Review: No-Toil Evolution Air Filter Oil

[SpudRider]

Conical air filters are difficult to oil and clean. I had been using Bel-Ray air filter oil on my Honda's Uni Air Filters. However, about three weeks ago I oiled all three of my Uni air filters with No-Toil Evolution filter oil. I couldn't be happier with the No-Toil filter oil. Since the green, water based, No-toil filter oil doesn't contain alcohol, the filter oil is easy on your hands and your nose. The Evolution filter oil was very easy to work into my Uni Air Filter foam. Once the foam is saturated, the excess oil is very easy to squeeze out. After oiling my three Uni Air Filters, I set them on a piece of cardboard to dry overnight. However, the water evaporated in about 2 hours, and the Evolution filter oil was nice and tacky. I easily cleaned my hands in the kitchen sink by lathering them with soap and water before rubbing a small amount of OxiClean on them.

The air filters which are oiled with No-Toil are not as messy to handle as the air filters which are oiled with BelRay oil. Also, I can tell the air filters which are oiled with No-Toil pass a greater volume of air than the air filters which are oiled with BelRay oil. I can hear the greater air flow rumble in my air box at all engine rpms, and my engine is making better power with the No-Toil filter oil! I believe the increased horsepower claims in the following video are true.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mh6jBUyVdQ4

The water based, Evolution filter oil will allow me to clean my air filters in the kitchen sink, or the clothes washer. I won't need to mess around with nasty solvents which damage the filter foam, as well as the glue seams! Also, using sodium percarbonate from the local dollar store, I can clean each air filter for about six cents; try doing that with nasty solvents. I am sold on No-Toil. I can't imagine why I waited so long to make the switch!

Spud :)

[FastDoc]

Very interesting Spud.

I have been debating a switch to a K and N on the YZ like I am running on the KLX. They are also VERY easy to clean and flow more air.

I may also look into to No Toil. Except I still have 1.5 quarts of foam filter oil...

When that is gone and my foam filters are degraded I may switch to either the K and N or No Toil. :D

[Wild_Alaskan]

I would not recommend switching to a k&n filter. They have a horrible reputation in the off-road community for letting dust though.

http://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/937672-kn-air-filters/page__hl__k

[SpudRider]

I agree with WA, Doc. ;) Especially since you ride in sand, I would strongly encourage you to stick with a foam air filter. I'm sure you will find the following video very informative. ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5DtIvn1QFI&feature=player_embedded

I'm convinced the No-Toil Evolution filter oil has increased air flow through my Uni Air Filters. I believe the horsepower gains mentioned in the first video are probably true. :)

Spud :)

[Weldangrind]

X3 on foam over cotton gauze K&N filters.

I haven't tried No-Toil yet, but I'm really happy with Maxima Fab1 spray. It sprays on blue, and is really fast and easy to apply. I clean my filters with Castrol Super Clean (which is biodegradable and phosphate-free), and it hasn't harmed any of the filters yet.

Also, I wear nitrile gloves from HF for the process. Clean-up is as easy as taking the gloves off.

[SpudRider]

X3 on foam over cotton gauze K&N filters.

I haven't tried No-Toil yet, but I'm really happy with Maxima Fab1 spray. It sprays on blue, and is really fast and easy to apply. I clean my filters with Castrol Super Clean (which is biodegradable and phosphate-free), and it hasn't harmed any of the filters yet.

Also, I wear nitrile gloves from HF for the process. Clean-up is as easy as taking the gloves off.
Thanks for the good review of those products, Weld. :)

For the sake of economy I buy No-Toil Evolution in 1/2 gallon containers. Oiling my conical air filters with this product is exceptionally easy. I don't wear gloves, because the product is so gentle, and non-toxic. I easily clean my hands by lathering them with soap and water, then sprinkling a little OxiClean on them. :D

I pay about 50 percent more for No-Toil Evolution than for Bel-Ray Foam Filter Oil. However, I don't buy the No-Toil Cleaner. The active ingredient in the No-Toil Cleaner is sodium percarbonate, which is the same active ingredient in OxiClean and other "oxygen" cleaners. Instead of paying $8 per pound for the No-Toil Cleaner, I can buy sodium percarbonate at the local dollar store for $0.50 per pound. :D Therefore, No-Toil Evolution is not only easiest for me to use, it's also the least expensive way to maintain my oil filters. I can clean my air filters in the kitchen sink or the washing machine, and I only spend 6 cents per cleaning for the sodium percarbonate, which is readily available in any grocery store. ;)

The following videos demonstrate how easy it is to clean dirty filters which have been oiled with the No-Toil products. ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrut72prVFg&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXdo5HD5TP0&feature=player_embedded

Based upon my experience, I believe No-Toil's "micro-flo" technology is valid. I'm convinced I have greater air flow through my conical air filters since I switched from Bel-Ray to No-Toil Evolution. :D

Spud :)

[Weldangrind]

To confirm, are you using the same two ounces per gallon ratio, when using a product like Oxyclean?

Not being a Chem major, what is the difference between Sodium Percarbonate and Sodium Carbonate (like washing soda)? I remember the prefix bi (as in bicarbonate) or tri, but I don't recall "per".

[SpudRider]

To confirm, are you using the same two ounces per gallon ratio, when using a product like Oxyclean?

Not being a Chem major, what is the difference between Sodium Percarbonate and Sodium Carbonate (like washing soda)? I remember the prefix bi (as in bicarbonate) or tri, but I don't recall "per".
My chemistry is rusty, so I will refer you to Wikipedia, which gives an excellent explanation for sodium percarbonate. :lol:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_percarbonate

Sodium percarbonate is an oxidizing agent commonly employed in a number of home cleaning agents, including OxiClean and Tide; it is also the active ingredient in the No-Toil, foam filter cleaner. The sodium percarbonate combines with the No-Toil filter oil and water in a saponification reaction. No-Toil is a vegetable oil which actually becomes a soap during this reaction. :)

http://www.realhandmadesoap.com/folders/FAQ/what_is_saponification.htm

The process is described in the following video. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NIUK-_0GX4

You mix two ounces of sodium percarbonate with a gallon of water, and it will clean several No-Toil filters for 6 cents. :D The cleaning procedure is shown in the following video. ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrut72prVFg&feature=relmfu

Spud :)

[Weldangrind]

Interesting! Sodium carbonate + hydrogen peroxide = sodium percarbonate. According to Wikipedia, it reduces to hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate when dissolved in water, and the hydrogen peroxide decomposes to water and oxygen. I presume that's the impetus behind the name Oxyclean.

Thanks for the lesson, Spud.

[SpudRider]

You're welcome, Weld. :)

I recommend the new, green, No-Toil Evolution filter oil rather than the original, red version of the filter oil. The original, red filter oil has an alcohol base which will damage filter foam and attack the glue seams holding the filter together. :( The new, water based, Evolution filter oil is completely non toxic, and will not damage any brand of air filter. :)

No-Toil Evolution is very easy to apply, and the excess oil is very easy to squeeze out of the filter. Air flow through my No-Toil oiled, air filters is superb. My hands are easy to clean in the kitchen sink after oiling the air filters. Cleaning the air filters is inexpensive, easy, and non toxic using sodium percarbonate and water. No-Toil Evolution filter oil won't harm my air filters. Besides all the convenience associated with this product, I think it's probably the least expensive air filter oil, since you can clean a number of air filters for only 6 cents worth of sodium percarbonate! :D Kermit the Frog was wrong; it's easy being green! ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSS9PnU6T8s&feature=player_detailpage

Spud :)

[SpudRider]

My air filter was not particularly dirty, but several days ago I decided to install a clean air filter for my winter riding. I don't dread cleaning air filters any longer since I switched to No-Toil Evolution Air Filter Oil. :) I mixed two ounces of Oxi-Clean with a gallon of warm water in my kitchen sink. After about two minutes of agitiating/squeezing the oil filter, it was completely clean. :D I love being able to clean my dirty oil filters without any harsh, smelly solvents. Also, after cleaning the air filter I only needed to dry my hands with a towel; my hands were as clean as the air filter. :D

I let the air filter dry overnight, and oiled it with No-Toil Evolution the following day. The No-Toil Evolution Filter Oil is very easy to distribute evenly throughout the foam filter. After squeezing out the excess filter oil, I placed the freshly oiled filter on a piece of cardboard to dry overnight. I then easily cleaned my hands by lathering them with soap, and sprinkling a little Oxi-Clean on them. :) I can't believe I waited so long to switch to No-Toil Evolution Air Filer Oil! Cleaning air filters used to be the job I hated most about motorcycle maintenance! Now the job is simple, and I actually enjoy it. :D

A clean air filter optimizes engine performance. I use about $1 worth of No-Toil Air Filter Oil to saturate an air filter. I also use about $0.16 worth of Oxi-Clean to clean a dirty air filter. No-Toil is not only the easiest filter oil to use, it is also the least expensive. 8O I highly recommend this product. :)

Spud :)

[Weldangrind]

As soon as I'm out of my existing filter oil, I'm going to try your method.

[FastDoc]

Me too. I'm sold. I will use this on the YZ. :D

I run a K&N on the KLX and that's already easy to clean with water so will leave that. Also the KLX runs on the rich side to begin with so I need the higher flow/lower restriction of the K&N. 8)

[SpudRider]

Truly, No-Toil Evolution is a great product. :D The Evolution air filter oil is very tacky, and traps all the dirt in the air filter. Also, since Evolution filter oil is less "goopy, I am getting better air flow through my filter since switching from Bel-Ray to No-Toil. No more harsh, smelly solvents and goopy filter oil for me! I am very happy I made the switch. :D

Let me remind you, Evolution filter oil is water based, and will not harm filter foam or glue seams. However, the original No-Toil filter oil has an alcohol base, and will destroy the glue in some air filters. That's why I chose the new, green, Evolution filter oil. ;)

Spud :)