Check your Talon air filter seal gasket!

[highpocket74]

Installing my R2C filter this morning and this what I found.

Photo rotated but this is the top left corner. 200 miles and this is the first time I’ve taken the air box cover off. Not typical Honda attention to detail if installed like this from factory. Good thing I’d not been in dusty conditions yet!!

 

[CID]

@Lil_Steve

 

[Lil_Steve]

@Lil_Steve

Both my gaskets are intact but it's a good idea for everyone to make sure theirs are too.

 

[AJMX824]

When I did my 100 mile initial maintenance, I decided to change the air filter even though it didn't require it, and I had the same thing as you on my 2020 Talon R. Not sure if the dealer installs this, or if it does from factory? Either way it was put in incorrectly. Glad I checked it, because there was dust in the clean area. Attached is the picture when I did the first air filter change at 100 miles.

 

[HavasuDave]

I put dielectric grease on the gasket to insure it is sealed well. I really don't like the Honda air intake, filter design. Huge potential for failure after the filter. Polaris design far superior with much more filter area. No chance for dirt to get in after the filter.

 

[highpocket74]

I put dielectric grease on the gasket to insure it is sealed well. I really don't like the Honda air intake, filter design. Huge potential for failed after the filter. Polaris design far superior with much more filter area. No chance for dirt to get in after the filter.

Air box design is definitely one thing polaris has outdone Honda on! I very much dislike the Honda design and find it very unlike to Honda to put something like this out.

The exposed throttle tubes openings are a disaster in progress for something being dropped in them.

If I had the manufacturing capabilities I’d redesign this intake to a 2 into 1 throttle tube, round filter and smaller air box that requires less work to change or clean and air filter.


On the Honda box there’s the one bottom latch that that’s below the cargo floor which requires small hands to latch. It also very awkward to latch because you can’t get good leverage on it where it's located.

 

[bjniceguy]

for those with short memory, back when the 800 polaris came out, they had a horrible round air filter that leaked and a lot of 800 motors "bit the dust" so to speak. it was a horrible design that they corrected with the 900XP. Growing pains are tough

 

[highpocket74]

The disappointment lies in the fact that Honda had 11 years to study other manufacturers’ machines, two generations of rzr, and this air box is the best they could do?

 

[HondaTech]

Anytime I pull any sort of airbox off and the throttle openings are exposed they get a rag stuffed in there or something to cover it.

I've swapped a few Talon and Pioneer air filters and when installing the new gaskets they can roll out quite easy. I suggest a little grease in the problem areas to keep it in the groove.

 

[jasond]

Anytime I pull any sort of airbox off and the throttle openings are exposed they get a rag stuffed in there or something to cover it.

I've swapped a few Talon and Pioneer air filters and when installing the new gaskets they can roll out quite easy. I suggest a little grease in the problem areas to keep it in the groove.

@HondaTech definitely agree with the grease method. It'll help hold the gasket in place until you can cinch it with the air filter.

Another thing that I've found that helps out is to set the corners of the rubber gasket into the channel BEFORE you set the straight sections. If you've ever noticed the rubber has a tendency to have too much "slack" when you work clockwise/counterclockwise when installing the gasket, then this helps mitigate that as well.

 

[CID]

I had checked my outer cover's seal earlier but didn't realize there's another one behind the filter itself, so it has to be removed, I did that today. The first 4 screws I removed were followed with a 'tink' or a 'tink, tink, tink'. WTH? Well, each screw has a small stand-off washer so you won't pinch the edge of the filter which is plastic - these small washers aren't captured and are more than happy to fall down into the engine, one by one, until you wake up. So … pay attention, don't drop the small washers.

 

[bjniceguy]

that is one of the best thing about the Talon, when you drop something, it usually falls all the way to the floor rather than getting stuck SOMEPLACE on way down. Even if caught in belly protector, you usually can see to get it. The YXZ was horrible about eating nuts, you would have thought it was a squirrel LOL

 

[Lil_Steve]

I had checked my outer cover's seal earlier but didn't realize there's another one behind the filter itself, so it has to be removed, I did that today. The first 4 screws I removed were followed with a 'tink' or a 'tink, tink, tink'. WTH? Well, each screw has a small stand-off washer so you won't pinch the edge of the filter which is plastic - these small washers aren't captured and are more than happy to fall down into the engine, one by one, until you wake up. So … pay attention, don't drop the small washers.

No, I don't use the DeWalt to install the screws.

 

[TMCCOY]

For the clips, I use a 17mm combination wrench. Open end to pop the clips off and closed end to pull them back on. Easy access and saves fingers.

 

[bionicman]

I concur 4 of the air filter M8 bolts were stripped from factory - I found several of the plactic push botton fasteners in lower inside skid pan from factory - NOT a Honda!

 

[Blownzuki]

I just checked my air filter and oiled the prefilter that my dealer installed. My air filter and air box lid didn’t have a rubber gasket. No noticeable dust inside the air ox or on the intake tubes. What the heck?

 

[highpocket74]

I've also considered more than once already to buy a donaldson system and mount it to the roll cage or something. Then could just take the Honda filter out, leave the Honda airbox empty but seal it closed. Run a snorkel tube to the donaldson and be done with it. Easy filter changes and cleaner air to start with.

Yamaha used to have terrible air box designs but the Talon is at least a tie!

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

I've also considered more than once already to buy a donaldson system and mount it to the roll cage or something. Then could just take the Honda filter out, leave the Honda airbox empty but seal it closed. Run a snorkel tube to the donaldson and be done with it. Easy filter changes and cleaner air to start with.

Yamaha used to have terrible air box designs but the Talon is at least a tie!

The oem filter location provides a proper volume in the airbox (which determines airbox pulse) for low end engine power.

 

[CID]

I just checked my air filter and oiled the prefilter that my dealer installed. My air filter and air box lid didn’t have a rubber gasket. No noticeable dust inside the air ox or on the intake tubes. What the heck?

Someone else thought they had the same problem but with a little encouragement from someone here they found there was, indeed, a gasket tucked in the groove. It was suggested to use a pic to dig it out to confirm it’s actually there. It’s the same color as the plastic and really camouflaged well. Or you can just poke at the bottom of the groove with a flat screwdriver to see if it’s soft like rubber would be.

 

[HavasuDave]

I just checked my air filter and oiled the prefilter that my dealer installed. My air filter and air box lid didn’t have a rubber gasket. No noticeable dust inside the air ox or on the intake tubes. What the heck?

Contact your dealer, two seals come in the same bag as the filter, they owe you two new seals. And a free change next time for screwing it up