[parik_ind]

I have checked with a couple of dealers and the stock replacement is about 2800-2900 bucks. There is another guy near home, will check with him over the weekend.

[rangakishen]

Originally Posted by abhinav.s

It is a lifetime reusable filter. So you invest 3 grand now and you dont have to change the filter ever as per K&N manual. Just wash, dry and reuse. While the foam stock filter needs to be replaced once every 10k or 20k (not very sure of the interval of replacement for P220)

PS: 3K seems a little on the higher side for Stock Replacement filter. When I bought the conical for RTR160 few years ago, the Pulsar conicals were in the range 2.3-2.4k. So the stock replacement would have been much cheaper. Check in few other places before finalizing the deal.

Anything more you can tell about conicals for Pulsar 220?
What kind of gains can be expected? Where can we look for such parts and at what price? Installations?

[abhinav.s]

Originally Posted by rangakishen

Anything more you can tell about conicals for Pulsar 220? What kind of gains can be expected? Where can we look for such parts and at what price? Installations?

Not specific to P220 but in general, Conical filters are also lifetime filters. You have to remove your airbox completely and fit the conical directly to the carb. Once done, you have to tune the carb according to the requirements. I am not sure in terms of bhp gains but the vehicle surely feels more free breathing and less constricted. But the protection to the filter from elements will be minimal. You have to be careful about riding in heavy rains etc.

PlanetDSG and Performance Racing Store are 2 places where you can order online. Bhpian's have had a good experience ordering from these 2 sites. DSG is in Pune and PRS is in Mumbai.

Installations are best left to the professionals and the only one i can think of & have experience with, in Bangalore is Joel. So best to go to him for installation and rejetting the carb. Perfect tuning will see you getting some good gains in the low and mid end while top end might be marginal to negligible with just the filter change. Hope this helps.

[parik_ind]

Have procured the oil . Thanks Rangakishen for bringing it over. I hope you are able to gauge some difference in the bike now.

I am planning to get the bike serviced on Saturday, hopefully will get the K&N stock replacement filter before that as well.

Well heres to more mile crunching on the bike.

Parik

[abhinav.s]

Originally Posted by parik_ind

Well heres to more mile crunching on the bike.

Glad you got the oil. There should be a significant difference if you have been using Bajaj oil all along. The bike should feel more revv happy. When draining the old oil, ensure its done when the engine is hot. Also when the bike is on center stand, bend the bike to both left and right and drain the oil fully before pouring the fresh oil. This way most of the old oil will be drained and not contaminate much with the new one. Also wait until the last few drops of oil are drained before fitting the drain nut back.

And to ensure more mile munching, take off on weekends to nearby places like Nandi Hills, Mysore, Coorg etc. Stretching the legs of your ride will help you get to know the capabilities of the P220 better. All the best!

[parik_ind]

Originally Posted by abhinav.s

When draining the old oil, ensure its done when the engine is hot. Also when the bike is on center stand, bend the bike to both left and right and drain the oil fully before pouring the fresh oil. This way most of the old oil will be drained and not contaminate much with the new one. Also wait until the last few drops of oil are drained before fitting the drain nut back.

Thanks Abhinav. Here is another question. Since it has crossed 10000 km, I guess I will need to change the oil filter as well. I have read conflicting posts about the existence of the oil filter, some say it is a cylindrical filter while others say there is some sort of a plastic sieve. What is correct?

How does one change the filter if it exists.

Parik

[abhinav.s]

Originally Posted by parik_ind

How does one change the filter if it exists.

Here is what a member from the reputed biking forum says:

The Pulsar 220 DTSi has an oil strainer & a centrifugal Oil filter nested inside the clutch cover. This needs to be cleaned at 10,000kms. The manual also states that the same should be cleaned at 500-750 Km i.e. after the first oil change of the runnin-in period.

Next service when you visit PBK, insist on cleaning the strainer and the oil filter. It hardly takes 15 minutes but ensures better care. I insisted on this in my second service and PBK did it (with a slight reluctance).

So it looks like the P220 has a centrifugal filter which does not need frequent replacement. But the oil stainer needs to be cleaned every time you change the oil. Check your owners manual to see if the centrifugal filter is due for replacement. Best to stick to service center if you are unsure of your local mechanic being knowledgeable about the filter cleaning/changing process.

[parik_ind]

Thanks for that Abhinav. I came across it as well. The owners manual does not say anything about the centrifugal filter but does say that the strainer needs to be cleaned at 10000 km.

I will have guys at castrol clean it and then put the oil in.

Parik

[parik_ind]

Got the oil changed and the oil strainer cleaned as well. I think its too soon to say if the bike feels any different, but I did notice that gear change was smoother, especially down shifting.

The old oil was the colour of Coca Cola and pretty viscous once it had cooled down. Once the mechanic had drained the oil, I asked him to clean the oil strainer as well. At first he was reluctant as he needed to open the clutch cover and said would take long. Told him I had all the time in the world, so he started taking it apart. .

Its quite a process and best not done at home if you don't have the experience with stuff like this. Mine was opened up immediately after riding for about 10 kms, so it was very hot.

Once you have taken off the clutch cover, you will see this. Notice the yellow cog at the bottom right - that assembly needs to be removed. The strainer is held in place by a clip (you can see a part of it in the fist picture - look below the cog). Following that is the picture of the cleaned strainer (Notice the broken piece, that's because the frame is made of plastic and can easily break when it is hot. There was some residue but not much - I don't expect the strainer to catch much dirt given the large size of the pores. The final picture is after removing the strainer.

I will be getting the bike serviced on Saturday and will use it for a while. If at that point I feel the need to get a K&N stock replacement filter I will.

[parik_ind]

Here's another update. Rode the bike to and fro from office today. Covered about 30 km in all. Bike was very smooth. I actually had the confidence to rev it up a bit. The bike still switches off while riding it, need to get that checked tomorrow.

Need to get the front brake pads changed and also the chain and sproket need to be checked. I hope that does not need to be replaced.

Parik

[Motormania]

The oil strainer is hardly ever cleaned by the service folks unless you sit on their head and get it done.
Would suggest taking the bike out for a short sprint on the highway after the oil change, you should feel the real difference. My P220 still feels like new thanks to the Motul diet its been getting.

[parik_ind]

The bike is right now at the service centre getting its 10000 km service done. The plan is head out next week for a nice breakfast on Mysore road and back. should be able to cover about 100 km or so.

The mechanic at Castrol Bike Zone in Banaswadi seems to be good; hopefully the bike comes back smoother and better than what I have experienced over the last few months.

Parik

[parik_ind]

Hi guys,

Its been a month since the 10000 km service. The bike has behaved itself properly. The motul oil makes a lot of difference while riding in the city. Sadly have not been able to take it out onto the highway yet; something or the other keeps coming up.

A couple of days after the service I had the clutch cable changed because it had become very hard to use. T=As mentioned earlier there could be an issue with the chain and sprocket, continue to have issues while shifting from first to second. Will get this checked and sorted out this month.

Here are some pictures of the bike. Took a few shots while it was parked at home .

[Sheel]

That is a lovely review. Has all the insights as well.

If you are looking at a cheaper engine oil which works, look at Valvoline 4 T Premium. Few blokes who have had their Pulsar for 8-10 years seem to be using it still now & stand by it. I used it as well & found it to be better.

For air cooled engines, I won't go for a fully synthetic oil, would rather stick with mineral or semi synthetic.

Try to red-line the bike while riding it 2nd, 3rd gears at least once a week. Gets rid of the carbon deposits forming on top of the cylinder. You can see the deposits on two of the cylinders here, while two are clean. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/superb...esolved-3.html

And please attend the riding schools conducted at MMSC or at Kari Track. Should make you a better rider & you will exploit your P-220 to its limits.

[parik_ind]

Originally Posted by Sheel

That is a lovely review. Has all the insights as well.

Thanks Sheel. The Motul did come highly recommended and now that I have used it I do feel that the bike is a lot better than what it was before. But thanks for the suggestion, will try it out next time I need to change oil.

Parik