When changing air filter, get a vacuum cleaner and clean, damp rag

[Dave T]

Yesterday, I was going to change my air filter. I got a free one at 18,000 mi (usual change interval is 30,000 mi) as part of a free offer by participating Saab dealers when there was some forest fires. It was an offer to get people to bring their cars in to get the air filter changed free. Now my change interval is out of synch. I was going to compress the change interval so that it would be on schedule by 90,000 mi. I decided against this because the filter was so clean.

Anyway, if one inspects their air filter, consider vacuuming the inside of the air filter box and damp wipe the inside of the air intake after the filter (towards the air mass meter). Mine is shiny and clean inside now. I also vacuumed the filter since the vacuum cleaner was on. There's a bit more dust at one end near where the air gets sucked into the air mass meter hose. If you inspect the filter, why not turn it 180 degrees so the dusty part is now towards the front and the cleaner part of the filter (rear) is towards the air mass meter. Note that you are not reversing the filter as that would defeat the purpose of the filter and it also wouldn't fit.

So next time you change your air filter, consider getting the vacuum cleaner ready as well as a clean, damp rag. To change it, one needs just a screwdriver and a Torx screwdriver (T-20 size).

[Hirsch]

I recently cleaned my K&N air filter and found a cigarette butt in the air filter box.

You have to wonder how a cigarette butt gets sucked into the air box.

[tunnanxwd]

Was it your brand? Next time you are working by the air box relax first and have a brew and butt and then do what cha' gotta do on the vee-hickle.

Saabs seem to like to suck up birds and with every other car I've had would normally go up or around in the air stream but with the newer gen Saabs, it's more WHAP-SPLAT. Like the feathered friends I suspect that someone flicked it and it just followed the air flow.