Honda Civic 2013 Air Filter - 11,000 miles (Pics)

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https://plus.google.com/photos/106023929328438184913/albums/5930145570604703569 - link to album.

Hopefully that link works. I ordered an OEM air filter with my OEM fog light last week and figured I'd replace it after my co-workers agreed it was dirty enough to replace. Dealer wanted $40+ for new engine air filter, I got the OEM for $12.

It looks to be a cotton type air filter that is really oiled (drops of oil all over on the plastic package).

Air Filter spent most of its time in the high desert (we have some dust storms) but did make a trip from California to Iowa and back (almost 5k miles round trip after driving 1k+ in Iowa).

What do you folks think? Changed it too early? Not early enough? For $12 I'm not terribly worried about changing it every 10k miles.

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Tried to hold filter up to light.

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Closeup

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From bottom.

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From top.
 
I personally think it looks good and it could have served you well for a few thousand more miles. But for $12?.. change it every 12k and you're golden.
 
I like to replace the air and cabin filters at the same time. I bet the cabin filter is filthy as well. Excellent price.
 
Knock the loose stuff out on the ground with a few whacks and reinstall. It's good for double that mileage at a minimum. Here in relatively dirty air N Va (outside DC), air filters usually go 40k miles. Now 30+ years ago, about 15k would be it. The air is cleaner now, just ask the Pittsburgh residents.
 
When in Doubt:Change it out. Do you notice improved engine response with a new filter?
 
Originally Posted By: FZ1
When in Doubt:Change it out. Do you notice improved engine response with a new filter?


I'd like to think so but I've been watching BITOG long enough to know most of that "think so" stuff is all in my head. Engine idles smoother from what I noticed this morning when closing my garage door (garage broken). So to answer your question - yes.
 
why immediately replace it with a fresh new filter? Afterall: a little bit of dirt caught on the filter actually helps in improving filtering efficiency...and modern OBD-II engine management will be more than happy to compensate that itty-bitty additional airflow restrictions imposed by the dirt, and you won't feel the difference/suffer from any apparent fuel-economy loss at all.

In other words: your current dirty air filter still has lots of life left. I'd use it for another 20k or more before replacing it (until it fails the sunlight test).

Q.
 
I'd knock it on the pavement a few times, then stick it back in.

I'm looking at 50-60k on the OEM air filter in our van, not as dirty of an area as you are.
 
Probably good for another 40K miles of the same. You cannot tell by looking, especially with a lofted, depth type media like this. FOr the bazillionth time, only a restriction gauge will tell you for sure and they are easy to install.

Bear in mind a statistic: Approximately 90% of the dirt that passes thru a filter in its lifetime does so in the first 10 percent of use. In that time, fitler efficiency imprves 2-3 percent. How much does that change the equation? See below and bear in mind an average fitler is in the 95-98 percent efficiency range when new and gets better as it loads up. I don't know where the Honda starts but that type of media is usually very efficient.

Code:
For Every 10 Pounds of Dust Drawn Into the Air Filter Inlet:



EFFICIENCY OF FILTER DUST INTO ENGINE



99.95% 0.005 lbs.

99% 0.10 lbs.

95% 0.50 lbs.

90% 1.0 lbs.
 
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My filter looked like that after 10K also. I was wondering where the oil on the filter came from, I didnt expect the media to be oiled - IO though oit was coming from PCV fresh filtered air inlet blowback/reversion. I will have to blotter test my next new filter to see if its oiled. I have only been able to find HONDA for the fit no aftermarket (and I refuse to buy a Chinese Purolator or wix).
 
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Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
My filter looked like that after 10K also. I was wondering where the oil on the filter came from, I didnt expect the media to be oiled - IO though oit was coming from PCV fresh filtered air inlet blowback/reversion. I will have to blotter test my next new filter to see if its oiled. I have only been able to find HONDA for the fit no aftermarket (and I refuse to buy a Chinese Purolator or wix).


How long are you running your air filter for? Yeah, what's up with no aftermarket air filters? At least for my 2013 Civic, I've gone to Wal-Mart and Autozone and have found none. After I found the OEM one on a honda parts online store for $12 I figured I'd just do that. Oiled cotton? has to be better than paper, right?
 
I been changing mine at 12K/1 year. Seems to have more WOT power afterwards. I have a photo of it on photobucket since I thought the greasy oil and dirt was strange.
I think the Filter media is spun polyethylene terepthalate fibre (PETe) "Dacron"(R). I would be cautious, fake HOnda stuff and toyota stuff is all over the place for sale too cheap.
 
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You did it right. If the engine is more responsive,you needed to change it.
 
Can't tell without a filter minder, but probably could have ran it longer. Chalk it up to experience, now you well run the second filter longer and get more efficient air out of it.
 
Wow! Is all I can say. I guess some people have replace something somewhere. That filter could've easly gone 20-30k miles or more. Do your wallet a favor and get a restriction gauge, no guessing there!
I've got at least 35k on mine and it just now is showing %50 restriction gauge. My filter is black to boot!
 
"Engine more responsive"
lol.gif


I've probably participated in dyno testing over a hundred vehicles in 23 years, doing before and after tests and comparing those results with seat of the pants evaluations. That experience has given me a better-than-average tune on my butt-dyno and I still can't feel more than a 5% power increase in most cars/trucks... even my own... one of which I have driven for 27 years and know it well. Frankly, I scoff at all this "more responsive" stuff when talking about a lightly loaded filter as with the example here. Placebo effect, pure and simple.

You guys need to go back and re-read the Oak Ridge tests Air Filters & Fuel Economy to see how much restriction it takes to make a serious impact on power.
 
I change the air filter in my LS400 about every 3-4 years or 40-50k miles, one time I changed it after more than 5 years with about 70-80k miles, the filter was badly covered with leave, bugs, dust ... I could not see the filter media itself. With the new filter I sure felt that the engine was more responsive, and gas mileage seems to improve a little.

Where I live the engine air filter can easily be in service for 40-50k miles or a little longer, the problem is the seal gets harden after 3-4 years and doesn't seal very well.
 
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