How long is a filter good for?
- Thread starter iunderpressure
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63K miles on paper air filter from the factory in 2003..... car is 2003 Honda V6 I took it out in the 2007 Fall, knocked it clean, and put it back in..
Yeah, maybe this year it will get replaced.....
I change mine every 30,000 miles. The next air filter I'm putting into my car is over 10 years old (old stock, looks perfect though). Should work fine...
Every 40,000 miles for all my cars.
Even at this mileage, they are not that dirty.
Even at this mileage, they are not that dirty.
I have an ac delco i bought from a Levines borthers like 4 or 5 years ago..for a 95 neon. I checked it 4 months ago, and it was only just starting to turn black..this kinda worrys me, becasue if i use a fram filter, within 2 years its covered in thick black crud.. i am wondering if my ac delco is working properly? Its got about 20,000 miles on it.
You can't really tell by color. Every vehicle should have a simple restriction measuring device like this
For about $20 and 5 minutes to install, you will never run with a restricted filter again, and never change unnecessarily. (as long as you look at it occasionally)
For about $20 and 5 minutes to install, you will never run with a restricted filter again, and never change unnecessarily. (as long as you look at it occasionally)
widman,...what is that contraption? It looks like something for an air compressor or something.. and how is it instaleld? what does it do?
It is a vacuum gauge that goes between the air filter and throttle body. Very common on diesels.
I usually run air filters 30K miles on air filters on my roead cars. My farm jeep gets checked every couple months just to see what the heck is living in the filter housing.
I usually run air filters 30K miles on air filters on my roead cars. My farm jeep gets checked every couple months just to see what the heck is living in the filter housing.
If you search on Epay for "filter minder" or "air filter gauge", you can find a new or good used one for around $10-$15 delivered.
I agree with widman, these gauges should be standard equipment on all new vehicles. No more guessing about filter condition or opening up the air box if you don't need to. You can easily check your filter condition at a glance anytime you open your hood.
And to think, I never even knew such a thing existed until I discovered BITOG!
I agree with widman, these gauges should be standard equipment on all new vehicles. No more guessing about filter condition or opening up the air box if you don't need to. You can easily check your filter condition at a glance anytime you open your hood.
And to think, I never even knew such a thing existed until I discovered BITOG!
I tell you I really like the design of those O'Reilley/MicroGard air filters. They seal against the airbox really well, plus they appear to use a white synthetic media with lots of pleats. IMO better than a NAPA filter or Fram, hands down. Generally I will change them when they are too dirty for me to knock the dust out, anywhere from 10-12k up to 30k. Ambient humidity plays a big part in how long they last.
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The restriction gauge for the average car/pickup is is 25 water column inches of restriction. you can also get the one that tells you what the restriction is rather than a green/orange in case you want to change before 25, but 25 is standard for most small vehicles.
It is measuring total restriction, so if you've added a snorkel or other stuff it's restriction will be considered.
You install it anywhere in the air intake between the filter box and the manifold. When it goes to orange, change your filter and push the reset button.
Comes on Hummers and many Ford pickups that I know of. Electric versions are available, just harder to install as they require wiring to a buzzer or light. This one just requires a hole with a #18 drill bit. No threading, no adapters.
It is measuring total restriction, so if you've added a snorkel or other stuff it's restriction will be considered.
You install it anywhere in the air intake between the filter box and the manifold. When it goes to orange, change your filter and push the reset button.
Comes on Hummers and many Ford pickups that I know of. Electric versions are available, just harder to install as they require wiring to a buzzer or light. This one just requires a hole with a #18 drill bit. No threading, no adapters.
Have a link or product name where to get one?
I got mine from Ryder Fleet products.
I set the pressure regulator on my compressor, and blow out each pleat on the filter from the backend of the element and blow out the air box every other OCI. Ofcourse sticking a rag in front of the sensor. Filter still looks new 2 years later
mine are spent at 12k
I have a factory installed filter minder/gauge (looks a lot like the picture in a previous post) on my 2000 GMC truck but it never moved that I could tell for a little over 50,000 miles. So I decided that was enough and replaced the factory original air filter with a FRAM. I took a look at the filter minder/gauge while I had the airbox open and it looked corroided on the inside. The gauge says to push it in to reset, but I couldn't get it to move at all. Great idea but a cheap factory version that doesn't work. BTW, my dad had a 1999 with one of these indicators and he said his broke when he tried to reset it.
Kenny
Kenny
I have a factory one on my 98 chevy K1500 and have never seen it move. This truck has an AC-Delco high capacity air filter in it and its been in for a few years and doesn't look very dirty at all. These things are pretty expensive so I don't change them out every 15,000 miles like I do on the cheaper filters in my other cars.
Wayne
Wayne
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