air filter change interval

10K km oil change the other day, was going to swap out the air filter also but forgot about all the prep time from the previous change - bad design I think. I peeked in enough to it wasn't really that dirty. I have the one with the foam pad on the bottom side - Hengst I think. What are change intervals out there? This one will have been in for a year.

Kind of subjective as it depends on your driving conditions. I drive my van on regular roads, not too much dust and I change the air filter every two years, which is about 42K. It is not that dirty, some grains of sand in the holder that I vacuum and wipe out. If you are not doing a lot of desert driving and so on, the filters last a while.

Chris

Be careful to fit it when installing, some of the filters can be a little warped on the edges. I changed mine recently and discovered that one edge had pulled inwards, allowing some junk to get through to the MAF screen, just some bug wings, but I'm sure that dust got through as well.

surlyoldbill said:

Be careful to fit it when installing, some of the filters can be a little warped on the edges. I changed mine recently and discovered that one edge had pulled inwards, allowing some junk to get through to the MAF screen, just some bug wings, but I'm sure that dust got through as well.

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Be careful of what you fit and how you fit it!

I have seen a lot of aftermarket air panel filters that just don't fit.
Make sure your new one is dimensionally accurate and that the edges fits into the air box
edges correctly. Better still insist on the original factory parts from the dealer

A few months ago I had a 2006 Tinney come in one the hook with a blown piston.
Upon tear down the first thing noticed was the sucked in air filter. Made in China

Then a lot of dust in the inlet ports and scuffed cylinders. More than 0.040" (1mm) cylinder wear.

An oil analysis revealed high contents of silica --and or course iron and tin.

I sent the oil analysis over to the fleet owner, he didn't much understand the silica bit!
Oh that is all the crap that cheap aftermarket air filter your guys fitted and then forgot!
The engine ran on a diet of dust
Kahching Kahching--New engine!

Dennis

I use the Meyle filters. I'm glad I checked it, I put it in last summer. It was AFTER a trip to Moab thank goodness. I took extra care to make sure all the edges were fitting this time, taking a second peek. That was the last time I have an air filter with a gap.

good thoughts to consider - I'm going to keep it in for another year then. First go round I removed the washer res - what a hassle. The other way looks easier - remove the heat shield.
Unless there is a removal trick I'm unaware of.

I just remove the heat shield and then Tetris the lid out, then the filters out/in and the lid again.

I swap the air filter every 20K miles. You can get the cover out without removing anything else. I know, it looks like you need to. Next time I'll post up a video. This will not be a completely altruistic maneuver, because in 20K, I forget how to do it and have to figure it out anew.

I must see to believe on this one........

white whale said:

I must see to believe on this one........

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Yup, he's correct, it can be done. Be darn if I can remember how either. Think there was some twisting and turning involved & there is a post somewhere here describing it? Not ready for a change yet. Will wait for the video to relearn.

I did the air filter change once without moving the washer bottle out of place. It works OK.

Not that anyone asked...

My reasons for taking the extra time to move the bottle are:

* Bottle removal is not that difficult.

* I can get in easier to inspect and clean.

* I can be certain that the new filter is seated home and properly fitted. The consequenses of the filter not being properly installed can be pretty ugly given all the dirt that can blow by.

* I am not being paid by the hour or job.



vic

Hey got some air filter questions, gonna just tack em on to this thread:

I purchased two Hengst e240l01 heavy duty air filters a while back.

-the extra foam sheet stays on the filter, correct?

- one filter i kept in my van, it got banged around a bunch, falling off shelves, sliding around etc.
obviously ive learned my lesson, but i wonder if its too banged up to use

Heres a side by side of a box kept in my closet, and a box kept in the van:



Heres the banged up one, the glue on the top has let go of the last bit of filter material and orange frame:


And the black foam is unglued a bit:



Here is one kept in the closet, glue looks good but there are still a few unglued fins between the black foam and the filter:




I know air filters are important, and my most paranoid and ignorant opinion is you want your air filter completely intact since air flows the path of least resistance, which in this case would be the top and bottom edges which are slightly unglued, bypassing most of the filter medium.

I could pop the old one out and compare, but if the new ones are sufficient id rather know before i get started.

Terra- Yes the foam says on, the orange rubber will get squeezed tight by the housing and you just need to remember to poke the lose fins inside the housing as you place it in, and both are good to use IMHO. make sure all edges of the orange rubber are flat and even depth in
The foam may get clogged with dandelion seeds, feathers, flying grass cuttings misc junk after a year so inspect and vacuum clean, filters are good for 2 years where I am, your environment may differ in dust and fuzz

Well that was one dirty filter!

I was not worried about changing frequently as vic mentioned a "a dirty filter catching finer particles" but the second i changed this and my fuel filter i went from a consistent 20mpg to 25mpg which i havent experienced in over a year! The old filter has about 20-25k on it

Checking the filter more often and vacuuming out the airbox sounds like a good idea, although pulling all that crap out to do it, disconnecting hoses, and not pinching any wires (front left area around filter when facing the windshield) is a big enough hassle that id consider just changing the $20 thing when im in there

I seem to get a bit better MPG with the ones with no foam but I change mine at 5,000 miles I am sure I could go longer with the foam on if I just cleaned the foam at 5,000