GUGLAtech anyone?

[thepointchris]

I purchased a GUGLAtech Destert Filter some time ago, and it was time to install it yesterday, but:

 

1) The two Intake Surfaces differ. The shape's the same, so it does fit, but the top ( soft foam ) surfaces do not mirror the Intake Snorkel Surfaces exactly. I'm assuming that's all fine, and that it seals down just fine, if this is the correct filter.

 

2) A small crack in the rubber, not all the way through, yet. I can't see that this is a good start, seeing that it's meant o be a Permanent Filter.

 

Comments and experiences, anyone?

Edited June 28, 2022 by thepointchris
add pics

[Ray Ride4life]

Looks like a K&N copy, get more of a "made in China" feel.

[Quercus Petraea]

23 minutes ago, Ray Ride4life said:

Looks like a K&N copy, get more of a "made in China" feel.

 

Guglatech is not a K&N copy, is not made in China, and it's not even a paper filter. It's a far better option for riding off Road than a paper filter.

 

I used these filters in other bikes and always had worked safely and perfectly.

 

thepointchris, i'd ask directly to Guglatech (specially about that "small crack in the rubber"). They will be pleased to answer your questions for sure.

[prowlnS10]

I have been using the Guglatech Ultra 4 & fuel filter combo since Aug 2020 with no problems & perfect condition.  Do you grease the sealing edge of the filter as recommended?  I would l contact Guglatech re the damage, particularly if new & never installed before...they are a quality filter & the rubber surface seals better than the hard plastic oem that can deform the plastic snorkle top plate, particularly if over tightened.

[thepointchris]

thanks for replies folks- yes it's a brand-new filter, not yet installed, and yes, email to Gugla sent

[T7MapleLeaf]

I forgot I have a Gugla in mine actually.  Its been so rainy this season that I don’t think ive even been in a dust cloud yet.   

 

Mine had some shape issues and required some decent razor blade shaping to fit inside the outer lip.   No cracks in the rubber though.

[random1781]

How are y'all cleaning this filter? Instructions call for service every 20,000km max in dusty conditions and to clean by soaking in a mild detergent/degreaser and then swirl, back flush, rinse, and repeat until it's clean. I decided to do an early service, but so far haven't found a solution that dissolves everything. I've soaked and rinsed for a bit now with a few different detergents, but there's still a good bit of crap inside the mesh. Basically it seems like the sand had turned into mud/muck and will not come loose.

 

In particular, the curved parts of the filter pinch the ridges together and are trapping a lot of crap in between. I'm having to slowly scrape them out with a dental pick.

 

 

I also have a crack in mine that I contacted them about and am still waiting for a reply since it's the weekend. This might be my fault for overtightening. There's a metal mesh inside the rubber, but it ends right where the crack is.

 

 

My airbox is immaculate though!

[thepointchris]

Yea, I never got a reply to my original "crack" question - I'm about to clean mine, I'll let you's know how I get on with cleaning  

[random1781]

14 hours ago, thepointchris said:

Yea, I never got a reply to my original "crack" question - I'm about to clean mine, I'll let you's know how I get on with cleaning  

Bummer, they're generally a pretty well-regarded company. The owner is pretty active on advrider, so if I don't get an email I'll try there.

 

I stubbornly refused to buy any filter oil detergents and just tried stuff around the house per the instructions. Two days of soaking in dawn soap, scraping, and spraying with a garden hose eventually got enough of the crap off to hold me over until a Unifilter makes its way across the ocean!

[Mirco]

Hi, i was going to purchase a Guglatech filter too, and i watched their "promo" video (in Italian) about the air fitler for the T7. 

They explained that they did not included the screw at the bottom of the filter like the OEM one, because they did not comprehend the purpose in the first place.

They emphasized repeatedly that the filter in not simmetrical, and it should slid in without any pressure. (In the wrong way it stops at 1 cm above sealing, and you have to push it a little).

 

I hope it helps

 

[Mirco]

They also said that the upper surface is all a soft rubber seal, so if you tighten too much the 4 screws you just damage the filter.

[random1781]

2 hours ago, Mirco said:

They also said that the upper surface is all a soft rubber seal, so if you tighten too much the 4 screws you just damage the filter.

This is good to know! In the English video he emphasizes that the top rubber is reinforced but at the very end does say that you can damage it. Actually three of the corners are starting to tear on mine now, likely because I overtightened it. Letting it soak in water to clean it also caused the metal mesh to start rusting, but almost all in the interior. Maybe I scraped off some of the metal coating while trying to clean it? Anyway, don't do the things that I did.

 

I think for my use case, the tried-and-true foam filter/pre-filter will be best - much easier to oil and clean, at least with the amount of dust that I see. Also much cheaper...a filter, pre-filter, and spare pre-filter foam are cheaper shipped to the US than this one.

[Colddog]

On 7/30/2023 at 11:33 AM, random1781 said:

How are y'all cleaning this filter? Instructions call for service every 20,000km max in dusty conditions and to clean by soaking in a mild detergent/degreaser and then swirl, back flush, rinse, and repeat until it's clean. I decided to do an early service, but so far haven't found a solution that dissolves everything. I've soaked and rinsed for a bit now with a few different detergents, but there's still a good bit of crap inside the mesh. Basically it seems like the sand had turned into mud/muck and will not come loose.

 

In particular, the curved parts of the filter pinch the ridges together and are trapping a lot of crap in between. I'm having to slowly scrape them out with a dental pick.

 

 

I also have a crack in mine that I contacted them about and am still waiting for a reply since it's the weekend. This might be my fault for overtightening. There's a metal mesh inside the rubber, but it ends right where the crack is.

 

 

My airbox is immaculate though!

I have had great success cleaning my uni filter with turpentine, seems to get dirt and oils loosened up enough to rinse out fairly easy.  Give that a try!

[random1781]

On 8/24/2023 at 8:22 PM, Colddog said:

I have had great success cleaning my uni filter with turpentine, seems to get dirt and oils loosened up enough to rinse out fairly easy.  Give that a try!

Well I now have a uni filter and was actually wondering what generic cleaner to use, so this is perfect, thanks!