Early and unscheduled oil change coming.

[Jetronic]

I changed the original air filter out today at 48k miles, and got an unpleasant surprise. A 1 inch long and 1/3 inch wide tear in the base of the filter. The rubbery material got affected by the oil from the PCV and weakened until it tore. So I won't be leaving the air filter in for the full 4 year change interval either. This filter wasn't 4 years old yet.

So, as soon as possible I'll change the oil (tomorrow at lunch most likely) and that'll be a relatively short OCI as well to get the silicon levels back down.

 

[BrocLuno]

Good plan

I generally don't let filters go longer then 2 years. One seldom used truck went 5, but I checked it at least once every 6 months or so (usually when priming the carb due to sitting ).

 

[bioburner]

I have found the practice of checking the air filter along with the oil change to be prudent here in the country having found mouse nests and acorns from a chipmunk

 

[Olas]

A good reason to use an efficient catch can, VTE or VTA.

 

[Jetronic]

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Good plan

I generally don't let filters go longer then 2 years. One seldom used truck went 5, but I checked it at least once every 6 months or so (usually when priming the carb due to sitting ).


the filter is only accessible from below, and requires the removal of 1 of the covers before I can even see the housing lid. Also, I figured that disturbing the filter would introduce chances of filtration failure.

I'll go 2 years next, and if things look good I'll stay at that interval, but if I don't like it I'll go shorter again.

 

[Jetronic]

Originally Posted By: Olas
A good reason to use an efficient catch can, VTE or VTA.


Catch cans are not legal for on-road use here.

 

[Jetronic]

Originally Posted By: bioburner
I have found the practice of checking the air filter along with the oil change to be prudent here in the country having found mouse nests and acorns from a chipmunk


The OCI is 22k miles or 2 years, I'll be doing that now when I'm under there...

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: bioburner
I have found the practice of checking the air filter along with the oil change to be prudent here in the country having found mouse nests and acorns from a chipmunk


I found a nest and acorns in the engine compartment of my daughter's car this past spring and was not completely sure where all the fibers for the nest came from...I did an emergency check of her air filter a few weeks ago after that possibility hit me, but it was fine. She is still getting free service from the dealer, but I sure don't trust that they have actually checked her air filter at any point.

 

[Popsy]

I never had a car wich put oil in the air filter, but I came across several topics regarding oil in the air filter (I'm not talking about oil bath air filters

). How is that possible? (this is a genuine -albeit probably stupid- question)

On my cars PCV are routed just before the throttle valve, I guess to lubricate them, I don't see how "oily air" could do all the route back to the filter ???

In my diesel there's a catch can (sort of), but I don't see some direct pcv system like in other gasoline engines.

 

[SR5]

Originally Posted By: Jetronic

the filter is only accessible from below, and requires the removal of 1 of the covers before I can even see the housing lid. .

Classic Alfa.....I remember removing the dellorto rear end on my Uncle's GTV, and something about a handbrake return spring that needed the engine to be dropped to replace it.

 

[KL31]

So the pcv routes back into the air box? Most I've seen just route back either into the intake plenum itself or past the maf/vaf/map sensor somewhere in the intake tubing.

 

[CR94]

Originally Posted By: Popsy
I never had a car wich put oil in the air filter, but I came across several topics regarding oil in the air filter ... How is that possible? (this is a genuine -albeit probably stupid- question)

On my cars PCV are routed just before the throttle valve, I guess to lubricate them, I don't see how "oily air" could do all the route back to the filter ???
I don't know how it's possible with any modern car in good condition, but on my '72 Subaru, the crankcase vented to the clean side of the air filter housing. Yes, that made an oily mess of the filter media. After giving up on home-made catch cans, I modified it to vent to the clean side of the filter. There was no fresh-air intake to the crankcase---unlike a true PCV system, which most US cars had had since about 1964.

 

[Jetronic]

Originally Posted By: KL31
So the pcv routes back into the air box? Most I've seen just route back either into the intake plenum itself or past the maf/vaf/map sensor somewhere in the intake tubing.


No, the air leaves the airbox on the top, then has a ballistic like arc toward the turbo. The PCV enters the air on the high point of the arc, so when the engine gets shut down, and cools, the oily vapours condense and are more likely to run back down towards the filter (through the MAF)

 

[jayg]

Originally Posted By: Jetronic
Originally Posted By: bioburner
I have found the practice of checking the air filter along with the oil change to be prudent here in the country having found mouse nests and acorns from a chipmunk


The OCI is 22k miles or 2 years, I'll be doing that now when I'm under there...


Miles or kilometers?

 

[Jetronic]

Originally Posted By: jayg
Originally Posted By: Jetronic
Originally Posted By: bioburner
I have found the practice of checking the air filter along with the oil change to be prudent here in the country having found mouse nests and acorns from a chipmunk


The OCI is 22k miles or 2 years, I'll be doing that now when I'm under there...


Miles or kilometers?


22k Miles or 35,000 km

 

[Jetronic]

Anyway, oil changed today...