my bike there's two doors. One on each side. They both will probably need to be done.
 
you didn't cut the hole for the lower part box? just a solid sheet covering the whole box cover?

thanks for tips.
 
Yes. I used a solid sheet. I could have made it so that it filled the entire cover. But I made so that it filled the lower half only.

But I made sure the foam was taller than the airbox opening.

If you would like a picture I can snap one real easy. Just send me a private email with your email address
 
karl_ibsen said:
A quick fix is to get some of that stick-on door seal foam and stick it to the top of the filter--it's better than nothing. That is what I ended up doing.

Then one day I was browsing the printed Dennis Kirk catalog and found that they sell "pre-filter foam" in 12" x 24" x 3/8" sheets that you can cut to fit. The part number is 30-1573 and it costs $11.99. They also sell bulk filter foam (part number 30-1500, $11.99).

The door seal foam is working OK for now, but I plan eventually to replace it with the real thing.

How thick was the foam. i need to do the same. i just happen to have 1/2 thick foam lying around.
 
The door-seal foam I used was 3/8 inch by 1/2 inch wide. It's that stuff that comes in rolls and is sold in hardware stores.

Half-inch thick foam may be too thick. The air filter on my GL bikes slides in from the side, so I have to be careful to not pull the foam strip off when I'm installing the filter. I don't think I'd want to suck a piece of the foam into the carburators.

I don't know if it matters, but mouse pad foam is a lot more dense than the original foam. I tried to use something closer to the original foam density. I think the best solution is the pre-filter foam that I mentioned in my previous post.
 
My door seal foam is pretty dense, although I'm skilled with and exacto knife so I'm pretty sure i can take an 1/8th of an inch off.

I am on a quest for the pre-filter foam gonna check with a local shop before i order online. i just want a temp fix until then. So correct me if i'm wrong... the pre-filter foam is to make a SEAL between the filter basket and the air intake area... correct?
 
shotguntim said:
So correct me if i'm wrong... the pre-filter foam is to make a SEAL between the filter basket and the air intake area... correct?

That's right.
 
ha... worded like a charm. gonna order some of the real stuff, but this'll get me back and forth to work a couple times.

Took forever to clear off the corroded one though, black sticky sticky mess.

Thanks for the tips.
 
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