How often do you change the airfilter??

[Samilcar]

Originally Posted By: Loobed
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Originally Posted By: Loobed


GM trucks come with a filter minder that doesn't work.

Do you see any movement on your $15 minder?


Interesting. The one on my 2000 Silverado and parents 2002 work just fine.

My 2004 GMC did not have one but I installed a minder that I got from NAPA since they worked well on my other trucks.

Bill




Originally Posted By: Samilcar
Before installing them, I tested them by sucking on them both (insert joke here) and was able to easily move both of them into the red zone without any trouble. After installing one on a 3.5L V6 and doing a WOT run, it moved halfway to the red zone and has stayed in that same position ever since. The one installed on a 2.2L four-banger didn't move a millimeter, even with several WOT runs.



Mine may be defective, but I have read other peoples posts on my truck forum that also say their filter minder doesn't work even when they used a vacuum cleaner to test it.



Yeah, that doesn't sound right. I was surprised at the small amount of suction pressure that it took to move mine into the red zone.

 

[Loobed]

I checked it and it seems to work now. I do not have a light enough vacuum gauge to see the minimum vacuum it takes to move the plunger. I do remember that when I first tested it, the plunger wouldn't lock into position when vacuum was applied. It only moved then automatically popped back. I don't know why it didn't work several years ago when I first checked it, but it now works. Maybe something worked loose.

 

[Big_Ed]

I replace the air filter on my truck when it looks dirty to me. Over the roughly 22 years I've been driving, I've probably only had to change filters on average every 2 years. Many times it was right when I bought a vehicle, because the previous owner left a dirty one in. Often, I replaced the car before the filter got dirty enough to need replacement.

 

[Kestas]

Originally Posted By: Big_Ed
I've probably only had to change filters on average every 2 years.

The time between filter changes is meaningless without mentioning how many miles... 10K?...50K?

 

[Big_Ed]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
Originally Posted By: Big_Ed
I've probably only had to change filters on average every 2 years.

The time between filter changes is meaningless without mentioning how many miles... 10K?...50K?


I average approximately 12-15k miles per year, so I guess my filters get replaced every 24-30k miles. Remember, the term "how often" can also refer to TIME, not just miles, so my post was not, as you put it, "meaningless". Several posters in this thread have listed time only, and not mileage, some posters even less, so there are some posts that are less meaningful than mine. Back on track, though, I don't replace my air filters based on miles, or even time for that matter, just based on how dirty they look.
Take care.

 

[Chimay]

Never, I just clean it every couple years.

 

[Durango]

I like to change mine twice per year. June-July and January

 

[marcre]

My car calls for every 40k I believe. I've got an '07 Jetta and it is nearly impossible to get to the air filter. I can't believe VW made it this way. So much stuff needs to come out of the engine bay to get to it. I'm almost afraid to do it. So, what I'm saying is, I haven't done it yet.

 

[ZOMGVTEK]

I never changed it, at 65K...

I checked it a while ago, and it looked fine, but I have no idea if the previous owners changed it before. I purchased the vehicle at 32K.

Ive been meaning to get a new one regardless.

 

[dime]

when i gets dirty,the last one lasted a year with a flipped lid.

 

[addyguy]

I don't check/change my AF on a set schedule - whenever I think to check it, I do.

Last time I changed it, it wasn't because it was that really dirty, it was b/c the gasket had deteriorated badly.

 

[SilverGGA]

After reading 5 pages of this thread, I think I am the only one who follows the owner's manual? 30k miles or 2.5 years, whichever comes first, for my Subaru

 

[akela]

I bought my current car (Buick Century 2002) year and half ago, it had 98,000kms (~60kmiles) on odometer. When I checked the air filter, it was sooo dirty! Never seen anything like this in my life. More than 50% of outer surface was covered with thick layer of... not dust, but mud.

Interestingly, the car was running fine. I checked on the other side (inner side of the filter, air hose, MAF sensor), it looked all clean. So the filter still was able to do it's job... hopefully.

 

[cjcride]

Was most likely causing it run Rich.

 

[Colt45ws]

Originally Posted By: cjcride
Was most likely causing it run Rich.

Not likely.

 

[pavelow]

I change my air filters once a year...for the Jeep that comes out to around 10K miles and the Jetta is around 15K. They are cheap and easy to change..................

 

[pavelow]

Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
Originally Posted By: cjcride
Was most likely causing it run Rich.

Not likely.
A clogged or very dirty air filter will indeed cause a engine to run rich....especially carbureted ones. Fuel injected engines are more forgiving to a point.

 

[pavelow]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Changing engine air filters too often is not good for your engines.

Quote:
"Engine air filters are designed to actually increase their efficiency by using this initial layer of dust as an added filter layer. Initial filter efficiency is usually approximately 98% but increases to more than 99% by the end of the service life of the filter. Therefore, changing an air filter before the useful service life is achieved can result in premature engine wear."

Section 2.3 on page 14: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/pdfs/Air_Filter_Effects_02_26_2009.pdf
That's just too funny.........I've never heard of an engine wearing out sooner because of proactive maintenance. LMAO!

 

[Colt45ws]

Originally Posted By: pavelow
Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
Originally Posted By: cjcride
Was most likely causing it run Rich.

Not likely.
A clogged or very dirty air filter will indeed cause a engine to run rich....especially carbureted ones. Fuel injected engines are more forgiving to a point.

Yes, and he stated he had a 2002 Buick. Hmm, what kind of fueling system does that have? Dont know what you mean by to a point. If the O2 sensor reads rich it pulls fuel the next cycle. If it reads lean it adds fuel. Either it is correct or it adjusts. If it goes out of its adjustment capabilities, it pops a code and lights the infamous check engine light.

 

[Colt45ws]

Originally Posted By: pavelow
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Changing engine air filters too often is not good for your engines.

Quote:
"Engine air filters are designed to actually increase their efficiency by using this initial layer of dust as an added filter layer. Initial filter efficiency is usually approximately 98% but increases to more than 99% by the end of the service life of the filter. Therefore, changing an air filter before the useful service life is achieved can result in premature engine wear."

Section 2.3 on page 14: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/pdfs/Air_Filter_Effects_02_26_2009.pdf
That's just too funny.........I've never heard of an engine wearing out sooner because of proactive maintenance. LMAO!

Yeah, its not real likely to make a huge difference in reality.