Air Filter for Small Outboards

[Jon Boat Jim]

I'm new to outboards. The few that I have worked on don't have an air filter or any type of paper or sponge element. Is this common? Can/should one be retro-fited?

 

[lindy46]

Re: Air Filter for Small Outboards

Not usually necessary - no dust out on the water.

 

[tschmidty]

Re: Air Filter for Small Outboards

Huh, I was wondering that myself when I took my little evinrude apart and even when I looked at the parts diagrams.

 

[smsscuba]

Re: Air Filter for Small Outboards

That is an interesting question. All atmospheric air contains impurities in suspension, no matter whether on land or water. I reckon that this dust will eventually score the cylinder walls over a period of time.

Just my 2 cents worth......

 

[bktheking]

Re: Air Filter for Small Outboards

Take a properly tuned motor apart that's been around from the 40's,50's - no scoring whatsoever.

 

[yoster]

Re: Air Filter for Small Outboards

Dust will not do squat to cylinders. That kind of stuff is so small that it easily burns and blows rights out the exhaust. You wouldn't see any damage even over many, many years.

Leaves, sand, stuff like that sure - that's why cars have air filters because they can easily pick it up from the road. You shouldn't be running into that stuff out on the water. Additionally, car air intake systems are at the front of the vehicle, into the wind. The air openings on an outboard engine cover however are typically facing backwards, so basically no chance of a bug or something flying into the motor/carbs while you're cruising.

I haven't owned boats for as long as others here (17 years or so), but in that amount of time I've put quite a few hours on many different engines. Never lost a single one due to a lack of an air filter. Actually.. I've never lost an engine in general, but still

 

[ONERCBOATER]

Re: Air Filter for Small Outboards

ok....i am gonna get LOL at, but in yuma AZ I have at times used a filter.... nothing special just an oiled coarse open cell foam one.... but we get dust storms something fierce here with sand flying half way across the lakes and all the way across the river.... I try to stay off the water when it is like that, but keep the filter with me just in case cause they can pop up with lil or no warning. That said... even in those conditions hardly anything gets to the filter...probably a waste of time and effort.

Sean

 

[garzilla]

Re: Air Filter for Small Outboards

Shoot.....now that I'm thinking about my 72 25 horse Johnson, when the lids on, there's not really even much of an opening to outside air....save for a couple little holes around the lower part of the engine.

I'm more worried about foam pieces from the cover getting sucked in, than airborne contaminants.

 

[F_R]

Re: Air Filter for Small Outboards

ok....i am gonna get LOL at, but in yuma AZ I have at times used a filter.... nothing special just an oiled coarse open cell foam one.... but we get dust storms something fierce here with sand flying half way across the lakes and all the way across the river.... I try to stay off the water when it is like that, but keep the filter with me just in case cause they can pop up with lil or no warning. That said... even in those conditions hardly anything gets to the filter...probably a waste of time and effort.

Sean

That makes me wonder---how many of you people get silicosis from breathing that stuff?

 

[ONERCBOATER]

Re: Air Filter for Small Outboards

That makes me wonder---how many of you people get silicosis from breathing that stuff?

not sure on that one.... but i can tell you from experience that being out in a sand/dust storm all night even if you do breath through a hankerchief you will still be blowing dirt out of your nose for a few days and caughing it up..... nasty stuff.
my all time favorite was my sis in law showing up from north carolina.... it was 114 or so that day,,, and a storm was coming our way fast.... we went inside and told her she should too... but she wanted to be rained on.... couldnt convince her that she didnt want to stay outside.... she got rained on and dusted at same time and came in all covered in dirt claiming "i been mudded on" lol...
ut oh,., sorry for the hijack.

Sean