2004 Buick Regal Air Filter

[New]

Hi,

I've seen the air filter of a 2004 Buick Regal (3.8l, not supercharged).
Now that filter looks like a normal paper filter but it's oily! Near the air intake duct there's a lot of dust stuck to the filter.
The car has only 6200miles (10000km) so I believe it's the OEM filter. Yet the fuel economy is lousy so I'm thinking to change that filter with a good [regular] paper one.
Any thoughts ?

tia

 

[TheFuror]

quote:

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Originally posted by New:
Hi,

I've seen the air filter of a 2004 Buick Regal (3.8l, not supercharged).
Now that filter looks like a normal paper filter but it's oily! Near the air intake duct there's a lot of dust stuck to the filter.
The car has only 6200miles (10000km) so I believe it's the OEM filter. Yet the fuel economy is lousy so I'm thinking to change that filter with a good [regular] paper one.
Any thoughts ?

tia

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Thought 1) Change it using an Ac Delco filter or a Baldwin. Napa air filters also seem to be good, but I would go with the others if you can. See if the "oil" returns. If it does, see thought 2;

Thought 2) new car with lousy mileage and oil on filter? Go in for warranty check.

Bob W.

 

[New]

I've given it a closer look. There's no oil in the intake duct. Just the filter seems to be the oiled paper type (is there such a filter?). Or it might have gotten oiled sometime prior to my buying the car.

thanks

 

[haley10]

Go to GM dealer for warranty check. This is not normal for the Regal. I own one.

 

[Spector]

to my knowledge they do not use any oil type air filter,either someone changed ot the OEM or you could have some PCV issues and oil is being sucked into the filter.

 

[New]

I wonder, what if the dealer sprayed some "engine-look-good-to-sell" stuff while the engine was running ? That might explain the oily look'n'feel.

Anyway, I've changed the air filter and run some Motomaster injector cleaner through the fuel system and the mileage improved from 14.7mpg to 16.8 (i.e. 16l/100km -> 14l/100km) all city driving.

 

[Noladown]

AC Delco Filters seem to have that oil effect. I don't know what it is or what causes it... but they all do that! Your condition is normal.

 

[GT Mike]

I run the Carquest Blue premium filters in my Grand Prix (same car as your Regal) and have no complaints. There's no way anything oily could get to your air filter as the PCV system is totally self-contained within the intake plenum.
Like it was mentioned, the AC filters seem to get plugged with dirt quickly compared to others, or it might have been some slimy stuff sprayed on the engine, but that would be tough to suck into the filter element, just by the very design of the airbox inlet. I'd just keep an eye on it and see how it goes.

BTW, your MPG seems awfully low for this car...I can average 20+ in city driving with a somewhat heavy foot, and 30 on the highway in the summertime. Right now in mixed driving I've averaged 24.8 on this tank. I seem to get better MPG on 89 octane mid-grade (without ethanol) than on the regular grade.

 

[TC]

Following up on Noladown's comment, you might go to a Buick dealer parts department (a different Buick dealer than the one you normally deal with) and ask to see a new, in-box AC Delco air filter for your ride and compare to yours. If the new filter is dry, perhaps some of the other mentioned scenarios occurred (some sort of dealer underhood or chassis spray coating, faux rustproofing, etc???). If so, I'd probably change out the filter. A sneaky move might be to somehow sabotage the filter, making it "factory defective," and then ask for warranty replacement after you, as a shade tree mechanic, "checked it just out of curiosity."

 

[vvk]

quote:

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Originally posted by New:
I've given it a closer look. There's no oil in the intake duct. Just the filter seems to be the oiled paper type (is there such a filter?). Or it might have gotten oiled sometime prior to my buying the car.

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Just to aleviate your fears. Subaru OEM filters are oiled paper as well.