Change the engine air filter and then leave it alone?

[Crusher]

I change mine every 50k-100k miles
I could probably go longer, but the Math works
I do lots of Highway miles

 

[Patman]

How many people here have ever had an air filter be so clogged up that it actually caused the engine to run differently? I bet not very many. When I first got my Civic the air filter was extremely bad, and even still I didn’t notice the engine running badly at all

 

[Dr_Dr3i]

Eh, you could easily get another 10K-20K miles out of that one

 

[factorytuned2012]

I just take my engine air filter out and blow it out with clean compressed air, from clean side to dirty side. Lots of dust comes out, but I make sure the clean side stays clean. Then I use a vacuum to clean the clean side before putting it back in. I never see any dirt or dust in the intake tubing.

My father and friends think I’m crazy but I shop vac out the lower air box when replacing the air filter

 

[yagciogullari]

I read somewhere that when you open the air box to clean the air filter, you introduce more dirt into the engine then the filter would have done in its entire life? So should I put brand new air filter and then leave it alone for 1 year?

lol what?!
unless you live in khartoum with heavy winds i dont think this makes any sense whatsoever.

 

[f355spider]

My father and friends think I’m crazy but I shop vac out the lower air box when replacing the air filter

I always have done that...I even wipe my cabin filter boxes out with a microfiber cloth. Why not?
By the same token, I have no issue with anyone that chooses not to.

 

[Kira]

My father and friends think I’m crazy but I shop vac out the lower air box when replacing the air filter

Tell 'em I'm real nuts because I wash mine out with soapy rags and "wipe-rinse" it.

 

[gathermewool]

I’m lucky that Subaru filters (FB25 and FA20DIT, at least) can be checked without removing the box. Just remove the “snorkus” and you can see the filter. All you need is a mirror to see the dirtiest part at the bottom. Not full-proof, as an absence of large debris doesn’t mean the filter is necessarily good to go, but it’s a good indicator IMO.

 

[Sumboodie]

I do them every 500 hrs unless it has a gauge and it reads it needs it earlier. If there's an inner filter, usually just leave it till it starts getting dusty.

Have 1 piece of equipment it's getting mostly plugged by 250hrs.

 

[JeffKeryk]

35K on our '13 GS350 F Sport

 

[Plawan]

35K on our '13 GS350 F Sport
View attachment 280132

Wasn’t even near needing changed.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Wasn’t even near needing changed.

I was embarrassed to post the mileage...
Interestingly, Lexus installed a washable air filter in the F Sport models. I threw that sucker away and installed a Lexus paper element.
They are pretty cheap at my local dealership.

 

[oil pan 4]

Install a filter restriction indicator and check the foam once a year, assuming there's foam, you want to make sure it doesn't deteriorate. The foam starting to rip was the reason I changed the last filter on my truck.
It may seem counter intuitive but slightly dirty filters clean the air better.