air filter

Bill1234 said:
hahah just posted that earlier , so basically there would be clips on the sides , I would just pull off the cover, the other small l tube and the bigger box and unplug the thing (dont know yet) then snap up the clips ?
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Just pull the cover off, the filter is sitting in there, should be only one or two clips on the side.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Eh...more of an issue back in the carb days, if you have a FI engine with a MAF, you'd really .
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This is true. BUT, the engine isn't running efficiently with a dirty filter. Gas mileage is affected, and the engine is working harder to produce power.

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Bill1234 said:
I am younger and cars are my hobby I have not really got to the fixing part yet. I think Ill take it my mechanic. So you are saying that if I have not replaced my air filter ever, now would be the time to do so?
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Figured you might be younger, as I've read through this thread and still am a bit confused at the first post saying you haven't "cleaned" your filter yet. :eek:

Unless you have some sort of aftermarket 'cleanable' filter already, then NO you will NEVER need to clean an OEM paper filter. While some may clean them, paper filters are fragile and unless you are familiar with them, hammering them with compressed air will likely cause more damage than good.

I believe what you are/were trying to say is you've not REPLACED your filter yet, yes?

The mileage you have on the OEM is fine up to say 24,000 miles or so. Although a replacement every 2 years or 30,000 miles is honestly as far as I would go under the BEST of circumstances! Some go less, some more.... but that's my generally accepted worst case range.

Whether or not you need a mechanic to replace it depends on how hard it is to get to. ;) Most are a 2 to 4 clips and the top cover snaps right off. The filter is a simple slide out, slide in flat plate. That being said, the last time my daughter took her car to get the oil changed (she takes her own oil & filter, they just do the labor) there were THREE guys pouring over a Mini trying to figure out how to change the air filter! :rolleyes:

Now, the talk about oiled filters is a different matter. Honestly I think that'll just be over what you are prepared to do now. Some will argue pro and con about oiled guaze filters as to whether or not there are any real world advantages to their use. Most importantly is whether or not you see any horsepower increases. I can say with my knowledge I have seen more horsepower in certain vehicles. IF that is enough to justify the cost, and subsequent maintenance involved in the oiling, removal, washing, re-oiling, risk to MAF / MAP and whatever other sensors that may be downrange from the filter is entirely up to the end user.


Setec Astronomy said:
I think everyone is getting a little too excited about this. Unless you drive in excessively dusty areas, or your car sits and idles for extended periods (hours a day) then air filters are changed by mileage, not time. You said you only have 26K on the car...it can't hurt to change it now, but the car isn't going to explode if you don't. You sound almost frantic about this, just relax a little.

I'm a little OCD about air filters, I always check mine with a droplight when I change them to see how clogged they are...with FI cars where the PCV comes in downstream of the air filter, I never see badly clogged filters when changed at the recommended mileage (usually 30K). Back in the old carburetor days, you'd change them at 12K and couldn't even see the light thru them.
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You and I both! :)

And remember just how flimsy they were back them? :eek:
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Well, you can blow it out with compressed air, but that would be in an emergency, you should really listen to smack's advice:
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Right, you can also just give it a light tap against a wall and watch a lot of stuff fall out. When I mentioned vacuuming and compressed air earlier, that was in regards to the Amsoil Ea filter since that is how you clean that specific filter.
 
Isn't it funny that over 100 years after the invention of the automobile and some of the technology has not changed much?... Funniest part to me is how electricbattery power was in use before combustion and people think electric cars are the "new" automotive technology. Ignorance is bliss.:)
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Chris's FX4 said:
I was referring to if Amsoil made one for your car. The K&N's aren't worth it IMO. I have one and I'm tired of cleaning it. I'm getting rid of it in the spring.
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I have a K&N in my fiance's Mazda 6 and its got 25k on it and isn't that dirty after all these miles but plan on cleaning it soon. The filters are designed to work when their dirty due to the cotton gauze and special oil. The cost of a K&N is cheap when you consider the price of most replacement filters, let them go about 30k or more and you save even more!

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What im saying is I have a 2004 audi that is 9 years old and around 26,000 miles. I have never replaced the filter and I think its eating into my mpg a considerable amount . I have seen the computer say 11 mpg , but I think that was because I was idiling and not being eco friendly with the gas pedal (speed demon) =) . Since I am younger and I dont have the time to re oil a k and n. I will be using the mann filter for my vehicle. I think it would be my best option as its cheap and effective.
 
Apparently I'm in the minority in this thread, but I don't think that by changing your air filter is going to improve your mileage, I can't even see it being that dirty unless you drive on dirt roads or you have a lot more time on that engine than 26K miles would indicate.

Again, with a current tech car with a MAF sensor, a clogged air filter will not result in reduced mileage, it will result in reduced power; the computer is only going to inject the proper amount of fuel for the air mass being introduced. This was not the case back in the old carburetor days when a clogged air filter could affect your fuel mixture.

PS When you are idling you get 0 MPG.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Apparently I'm in the minority in this thread, but I don't think that by changing your air filter is going to improve your mileage, I can't even see it being that dirty unless you drive on dirt roads or you have a lot more time on that engine than 26K miles would indicate.

Again, with a current tech car with a MAF sensor, a clogged air filter will not result in reduced mileage, it will result in reduced power; the computer is only going to inject the proper amount of fuel for the air mass being introduced. This was not the case back in the old carburetor days when a clogged air filter could affect your fuel mixture.

PS When you are idling you get 0 MPG.
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My point is that I need to change it as I expect it too by dirty. I know you get 0 mpg when idiling as it is going nowhere, my point is that Im getting less across the board as the airfilter has never been replaced. I think that with the car being older a clean air filter will improve efficiency. I feel that I should change it as I dont have a warranty on the car anymore as it is 9 yeard old
 
Bill1234 said:
My point is that I need to change it as I expect it too by dirty. I know you get 0 mpg when idiling as it is going nowhere, my point is that Im getting less across the board as the airfilter has never been replaced. I think that with the car being older a clean air filter will improve efficiency. I feel that I should change it as I dont have a warranty on the car anymore as it is 9 yeard old
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Why do you think replacing the air filter would increase MPG?

Do you have service records over the last 9 years? You should be on an audi forum, searching for proper maintenance at your mileage and age.

A owning a German car is very different from American or Asian from a maintenance perspective.
 
Bill1234 said:
My point is that I need to change it as I expect it too by dirty. I know you get 0 mpg when idiling as it is going nowhere, my point is that Im getting less across the board as the airfilter has never been replaced. I think that with the car being older a clean air filter will improve efficiency. I feel that I should change it as I dont have a warranty on the car anymore as it is 9 yeard old
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Changing that alone won't give you any significant improvement in MPGs. May get some power back but that's about it.

Have you had plugs and wires replaced?
 
I the 9 years I have gotten some oil changes, new brakes, new windshield wipers and other very small parts. I have never gotten plugs or wires replaced
 
You think its necessary? I only have 26,000 miles in 9 years lol
 
scrace said:
Replacing the spark plugs should help.
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I give up. The car is likely fine, this is a case of an inexperienced owner and a lot of people giving advice without listening to the details. How many years of that 9 have you been driving the car, Bill? How many other cars have you had/driven?
 
So you really have no frame of reference as to whether your car is running properly because you have no experience driving it or any other car. Just enjoy driving and stop worrying about your air filter.
 
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