Air Box Modification

exploring/carolina · May 24th, 2011, 04:39 PM

Bought a 1999 Ninja 250 last week with 2100 miles knowing it had carburetor problems. Found it difficult to remove the carburetor with the stock air box, thought it would probably be difficult going back together, too.

Talked to Kelly about options.

Not sure if this modification has been done or posted before.

Decided to go with the K & N "drop-in" KA-2586 air filter keeping the original air box. Still wanted to modify the air box making it easy to remove/install the carburetor.

Removed the air box original brackets & foam filter as per K & N instructions.
This can be skipped if the original foam brackets and foam element
are to be used.

Removing air box split in half with one side slid forward & one side slid back with carburetor removed. Had to be "patient" getting the two air box halves out to be cut.

Air box halves before modification.

When cuts were made with the hacksaw, had to be "sure" the battery box was cut off without making any cuts or holes in the air box!!!!!!!

Air Box halves with battery box halves.

Snorkle modification for the K & N filter. This can be skipped if the original foam brackets and foam element are to be used.

Battery box bolted together.

Lots of room between the carburetor and air box with the battery box removed and air box slid back.

Air box installed with original battery box bolted in.

Hose Clamps installed on the air box hose to carburetor.

Finished job.

CynicalC · May 24th, 2011, 06:50 PM

Good idea.

exploring/carolina · May 24th, 2011, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CynicalC

Good idea.

Planning to do additional mods on the Ninja. Will post them too!

Thanks!

kkim · May 24th, 2011, 07:15 PM

Looks good, Bill.

have fun working on the carbs and your other future projects.

shiftdrift06 · May 24th, 2011, 09:19 PM

cutting it in half helps alot when tuning the carbs

exploring/carolina · May 25th, 2011, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkim

Looks good, Bill.

have fun working on the carbs and your other future projects.

Just got the carbs put back together and plan to install tires, re-line fuel tank, & check valves this week.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiftdrift06

cutting it in half helps alot when tuning the carbs

Cleaned the carbs this week, but thinking I may have to do more work on them so modified the air box to make it easy if the carbs have to be removed later this week.

Thanks,

Ceeloo Yello · May 26th, 2011, 04:08 PM

That's genius...

exploring/carolina · May 26th, 2011, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ceeloo Yello

That's genius...

Appreciate your kind comment.

Thanks!

coondog · May 27th, 2011, 11:15 AM

Great post man, most guys post about "ripping out" f'in airbox cause the K&N kit they have doesn't fit and they didn't know. No removal and hacksaw, just crowbar and hammer that sumbitch i'm so frustrated cause I already bought K$N kit. By going in for carbs was perfect timing as well to do (and photo) proceedure. LMAO on some guys I know. Again great post.

Green Streak · May 27th, 2011, 12:28 PM

That is a great idea! Nicely done!

exploring/carolina · May 27th, 2011, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coondog

Great post man, most guys post about "ripping out" f'in airbox cause the K&N kit they have doesn't fit and they didn't know. No removal and hacksaw, just crowbar and hammer that sumbitch i'm so frustrated cause I already bought K$N kit. By going in for carbs was perfect timing as well to do (and photo) proceedure. LMAO on some guys I know. Again great post.

After talking to Kelly, decided to keep the air box.
Wanted to make carb removal/installation "mechanic" friendly.

Hope to take the bike for my first "Ninja" twisty ride next week.

The K & N air filter arrived today & it took about 2 minutes to install.

Thanks!!!

exploring/carolina · May 27th, 2011, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green Streak

That is a great idea! Nicely done!

Thanks!

choneofakind · November 27th, 2011, 07:14 PM

thanks for the great idea here! I did this to my bike over the holiday weekend. really makes taking the carbs off a ton easier. TONS easier. So much easier in fact that they should have just come like this in the first place. now taking the carbs off is a matter of 2 bolts, instead of loosening the entire fender, and you get tons of space to work with.

getting the airbox out really wasnt nearly as bad as I thought it would be though. I just took my time and grunted at it

exploring/carolina · November 28th, 2011, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by choneofakind

thanks for the great idea here! I did this to my bike over the holiday weekend. really makes taking the carbs off a ton easier. TONS easier. So much easier in fact that they should have just come like this in the first place. now taking the carbs off is a matter of 2 bolts, instead of loosening the entire fender, and you get tons of space to work with.

getting the airbox out really wasnt nearly as bad as I thought it would be though. I just took my time and grunted at it

The modification made it easy to remove/install the carburetor for me, too!

Appreciate your comments!!!!!

angela7171 · March 24th, 2012, 04:16 PM

Today, mine got washed, polished, lubed and I took photos!

klaudds · May 19th, 2012, 12:46 PM

hey guys, probably a total newb question here but bear with me.

i tried to take out the airbox several weeks ago. i unscrewed all the 10 screws holding the halves together. however, i couldn't get out the two white brackets that hold in the filter no matter how hard i twisted and turned them. what am i doing wrong? thanks a bunch guys!

Kevin2109 · May 19th, 2012, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by klaudds

hey guys, probably a total newb question here but bear with me.

i tried to take out the airbox several weeks ago. i unscrewed all the 10 screws holding the halves together. however, i couldn't get out the two white brackets that hold in the filter no matter how hard i twisted and turned them. what am i doing wrong? thanks a bunch guys!

I believe there are 2 3mm screws holding those clamps down (one screw per clamp) but ive never had my hands in a pregen

exploring/carolina · May 20th, 2012, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by klaudds

hey guys, probably a total newb question here but bear with me.

i tried to take out the airbox several weeks ago. i unscrewed all the 10 screws holding the halves together. however, i couldn't get out the two white brackets that hold in the filter no matter how hard i twisted and turned them. what am i doing wrong? thanks a bunch guys!

Are you going to install a K & N filter? I did not use "original" air filter & white air filter bracket since I used the K & N filter upgrade. The K&N "KA-2586" air filter is a nice upgrade and does not require carb mods either. If I remember correctly, I used a pair of dikes to cut the white bracket in a couple places to make it easy to remove, since I was "not" going to reuse the original filter or bracket.

If you are going to keep the original air filter & white brackets, do not cut the white brackets, since they will be reused to support the original air filter foam when you assemble the airbox.

There are also two bolts under the battery holding the air box to the frame that need to be removed:

choneofakind · May 21st, 2012, 05:13 PM

To get the white filter bracket out, you're going to have to get the 2 halves of the airbox cock-eyed at an angle, and then slide the white thing out. It's much easier to get back in once the airbox is not attached to the battery box and there's more space to work with. That was the biggest pain of this whole project. The airbox itself wasn't bad, but the white piece was a b***h

exploring/carolina · May 21st, 2012, 06:30 PM

klaudds and I sent some PMs back & forth yesterday. Think he is going with the K & N drop in filter, he will not need the original filter brackets.

May 24th, 2011, 04:39 PM	#1
exploring/carolina ninjette.org guru Name: Bill Location: NC Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250 Posts: 282	Air Box Modification Bought a 1999 Ninja 250 last week with 2100 miles knowing it had carburetor problems. Found it difficult to remove the carburetor with the stock air box, thought it would probably be difficult going back together, too. Talked to Kelly about options. Not sure if this modification has been done or posted before. Decided to go with the K & N "drop-in" KA-2586 air filter keeping the original air box. Still wanted to modify the air box making it easy to remove/install the carburetor. Removed the air box original brackets & foam filter as per K & N instructions. This can be skipped if the original foam brackets and foam element are to be used. Removing air box split in half with one side slid forward & one side slid back with carburetor removed. Had to be "patient" getting the two air box halves out to be cut. Air box halves before modification. When cuts were made with the hacksaw, had to be "sure" the battery box was cut off without making any cuts or holes in the air box!!!!!!! Air Box halves with battery box halves. Snorkle modification for the K & N filter. This can be skipped if the original foam brackets and foam element are to be used. Battery box bolted together. Lots of room between the carburetor and air box with the battery box removed and air box slid back. Air box installed with original battery box bolted in. Hose Clamps installed on the air box hose to carburetor. Finished job. Last futzed with by exploring/carolina; May 25th, 2011 at 05:00 AM.

May 27th, 2011, 12:28 PM	#10
Green Streak Ninjette Owner Name: Rick Location: Aiken County, SC Join Date: Jun 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R SE, a puddle of Ninja ZX6 Posts: 520	That is a great idea! Nicely done! __________________________________________________

March 24th, 2012, 04:16 PM	#15
angela7171 CVMA #717 Name: Angela Location: Los Angeles Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): '09 Ninja 250, '12 BMW s1000rr Posts: 28	Today, mine got washed, polished, lubed and I took photos! __________________________________________________ Do, or do not. There is no try.

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May 24th, 2011, 06:50 PM	#2
CynicalC ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Colin Location: Bay Area Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): '96 EX250 Posts: A lot.	Good idea.

May 24th, 2011, 07:15 PM	#4
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	Looks good, Bill. have fun working on the carbs and your other future projects.

May 24th, 2011, 09:19 PM	#5
shiftdrift06 ninjette.org member Name: Z Location: Earth Join Date: Jun 2010 Motorcycle(s): None Posts: 92	cutting it in half helps alot when tuning the carbs

May 26th, 2011, 04:08 PM	#7
Ceeloo Yello ninjette.org guru Name: C Location: Hawaii Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 250 Posts: 472	That's genius...

May 27th, 2011, 11:15 AM	#9
coondog ninjette.org sage Name: john Location: Palm Beach County, Fl Sligo County, Eire Join Date: Dec 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2005 ninja 250 street fighter, 2008 street fighter ninja 500, 2001 nsr 125 Posts: 812	Great post man, most guys post about "ripping out" f'in airbox cause the K&N kit they have doesn't fit and they didn't know. No removal and hacksaw, just crowbar and hammer that sumbitch i'm so frustrated cause I already bought K$N kit. By going in for carbs was perfect timing as well to do (and photo) proceedure. LMAO on some guys I know. Again great post.

November 27th, 2011, 07:14 PM	#13
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	thanks for the great idea here! I did this to my bike over the holiday weekend. really makes taking the carbs off a ton easier. TONS easier. So much easier in fact that they should have just come like this in the first place. now taking the carbs off is a matter of 2 bolts, instead of loosening the entire fender, and you get tons of space to work with. getting the airbox out really wasnt nearly as bad as I thought it would be though. I just took my time and grunted at it

May 19th, 2012, 12:46 PM	#16
klaudds ninjette.org newbie Name: Kent Location: Los Angeles and Fullerton, CA Join Date: May 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2004 ninja250 Posts: 1	hey guys, probably a total newb question here but bear with me. i tried to take out the airbox several weeks ago. i unscrewed all the 10 screws holding the halves together. however, i couldn't get out the two white brackets that hold in the filter no matter how hard i twisted and turned them. what am i doing wrong? thanks a bunch guys!

May 21st, 2012, 05:13 PM	#19
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	To get the white filter bracket out, you're going to have to get the 2 halves of the airbox cock-eyed at an angle, and then slide the white thing out. It's much easier to get back in once the airbox is not attached to the battery box and there's more space to work with. That was the biggest pain of this whole project. The airbox itself wasn't bad, but the white piece was a b***h

May 21st, 2012, 06:30 PM	#20
exploring/carolina ninjette.org guru Name: Bill Location: NC Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250 Posts: 282	klaudds and I sent some PMs back & forth yesterday. Think he is going with the K & N drop in filter, he will not need the original filter brackets.