In-Tank Fuel Filter / Mahle KL 97 Stock Upgrade
Installation Instructions
The KTM'S and HUSKY'S, seem to have more fuel related issues, with thier fuel systems, than any other manufacture has. Most likely because they cheap out on components and try to make things as small as possible.
That is just the cost of trying to make a profit and trying to make the lightest motorcycle out there. It's no big deal, as we have figured out how to easily fix the issues.
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The fuel pumps themselves are now crap, becasue they are made in china and probably cost $1 to KTM. Many of them have only lasted a few hours or miles and then people have walked home. No problem, we have much better pumps from Taiwan. Godd thing is, our pumps come with a new, better fitting fuel stainer.
And this is our first in tank filter needed. The strainer, which is what you see on the bottom of pump pic, on the left, is the first thing the fuel sees before it gets to the pump. This is your only line of defense to keep crap out of your pump. And the one that comes on our pump, is the best, because the plastic adapter that holds the strainer to the pump, actually fits tight to the pump.
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The stock one fits loose, on the stock pump assembly. This means fuel ( and crap in the fuel ) can suck through the loose fitting and not the strainer.
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So using our better pump, with attached better strainer, is a great start to not having a failure and walking home.
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The next filter in line, and the one that fails and leaves you walking home ( if left stock ) is the one in the line between the pump and the regulator. The reason you even need a filter between the pump and regulator, is to protect the regulator from failure. If enough junk gets into the regulator, it will cause it's seal to leak. This will keep it from holding and controlling fuel pressure, which is it's job. So the 50 - 52 psi or 58-60 psi it's suppose to create to the fuel injector, will drop. Then the bike will run lean.
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Above is your choice of "in tank " fuel filters. On the top is the stock filter. It's worhtless because the outside shell is plastic. And the problem is it can't handle the higher fuel pressures of the 50-60 psi that flow through it. Therefore the plastic likes to split. When this happens, you lose the needed fuel pressure and the bike harldy runs, if it runs at all.
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Without enough pressure, you walk home, or ride home real slow. The filter element in the stock filter, is a 40 micron filter. Because the stock filter can easily fail, it needs to go
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The filter below the stock filter, is another version of the stock filter. Same plastic casing and size, just clear instead of black. I think so many people were concerned that the inside of the clear filter would get black quickly, that they just changed the casing to where you couldn't see it.
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This leaves the 2 filters that we make, shown above, as the only two viable options for non failure. They both have billet housings, so they can't fail. The one in the middle, is our biggest filter, and has a huge pleated filter.
The one on the bottom, has a smaller stainless filter, but it's still as big as the stock filter, and is lifelong, since you can take apart and clean out.
Both our filters are 35 micron, which filters a shade better than the stock 40 micron, while still letting fuel flow freely.
You can see that it's pretty big and has a big filter. You can take it apart and can blow the filter out, from the inside, if needed. The only downsides to it, are since it's bigger than the stock one, sometimes people have issues fitting them in their tanks.
