Air filter service question - Subaru Enthusiasts Car Club of the Sierras

M3n2c3 · 2006-07-01, 07:17 PM

I cleaned my K&N air filter element last night (and what a pain in the ass - I think I may just go back to stock paper elements).

I noticed today that at WOT now, my engine has a remarkably deeper, noticeable low growl at the low RPM range that it didn't quite have before. It just kind of sits below the normal engine noise. There's no change that I can perceive in the car's power output or acceleration characteristics, either positive or negative - but the butt-dyno's never very accurate, is it?

I know I'm not imagining the sound because my wife commented on it this evening, and she doesn't usually pick up on subtle differences in the car like this.

Now, I cleaned and re-oiled the filter according to the instructions. I'm pretty sure that I didn't over- or under-oil, but I'm uncertain as to what change in the filter might cause my engine to sound deeper.

Any ideas, or is this something else that I'm concerned about unnecessarily?

khail19 · 2006-07-01, 07:23 PM

How many miles were on the filter since the last cleaning? Was it extremely dirty?

M3n2c3 · 2006-07-01, 07:46 PM

It had nearly 17,000 on it, and had a fair amount of dirt, but wasn't mind-bogglingly nasty. I decided to clean it mostly because A) it's crazy dusty between Dayton and Carson every day, and B) earlier this week I had to drive straight through a cloud of ash that was so thick you could barely see twenty feet ahead (one of the fires was blowing straight across hwy50e).

Dean · 2006-07-01, 08:20 PM

Are you sure you got the air cleaner cover back on correctly? Getting the engine side on completely is quite a challenge.

Second, did you knock out, or dislodge the snorkle?

M3n2c3 · 2006-07-01, 08:36 PM

I'm pretty sure I got it back on correctly. It was just as big a pain in the ass to get it hooked up at the bottom as before. I'll re-seat it and try again just to make sure.

M3n2c3 · 2006-07-01, 08:58 PM

Ow. It was seated correctly, and I just gouged my left hand knuckles open on the side of the engine bay getting it back on.

It looks like there may be a little excess oil on the filter - it's darker at the "bottom" than the "top" (relative to the angle, not the side) and even though it seemed like just enough last night, there is now a little dribble at the corner - so I'm just gonna chuck it and replace it with a paper element. K&N isn't worth the trouble.

2006-07-01, 07:17 PM	#1
M3n2c3 EJ205 Real Name: Jeremiah Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Dayton, NV Posts: 1,888 Car: 2005 Impreza 2.5RS, 2000 Forester L Class: RNP sometimes (see motto) "Kids are ruining autocross."	Air filter service question I cleaned my K&N air filter element last night (and what a pain in the ass - I think I may just go back to stock paper elements). I noticed today that at WOT now, my engine has a remarkably deeper, noticeable low growl at the low RPM range that it didn't quite have before. It just kind of sits below the normal engine noise. There's no change that I can perceive in the car's power output or acceleration characteristics, either positive or negative - but the butt-dyno's never very accurate, is it? I know I'm not imagining the sound because my wife commented on it this evening, and she doesn't usually pick up on subtle differences in the car like this. Now, I cleaned and re-oiled the filter according to the instructions. I'm pretty sure that I didn't over- or under-oil, but I'm uncertain as to what change in the filter might cause my engine to sound deeper. Any ideas, or is this something else that I'm concerned about unnecessarily? __________________ Small red text that looks curious at first glance but is ultimately inconsequential Last edited by M3n2c3; 2006-07-01 at 07:49 PM.

2006-07-01, 07:46 PM	#3
M3n2c3 EJ205 Real Name: Jeremiah Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Dayton, NV Posts: 1,888 Car: 2005 Impreza 2.5RS, 2000 Forester L Class: RNP sometimes (see motto) "Kids are ruining autocross."	It had nearly 17,000 on it, and had a fair amount of dirt, but wasn't mind-bogglingly nasty. I decided to clean it mostly because A) it's crazy dusty between Dayton and Carson every day, and B) earlier this week I had to drive straight through a cloud of ash that was so thick you could barely see twenty feet ahead (one of the fires was blowing straight across hwy50e). __________________ Small red text that looks curious at first glance but is ultimately inconsequential

2006-07-01, 08:20 PM	#4
Dean Señor Cheap Bastarde Real Name: Dean Join Date: May 2003 Location: $99 Tire Store Posts: 9,294 Car: $.04 STI Class: Fast,Cheap & Reliable=STI Deal, did somebody say Deal? Oh, Dean, yeah that's me.	Are you sure you got the air cleaner cover back on correctly? Getting the engine side on completely is quite a challenge. Second, did you knock out, or dislodge the snorkle? __________________ I am a Commodore PET --- Now get off my lawn you kids...

2006-07-01, 08:36 PM	#5
M3n2c3 EJ205 Real Name: Jeremiah Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Dayton, NV Posts: 1,888 Car: 2005 Impreza 2.5RS, 2000 Forester L Class: RNP sometimes (see motto) "Kids are ruining autocross."	I'm pretty sure I got it back on correctly. It was just as big a pain in the ass to get it hooked up at the bottom as before. I'll re-seat it and try again just to make sure. __________________ Small red text that looks curious at first glance but is ultimately inconsequential

2006-07-01, 08:58 PM	#6
M3n2c3 EJ205 Real Name: Jeremiah Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Dayton, NV Posts: 1,888 Car: 2005 Impreza 2.5RS, 2000 Forester L Class: RNP sometimes (see motto) "Kids are ruining autocross."	Ow. It was seated correctly, and I just gouged my left hand knuckles open on the side of the engine bay getting it back on. It looks like there may be a little excess oil on the filter - it's darker at the "bottom" than the "top" (relative to the angle, not the side) and even though it seemed like just enough last night, there is now a little dribble at the corner - so I'm just gonna chuck it and replace it with a paper element. K&N isn't worth the trouble. __________________ Small red text that looks curious at first glance but is ultimately inconsequential Last edited by M3n2c3; 2006-07-01 at 09:07 PM.

2006-07-01, 07:23 PM	#2
khail19 EJ205 Real Name: Khail Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 1,769 Car: 2016 VW GTI Meets? We have meets?	How many miles were on the filter since the last cleaning? Was it extremely dirty?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
turning up the pressure	justaddwater	Technical Chat	50	2006-03-02 01:11 PM
Worst birthday ever.	Kevin M	Off Topic Chat	44	2004-12-10 02:20 PM
New Subaru Oil Filter - Very Small	Theo	Technical Chat	1	2003-10-29 03:02 PM
oHs n0S!!!!1! Teh Scott's C4r is teh f4ll1ng ap4rts!?!?!!1!	sperry	Technical Chat	19	2003-09-29 08:03 PM
Clutch replaced	dknv	General Subaru Discussion & Club Chat	19	2003-03-13 09:49 AM