ALERT: DNA Air filter users please check the air filter

[2daMax]

Upon inspection of my 4 year old DNA air filter, the PU rubber were cracking and 1 piece of a chuck near the 'center screw' fell off inside the air box.

Pictures to come by later.

Here is what I found on where it cracks:
1. A chunk with the size of 10mm x 40mm came off near the center screw area.
2. Left and right bottom side of the gooves got delaminated.
3. Top grooves when inspected with some lifting, noticed cracks were forming.
4. After a few days, inspected it again and found severe cracks (4 areas) at the 2 'U' shaped areas. These cracks are right thorugh and the only thing that is holding the filter intact were the metal meshing.

Contacted DNA in Greece via their website. Took them a week to respond but they are so far trying to get more information for their R&D. Awaiting further communications with them.

Cracks. These cracks initiates from all pinch points that were caused by the air box pressing onto the air filter. Groove cracks could also be due to the pressure points experienced by the filter.

Age of air filter. I bought it used from an ex-S10 owner. it was 3 years old when I got it. Use it about 1 year before I noticed this cracks. Checked it 6 months back, and it was all good. So 4 years and older, please inspect your filter.

Fixes. Beside a possible warranty entitlement (I got it used, so ....it may work against me although it is a lifetime warranty item), any rubber friendly adhesive may work. I use Loctite 401. Cures within seconds and holds the cracks well, so well as if there were no crack. I laced the areas with high pressure points with this stuff, All the grooves with delaminated cracks are also laced to prevent them from further cracking. (Since it was such a great rubber glue, I fixed all my boots that had their soles separating, fixed my wife's slippers. This thing is a miracle).

Yes, I placed back my stock filter in the bike and am monitoring if there will be more cracks appearing on the DNA. Hopefully DNA honors the warranty, and if not, hopefully the Loctite 401 lacing holds the integrity of the filter. Waiting for the Greeks for next course of action.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Thanks!

 

[2daMax]

Here are the pictures:

Only post one since Photobucket is taking ages to work.

 

[WJBertrand]

Good reason to stick with OEM is my take away...

 

[2daMax]

More images of cracking of the DNA air filter.

Small cracks developing. Other cracks were repaired with Loctite 401.

The chuck that fell off.

A few more small cracks have appeared but all have been repaired.

No word yet from DNA.

 

[Xt1200zsupertenere]

Any answer DNA yet ?

 

[2daMax]

Any answer DNA yet ?

Unfortunately, no.

I have glued it and place back the filter. I think it is stable now.

 

[corndog]

GARBAGE, in that is where I would place it.

 

[RCinNC]

I don't think I'd trust making repairs to plastic, that's already shown a tendency to break, when it's that close to the intakes on the bike. If the bike starts sucking a few bits of that plastic into the intake, the money you saved by repairing the filter might be offset by what it costs to repair the problems caused by plastic bits and dust getting past the filter.

 

[Tenman]

Thanx for the post. I'll never buy a DNA. Awt to be called a DOA.

 

[2daMax]

So, I checked the filter again after installing it back after some glue repairs. No good. More fresh cracks appeared. I sent these photos to DNA. which till to date have not responded. Let's see how they response now. Placed back the oem air filter. BTw, I had just placed a order for a BMC air filter, said to filter to 7 microns versus oem's 10 microns. Ebay seller provides free shipping international, so thank you oemcycles for making it low cost to ship half way around the globe.

 

[2daMax]

Here's the ending to this saga.

DNA has agreed to honor the warranty but charges me EURO35 for shipping from Europe to Malaysia. Since I have already made purchases for the BMC air filter, I have made available to my Malaysian S10 owners this DNA air filter to which 3 of them were interested. They get the discounted pricing.

I believe this was a case of bad batch manufacturing. So do check your DNA air filters if they are more than 4 years old, in case you are unlucky. I read that BMC had a bad batch of air filters too, so this could happen to anyone.

 

[2daMax]

I am now on BMC air filter and was pleasantly surprised by how well it was made. In all my K&N and DNA filters experience, these filters were made by molding a elastomeric rubbery material around the filter elements. I thought BMC for the S10 was also the same method. How wrong was that assumption. Pictures on the internet doesn't show it either or maybe I wasn't looking hard enough.

BMC's choice of materials is hard plastics, much the same as the stock filter. After evaluating the stock filter and the air box, I realized that the stock filter has its rear portion slightly curved upwards. This is so that it will act as a compression spring when the air box cover is locked in with the middle screw. There is nothing on the air box cover that puts a pressure force on the rear part of the filter except for this curved upwards feature. BMC had this also.

DNA's design for this rear sealing is questionable. Only the center screw holds it down but as the distance increases away from the screw, there is nothing to apply pressure on the soft and flexible rubber.

 

[SingleTrackMind]

Your risking an engine worth thousands of dollars for a $30-50 air filter? Am I missing something? Time to dig that wallet out and lighteni it up a little instead of a lot later on.

 

[2daMax]

Your risking an engine worth thousands of dollars for a $30-50 air filter? Am I missing something? Time to dig that wallet out and lighteni it up a little instead of a lot later on.

Very good point. But if you are not earning in US Dollars, and your country's currency is close to a rotten egg value, the way one thinks will be different.

 

[SingleTrackMind]

Very good point. But if you are not earning in US Dollars, and your country's currency is close to a rotten egg value, the way one thinks will be different.

Absolutely agree, I can understand the need to use what ever means if that's all you have.