Once a year...the filters are $14 and my turbo likes to breathe
Do you change air filter by looks or miles?
- Thread starter ZZman
- Start date
- Status
Originally Posted By: Onug
Once a year...the filters are $14 and my turbo likes to breathe
$14! That is too expensive.
I can get air filters for my truck for $0.79 each from Rock Auto. Well, plus a modest shipping fee. So I should increase the quantity to make it cost effective. I can order 52 air filters, a year's supply if changed weekly, for only $65.06. My truck likes to breathe, too.
Once a year...the filters are $14 and my turbo likes to breathe
$14! That is too expensive.
I can get air filters for my truck for $0.79 each from Rock Auto. Well, plus a modest shipping fee. So I should increase the quantity to make it cost effective. I can order 52 air filters, a year's supply if changed weekly, for only $65.06. My truck likes to breathe, too.
Last edited:
I go by miles. 12k is the recommended mileage by Fram, so I try to keep it close to that
Clean side vacuum tells me when to change air filters.
Originally Posted By: 2012AccentSE
I go by miles. 12k is the recommended mileage by Fram, so I try to keep it close to that
That would be naive, unless you frequent dusty trails. They're in the business of selling filters.
I go by miles. 12k is the recommended mileage by Fram, so I try to keep it close to that
That would be naive, unless you frequent dusty trails. They're in the business of selling filters.
Filter Minder.
An auto shop teacher once told me that the best filter is a dirty filter. Sometimes I check the filter to make sure a rat didn't shred it to make a nest. If it looks too dirty, I'll shake out the sand and leaves, then blow the rest out with compressed air. Bam, good for another year or five.
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
... I'll shake out the sand and leaves, then blow the rest out with compressed air. ...
Be very gentle with the compressed air, or you'll greatly increase the amount of grit entering the engine, and consequent wear. There have been several threads warning about that practice.
... I'll shake out the sand and leaves, then blow the rest out with compressed air. ...
Be very gentle with the compressed air, or you'll greatly increase the amount of grit entering the engine, and consequent wear. There have been several threads warning about that practice.
Check some of Richard Widman's posts here, not to mention his site. He has some eye opening information.
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
then blow the rest out with compressed air.
http://www.widman.biz/English/Analysis/Cleaning.html
then blow the rest out with compressed air.
http://www.widman.biz/English/Analysis/Cleaning.html
Yes, that's the link. I've looked it up a couple times, but I'm always winding up in an endless rabbit hole of Richard's restoration pictures.
Originally Posted By: CR94
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
... I'll shake out the sand and leaves, then blow the rest out with compressed air. ...
Be very gentle with the compressed air, or you'll greatly increase the amount of grit entering the engine, and consequent wear. There have been several threads warning about that practice.
Originally Posted By: Garak
Check some of Richard Widman's posts here, not to mention his site. He has some eye opening information.
Originally Posted By: circuitsmith
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
then blow the rest out with compressed air.
http://www.widman.biz/English/Analysis/Cleaning.html
That is very interesting, and I have never heard of this. What I am not seeing here is the specific manner in which air was used to clean the air filters in these cases.
Since I am not an idiot, I do not hold the air nozzle right up to the filter and blow 150 PSI straight into, or do anything that could conceivably damage the paper media. I hold it at arm's length and blow gently at the clean side to let the caked up dust out. If that actually causes so much dirt to enter the engine that it increases wear by 38-times, then I will sell all of my tools and never open the hood of a car again.
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
... I'll shake out the sand and leaves, then blow the rest out with compressed air. ...
Be very gentle with the compressed air, or you'll greatly increase the amount of grit entering the engine, and consequent wear. There have been several threads warning about that practice.
Originally Posted By: Garak
Check some of Richard Widman's posts here, not to mention his site. He has some eye opening information.
Originally Posted By: circuitsmith
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
then blow the rest out with compressed air.
http://www.widman.biz/English/Analysis/Cleaning.html
That is very interesting, and I have never heard of this. What I am not seeing here is the specific manner in which air was used to clean the air filters in these cases.
Since I am not an idiot, I do not hold the air nozzle right up to the filter and blow 150 PSI straight into, or do anything that could conceivably damage the paper media. I hold it at arm's length and blow gently at the clean side to let the caked up dust out. If that actually causes so much dirt to enter the engine that it increases wear by 38-times, then I will sell all of my tools and never open the hood of a car again.
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
... What I am not seeing here is the specific manner in which air was used to clean the air filters in these cases. ... I hold it at arm's length and blow gently at the clean side to let the caked up dust out. ...
I agree that those reports should've specified more clearly the manner of the supposed "cleaning" with compressed air that proved so destructive.
On another hand, even if the "cleaning" is not violent enough to damage the media, it might still create a small dust storm, and amidst the turbulence, some of the liberated dust could come to rest on the clean side. Therefore, I stick to gentle vacuuming, or leave it alone until replacement time.
... What I am not seeing here is the specific manner in which air was used to clean the air filters in these cases. ... I hold it at arm's length and blow gently at the clean side to let the caked up dust out. ...
I agree that those reports should've specified more clearly the manner of the supposed "cleaning" with compressed air that proved so destructive.
On another hand, even if the "cleaning" is not violent enough to damage the media, it might still create a small dust storm, and amidst the turbulence, some of the liberated dust could come to rest on the clean side. Therefore, I stick to gentle vacuuming, or leave it alone until replacement time.
Originally Posted By: CR94
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
... What I am not seeing here is the specific manner in which air was used to clean the air filters in these cases. ... I hold it at arm's length and blow gently at the clean side to let the caked up dust out. ...
I agree that those reports should've specified more clearly the manner of the supposed "cleaning" with compressed air that proved so destructive.
On another hand, even if the "cleaning" is not violent enough to damage the media, it might still create a small dust storm, and amidst the turbulence, some of the liberated dust could come to rest on the clean side. Therefore, I stick to gentle vacuuming, or leave it alone until replacement time.
Vacuuming is probably a better method. I may start doing that, instead. Of course, I do replace my air filters, eventually.
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
... What I am not seeing here is the specific manner in which air was used to clean the air filters in these cases. ... I hold it at arm's length and blow gently at the clean side to let the caked up dust out. ...
I agree that those reports should've specified more clearly the manner of the supposed "cleaning" with compressed air that proved so destructive.
On another hand, even if the "cleaning" is not violent enough to damage the media, it might still create a small dust storm, and amidst the turbulence, some of the liberated dust could come to rest on the clean side. Therefore, I stick to gentle vacuuming, or leave it alone until replacement time.
Vacuuming is probably a better method. I may start doing that, instead. Of course, I do replace my air filters, eventually.
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
That is very interesting, and I have never heard of this. What I am not seeing here is the specific manner in which air was used to clean the air filters in these cases.
Note that in applications where a lot of dust is expected, as in some agricultural applications, and something in the filtration system is serviceable, rather than simply replaceable, there is usually a prefilter that can be dealt with, and warnings in the manuals, too, to never service the main air filters with compressed air.
That is very interesting, and I have never heard of this. What I am not seeing here is the specific manner in which air was used to clean the air filters in these cases.
Note that in applications where a lot of dust is expected, as in some agricultural applications, and something in the filtration system is serviceable, rather than simply replaceable, there is usually a prefilter that can be dealt with, and warnings in the manuals, too, to never service the main air filters with compressed air.
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
Originally Posted By: CR94
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
... I'll shake out the sand and leaves, then blow the rest out with compressed air. ...
Be very gentle with the compressed air, or you'll greatly increase the amount of grit entering the engine, and consequent wear. There have been several threads warning about that practice.
Originally Posted By: Garak
Check some of Richard Widman's posts here, not to mention his site. He has some eye opening information.
Originally Posted By: circuitsmith
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
then blow the rest out with compressed air.
http://www.widman.biz/English/Analysis/Cleaning.html
That is very interesting, and I have never heard of this. What I am not seeing here is the specific manner in which air was used to clean the air filters in these cases.
Since I am not an idiot, I do not hold the air nozzle right up to the filter and blow 150 PSI straight into, or do anything that could conceivably damage the paper media. I hold it at arm's length and blow gently at the clean side to let the caked up dust out. If that actually causes so much dirt to enter the engine that it increases wear by 38-times, then I will sell all of my tools and never open the hood of a car again.
I drove ORT for 23 years and Caterpillar says not to even look at the filter but to go only buy the restriction gauge. They also say don't tap the filter or blow air through it to try to clean it.
You can read what Cat says, it's on page 24
https://caterpillar.scene7.com/is/content/Caterpillar/C10467200
ROD
Originally Posted By: CR94
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
... I'll shake out the sand and leaves, then blow the rest out with compressed air. ...
Be very gentle with the compressed air, or you'll greatly increase the amount of grit entering the engine, and consequent wear. There have been several threads warning about that practice.
Originally Posted By: Garak
Check some of Richard Widman's posts here, not to mention his site. He has some eye opening information.
Originally Posted By: circuitsmith
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
then blow the rest out with compressed air.
http://www.widman.biz/English/Analysis/Cleaning.html
That is very interesting, and I have never heard of this. What I am not seeing here is the specific manner in which air was used to clean the air filters in these cases.
Since I am not an idiot, I do not hold the air nozzle right up to the filter and blow 150 PSI straight into, or do anything that could conceivably damage the paper media. I hold it at arm's length and blow gently at the clean side to let the caked up dust out. If that actually causes so much dirt to enter the engine that it increases wear by 38-times, then I will sell all of my tools and never open the hood of a car again.
I drove ORT for 23 years and Caterpillar says not to even look at the filter but to go only buy the restriction gauge. They also say don't tap the filter or blow air through it to try to clean it.
You can read what Cat says, it's on page 24
https://caterpillar.scene7.com/is/content/Caterpillar/C10467200
ROD
Originally Posted By: rrounds
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
Originally Posted By: CR94
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
... I'll shake out the sand and leaves, then blow the rest out with compressed air. ...
Be very gentle with the compressed air, or you'll greatly increase the amount of grit entering the engine, and consequent wear. There have been several threads warning about that practice.
Originally Posted By: Garak
Check some of Richard Widman's posts here, not to mention his site. He has some eye opening information.
Originally Posted By: circuitsmith
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
then blow the rest out with compressed air.
http://www.widman.biz/English/Analysis/Cleaning.html
That is very interesting, and I have never heard of this. What I am not seeing here is the specific manner in which air was used to clean the air filters in these cases.
Since I am not an idiot, I do not hold the air nozzle right up to the filter and blow 150 PSI straight into, or do anything that could conceivably damage the paper media. I hold it at arm's length and blow gently at the clean side to let the caked up dust out. If that actually causes so much dirt to enter the engine that it increases wear by 38-times, then I will sell all of my tools and never open the hood of a car again.
I drove ORT for 23 years and Caterpillar says not to even look at the filter but to go only buy the restriction gauge. They also say don't tap the filter or blow air through it to try to clean it.
You can read what Cat says, it's on page 24
https://caterpillar.scene7.com/is/content/Caterpillar/C10467200
ROD
I read a similar thing on the Cummins website. I suppose the experts generally agree on this.
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
Originally Posted By: CR94
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
... I'll shake out the sand and leaves, then blow the rest out with compressed air. ...
Be very gentle with the compressed air, or you'll greatly increase the amount of grit entering the engine, and consequent wear. There have been several threads warning about that practice.
Originally Posted By: Garak
Check some of Richard Widman's posts here, not to mention his site. He has some eye opening information.
Originally Posted By: circuitsmith
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
then blow the rest out with compressed air.
http://www.widman.biz/English/Analysis/Cleaning.html
That is very interesting, and I have never heard of this. What I am not seeing here is the specific manner in which air was used to clean the air filters in these cases.
Since I am not an idiot, I do not hold the air nozzle right up to the filter and blow 150 PSI straight into, or do anything that could conceivably damage the paper media. I hold it at arm's length and blow gently at the clean side to let the caked up dust out. If that actually causes so much dirt to enter the engine that it increases wear by 38-times, then I will sell all of my tools and never open the hood of a car again.
I drove ORT for 23 years and Caterpillar says not to even look at the filter but to go only buy the restriction gauge. They also say don't tap the filter or blow air through it to try to clean it.
You can read what Cat says, it's on page 24
https://caterpillar.scene7.com/is/content/Caterpillar/C10467200
ROD
I read a similar thing on the Cummins website. I suppose the experts generally agree on this.
Patman
Staff member
I haven't changed the air filter in my Civic since I bought the car in July 2011. At the time I put in a new Fram filter and the car had 130,000 km on it. Now I'm approaching 230,000 km. It still runs great and MPG hasn't gone down, so I don't think the filter is clogged up at all. But I also am not so sure it's getting more efficient because my silicon numbers in my UOAs haven't been going down over the years either.
Originally Posted By: Patman
... I put in a new Fram filter and the car had 130,000 km on it. Now I'm approaching 230,000 km. It still runs great and MPG hasn't gone down, so I don't think the filter is clogged up at all. ...
That's fine, probably. I ran air filters up to about twice that far with no ill effects. I didn't frequent dusty areas much, and the filter was relatively generous size.
... I put in a new Fram filter and the car had 130,000 km on it. Now I'm approaching 230,000 km. It still runs great and MPG hasn't gone down, so I don't think the filter is clogged up at all. ...
That's fine, probably. I ran air filters up to about twice that far with no ill effects. I didn't frequent dusty areas much, and the filter was relatively generous size.
- Status