Oppo is quiet

"LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com" (limitedtimeonly)
01/22/2020 at 10:01 • Filed to: Sad that he thinks that he should post a sequel to the cabin air filter change, Seriously posting about an air filter when others on Oppo create and install custom engines? Please tell me you are joking, air filter, VW GTI, Gti

So here is a picture of old and new engine air filter for my GTI.

52,000 miles on the old one, service recommendation is 60k (edit: I may have read the wrong use conditions recommendation for that, I thought it was 40k) , but I also have driven on some rather dusty roads. Replacement isn’t VW, but rather is FRAM, so that may account for some of the color differences, but there is definitely a good bit of particulate matter there. I do worry that the FRAM filter seems to have fewer pleats, but I think it’ll be okay.

Also, I’m grateful for having a garage to do this in, even if it is poorly lit and uninsulated. It was just below freezing outside last night. It did take me some time to find my Torx bits to remove the eight bolts holding down the cover, but otherwise this was easy to do myself, as one would expect.

DISCUSSION (22)

E90M3 > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
01/22/2020 at 10:07

60k? That seems like a long time. I usually replace mine around 20k.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > E90M3
01/22/2020 at 10:09

I may not have read the maintenance manual correctly, it does seem like too long. I thought it was actually supposed to be at 40k.

E90M3 > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
01/22/2020 at 10:12

It’s something like a $20 part for my 3, so I figured changing it more often than not wasn’t really harming my wallet.

Ash78, voting early and often > E90M3
01/22/2020 at 10:12

I was gonna say 20-30k on most cars, even more if you live in the desert.

I just cleaned and reoiled my wife’s K&N yesterday. We always keep one spare paper filter around to use while I wait for it to dry.

In a perfect world, air filters would be changed based on volume of air filtered (think about it — the MAF sensor could easily provide this). And other maintenance items could be done a la carte as needed, like cars with oil quality meters.

But since most people don’t DIY, maintenance intervals are still done as “packages.” Convenient if you’re taking the car to a shop.

TrickJos > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
01/22/2020 at 10:13

I just replaced the cabin air filter in my GTI. 28,000 miles. My wife mentioned a few times that she smelled something similar to exhaust fumes occasionally when the blower was running. A new cabin air filter seemed like the easiest place to start. She has driven it several times since and hasn’t noticed it.

I sniffed around the engine with the hood open and engine running and didn’t smell or see anything. Must have been exhaust from other cars she was smelling.

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
01/22/2020 at 10:13

8 torx bolts to remove the cover? Way to make things way more complicated than it needs to be, VW.

Why not just use clips? I could change the air filt er in my Civic in probably 30 seconds from hood open to hood closed.

Tripper > E90M3
01/22/2020 at 10:14

I check it every oil change and replace it when it stops looking new

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > TrickJos
01/22/2020 at 10:16

My car was starting to smell like dog even when all the seat covers were clean and the car vacuumed, and finally it dawned on me that despite what the dealer said, I should change the cabin air filter. As you would expect, deep in the bottom of the pleats was a coating of dog hair. I’m going to do it sooner next time for sure.