This is driving me CRAZY

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Dd3

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Mar 11, 2020
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Louisiana
Ok, so I bought a CAF for nearly $30 from advance auto parts made by car quest. Nowhere on the filter does it actually have written "air flow" with an arrow. I have been reading all over the Internet that when it has an arrow alone (doesn't actually say "air flow" next to the arrow), that Arrow could mean "this side up" OR, it could mean "airflow goes this way". I know for a fact that my Cadillac ATS has its airflow coming from top to bottom, so I just went with the arrow on the filter meaning airflow direction. The only thing that is throwing me off now is that with the filter placed in that position (arrow pointing down to go with the airflow), all of the wording, etc. on the filter next to the arrow is upside down. Conversely, I have also seen pictures on the Internet of filters, that when the arrow is pointing down in the direction of the airflow, that the wording next to the arrow is visible right side up. I'm still not positive which way to place the filter. Any help from you guys would be greatly appreciated

Ps. Maybe another way to look at it/ask a question is on which side should the charcoal side of the filter be? Should the charcoal side be hit first by the incoming air or should it be on the bottom where the non-charcoaled side gets hit with the incoming air first?
 
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The old one did not have any arrows whatsoever and only had a part number stamped into it. That's the one that was in the car when I purchased it.
 
That ultimately is what guessed as well, but then the wording etc was upside down, hence this thread, lol.
Does anyone know from looking at theirs if the charcoal side is the first side the incoming air hits or if the charcoaled side is the further away side of the incoming air?
 
I think the charcoal side is supposed to be downstream, so the non-charcoal side gets hit first

On my car, the filter can only be installed one way (non-rectangular shape with a keyed tab)

Originally Posted by tcp71
Arrow is for air flow. Words don't matter.


+1
 
Sounds like a plan. Thanks for the replies. i have it installed with the arrow going in the airflow direction but just for s's & giggles I'm gonna pull it again to see where the charcoal side is as well.
 
If, as in many cars, fastening screws go into very soft plastic, I'd consider leaving it alone as the screws chew off a bit of plastic each time they're run.
If not, you've nothing to loose.
 
Originally Posted by Kira
If, as in many cars, fastening screws go into very soft plastic, I'd consider leaving it alone as the screws chew off a bit of plastic each time they're run.
If not, you've nothing to loose.

Makes sense. Noted. Thanks!
 
Could the Carquest filter be made by Wix?

I e-mailed Wix about this when I replaced the CAF in a Vibe. The original filter had an arrow with "UP" next to it, and the Wix replacement just had an arrow.

Wix said the arrow is for airflow direction. Of course, that was ten years ago, so suppliers or designs could have changed.
 
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