Oil and Air Filter Maintenance

[Kurtatron]

People change their air filters too often. They should be changed only as needed. I used to change them every 12K when I could get Casite air filters for $1. Now they're more expensive, and fuel injected engines aren't as sensitive to restriction as carburated engines.

For reference, I once let an air filter go 110K miles until the computer set a code. It looked good, but sure enough, I couldn't see light through it.

I have the original air filter in my 2005 Ford focus with 155k miles. No problems. I also change my oil filter every other oil change.

It’s your money and whatever makes you feel good, go ahead, but the reality is that the vast majority of people don’t do a quarter of what we do, and cars last 200k miles. Your extra effort probably won’t increase the life your car imo.

 

[Donald]

Now cabin air filters get downright nasty. The family car my daughter used had a mouse nest above the cabin air filter made from femine pads daughter had left in glove compartment. Assume female mouse?

 

[Whimsey]

This was at 32,000 miles in our 2017 2.3L Explorer, it's a Motorcraft FL1884. We live in Northern NJ, not exactly a dusty location. I noticed that performance seemed to be lacking. Changed it for another Motorcraft FL1884 and it runs much better now, go figure. Ford recommends 30,000 mile intervals, I guess they are right. The vehicle had ~108,000 total miles when I changed this air filter.

 

[kebabaluba]

slap k&n on and you dont have to think about the air filter for a long time

 

[carl2591]

hold a new filter and one with 10K miles on it up to the sun look through them and see how different they look.. for the most part its hard to tell them apart.. if however you live on a dirt/gravel road or out west with a lot of blowing dust all the time I would bet a stock air filter on the east coast would last 15 to 30K miles no problem.. changing out airfilters are a quick buck for the quick change oil places. JUST SAY NO.. like nancy used to say..

 

[carl2591]

thats a lot of diesel soot, heating oil soot and general air pollution you are seeing there.. not to mention a few bugs.. "dust" comes in many forms.. but it was a bit oily as well .. 30 K is the number for sure..

View attachment 310909
This was at 32,000 miles in our 2017 2.3L Explorer, it's a Motorcraft FL1884. We live in Northern NJ, not exactly a dusty location. I noticed that performance seemed to be lacking. Changed it for another Motorcraft FL1884 and it runs much better now, go figure. Ford recommends 30,000 mile intervals, I guess they are right. The vehicle had ~108,000 total miles when I changed this air filter.

 

[Japanese]

Ford recommends 30,000 mile intervals, I guess they are right.

Most car manufacturers recommend 30,000 miles for the engine air filter. It might be tested already, so no need to question it.
I usually write with a marker the date on the new filter when goes in. From my observation it last about 3 years, which is about 30,000 miles.
People who drive in dirty cities or desert regions might need to change it more often.

 

[Donald]

I changed the filter for the first time in wife's Crosstrek. At 39K. I had a new filter. One less thing on my shelf. I could certainly see the area towards the center where it was more dirty than outside. So in NY we had a dirt (gravel) driveway off a dirt (gravel) road. In DE it's all paved. The vehicles stay noticeably cleaner so assume that's the reason the air filter does also.

 

[Kestas]

I believe auto manufacturers specify an interval for air filters "just because". With all the variability of how people use their vehicles, I don't see how they can nail down a specific interval.

For guys like us we just need to inspect the filter every so often and judge for ourselves when to replace it. For me, not seeing light through it is a good indication that it's time.

 

[Zee09]

Geez all we need is another break in engine thread so more nausea can be spread... off to the toilet for me.... more hoodoo voodoo
Yeah I know....already gone