My dealer sold me a TwinAir air filter to replace my stock one that came with my 2017 Zforce 800. My question is, should there be any type of cage that goes inside. It is very soft and I just do not want it to suck down on itself and not let air flow

[2015 Z Force 800 53/Trail EPS]

My dealer sold me a TwinAir air filter to replace my stock one that came with my 2017 Zforce 800. My question is, should there be any type of cage that goes inside. It is very soft and I just do not want it to suck down on itself and not let air flow

I think there should be but there isn't. I used mine for over a years with no issues but I did relocate the intake so not to get so much dirt and dust at the time. Good filter. I trust TwinAir. I did take a spring coil from an old Unifilter and put in it bit I didn't line how it distorted it so it came right back out. With all foam filter, be sure they are well oiled but not over-oiled. Some oil will gather in points inside over time and atomize in with the air and coat the air temp sensor. It will run lean and die at times at idle when it does. Easy enough to clean though with mass air sensor cleaner.  Roll your filter in a few paper towels inside and out after oiling to get all the loose excess off, then let dry for an hour or so before installing or at least running the engine.

(Some oil will gather in points inside over time and atomize in with the air and coat the air temp sensor. It will run lean and die at times at idle when it does. Easy enough to clean though with mass air sensor cleaner.)

NMK, how do you clean the mass air sensor? Is it as simple as spaying the cleaner into the air intake?

[2015 Z Force 800 53/Trail EPS]

(Some oil will gather in points inside over time and atomize in with the air and coat the air temp sensor. It will run lean and die at times at idle when it does. Easy enough to clean though with mass air sensor cleaner.)

NMK, how do you clean the mass air sensor? Is it as simple as spaying the cleaner into the air intake?

Not quite but almost. Its the sensor on top of the intake tube after the throttle body with one screw retainer. Just remove the screw...well make sure the area is clean first..then carefully work the sensor out..it just has an O-ring on the shaft. The spray the end with any mass airflow sensor cleaner. Don't use anything else to clean it and don't touch the wire with.. anything. Then just wet the port and o-ring with the sensor cleaner and reinstall. 99% of people that use an oiled foam or gauze filter will have oil on this or their mass airflow sensor. I found it not only on my Z but on my truck which had a K&N. Both ran much better after cleaning that sensor and quit stalling. I guess when coated with oil it's input to the ECU is incorrect...which would make sense.

This is the stuff I use but any mass airflow sensor cleaner is fine.

https://www.bavauto.com/catalog/product/view/id/205270/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cse&utm_term=05110&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzt2EqbW21gIVGbjACh2fDgJzEAQYASABEgK21vD_BwE

Thanks for the answer and the information

[2015 Z Force 800 53/Trail EPS]

Just thought I would add this in from today. A little history; After installing a foam filter on mine it started dying sometimes when going from drive to reverse and touching the gas.  After finding oil on the sensor and cleaning it, it quit doing that. Then on the last camping trip last week it started doing that again so today I pulled the sensor and sure enough, it was covered with filter oil again. Gave it a good flush-cleaning with the cleaner and back in it went. This time when I cleaned the big-Uni in the box I used extra paper towels inside and out to get all excess oil out of the filter. I hope that does it.. but it does say that we all need to check and clean these sensors once in a while. Also..may be my imagination but after doing so it seems that the exhaust also smells richer too. Not sure why it would..

Awhile back I had an issue with the machine stalling intermittently while coasting and coming to a stop and would only start with the gas peddle held in a bit.

Cleaned the mass airflow sensor which was dirty and found the battery cables were loose. Haven't driven it much since the cleaning of the sensor but hasn't stalled yet. Thanks for the info NMK on cleaning the mass flow sensor.

[2015 Z Force 800 53/Trail EPS]

Welcome. Something else I'll share today is: I noticed that after long periods of sitting the No-Toil air filter oil that I have been using for many years does migrate down and drip off the lowest point of the filter. It also gets pulled in and wets that sensor even after getting all the excess out. I have also found evidence of downward migration of the No-Toil oil in my Brute's airbox too. Now this might be because of it's age...I buy this in the big bottle and this one is over 4 years old. I did notice it wasn't as tacky as it used to be and the alcohol had mostly evaporated. This may a reason not to buy large quantities of this type of oil.  Anyway, the fact that it migrates means the very top of the filter will have less oil on the surface of it's cells then the lower parts and this may the reason I found some trace particles in my intake track on the Z this inspection. So..time for a change. I just ordered some FAB-1 and cleaner. The write-ups are good and it has the same formulation as their FFT racing filter oil. I guess we'll see. I just need something that will do it's job...and stay put between cleanings....and the air box filter doesn't get cleaned very often on mine.

[2015 Z Force 800 53/Trail EPS]

One more little..but important item. Any of the TwinAir filter numbers that end with "FR" stand for "Fire Resistant". This means that not only does it have the fire resistant black final layer, but also still has the other two white and orange layers..all with progressively smaller PPIs (Pours Per Inch). Tripple layers...thinner then the two Uni has but three..not just two. This most be why this filter does better then the dual stage Unifilter in many tests and is why Emerson has always said it's a better filter then the Uni.. It is a better filter. I just wish it had some internal support. Regardless, in this light, and the fact that my oversized Uni let some particles by when the oil migrated downward, I will be recommending the TwinAir 156052FR for all CFM 800s even though if allowed to get too caked-up, it might collapse. At least it won't damage the engine. You guys with Unifilter - Use the best.. most tacky oils..(I just switched to FAB-1 and it's good).. and prefilters and you(we) should be OK. I think I'll install my TwinAir in my stack can filter and put a prefilter over it.

That's what I think happened to mine too, oil migrated down and some finest particles got through.
That and it was still drawing air from the dirt whirlwind that makes up the motor and back tire compartment.

Great info about No-Toil and Fab-1 filter oils.

I've just purchased a TwinAir filter for my Z based on the recommendations here.
The dealer had two oils for foam filters, No-Toil and PJ1. I bought the PJ1 oil/cleaner package and it has "Super Tacky" labeled on the can (which is just what I wanted to see!).

I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience with PJ1 and can offer any insights to its use.

[2015 Z Force 800 53/Trail EPS]

Great info about No-Toil and Fab-1 filter oils.

I've just purchased a TwinAir filter for my Z based on the recommendations here.
The dealer had two oils for foam filters, No-Toil and JR1. I bought the JR1 oil/cleaner package and it has "Super Tacky" labeled on the can (which is just what I wanted to see!).

I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience with JR1 and can offer any insights to its use.

I don't with JR1 but all these have a transporter .. usually alcohol, to help it move through all the open cells easier, then dry to that tacky state. I see with FAB-1 the time you have to work it through is very short compared to the No Toil oil so my suggestion is spray a good amount all over inside and out and get it massaged through pretty quickly. Then let stand and dry.   

I have found dust fines on the inside of the intake tubing, so the TwinAir had to go in before this weekend's ride.

The PJ1 has a salmon/pink color so you can tell where it has found its way onto the filter. Liberal application followed by lots of massaging. I hope I've done it correctly. I'll check the results after the next ride.

[2015 Z Force 800 53/Trail EPS]

Good. You're safe now. Ride with no worries.

Correction: The filter oil is PJ-1, not JR-1.

I've corrected my errant  posts.