FE/FC FE Air Filter- Am I being dumb with the grease?

I grease the lip of my filters, always have, since I started cleaning filters back in the early 80s. I have read (on the internet) that some guys think filter oil alone/no grease seals up fine around the lip. It would definitely be less messy cleaning a filter without the grease.

Anybody here (I consider you guys wiser than the rest of the web bozos!) running no grease on the lip?

I use the biodegradable rim grease on my 501. Notoil. Easy cleanup and works good.

The waterproof axle grease I use is a bitch to clean from the filter.... (Using the Twin Air Bio cleaner and oil.) Twin Air has their own Bio sealing grease now but only seen it for a high price through their online sales at Hookit or overseas online vendors.

even the TwinAir catalog writes no lip grease required for their airfilters...but see above they even sell lip seal grease. Me personally I always my brand choice maxima grease around mine. better to be in overkill mode than underkill mode.

The notoil biodegradable must taste good because I had a mouse chew into the tube a d eat some of it... I haven't tried it myself...lol

On the plastic arse huskies always use grease! When you push on the tail end you can see the plastic flexing and the bottom lip of the filter moves away from the base. The grease helps it to seal.
I believe on the '15 models ktm added a few extra screws in the design to stop this. Some fit extra washers on the centre plastic holder.

I pack a syringe with the NoToil rim grease. It makes a nice clean bead and no mess on my hands. One syringe full does several filters. I also do this with conventional grease.

I use generic white grease. Always have. Too old to change.....too paranoid to stop. Cam.

That air filter along with fuel/oil is the livelihood of the engine. I use axle grease with a fairly heavy bead around the filter. Yea it probably would be good enough without the grease but why risk it.....the strange thing is my buddy who is a mechanic did not grease or oil his filter on our trip...... I told him you are crazy he said it was something new he was trying......weird.....

I ride in some very dusty lime stone conditions and never had a problem w/o grease, intake is always clean. I make sure to coat this lip area of filter then the rest with standard FFO. Grease and backfire screens are old school but if you feel the need it's won't hurt.

I can't get away from it either ... I use Bel-Ray.

I like this idea!

Use the heavy paper backing that comes with sticker sets and a plastic putty knife. Use the putty knife to put the grease on the paper and roll it up into a tight cone that will fit into the back of the syringe. Then just push the grease in. I try to do more than one at a time to make it worth the while. It gets easier with a little practice.

If the filter rim cage is pressed up hard against the air box then grease will be completely useless. Even if the plasic face on the ktm huskys flexes I doubt grease would do anything anyway, the grease forms to the shape of the rigid mating surface, if the surface was to flex away you would still likely not bridge the gap with grease.

Sorry mate, snake oil in my opinion.

I am speaking strictly about the red Husky intake so may not be relevant to the KTM based bikes. On mine... Even with a rigid cage, the underlying metal frame has pockets for the screws and if using the screen some seams/depressions. For me some grease is to fill voids and act as a mild adhesive. Better safe than sorry is my thought on this.

I have always used grease and always will no mater what company or person says otherwise,not worth risking it

I use a light bead of red tack grease. Scrape off with a tool before washing.

I haven't used it since 1976, and never had a failure, so I really don't think it's required. If you think about it, filter oil should (and does) do the job. In fact, with the cage clamped down tight, you probably don't even need the filter oil

I quit using grease and have had no problems, I do put some extra air filter oil around the filter to air box mating surface.

(Beavis and Buthead voice goes here)
he he you said box... mating... oil...