Comments on: Five Minute Finances #1: Clean Your Car’s Air Filter http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/ Simple, applicable personal finance advice for the modern world Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:03:21 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Chris http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/comment-page-1/#comment-751218 Chris Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:17:11 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/#comment-751218 In some ways, this might be a decent cleaning method, but one idea that might work is just flip the filter. I haven't tried this, but in theory, it might work. The dirty comes from the air your car is taking in. I drive a '93 Honda that has the intake opening under the car. One side of the current filter is filthy, and the other side is rather clean. In theory, flipping the filter over to the clean side might help. I also washed off the inside with a wet rag and cleaned off quite a bit of filth and grime. In some ways, this might be a decent cleaning method, but one idea that might work is just flip the filter. I haven’t tried this, but in theory, it might work. The dirty comes from the air your car is taking in. I drive a ‘93 Honda that has the intake opening under the car. One side of the current filter is filthy, and the other side is rather clean. In theory, flipping the filter over to the clean side might help. I also washed off the inside with a wet rag and cleaned off quite a bit of filth and grime.

]]> By: Pete http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/comment-page-1/#comment-699948 Pete Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:51:43 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/#comment-699948 complete BS. penny-wise but dollar-stupid!! Anyone who is worried about the few dollars that an air filter might cost... is not bright enough to clean an filter himself. Today's cars control combustion using MAF [mass air flow] sensors. These sensors are completly capable of compensating for a partially plugged air filter. A filter has to be HORRIBLY plugged to hurt fuel economy. An ameteur should never touch the media inside an air filter element because the likelihood of DAMAGE is HUGE. complete BS. penny-wise but dollar-stupid!!

Anyone who is worried about the few dollars that an air filter might cost… is not bright enough to clean an filter himself.
Today’s cars control combustion using MAF [mass air flow] sensors. These sensors are completly capable of compensating for a partially plugged air filter. A filter has to be HORRIBLY plugged to hurt fuel economy. An ameteur should never touch the media inside an air filter element because the likelihood of DAMAGE is HUGE.

]]> By: Pedro Prado http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/comment-page-1/#comment-413251 Pedro Prado Sun, 09 Nov 2008 22:56:21 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/#comment-413251 Know the article is old, but I thought I should note that there are several recommendations not to vacuum the air filter because you are usually "pulling" the element in a way the manufacturer didn't thought of, and sometimes it can rupture or make the filter work worse (not retaining particles, which would increase engine wear). Personally I think that cleaning with a brush, cleaning the filter housing is great. Know the article is old, but I thought I should note that there are several recommendations not to vacuum the air filter because you are usually “pulling” the element in a way the manufacturer didn’t thought of, and sometimes it can rupture or make the filter work worse (not retaining particles, which would increase engine wear).

Personally I think that cleaning with a brush, cleaning the filter housing is great.

]]> By: Pete Lauritsen http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/comment-page-1/#comment-379470 Pete Lauritsen Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:04:09 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/#comment-379470 oops! typo on the phone # 888-9-NINE-11 Pete oops! typo on the phone #

888-9-NINE-11

Pete

]]> By: Pete Lauritsen http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/comment-page-1/#comment-379469 Pete Lauritsen Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:02:46 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/#comment-379469 I reccomend the amsoil air filters. they are the best ones on the market and you dont have to make a mess with the filteroil like K&N or some of the other ones. Plus Amsoil flows more air and filters out more dirt. AMSOIL Ea Air Filters have a service life of 100,000 miles or four years, whichever comes first. EaA Filters remain effective for 25,000 miles or one year before requiring cleaning. If you have any questions you can eamil me at pete@serviceteamar.com and I would be happy to explain it further. or vist the web site for amsoil @ http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/eaa.aspx?zo=1514375 Pete Lauritsen CEO 888-NINE-11 I reccomend the amsoil air filters. they are the best ones on the market and you dont have to make a mess with the filteroil like K&N or some of the other ones. Plus Amsoil flows more air and filters out more dirt. AMSOIL Ea Air Filters have a service life of 100,000 miles or four years, whichever comes first. EaA Filters remain effective for 25,000 miles or one year before requiring cleaning. If you have any questions you can eamil me at pete@serviceteamar.com and I would be happy to explain it further. or vist the web site for amsoil @
http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/eaa.aspx?zo=1514375

Pete Lauritsen
CEO
888-NINE-11

]]> By: Joe http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/comment-page-1/#comment-219031 Joe Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:26:14 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/#comment-219031 I needed some pictures. lol This site has a couple if you need them to. http://www.2carpros.com/how_to/change_air_filter.htm hope this helps. I needed some pictures. lol This site has a couple if you need them to. http://www.2carpros.com/how_to/change_air_filter.htm hope this helps.

]]> By: Mike http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/comment-page-1/#comment-36217 Mike Mon, 18 Jun 2007 15:23:51 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/#comment-36217 Two things: K&N filters are appropriate for some cars, very problematic for others. Some cars use Mass Airflow Sensors in the air intake (right after the air filter), and oiled air filters can mess these up. These cars need to stick with the OEM filter. Many paper air filters for modern cars are constructed so that their rubber edge forms a good seal with the air-filter box *ONCE.* This means that opening the box means breaking the seal (to clean it as suggested in the article) and disallowing it to ever make a 100% seal again. Two things:

K&N filters are appropriate for some cars, very problematic for others. Some cars use Mass Airflow Sensors in the air intake (right after the air filter), and oiled air filters can mess these up. These cars need to stick with the OEM filter.

Many paper air filters for modern cars are constructed so that their rubber edge forms a good seal with the air-filter box *ONCE.* This means that opening the box means breaking the seal (to clean it as suggested in the article) and disallowing it to ever make a 100% seal again.

]]> By: Nick http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/comment-page-1/#comment-32167 Nick Tue, 05 Jun 2007 21:51:21 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/#comment-32167 While it takes longer then 5 min. Learning how to change your car's oil is a big money and time saver. I use the 15,000 mile Mobil 1 and change it every 12k miles or 1 year. While it and a good filter costs $30 it lasts for 12,000 miles and takes me about 20min to change my oil. While it takes longer then 5 min. Learning how to change your car’s oil is a big money and time saver. I use the 15,000 mile Mobil 1 and change it every 12k miles or 1 year. While it and a good filter costs $30 it lasts for 12,000 miles and takes me about 20min to change my oil.

]]> By: formul8 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/comment-page-1/#comment-32095 formul8 Tue, 05 Jun 2007 16:55:32 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/#comment-32095 I second the K&N filter idea. I have used these for years and since they are oil saturated cotton gauze, they flow more air, trap more dirt and last for hundreds of thousands of miles for the roughly the price price of two normal air filters. A few more horsepower never hurts and the cleaning in is easy and takes minutes to do. It just takes a little while in the sun to dry, but is still easy. The only downside is the oil. Applying too much has been known to cause a sensor in the intake tract to go a little nuts when it gets coated with the oil. Applying lightly makes all the difference. I second the K&N filter idea. I have used these for years and since they are oil saturated cotton gauze, they flow more air, trap more dirt and last for hundreds of thousands of miles for the roughly the price price of two normal air filters. A few more horsepower never hurts and the cleaning in is easy and takes minutes to do. It just takes a little while in the sun to dry, but is still easy. The only downside is the oil. Applying too much has been known to cause a sensor in the intake tract to go a little nuts when it gets coated with the oil. Applying lightly makes all the difference.

]]> By: Trent http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/comment-page-1/#comment-6818 Trent Mon, 19 Feb 2007 19:37:08 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/#comment-6818 I recommend buying a new one every 15,000 miles, but I clean mine every 3,000 or so (just part of the routine when cleaning up my truck). I recommend buying a new one every 15,000 miles, but I clean mine every 3,000 or so (just part of the routine when cleaning up my truck).

]]> By: Clever Dude http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/comment-page-1/#comment-6816 Clever Dude Mon, 19 Feb 2007 19:30:03 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/five-minute-finances-1-clean-your-cars-air-filter/#comment-6816 Most new cars have a plastic cover. One side of the cover has some bolts or screws holding it down while the other side, most likely connected to a large hose, is hinged (i.e. plastic tabs from the "lid" inserted into plastic loops in the bottom part). Be careful with the lid as it's easy to break these plastic tabs or loops. Once you do that, air can get into the intake below the filter or the vacuum that's created won't be as efficient. Also, I recommend just buying a new filter. You can get them at Autozone or Advanced Auto for $10-20. You can also get reusable K&N filters, but you also have to buy the oil spray and they're controversial. Most new cars have a plastic cover. One side of the cover has some bolts or screws holding it down while the other side, most likely connected to a large hose, is hinged (i.e. plastic tabs from the “lid” inserted into plastic loops in the bottom part).

Be careful with the lid as it’s easy to break these plastic tabs or loops. Once you do that, air can get into the intake below the filter or the vacuum that’s created won’t be as efficient.

Also, I recommend just buying a new filter. You can get them at Autozone or Advanced Auto for $10-20. You can also get reusable K&N filters, but you also have to buy the oil spray and they’re controversial.

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