Air Filter Life

[artbuc]

Re: 2010 MDX with 75k miles

First change at 4 years and 40k miles. Just did second change at 6 years and 35k miles. Used OEM Filtech both times. I swear these filters are designed for the life of the vehicle. On both changes the old filter was hardly dirty and I could not detect any improvement with the new filter. I certainly will never change it again. Maybe if I lived out west in the desert it would be different, but here in the northeast I wonder if you ever need to change your air filter? In any case, I would say leaving the original Filtech in would be better than replacing with cheap aftermarket filter.

 

[ABN_CBT_ENGR]

No filter (or other component) is "designed" for the life of anything- they are designed to prohibit passage of a certain size particle in a specified flow/pressure range.

They will remain serviceable until the components physically degrade/ break down/get damaged OR until contaminated to the point they do not filter properly.

There are many environments and uses where they will virtually never see significant loading and have unusually long service lives.

If the components are not worn/damaged and the filter area is not clogged- it is still serviceable.

 

[demarpaint]

They degrade with time, even if they don't appear dirty. With regard to how long they last, like everything else, it depends. Desert regions, as one example will certainly require more frequent changes than living in the northeast.

 

[pcoxe]

Hold it up to a strong light. If light can't get through, air probably can't get through either.

 

[supton]

Until it cannot flow enough air for the horsepower required, you wouldn't know a problem. Your right foot just pushes down harder on the accelerator pedal to accommodate for additional intake restriction--well, that was true in the older days, now with computers the ECU does that for you. Until you need WOT you can keep running the filter.

If you park outdoors though you may want to shortchange filter change intervals. Every couple years I'll find that someone has decided that an airbox makes for a good home. One year a mechanic removed about 5 pound of acorns from one of my airboxes (no joke!).

 

[Kira]

After reading a bunch of these threads and looking at old, in-service filter elements I've settled on 30K for my engine air filter.

There's something heart warming about an air cleaner packed with nuts. Rodents chewing through wires and boots...not so much.

 

[Davejam]

I mean 40k interval seems ok if its working for you, but at least check it every so often for rodent activity.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Hold it up to a strong light. If light can't get through, air probably can't get through either.

Yep, I did that with the OEM filter in my Tacoma when I ran it 50K miles - truck was never off-roaded and driven a lot in the rain so figured the air filter could go pretty long. Used a super strong LED flashlight and couldn't see any light at all through the media. Did the same with a new Fram Ultra air filter and saw all kinds of light through the media. I ran the OEM filter too long, and should probably change it at 25K~30K instead.

Here's a photo of just the debris I got out of the dirty side when tapping the filter hard on the floor. The clean side looked spotless, so seems the filter was working well, just over worked IMO.

 

[artbuc]

Wow! My filter was pristine compared to that. Light from my mini mag lite with two AA batteries easily shone through. After many hard raps on the concrete floor yield only a few pieces of debris which I could have counted. Guess our air quality here is pretty good. The Honda Filtech filters are very high quality fit/finish so I know all of the air was being filtered.

 

[totegoat]

I change air filters when they look dirty. 12,000 miles or sooner.

 

[Chris142]

The joys of air filters and the desert.

I mentioned before that I live on a dusty dirt road. Get a couple of cars on it and you have to stop till the dust and silt settle or blow away. I put this Microgauard air filter in our Toyota last November. Roughly 9000 miles ago. I drove it last weekend ( wife's car) and it felt sluggish to...

www.bobistheoilguy.com

 

[DGXR]

The air filter in my Corvette, I know it was slightly dirty when I bought the car and 6 years later it doesn't look any dirtier. But I replaced it after 6 years anyway because for all I know it could be 15+ years old by now. Zero difference in driveability or performance. It's a huge panel and apparently this car has never been driven in a dusty environment lol. All I know is this new one will last a very long time -- OEM stock replacement.