I just did a filter change on my mom's recently purchased '97 LeSabre. The filter box had a bunch of leaves and sand in it (which would support the claim that the PO was taking this car to his vacation spot in the northern part of the state quite often) and the filter was only a bit darkened, but seemed dusty. A new Wix filter really did make a difference.
Change those Air Filters!
- Thread starter Drew99GT
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Believe it or not...
Once, completely loaded up a brand new paper air filter in two weeks. Two camping trips with the car to very dusty venues. Noticed the mileage drop off, checked the filter, could not believe how dirty it had gotten in such a short time and few miles.
fat biker
Once, completely loaded up a brand new paper air filter in two weeks. Two camping trips with the car to very dusty venues. Noticed the mileage drop off, checked the filter, could not believe how dirty it had gotten in such a short time and few miles.
fat biker
I used to change out air filters on a 15k mile basis and never saw any improvement and the slight bit of dirt seemed to be on one small part of the filter directly in the path of the airflow rather than spreading amongst the media and wasn't very dark or clogged looking. It was also very easy to see light through the filter every time. I am now going to follow the manufacturers recomendation of 30k miles except when I go to the Nevada desert with my car next year, then I will probably put a different filter on for the duration of the dusty period of driving and put the other back on when I'm not in the dust anymore. Where I live there simply is never any visible dust and dirt roads come maybe once every 2000 or more miles and are usually less than 2 miles or so of road in the first place. If I lived off a dirt road or in any other dusty conditions I would probably change it out every oil change.
Has anyone seen the monitor on a Chevy/GMC truck filter change or indicate that a filter change was needed? I changed mine at 50k but it did not seem real dirty. Now I am at 113K and the indicator has not changed yet.
I'm also interested in the answer to dickwells' question.
I had one of this monitors on my '98 K1500 with the 5.7L vortech and never saw it change. I ended up changing it every 30k miles or so. That was one massive filter.
My '04 Avalanche also has this monitor. I'm interested in knowing how long it will take to indicate a filter change is needed. My air filter is the same one specified for the 6.6L duramax diesel (which I assume is going to suck more CFM's in than my little 5.3L v8). It's a mighty big air filter as well. I guess overkill is better.
I had one of this monitors on my '98 K1500 with the 5.7L vortech and never saw it change. I ended up changing it every 30k miles or so. That was one massive filter.
My '04 Avalanche also has this monitor. I'm interested in knowing how long it will take to indicate a filter change is needed. My air filter is the same one specified for the 6.6L duramax diesel (which I assume is going to suck more CFM's in than my little 5.3L v8). It's a mighty big air filter as well. I guess overkill is better.
Hermann
Site Donor 2023
Changed my filter yesterday at 21000 miles. It was real dirty especially where the EGR input into the airbox is positioned. It was well saturated with dirt in the pleats. I used a generic made by purolator for the new filter and it fit well but had less pleats than the Honda original.
I'm about to do my paper Toyota filter @ 12k.
It's not terribly dirty, but I think I'm going to play it safe and just do it.
They're $12, so not cheap, but not worth wasting gas if it is clogged.
Scott
It's not terribly dirty, but I think I'm going to play it safe and just do it.
They're $12, so not cheap, but not worth wasting gas if it is clogged.
Scott
Can't you just knock the dirt out of em, hit em with a soft vacuum brush and put em back in? Assuming they're dry, no oil contamination, these things are of such heavy stock, a little loose dirt shouldn't hurt em..
Whenever I wash my car I took my car vacuum and ran it over the drop in K&N air filter. Kept it free of those leaves, bird feathers, and bugs that got in it... Not sure how good that is but it made me feel better.
Now that I've gone back to paper - I've noticed them getting a lot dirtier - but haven't vacuumed them yet.
What do you guys think about vacuuming your air filter?
Now that I've gone back to paper - I've noticed them getting a lot dirtier - but haven't vacuumed them yet.
What do you guys think about vacuuming your air filter?
For me, a filter is cheap.
Why bother?
I keep a spare in the trunk as soon as I replace the current one.
Same with oil filters - keep a stock on hand and one in the trunk for the next change.
Cheap insurance.
Scott
Why bother?
I keep a spare in the trunk as soon as I replace the current one.
Same with oil filters - keep a stock on hand and one in the trunk for the next change.
Cheap insurance.
Scott
I check my filter everytime I change my oil. I have never replaced it. I only have 30,000 miles but alot of them been on dusty dirt roads.
Bryan
Bryan
How would mpg drop if a MAF was metering the flow? Anyway, I "rotate" and clean my filter at 20k and change it at 40k or 15-30. Another trick is pantyhose to cover the new filter, remove them upon cleaning and re-use the filter bare. Works great on K&N where you need to do a total cleaning and pantyhose will catch any loose oil drops.
I had a 98 Z71 for 50k miles. I saw it go to Orange one time.
I only put one of those huge round filters on during the 50k miles. Those filters are the bomb!
Goes to my thought that the K&N wasn't catching all the dirt it could. I can't see how a little vacuuming would hurt. My opinion would be that it would extend the useful life of your air filter.
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